Frequently Asked Questions
How can I release mental strain?
Mental strains and stresses can come in many forms and build up over time. It is seldom just one thing that takes us to the limit but given enough pressure even steel will break. If you feel you are in a crisis situation then please seek professional help immediately. The hardest part is picking up the phone, honestly people are there for you. The best idea is not to let things get so bad that you can no longer function properly.
Photography is a great way to find release from mental strain and to rediscover your priorities in life. Taking time to slow down and focus, literally, on what matters most to you has profound benefits.
Restore perspective and settle intrusive thoughts.
Find beauty all around you in simple things.
Reconnect with the people who matter most to you, including pets. (they are great listeners and don’t judge..)
Doing something creative helps your mind explore in a different way, solutions to other problems can pop up when you least expect them.
Using a camera, even on your phone, lets people see you are busy so they may either give you space or start a conversation. You can use both to your benefit.
Just taking a break to do something positive for yourself is often enough to release the log jam of cluttered thinking.
The photographs you make don’t have to be great, no one even needs to see them unless you chose to share. Whether they go on the wall in a frame or go in the bin is irrelevant. They can be a source of comfort, a safe virtual place to drift off to when you need it, or a visual journal of where you are. That may lead you to where you want to go and become a record of where you have been. That can all be useful in ways that you maybe cannot see right now.
Why is mindfulness important for men?
Mindfulness is a form of self evaluation and reflection. Fighter pilots, racing drivers, business leaders and entrepreneurs are constantly aware of the current situation and how they are functioning. They use that awareness to decide what actions to take next. As they flow through those actions they are naturally assessing the effectiveness and responding accordingly. Some are doing that faster than others as the consequences are more dramatic and immediate. It is all the same principle though.
it is too easy to let circumstances take over so that we end up like a rubber ball bouncing all over the place. There will always be outside factors that influence our lives, many of which we have no control over and don’t even see coming.
Being mindful of where we are, how we are and how we respond to circumstances and environment gives back control. We cannot control everything but by choosing awareness and clarity we can see what is possible.
Photography can help you be more mindful and therefore more in control in two distinct ways.
Having a strong image of your goal that you can refer to at a glance helps keep your eye on the prize.Keep one handy on the desk, one the wall or in your phone.
Physically taking photographs helps make a record of progress, provides a blueprint and gives you time to evaluate what is going on.
If anyone asks what you are doing then you can justify your actions (should you feel the need to) in terms of project management. Let’s be clear, mental health is a project that requires management. It can be very difficult to talk about, especially if you feel like you are failing, so a bit of camouflage might help.
Where the opportunity arises to let someone you trust know that you could do with a hand, please take it. Two heads are better than one as they say. A different perspective might be all you need.
There is always a solution even if we cannot see it.
Just as the mental stresses can build up layer on layer, taking time for creative pursuits like photography and art also have a cumulative effect.
The biggest single cause of death for men under 50, is men under 50. We can be our own worst nightmare and account for three quarters of all people who take their own lives. All of those are avoidable. They just could not see another way out at the time. When things feel hopeless it is a simple step to think, “why not?” Something that seems horrific and unthinkable to us in a solid rational frame of mind can be disturbingly accessible when we are really down.
It was once part of my job to literally pick up the pieces when someone chose the extreme option. Every one was a tragedy. Every single one left people behind who were shocked and deeply hurt. Dealing with grieving friends and relatives is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Those who have gone probably never knew or thought anyone cared. People do, more than you may think.
That is why mindfulness is important to men. It helps us see what we are probably missing.
Photography is a tool for mindfulness. One of many, but perhaps more accessible and acceptable to men who find the idea of meditation or siting cross legged on the floor too…”out there”.
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How can I combat stress?
Relaxation is the polar opposite of stress. Taking time to deliberately enter and dwell in a relaxed state is a natural antidote to stress. That is much harder than it sounds as I am sure you have noticed.
Trying to empty your mind is hugely difficult, perhaps even impossible for most of us. Striving to quiet your mind into stillness is almost as hard, especially when you need it most.
It dawned on me one dat that taking pictures, photography, was one of the most mindful, meditative things I have ever done. Looking for the right light, a pleasing angle, avoiding clutter in the background, even working with a person as a subject simply draws you in. Time passes, cold, hunger, even needing to pee fade into the background, sometimes for hours.
Commercial photography can be difficult and frustrating but that is not what we are looking at here. Photography as a creative pursuit can be very absorbing and deeply relaxing. It ticks a lot of boxes and is an exercise in all of the principles of mindfulness every time. Here are some ideas to try. There are many more and you can get daily prompts if you like.
Photograph a concept; peace, stillness, beauty, freedom. What does it look like to you?
Photograph something that means a lot to you.
Capture something that sums up your day. Be aware if it is on the negative side, if so look for its opposite too. (No judging remember, just observe.)
What catches your eye that is within two paces of you right now? Take a picture and then ask yourself why it attracted you.
Remember this is about relaxing so don’t sweat it. The outcome does not matter, things will get “better” with practice. It is all in the eye of the beholder and some award winning pictures you probably would not give house room.
Do I need to get a better camera to be a mindful photographer?
No! Use whatever you have, including your phone. Most of the most iconic, famous photographs ever taken were captured on cameras now considered obsolete. The first professional digital cameras used by press photographers had one megapixel resolution but they changed the industry. it is highly likely that some of the pictures on the front page of newspapers today were taken on a phone by a bystander. People are making a decent living these days using just a phone camera. The best camera in the world is the one you have with you when a picture appears. So no you definitely do not need another camera. Unless you want to treat yourself.