Here’s how to explore photography as a self-care wellness practice & change your life!
Self-care is a way to achieving wellness, which is a balanced state of thriving, not just surviving. At heart, it’s about the small but powerful actions we take everyday to cultivate health, well-being, and happiness.
We’d probably all agree that prioritizing our needs and values is a path to well-being that’s not always easy, yet worth taking.
Yet, what if I told you that many of us have the key to a fun and simple self-care practice right at our fingertips? Something that is enjoyable and engaging?
We do, it’s the camera on our phones.
The truth is, we don’t need to run out and buy the latest products or expensive gadgets to enhance our well-being.
Instead, we can reimagine what we are currently doing, with a twist.
Photography as self-care is a relatively new concept, but the fact that over 85% of adults in America carry smartphones, makes it a convenient and accessible form of self-care.
And we all know that easier matters when life gets busy!
So, what’s the secret to using photography as self-care versus a hobby?
Moving from casual to intentional in your approach. From something you do whenever, to a planned part of tending to your mind & body.
Let’s take a look at how you can turn your screen time into me time and use it as a tool for better well-being.
Photography for Better Well-Being
Studies have shown self-care helps us to cultivate positive relationships, deal with changes, recover from setbacks and reduce the chance of stress, depression & anxiety.
Since self-care is all about taking the time to do the things that are meaningful and help you live well, having a variety of tools to get there is important.
Enter, photography!
Let’s face it, life gets busy and often making time to take care of ourselves falls to the bottom of the list. Sad, but sometimes true.
This is one of the main reasons why as a travel coach, I’m passionate about championing photography as a self-care practice and way to better well-being. It’s enjoyable, flexible and can be combined with many other wellness practices and leisure pursuits.
Personally, my a-ha moment came a few years ago, when I truly realized the potential of photography.
During the pandemic (while also recovering from surgery), I turned to photography to heal and cope with the anxiety that seemed to be everywhere.
In fact, I wasn’t the only one who had this experience. Photography as a self-care strategy blossomed during the Covid-19 pandemic. While many of us had control over little else, we found agency in what we could control, our own little corner of the world.
It was a chance to find calm and focus on the positive.
That was the beginning of diving head first into the research, to learn more about photography as a personal development and therapeutic tool.
The growth that came out of those difficulties became a blessing and changed my life in a big way. It kickstarted my journey with more intentionally integrating photography into my wellness lifestyle, as well as making it a pillar of my coaching approach.
The Benefits of Photography as Self-Care
Photography is ideal as a self-care practice because it draws us into the present moment. This is exactly where photography shines, it’s an engaging way to experience the world, whether with a camera or smartphone.
Meaning, if you already enjoy it, you may not have to dig deep into your motivation reserves to make time, simply take your intention and make a plan!
As well as being a hobby so many of us enjoy, photography also cultivates other areas of health, making it even more appealing.
Here are just a sampling of the benefits that it can offer:
- it gets you outside & moving, which can improve your fitness
- spending time in nature decreases stress (even as little as 10 minutes)
- images can evoke positive emotions & uplift your mood
- helps foster meaningful connections with others
- as a tool for self-exploration, you learn more about who you are
In addition, photography is an everyday way to practice mindfulness, which is a pillar of well-being. In fact, in recent years mindful photography has become an emerging avenue to well-being.
Mindful photography is an approach that combines mindfulness with photography and focuses more on the process of exploring behind the lens, and less on the technical part. It’s really about slowing down, being present, and enjoying the experience.
Photography as an Intentional Self-Care Practice
Like many of the other wellness practices out there, photography best supports our health and well-being goals when we intentionally make the time and space to practice.
In addition, being able to combine it with other self-care modalities make it a powerful mind-body tool for well-being.
Since it’s a practice, there’s more to it than simply hitting the shutter button. With that in mind, here are some considerations to help you intentionally take action and kick-start your own practice!
Know Your Why
Dig deep into identifying “why” taking care of health and well-being is vital. When we know our why, that clarity makes it easier to take action and align it with our values.
This is the true north of the inner work we do to bring self-care to life, in meaningful ways.
To do this, step outside of your head for a minute and listen to your heart. Ask yourself what you really need from photography.
- The time alone?
- Getting outside in nature?
- Connecting with others?
Listen to your inner compass and then decide a path forward.
Set an Intention
Setting intentions is a powerful starting point for any wellness endeavor.
So, once you know the why, set an intent.
This could be done for a period of time (like a week, month or trip) or each time you go out to capture and create photos. Here are some ideas:
- choose a theme: like architecture or flowers
- choose an emotion: happiness
- choose a skill to improve: like macro photography or panning
So much of our modern life happens on autopilot, quickly moving from one task to the next.
Why not let pulling out your camera be an invitation to slow down the pace and carve out a few minutes to fully be present in the moment. With no rush, hurry, or agenda to the to the next thing.
This way, the focus is on the process and experience of capturing your vision, not just the photo you aspire to create.
Use Photography as a Therapeutic Way to Tune-In
Photography is more than capturing moving moments and beautiful places, it reflects our inner world.
It’s like holding a mirror to our emotions, values, and what we find meaningful. This makes it ideal to explore for healing and as a tool for personal growth.
This type of photography, also known as therapeutic photography is a gateway for using photo based activities to learn, grow, and cultivate well-being.
Any genre of photography can be therapeutic, as can the editing process. The key is to tune-into what resonates with you and work it into your daily life.
Play & Have Fun
Sometimes adult life is just too serious, know what I mean?
Photography is an ideal way to lighten up and have some much needed fun. Take pictures of things that make you smile or are unusual. Take goofy selfies or act like a kid again.
Swing set fun anyone?
Share & Connect
All photography is about communication and connection…with yourself, others, the places you visit, nature, & the world.
At heart, photography is a way to celebrate and share our experiences with the world.
So, whether you grab your friend and go for a photo walk or send your travel photos to your mom and dad, share your experiences!
Get Creative
As an art form, photography allows us to tap into our creativity because there are endless ways for expression through the lens.
You can get creative with your subject matter as you explore, or even apply creativity in your post processing.
Here’s some inspiration to get you started:
- Like storytelling? Make a diptych as a way to express the small details & the big picture of a scene.
- Like all things vintage? Work with filters to bring your idea to life.
- Want to mix things up? Experiment with self-portraits.
You get the idea, light yourself up and make your heart sing by crafting your vision.
Explore a Self-Care Photography Project
When it comes how use photography as self-care, there are endless avenues to explore, no matter your skill level. To intentionally work photography into your life, consider how much time you want to commit and how often.
You could choose a regular time and place to capture photos, even if it’s simply a few minutes at a time. For example, a good friend of mine absolutely loves the photo a day challenge because it helps her stay grounded in gratitude. I often take my phone on weekend walks & hikes when I can revel in the beauty of nature.
If the idea of a project resonates with you, here are a few ideas:
- Go full in with a 365-day project
- Follow one theme, like doors
- concentrate on a creative technique
- use only your phone
The key here is to find small ways to work it into your life, ways that will make it impactful for you.
Photography is an empowering and engaging tool for well-being. One you’ll want to stick with, on the good days and the bad, and make a part of your wellness lifestyle.
Now get out there and turn your screen time into me time and live your best life!
until the next time…
live well – travel well – be well
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