In the world of smartphones and digital media, photography is everywhere, and pretty much everyone has some sort of camera at their disposal wherever they are during their day. This exercise looks at photography from a (literally) different angle, to turn those endless snaps into something with a mindful meaning that could also spark creative ideas.

The Theory

Generally speaking, people take most of their photographs for one of two reasons. Either they are on holiday or visiting somewhere exciting, and they take a snap of a nice viewpoint or landmark, taking in a full landscape scene. The second common photograph is that of the portrait, where we take selfies with our friends or pictures of our family at important gatherings, to commemorate how we looked and what we were celebrating that day. These are great ways to make memories, but they don’t require any slowing of thought or mindful consideration to accomplish.

That’s where this exercise comes in, and it’s one that can be done at home, or outside if you’re feeling brave enough. The practice of noticing, which our little twist on photography will play on in this activity, is one that comes from meditation and forms of relaxation therapy. When we meditate, practitioners will often ask us to relax our bodies, and if we happen to notice distractions like noises and itches, we have to acknowledge them, but not dwell. In our photographic exercise, we will encourage active noticing of those small details, as a means of shutting out the rest of the busy world around us for a moment or two.

The Activity

Doing this activity in the great outdoors will give you more scope for noticing, but if you’re not able to leave the vicinity of the house, I’m certain there will still be things for you to see from a new angle. So we’re going to take a walk, on any route that you choose, and be sure to have your camera at the ready. As a rule, it’s best to walk in a quiet place where you feel quite safe, away from major traffic so that you don’t encounter any problems during your noticing. Walk in comfortable shoes, and try not to have too many bags or heavy things that will weigh you down.

As you walk, you’ll see objects and landmarks that you may have seen before, like lampposts and bus stops, benches, and shop signs. The idea of the exercise is to slowly let your eyes rove over these usual, larger structures until you notice the much smaller details about them. Does the lamppost have a faded sticker on it from a protest or promotion? Have a pair of lovers graffitied that bench with their names forever? When you find these smaller details, take a close-up photo so that you see only those moments and not the wider world around them. Soon, you’ll have a collection of moments to look back on with a new perspective. 

Reflection

Homing in on the little things can be a damaging practice when we’re talking about emotions and worries, so this exercise is designed to show how you can use those skills for a more positive and inspiring outcome. The results of your photographic expedition may even spark creativity in writing and storytelling. Allow your mind to leave its own concerns for a moment, and wonder about the circumstances of how the small details you’ve spotted came to be there. You now have your own little collection of mini mindful escapes!