Photography as Mindfulness

Presence

Wild Rose, taken while my kids were swimming in the Still, Seal Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador

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I started to learn photography so I could get better pictures of my son, but by the time I got around to learning to use that camera, I had two kids running around. As it turned out, they had zero interest in being a part of my plan. The cat and the wildflowers in the yard became my most frequent subjects instead.

It didn’t take long before sitting by myself in the yard with a bunch of wild flowers became a joy all itself. If I got the shot I was trying to get or not, started to matter a whole lot less because regardless of what the images looked like, I got quiet time by myself with the sun on my face.

I still spend time taking pictures of wildflowers (or dead weeds. Doesn’t matter.) For me, that practice is better than any meditation when it comes to tuning out the world and the never-ending to do list in my mind. Everything else disappears except what’s in front of my lens and how best to capture it. It truly is bliss.

Magic in the mundane

Dead flowers of some sort, taken on Manuels River trail, CBS, Newfoundland and Labrador

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Magic in the mundane – this was a theme inside ‘the club’ ran by Nicole Winters. It has been a concept that has changed so much about my world view. What we photograph doesn’t just depend on the subject or the camera – it depends on the perspective of the photographer, the light, the way it’s arranged in relation to everything else, and so much more.

I have three of my photos printed and hung on my walls at the moment. One is a whale, one is lilacs, and one is a picture of a dead weed that I think looks truly magical.

The moment doesn’t have to be grand to be photo-worthy. In fact, the most beautiful memories are the messy, everyday moments. The belly laughs, not the practiced smile. The wild chaos, not the curated perfection.

I no longer see the world for what it is, I am always considering light and shadow. I am always looking for the best angle or a unique composition. These are learned skills, yes. But more than that, they are an outlook. Everything can be art, if we choose to make it so.