Mental Health Benefits of Photographing in Nature
A camera or your phone helps to immerse yourself in the soothing symphony of nature’s sights and sounds attracting your eyes to witness the transformative power that nature can have on your mental well-being.
Taking your time and relaxing amidst your surroundings often helps you to hear the gentle rustle of leaves and the melodic chorus of birdsong, these natural melodies have an unparalleled ability to calm the mind and ease stress.
No matter what season of the year, nature brings colour and tranquility, all you have to do is relax, slow down and look about you giving yourself the opportunity to see beyond the obvious.
As you allow yourself to be enveloped by the serenity of nature’s scenery and soundtrack, you’ll find your worries dissipate, replaced by a sense of peace and tranquility. Focusing through the camera lens or lining up a photo with your phone helps to let the harmonious rhythms of nature restore your inner balance and rejuvenate your spirit.
Applying yourself to photograph a scene or subject helps you experience the respite of nature’s sights and sounds, letting you embark on a journey to improved mental well-being.
Therapeutic Benefits of Photography
Embarking on a journey with photography allows you the opportunity to express yourself, it will also help bring focus to the positive life experiences that surround you, these therapeutic benefits will help enhance your self-worth, and may even reduce the stress hormone cortisol.
There’s no need to rush out and buy a camera, chances are you have one waiting for you in a cupboard or drawer. Seek it out, dust it off, charge the battery, if you have forgotten how to use it then let google come to the rescue.
No camera! No problem! Your phone will be more than adequate to get you out about snapping and connecting you to the transformative power of the natural world, nurturing your mental well-being.
Whether you live in a city, town or village a journey to capture beauty is all around you, pay attention to find scenes and subjects to photograph when out walking and you’ll find a sense of peace and tranquility wash over you, replacing worries with newfound interest and serenity.
Health Benefits of Nature Photography
By taking your time, studying and looking you will be surprised at what you see no matter where you are, nature is playing a part. Discovering what you may not have noticed before will reveal the harmonious rhythms of nature and help restore your inner balance and embark on a journey to improved health and mental well-being.
Taking photographs gives you the opportunity to improve your mental and physical health therapy in a affordable and calming way.
Therapy and Mental Health Benefits of Photographing in Nature
How many times have you walked past a fallen branch? Perhaps you have no idea how many times as you have never really looked or been interested.
There are lots of people will know the questions I ask myself as I prepare to photograph the branch. My ignorance of the facts is all part of the fun and prompts my imagination to conjure my thoughts and answers.
What caused it to take that shape and why did it fall to ground, was it decay or perhaps a lightning strike.
How many little creatures live in there, who is the apex predator and how do the little guys protect themselves.
All this and more goes through my mind whilst I admire the colours and textures nature has created.
I doubt this photograph will win any awards, it was never intended to. Photographing a subject such as this makes me look closer, helping me to appreciate and immerse myself in the wonder of nature.
To some it’s just a lump of wood, to me it’s a work of art and a vehicle that helps me tune out
Therapy of Photographing at Home
Taking photographs at home can be really theraputic, you can use a camera or your phone, either will give you so much enjoyment and relaxation.
Create your own props by gathering dried leaves, paint an old vase, you don’t need to purchase paint just use what you have in the shed, cupboard or garage. Rumage through you drawers and cupboards to find items that will add to your composition.
For a backdrop use a sheet, duvet cover, a curtain or even wall paper that you may have stored away, the choice is endless, all that resticts you is your imagination.
Set your prop up near a window allowing natural light to flow over your creation, move the items around until you are happy with how it all looks and take the photograph.
The weather was awfull and I was bored so I found an old vase I had painted on a previous “chill out” day I think I paid £2.00 from the local waste busters. Rumaging through my props stash I created a wee bouquet using old dried leaves, dried flowers and a few feathers.
To add interest to the composition I used a couple more dried leaves and a few polished stones I found hidden away in a drawer. For the background I used an old piece of canvas I had bought on one of my many forays at junk and charity shops.
After moving bits around I finally took the photo. Definately a fun way of using photography to chill and get some relaxing mental therapy at home.
Therapy in Urban Photography
Photographing within an urban environment can be fun and therapeutic. There are abundant examples of nature on the streets, buildings, abandoned yards, gardens and your local park.
Cracks in the pavement, rust or mould on a wall all reveal hidden treasures when you have a good look around your environment.
Gardens at anytime of the year can host a whole array of subjects to photograph.
Therapy at the Seaside
Several years ago when I first took up photography I visited my local beach on a sunny spring evening in the hope to capture a photograph of the sunset, they are often spectacular from this location.
Whilst walking along the beach I noticed a man sat on one of the groynes, he had a little cushion to keep his bum comfy, a flask to give him a hot drink to keep the chill away and binnoculars to spy at whatever he was looking at.
Perhaps he was ship spotting but that was not what made him stand out to me. Whilst observing and taking a photo, it was obvious he was in his own wee world looking over the rolling sea with the sound of the waves rattling the stones, he was enjoying his therapy at the seaside.
The sea eventually encroached and he packed up and left with a look of contentment on his face.
The sea got choppier the sun went down I took the shot, it wouldn’t win an award but it led me to a happier place and I went home.
Enjoy wellbeing with riverside Photography
Escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and find solace in the serene beauty of nature. Riverside Photography offers a gateway to wellbeing, where you can immerse yourself in the therapeutic power of capturing the flowing river and all the wonders it holds. Let the tranquility wash over you as you watch the gentle current meander past, and allow your worries to dissipate. With each click of the camera, you embark on a journey to improved mental health, finding peace and tranquility in the harmonious rhythms of nature’s symphony. Rediscover yourself through the lens and uncover the transformative magic that riverside photography brings.
Mental Health Benefits of Photographing in Nature
If you would like to read about more in-depth articles about photography visit my blog page.