If you ever even peek at social media, I can almost guarantee you saw a flood of black and white photos take over your feed a few months ago. “Share seven days of black and white photos of your life,” the challenge said. No explanations, no words. Now, while I am not one to participate in challenges, I am so grateful I decided to take this one on. While spending too much time on social media can definitely be counterproductive and detract from our ability to stay mindful, this particular challenge sent by a dear friend came at just the right time. Little did I know how much consciously taking photos would help bring me to everyday mindfulness.
In its essence, isn’t photography about capturing the moment? As photographer Marc Riboud once said, “Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.” At its core, this is also the heart of a mindfulness practice. It is about anchoring ourselves in the present moment.
The black and white photography challenge forced me to SEE. It challenged me to actually LOOK at what is in front of me, to notice. When I was observing, trying to find my next picture, I was not judging or analyzing. I was simply finding joy in remaining fully present to what was in front of me and then capturing the moment in one simple photo. The challenge was a beautiful exercise in mindfulness.
With a little research, I found that the multiple benefits that photography can bring to your mindfulness practice are increasingly being studied and used as a resource. In fact, new workshops and courses using photography to explore mindfulness are popping up more and more across the nation, both for adults and children.
The greatest photographers give up their expectations, desires and goals to focus simply on capturing what they view through their lens. Like them, we can devote ourselves to fully savor the experience of seeing. Through being open to just witnessing the moment and the subject of our photos, we expand our awareness. If we are willing to give up our need to “create” or stage a photo, and rather stand in amazement, we actively open up to the flow of life. We’re not looking for anything specific or trying to control an outcome, a situation. Rather, we are open to experience what meets us on our path, and we allow endless possibilities.
By switching my attention to watching, truly observing, what was around me no matter where I was, I found myself becoming more welcoming, receptive and curious. Things that were “ordinary” or mundane became new, interesting and fascinating not because the objects changed but because my way of looking at them did.
This can be our mindful relationship with life, beyond this challenge, beyond photography. The black and white photography challenge became an eye-opener. It gave me a new way to look at life every day. So, thank you, Stephanie – not just for my lovely collection of photos, but for the reminder to SEE.