Embracing Stillness: A Morning Meditation Through Black and White Photography

When I think of meditation or mindfulness a few words come to mind:

serenity, stillness, listening, being present, using our senses, focus, breath, calm, clarity, awareness, grounded, reflection

When I am out with my camera I can experience many of the attributes of meditation and mindfulness. I am present in the moment, calm, listening and observing what is around me, engaging with my senses. My mind is clear and focused, my breathing is relaxed. I am aware of my surroundings and often experience a sense of gratitude, especially when photographing in nature.

This sense of being mindful to all that is around me and all I am doing comes in a special way when I'm doing photography, and the experience is enhanced when I do black and white photography.

Meditation takes me away from the reality of everyday life, even for a short while. I can let go of stress and worry and just be. In a way, black and white photography is the perfect complement to this way of being.

Since we normally see the world in colour, black and white takes us away from the reality into a version of the world that we don't see.

When I set my camera to monochrome, I strip away the colour and I am left with shape, pattern, light and shadows.

Because colour is so strong and omni-present, it fills the frame all the time. With black and white I encounter the bare bones of an image. I start looking at the structure of my subject, I engage with contrast; with bright light and deep shadow.

I seek simplicity because, in my opinion, clutter rarely works in black and white.

In black and white, I am drawn by a feeling rather than by visual reality. I may not be drawn to the subject as a colour subject, but in black and white it's an emotional choice.

In this scene I didn't just see a seat on a pavement of weeds, I saw light, shadow, shape, line and texture.

CONCLUSION

Black and white photography serves as a form of meditation because by stripping away colour we are left to concentrate on form, shape, pattern and texture. When the distraction of colour is removed we slow down, become more deliberate with our choices, focus more closely on light, shadow and composition. These choices may be emotional rather than rational, allowing us to connect more deeply with our subject.

Black and white photography draws us into a more mindful state; observing the moment, being present, seeing without judgement. It allows us to find 'poetry in the everyday'.

I suggest that you take your camera, set it to monochrome. and let black and white photography offer a fresh way of seeing and a new perspective, capturing the essence of a subject with emotional depth.