Everybody needs a hobby and a pasttime, especially to take their mind off things during these trying times.
And if you are looking for something to help you with your mental health, you could do a lot worse than take up photography:
- It’s a creative endeavour – meaning you are forever learning new things.
- It’s accessible – you don’t even need a camera these days, most people just use their phones.
- It’s rewarding – if you take a picture that your particularly fond of, you’ll forever feel proud that you captured that moment.
And for me, most importantly, it’s a vast world with so much to learn. If you feel you’re not getting along with portraits, you can go out for a walk and try your hand at landscapes, street or wildlife.
As somebody who has worked as a professional photographer, you’d think the work side of it would get tiresome. And while the admin side of it can be a drag, the practical part of the job and the post production work is almost always a thrill.
That said, when the pandemic hit last year, I was recovering from a nasty gallbladder attack. And for the first few weeks of the first lockdown, I was in two minds as to whether I wanted to pick up a camera in a professional capacity again.
Looking back, this was out of character for me and with hindsight, it was clear that I was burnt out – exhausted even. The combination of having a fulltime job, two kids, working every weekend and having that health scare with my gallstones, made me realise my work/life balance was completely off, and that I needed to slow down.
More than just a profession…
So when the lockdown kicked in, I found myself picking up my old X-Pro 1 and taking photos of subjects that were personal to me – my family, our cat, flowers growing outside in the garden, every day surroundings.
Once again, photography became an interest and not just a profession. It was incredibly liberating.
- On his bike
- In the garden
Lockdown effectively saved my personal interest in photography and soon after it was lifted, I was back photographing weddings, events and portraits, with a renewed and refreshed enthusiasm – albeit in a somewhat socially distanced manner.
And once this current lockdown is lifted and all is deemed safe again, I’ll be out there again.
But until then, I will continue to take photos, that tell my story, that interest me and entertain me – that’s why I got into photography. And where I can, I plan to pass on my enthuasiam for the subjects I photograph, along with my knowledge of the medium of photography itself. Over the next few weeks, I plan to post a few guides and tips, so keep an eye out for those.
So yeah, as I was saying, if you need something worth while to do during the next few weeks, pick up a camera, any camera (your phone or even an old 35mm film camera you may have lying around) and start documenting the things around you.
Not done much photography at all….. went back to sewing ….. anything to keep your head clear during these time! Look forward to your tips!!! 🤗🤗🤗
Admittedly, I’ve not done as much as I’d like, but I try to photograph something at least once a week. It’s certainly a lot harder during the winter weeks.
I try and take pictures most days and mess around with the results on my iPad. Recently purchased a Agfa Ambi Silette rangefinder and intended to put one black and white film through it before putting it back on eBay. I tried a film 🎞 project a few years back and failed so maybe this is the start of the the next film camera 📷 project 😂👍❤️