How mindfulness techniques can improve your photography
Mindfulness helps you to be present and focus your attention on the moment you are in, rather than reliving the past or worrying about the future. If you find yourself thinking more about the shots you missed than the one you are taking right now, or thinking about what you will shoot tomorrow rather than what’s in front of you right now, then mindfulness techniques might help your photography.
How to do mindfulness
When you are out with your camera pause for a moment and try these techniques:
Give each of your senses the lead for a few breaths: bring your attention to what you can see, then what you can hear, smell, touch, even taste.
Breathe through your feet. This may sound weird but it’s a tip from Viv Groskop that helps you ground yourself in place and in time.
Allow yourself to be bored. Don’t reach for your phone to have a quick scroll between shots. Force your brain to be so bored that it has to find something interesting for you to photograph.
While you are shooting pay attention to your inner monologue, if you have one:
Are you constantly looking back or looking forward? Try to bring your attention back to the moment instead.
Are you shooting competitively? Try to take photographs for your self rather than for anyone else.
Do you wish you had different gear, different weather or were in a different place? Take the advice of Theodore Roosevelt: “Do what you can with what you have, where you are.”
Do you think you are doing it wrong? Worry about that when you get home. For now breathe through your feet, give the moment the attention it deserves and do your best.
Are you worried everyone is looking at you? Read this post: 3 mind tricks to get over your fear of taking your camera out in public.
What can mindfulness do for your photography?
The comparison trap: once you stop taking photos for other people or to win competitions you’ll find your own voice becomes stronger. Often you’ll find people are drawn to your photographs more and you might do better in competitions anyway, but changing your motivation will make photography fun again.
Better composition: instead of the “spray and pray” approach (where you take hundreds of shots and hope one is good), by slowing down and crafting your shot from the ground up you’ll find your composition improves dramatically.
Finding the light: by paying proper attention to where you are you will start to find light and contrast in the scene that your eye would previously have slipped over without stopping.
Online mindful photography course
Emma’s 14-week mindful photography course runs every year in May and starts on 3 May 2021:
