![\"mindfulness](\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Tracy_8.jpg\")
<\/a>\t\t\tWhen the mind becomes clearer there\u2019s space for creative ideas to flourish. \u00a9 Tracy Calder<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
It\u2019s not about relaxing or emptying your mind, and it\u2019s not \u2013 despite popular belief \u2013 the same thing as meditation. Meditation (whether formal or informal) is a way of reinforcing, practising and cultivating mindfulness. Essentially, it provides the groundwork and encourages you to move out of \u2018doing\u2019 mode and into \u2018being \u2018mode.<\/p>\n
Once in \u2018being\u2019 mode you become fully aware of yourself and your surroundings: you feel the breeze on your face, the ground beneath your feet, the sun on your skin etc. You also become more aware of the internal dialogue running inside your head: concerns about the past or future, feelings of boredom, disappointment or excitement.<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re in \u2018doing\u2019 mode, trying to meet a goal or attempting to be super-productive these thoughts can be distracting and all-consuming. But when you\u2019re in \u2018being\u2019 mode, you\u2019re able to observe this self-talk and remain detached from it.<\/p>\n\t\t
<\/a>\t\t\t\u00a9 Tracy Calder<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
Observe the monkey mind<\/h3>\n
Many creatives would argue that they are already mindful. Landscape photographers, for example, might trek for miles, camp in a remote location and then rise early to take advantage of the dawn light. There\u2019s no denying these photographers will have paid close attention to the weather \u2013 for safety\u2019s sake as much as anything else \u2013 as well as their own physical well-being and surroundings.<\/p>\n
If you asked them later, they would probably say that they were completely immersed in their work and totally aware of what they were doing at all times. But if you could read their minds while they were actually out on location the reality would be quite different. The fact is, we all have a monkey mind.<\/p>\n
This monkey mind likes nothing more than generating noise: thoughts, feelings and emotions that have little use or genuine value. This incessant noise is with us from the moment we wake up to the moment we fall asleep. In fact, it sometimes jabbers on in our dreams too! It wouldn\u2019t be so bad if this internal narrative was full of positive affirmations. If we went around saying, \u2018Creativity is in my DNA\u2019 in our minds every day, this monkey mind might actually be useful.<\/p>\n\t\t
<\/a>\t\t\t\u00a9 Tracy Calder<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
Instead, our monkey mind loves to conjure up mistakes or future concerns and fill our head with them at the most inopportune moments. You might be standing at the foot of a mountain admiring its magnificence when your monkey mind suddenly shrieks, \u2018You should have got here earlier, now you\u2019ve missed all the best light.\u2019 Try as you might, you can\u2019t silence this voice, and it begins to taint your experience.<\/p>\n
Quit the judgements<\/h3>\n
Whether or not you\u2019re aware of it, you are constantly judging and evaluating your experiences. You could argue that this is a useful survival technique \u2013 after all, setting up your tripod on a windswept beach and scolding yourself for not bringing your waterproof gloves will help you to remember them next time. But this is not the monkey chatter we\u2019re concerned about. No, the monkey chatter we\u2019re talking about fills your head with judgements.<\/p>\n
\u2018There\u2019s no point taking this picture if you don\u2019t have a wideangle lens,\u2019 it suggests. \u2018If you hadn\u2019t spent all of your money on the vet\u2019s bill then you would have been able to afford one.\u2019 Or perhaps \u2018The picture you took last year was much better than this \u2013 you should\u2019ve stayed at home and cleaned out the fridge.\u2019<\/p>\n\t\t
<\/a>\t\t\tSculptures by Eil\u00eds O’Connell at West Dean Gardens, Sussex \u00a9 Tracy Calder<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
This chatter does two main things: firstly, it takes your awareness away from your direct experience \u2013 you are no longer in the present; instead, you are lost in thought and only half awake. Secondly, it takes up valuable space in your head \u2013 and when there\u2019s less space, there\u2019s less room for creative ideas to flourish. Trying to silence this monkey mind is impossible.<\/p>\n
If I told you not to think about a penguin dressed in a rah-rah skirt, I\u2019m sure you\u2019d picture this poor aquatic bird in full cheerleading attire. No, you can\u2019t silence this monkey, but you can quieten it down and, in doing so, make more room for creativity. The first step is to become aware of your thoughts, feelings and emotions as and when they arise. The second step is to ensure that you don\u2019t judge these thoughts \u2013 however tempting it might be.<\/p>\n
When you become aware of a thought, feeling or emotion, just acknowledge it and gently let it go. Ultimately, your job is to become an impartial witness to the workings of your own mind. If you can, try to adopt an air of curiosity. Be patient with yourself. If you find that your mind chases after an emotive thought such as, \u2018Dave at the camera club is a better photographer than me,\u2019 then don\u2019t beat yourself up about it. As soon as you realise that you have strayed from the path, you are back to being mindful.<\/p>\n
Look for the gaps<\/h3>\n
If you\u2019re struggling to tame this monkey mind it can help to bring your attention to a physical sensation, such as the breath. Each time you inhale, drawing air into your body, experience it moving in through your nose and out through your mouth. Be curious. Is the air that enters your nostrils warm or cold?<\/p>\n
Are you breathing into the chest or into the belly? Is there a pause at the top of the in-breath or the bottom of the out breath? (Remember, no judging!). Don\u2019t alter the natural rhythm of your breath, just observe it. If your mind wanders a thousand times, then bring it back a thousand times. It really doesn\u2019t matter. What matters is the noticing.<\/p>\n\t\t
<\/a>\t\t\t\u00a9 Tracy Calder<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
If your concentration starts to wane, try counting each breath cycle \u2013 see if you can get to ten without getting distracted. If not, start again at one. When you\u2019re done, let your mind wander. Awareness of the breath is a well-known mindfulness meditation, but you can apply a similar approach to other body sensations too.<\/p>\n
Try bringing your awareness to just sound, for example. Once you\u2019ve honed your mindfulness skills you can use them on that pesky monkey mind! In time you\u2019ll find that paying attention to the present moment, without getting side-tracked by thoughts, feelings and emotions, will result in a calm mind and more headspace.<\/p>\n
And when gaps in the clouds appear, you might find that ideas, perceptions and insights break through like beams of sunlight. When you recognise these gaps as opportunities for clear seeing, there really is no limit to what you can achieve or create.<\/p>\n
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Mindful photographer<\/h3>\nMike Curry<\/h3>\n
\u2018For me, the main benefit of having a mindful approach to photography is its meditative qualities \u2013 I\u2019m literally meditating when I get \u201cin the zone\u201d and as a sufferer of PTSD I find that hugely relaxing and a great way to reduce my anxiety levels. To adopt a mindful approach, I think you\u2019ve got know your kit inside out so that using it isn\u2019t a hindrance to your artistic flow. A good example of what I mean is rooted in my karate training.<\/p>\n\t\t
<\/a>\t\t\tMike can spend hours focused on one scene. \u00a9 Mike Curry<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
Our sensei (teacher) used to make us repeat our kata (detailed patterns of movement) again and again so that their form would be so rooted in our memory that we didn\u2019t need to think about what came next. If we apply the same approach to photography, the camera \u201cdisappears\u201d and we can concentrate on being creative.<\/p>\n
\u2018I start off slowly when approaching a new scene, but momentum steadily builds, and soon I\u2019m fully immersed in picture taking. When this happens, I\u2019m entirely focused and can spend hours with one scene \u2013 taking up to 3,000 pictures \u2013 until my concentration is broken, usually by something prosaic like hunger or thirst! I never examine the results on my LCD screen as I prefer to look at them on my Mac at home.<\/p>\n\t\t
<\/a>\t\t\tWhen you know your camera well you can enjoy the artistic flow \u00a9 Mike Curry<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
Discovering photographic \u201cgems\u201d afterwards is such a joy, and I don\u2019t mind if no one else likes them \u2013 the fact that I enjoyed creating them is enough for me. It\u2019s important to enjoy the process.\u2019<\/p>\n
www.mikecurryphotography.com<\/a> \u2018Using photography to aid a mindful approach to living has enabled me to see without labels, to question, to notice and to slow down. Suddenly the detail is there. It brings everything into focus, not just the thing I\u2019m looking at. I notice the warmth of the sun on my skin, the cry of a gull, people chatting in the distance, the contact of my feet to the ground, the light changing as the clouds move. It\u2019s an act of tuning in, letting go and removing the constraints in order to see more and look less.<\/p>\n\t\t When you let go of preconceptions, metal can become a mountainous landscape. \u00a9 Mel Collie<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n \u2018Human beings have taken huge leaps forward in the world of technology and yet we are essentially animals governed by evolutionary programming that stretches back to the dawn of life. When these drives and impulses are left unchecked, they can lead to so-called \u201cmodern world\u201d disorders such as stress, anxiety and depression.<\/p>\n For me, photography is a tool to help me remain present. It captures a moment in time as the brain has perceived it. A moment of being still, slowing down, noticing the details that we often overlook.<\/p>\n\t\t A mindful approach allows small details to leap out \u00a9 Mel Collie<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n \u2018Adopting a mindful approach enables me to be in this moment without living in imagined future worries. Photography is essentially a tool that I use to access my mind and thoughts. It shows me what I am seeing in a flash of perception. It interrupts the mental noise. Using photography in this way enables me to step back in time, detangle, unthink, accept imperfections, appreciate what is. As a result, the everyday world becomes a joy to play in.\u2019<\/p>\n www.melcollie.co.uk<\/a> All mindfulness meditations and exercises should begin by observing the breath<\/p>\n Consider connection<\/strong><\/p>\n John Muir once stated, \u2018When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.\u2019 Use this as a starting point and take a picture that shows the interdependency of living things. Consider how a tree absorbs moisture and dissolved minerals from the soil, how the bark protects it from attack and how the trunk supports its limbs, for example.<\/p>\n Enjoy imperfection<\/strong><\/p>\n Wabi sabi is an appreciation of anything that\u2019s imperfect, incomplete or impermanent. It\u2019s noticing a crack in a vase and ignoring traditional views of what is beautiful \u2013 if the vase leaks it\u2019s admiring the shape created by the pool of water underneath it. Let go of traditional ideas of beauty or perfection and take a picture that celebrates wabi sabi.<\/p>\n Move past boredom<\/strong><\/p>\n Boredom is a label that we apply to objects and experiences that we are overly familiar with. Think of an example and set about turning the familiar into the unfamiliar. Adopt a beginner\u2019s mind and imagine that you are encountering your chosen object (or experience) for the first time. Observe it from all angles. If you feel restless, just notice and sit with it.<\/p>\n Welcome transience<\/strong><\/p>\n Every moment is unique, and when we bring our attention to our body or immediate surroundings, we can see that life is in a state of flux. There are examples of change everywhere you look \u2013 rotting fungi, rivers carving out fresh paths, clouds shifting and blocking out the sun. Find something that is undergoing obvious change and use your skills to celebrate its metamorphosis.<\/p>\n Study light<\/strong><\/p>\n Paying attention to light can be the basis of a wonderful mindfulness meditation. Look at the way it illuminates certain objects but throws others into shadow. Consider the quality of light in a scene as well as its direction, colour and how it emphasises texture. Think about how light affects your mood and any feelings it might trigger. Now take a picture that illustrates what you\u2019ve discovered.<\/p>\n Explore space<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite its name, negative space is actually full of potential. In Japan, short pauses in conversation, gaps in traditional flower arrangements and silences in kabuki theatre are so loaded with meaning that they have a name, Ma. Make \u2018negative\u2019 space the How photography can help your mental health <\/a><\/p>\n
\nInstagram @mikecurryphotography<\/p>\n
\nMindful photographer<\/h3>\n
Mel Collie<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\t\t\t<\/a>\t\t\t
\nInstagram @melaniecollie<\/p>\n
\nExercises for mindful photography<\/h3>\n
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\nsubject of your photograph. Open your eyes and look for energy in the space between or around objects.<\/p>\n<\/a>\n
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