A Sense of the Wild
After almost a year of staying close to home, chances are you are now pretty familiar with your local surroundings. Whilst this might feel a bit like Groundhog Day at times, on the flip side you might have discovered a greater appreciation of the natural beauty on your doorstep.
Last month I took part in a participatory photography project organised by Mindful Photography UK and Helmsley Arts Centre. It was the ideal project for a January lockdown, combining photography, nature and awareness. One of the tasks that I really enjoyed was called ‘Find your View’, which our project leader, Rebecca, set for us. Essentially, the idea was to find a local view or space which we could visit over and over again; evidence being that going back and revisiting a local space creates a stronger connection.
We had to take a series of photographs to show how we feel about our chosen space, including the senses of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. Rebecca suggested we take a flask to try and capture a sense of taste. Mindful photography is all about your personal experience and reaction to a scene rather than trying to overthink to get the perfect shot.
The space I chose is a particular area in the woods near my home. It’s just off the path between the trees and I am always drawn to the light that falls in a pool onto the forest floor here, rather like an outdoor spotlight. The trees are old, gnarled and twisted and full of character. There is a fallen tree amongst these trees so this was the ideal perch for me to sit on while enjoying a cup of tea from my flask. I don’t know about you, but I always find that everything tastes better outdoors. Even in winter, I will often take a mug of steaming tea out to sit in or wander around the garden.
After spending a little time in my chosen spot, I took a set of photos that I hope gives you a glimpse of what it is like and why it has captured my attention on previous walks. I really enjoyed spending more time here, sitting with my fingers curled around my warm mug of tea, observing my surroundings - from the birds singing to the tiny shoot I noticed when I accidentally pressed the shutter while taking a ‘shoot from the ground’ style photograph.
As a photographer, I always enjoy sharing my photography with others and viewing other people’s images. During each of the weekly tasks it was always interesting to see how everyone interpreted them. The project culminated in a mood board of images from the photos we had taken over the month. This collection of images will be shown as a virtual exhibition at Helmsley Arts Centre.
It’s often good to have constraints in photography and a short project is a great way to improve your skills. Why not join with another photographer or small group and give each other a weekly photo theme to share with each other. You might be surprised at how similar - or different - your images are when you come to compare them.
