Life can be very unpredictable when you are self-employed. One minute everything is ticking along at a manageable level and the next you are feeling completely overwhelmed as those jobs you quoted for several weeks ago all get back to you at the same time and all are suddenly very urgent. Add in all the usual "Mum Duties" and all of a sudden you find yourself wondering when you will find time to sleep and stress levels soar. For me there’s one activity that is guaranteed to completely take my mind away from the stresses of daily life and allow me to completely unwind and recharge my batteries.......
And that activity, believe it or not, is photography!
Yes, even though photography is my business there’s nothing more relaxing and therapeutic than a walk with my camera, connecting with my surroundings and shooting purely for pleasure. I’ve lived in my little Wiltshire village for several years now but every single time I wander around it with my camera it’s like seeing it all through a fresh pair of eyes. Photography allows us all to reconnect with all those little details that we stop seeing in the hurry of everyday life. It gives us the opportunity to slow down and really see the beauty of our surroundings. Regardless of where we live there are endless photo opportunities and beauty all around once we learn to see to them.
Photography gives me the excuse to go out for long walks, sometimes on my own and sometimes with friends with cameras. The combination of fresh air, creativity and exercise is meditative, calming, inspiring and thought provoking. Every time I return from a ramble with my camera I feel refreshed and revived and ready to take on the world!
I know I’m not alone in my pursuit of a quiet mind through photography, increasingly more people are coming to recognise it as a therapeutic pastime and many people now engage with photography as part of a wider mindfulness practice. But I also realise that I’m in a minority when I say that I’m happy to wander off alone with my camera so in spring and summer I will be organising a series of photo walks for people of all ages and abilities. These walks will be an opportunity to walk, chat and shoot at a relaxed pace, they won’t be a training course but I will be on hand to offer tips and guidance. Best of all they will end with coffee and cake, or tea and scones, and a chance to compare photos and marvel over how we all see the same things so very differently.
Dates and details will be announced on my Facebook Page but if you would like to receive an email as well head to the Contact Page and send me a quick message.
The photos accompanying this blog post were taken on a walk around the village where I live, after a few wet days we had a misty morning and I knew I needed to escape with my camera. The sun broke through the mist and the light was just beautiful.......