5 Ways Photography can Improve your Mood
When I moved from London to Northumberland and then to rural North Yorkshire 15 years ago, I became much more aware of how the seasons affected my mood. Summer in the country was idyllic with sunny days, long walks and al fresco living but come winter I felt like I was in a permanent state of hibernation.
This time of year, post Halloween and the clocks going back, always feels like a shift in the seasons. The mornings are noticeably darker, the days shorter and the nights longer, not to mention a change in the weather. As I looked out of the window on Saturday morning all I could see was a milky mist which didn’t lift for the entire weekend.
For me, photography has really helped me appreciate the seasons over the years - even those seemingly uninspiring winter days. So on Saturday morning I headed out with my camera to immerse myself in some slow photography. It’s the perfect time of year to capture seasonal detail from the bright red berries of the hawthorn and rose hips to intricate spider’s webs. These are most noticeable first thing in the morning as they are often covered in dew as the nights get cooler. I was amazed at how many of these little works of art I came across, delicate shimmering threads strung across hedgerows, frothy umbellifers and anything else they could hang onto.
So, if you would like to indulge in some slow photography to help lift your mood, particularly as we move into lockdown 2, here are five good reasons why you should give it a go.
The Great Outdoors: Photography motivates you to get outside. I can say hand on heart, whatever the weather, getting out for a walk and returning to the cosy fold of home always makes me feel better than before I left. So put on your coat and boots and head outside. Slow down, absorb nature, appreciate your surroundings. Take your time and find beauty in the smallest things.
Mindfulness: Use photography to embrace mindfulness. If you shoot what you love, it gets you into a flow state, one of total immersion. I find photography a great distraction and a great way to zone out. When I have tried mindfulness to clear my head I sometimes find my mind wanders but with photography I am absolutely in that moment.
Digital Detox: Embrace the art of slow photography or more mindful photography and take a break from social media. It’s tempting to reach out and take multiple shots of the same image, particularly if you’re searching for the perfect shot for your Instagram feed. Try not to focus too much on the shot you just took or the one that you could take if only this or that was different. Instead, spend the time finding your subject, compose your image and take the best photo you can in that one click of the shutter button.
Create a Story: Take a few minutes to think about why you are taking a particular photo. What story are you trying to tell? Truly ‘see’ what you are photographing. I love taking photographs that are part of a series so when I get home and look through them or revisit them at a later date, they tell a story of that moment in time on that particular day.
Focus on Detail: Look at something as if you’ve never seen it before. Appreciate colour, texture, shape and movement. There’s so much to photograph at the moment with changing leaf colour, close ups of fallen leaves, delicate cobwebs, atmospheric mist, morning dew or a lightly frost-coated landscape.
SHOOTING TIP: How to Photograph a Spider’s Web
Choose a still day
Find a dark background
Choose a large aperture to blur the background
Use manual focus
Get as close as you can
