It is now five years since I returned to photography after an absence of many years due to the pressures of work and daily life. It’s also five years since I started this blog to chart my journey back to photography and hopefully to share my learning and discoveries with others who might be on a similar journey. One of the questions I often ponder is how do I know I am improving at photography? After all, photography is very subjective and when looking at my own photos I wonder whether the photos that I like are actually any good from an objective viewpoint. While I don’t measure my success in photography in terms of whether my photos are ‘good’ in the opinion of others, I do want to feel that there are some criteria I can use to judge the extent of my progress. If you are at a similar stage, and are finding it difficult to judge your own progress, here are some criteria you could use to help you discover if your photography skills and your photography mindset are progressing as you would like them to. So, What Are the Signs That Your Photography is Improving? ·       You have stopped comparing yourself to other photographers and are focussed on your own work, trying to improve on what you are currently producing. I used to compare my work (usually unfavourably) to that of others and this had a detrimental effect on my self-esteem and my confidence. I have gradually begun to realise that comparisons are pointless and that the most important route to improvement is to study my own work and identify both good and bad aspects.   ·       You are interested in creating your own authentic work, making images that are pleasing to you.  We all need inspiration from others and that is good. We can pick up ideas that appeal to us and that we can make our own. By looking at the work of other photographers we begin to know what we like and dislike and this helps us to pursue our own path. Being inspired is a positive thing and we know we are improving at photography when we can take inspiration without either comparing or copying.   ·       You are your own best critic.  When you can look objectively at your own work, discern what is good about your images as well as what needs improvement, and start to keep only the best images for editing, you have made huge strides forward in terms of your photography progress.   ·       You have stopped being disappointed over missed opportunities.  You know that all is not lost when you miss a shot because opportunities will come again, and you’ll be better prepared to capture those moments. You’ll plan your time for visiting your location more accurately, arriving earlier or staying later, or you’ll have a better awareness of what the light is doing at different times. You’ll realise that small changes in planning or preparation will mean less disappointment, and you’ll begin to make these changes.   ·       You become competent at problem solving ‘in the field’. You can adjust perspective, choose composition options, move around to get a better angle, remove distractions, and generally try to get the best image in situ. This reduces disappointments and means you spend less time adjusting your image in an editing programme later.   ·       You are able to change settings easily and quickly. This comes from knowing your camera inside out. When you can quickly access the menu option to find you are looking for, when you can change aperture, shutter speed and ISO, and know what to use without thinking too much about them, when a lack of familiarity with your camera isn’t holding back your progress, you know you are improving at photography. Your camera is merely a tool to help you develop your creativity, but you do need to know it well or it will hinder your progress.   ·       You feel contentment and satisfaction with your work rather than always feeling that it lacks something. You begin to like your images and to know that even when you don’t there are improvements you can make to help you get better images on your next outing. You accept that everyone has down days and you start to appreciate those days when you come home with some real ‘keepers’.   ·       You are happy to make the most of the gear you have.                           You realise that there is no such thing as a perfect camera or a perfect lens. All cameras and lenses, regardless of their price range, have their limitations so you are willing to work with what you have until you begin to outgrow what it has to offer. GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) becomes a thing of the past! Yay! FINAL THOUGHTS As I said at the outset, it can be difficult to evaluate your own progress in photography. There is no test you can pass, no milestone you can reach, no yardstick you can use to discover whether you are improving at photography. Progress is subjective and multi-faceted. It involves not just technical improvements but also progress in how you think about your photography, how you see yourself as a photographer. I hope that some of the ideas above will help you to think about your own photography and enable you to see the progress that you have undoubtedly made.

Most photographers love frosty winter mornings, mornings when fog has shrouded the landscape in mystery or mornings when snow has transformed the landscape into a winter wonderland. These are the mornings when winter yields some wonderful landscape photography. But these types of winter mornings are not common in my part of the world. Instead, we get a lot of dull, grey mornings, when the light is poor, and everything seems flat and boring. So, what do we do on mornings like this? Here are a few tips for what to look for on dull, grey photography days, which can occur at any time, not just in winter. 1.    Look for a strong subject When the light is flat and boring, a strong subject can draw the viewer’s eye and provide an interesting focal point. This was taken just after a rain shower. The man's reflection in the rainwater puddles provided an interesting subject. 2.    Look for interesting colours, textures, pattern and shape Colour can be difficult to find on grey days, although when we look closely we often find little unexpected splashes of colour. Texture, too, can provide interest in our images, while including examples of strong shapes and patterns give us subjects that can compensate for dull conditions and lack of light. Just moments earlier, this building had looked grey and uninteresting but an unexpected burst of sunlight bathed it in light and colour. The unexpected can happen on any day! 3.    Look for contrast On grey days I frequently take the opportunity to do black and white photography. Good contrast can elevate an image from ordinary to compelling, often by adding mood, drama and atmosphere. The key is to look for compositions with good natural contrast. 4.    Look for compositions where you don’t have to include a lot of sky When the sky is grey and lacking in drama it is a good idea to get closer to your subject and avoid having too much sky in the frame. Alternatively, you could fill the frame and avoid including sky altogether. I often include a small section of sky in my photograph and try to recover detail in Lightroom. This can be as simple as selecting a sky mask, reducing the exposure and adding some dehaze. Subtle editing can make a huge difference to a dull sky. FINAL THOUGHTS I like to go out with my camera as often as I can. If I wait for ideal winter conditions, I might not get out very often, so I try to make the most of those very common dull, grey winter days. By going out with my camera and using the ideas mentioned here I often return with an image that I like, and which would not have been possible had I not seized the opportunity. Dull, grey days have their special moments, we just need to go out and look for them.

This has been quite a good year for my photography. I got to spend an extended amount of time in the beautiful Portuguese city of Vila Real de Santo Antonio, where I was able to immerse myself in the daily life of the city and capture some images at different times of the day and in different seasons. I made my annual trip to the west coast of Ireland where I managed to visit some new locations and try a different style of photography. Most of my photography is a blend of locations close to where I live, and photo shoots I make when I visit my daughter who lives a two hour drive away. The landscape is more rural than urban and provides some interesting variety for my photography. These are the images I have picked as my favourite photos of the year. They may not be to everyone’s taste but an important message I have heard many times this year is ‘shoot for yourself’. That’s what I have done and it has been my most enjoyable photography year yet. This was one of my first photographs of the year. I like the sense of movement as the girl walks into the scene. All of the interest is on the left but the fact that the girl is walking into the open space gives a feeling of mystery and I think it works here. I have photographed this house many times from many different perspectives. I like the way the light plays on the front of the house in this image. I made many variations of this image in Vila Real during my first visit in April. Every morning this corner was lit by the sun and I tried to capture an interesting subject in that beam of light. I think the viewer's eye is drawn to the street cleaner at work, which is what I intended. I like working with contrast and continue to look for opportunities to improve my end product. Meanwhile, I include this image because I happened to see the house bathed in light during a film shoot. This year I enjoyed experimenting with candid photography, aiming to capture a scene that tells a story. I think this one illustrates the typical comings and goings of a shopping mall. This was the year I tried to develop my street photography. These three images are memorable as I think they offer some visual interest. In the image on the left the boy and his grandad mirror each other as they both eat their ice cream, making eye contact as they do so. In the middle image I like the way the pigeons seem to be going for a walk in the park with the woman. In the image on the right I captured this tourist taking a picture of the statue of Phil Lynott, and managed to also capture his phone image. This was one of my first images from my new 30mm Olympus macro lens. Using this lens provided a bit of a learning curve but I will continue to work to improve my macro photography. There is something about this scene that I just like. I like to capture the same location in different seasons, as above and below. I think a combination of three elements in this image work to make it a success; the 'tree characters', the misty background and the human element added by the two people walking into the scene with their dog. I love a silhouette photograph. This image might have too many elements but I still think it makes a visual impact. Autumn provided a lot of colour this year. I like this composition even though the light wasn't great. It is a typical rural scene, something I love to capture. A frosty spider web hanging from a gate. It is imperfect yet it has a certain beauty. One of my favourite subjects. FINAL THOUGHTS Choosing some of my favourite images of the year has been a positive exercise, mainly because I realise that I do like many of my images and I could have chosen more favourites. This marks a progression in my photography from the days on which I thought none of my images were worthwhile. I recommend that you try this exercise for yourself.

I am prompted to write this post because of my amazing photography experience during autumn, which this year was particularly stunning in terms of colour. Winter photography seems dull and uninteresting in comparison, yet I still want to get out with my camera as often as possible and make some images. Many posts giving tips for winter photography will mention planning, wearing proper clothes and looking after your photography equipment, so I’m going to take these as a given. There will also be occasions during winter when there's frost, mist, even snow, and you can take advantage of those to capture some incredible woodland images. Most of the winter photography tips you’ll find online will cover these topics well. But what about on most winter days, when it’s grey and gloomy, or perhaps crisp and dry but without much colour or good light? The tips I am outlining in this post will address those occasions. They will be personal tips and suggestions, aimed at the regular person who loves going out in all seasons with a camera just as I do. I will try not to repeat what can be easily found with a quick online search. I am writing this post in conjunction with my photography outings and trying to match my tips with a lived experience of doing woodland photography in the winter. With each of the tips I include some of my own images. I hope you will be inspired to go out and try some winter woodland photography for yourself. 5 Tips for Winter Woodland Phtography #1 Go to your chosen woodland often and build a connection Landscape photographer Kim Grant talks often about the importance of building a deep connection with our subjects in landscape photography. For me, this is particularly important in woodland photography and especially so in winter when we meet our subjects in their rawest state. I often feel particularly drawn to winter trees as they hold their bare branches up to a cloudy sky. Whether it is shrouded in mist, glistening with frost or covered in snow, the same tree can yield numerous appealling images. A winter sky over the woodland is often dark and foreboding but it has the power to make you stop and look and connect with the dark moodiness. Or alternatively, the winter sky can be full of vibrant colour and character that you just want to photograph. #2 Find characters in the woodland I love to photograph bare trees, but they soon begin to look the same and don’t provide varied compositions. Look for trees that stand out from the crowd, trees with unique markings, twisted branches or unusual patterns. Use a shallow depth of field to focus on a tree and provide separation from everything around it. Spend time examining a tree. Get to know it well, give it a name. become familiar with the characteristics of the tree and what marks it out as unique. The Elephant #3 Make use of the unique winter light. Obviously, with shorter days in winter there is less available light, and as we know, photography depends on light. That’s why it’s vital to make the most of the light we do have. The most interesting light for woodland photography is early morning light. In some parts of the woodland the sun produces a warm, subdued light, it other areas it seems to burst through the trees, illuminating the woodland floor and creating wonderful sun streaks and long shadows. As the sun is lower in in the sky in winter it will hit your scene or subject from a lower angle. This gives a unique look to the composition. Occasionally I like to shoot into the sun to produce a sun star - just for fun! For a golden glow on your images visit the woods in late afternoon or early evening, just before sunset. #4 Use leading lines and natural framing to enhance your compositions. Woodlands often have numerous paths and tracks that can serve as leading lines in your compositions. As well as giving a sense of depth to your images, leading lines are well suited to winter images as they provide the interest that can make up for a lack of colour. A winding path meandering through a beautiful woodland can look great, and you can draw your viewer into the frame quicker by getting down low and having the path appear closer and wider. Foreground elements, such as rocks or fallen logs, can also be used to lead the viewer’s eye into the frame. Use overhanging branches to create a frame to lead the viewer’s eye into the scene. In winter, framing within our image can introduce mood and create a sense of magic as we take the viewer on a journey into our photograph. #5 Photograph the micro-environment. Bring a macro lens with you and get closer to the woodland floor. Photograph plants, leaves, insects, pinecones, tree bark and root systems. All types of forest vegetation make good close-up images. Look for interesting arrangements of objects, complementary colours, variety of shapes and patterns. If you go out after a rain shower the woodland floor often glistens, making macro images more stunning. FINAL THOUGHTS Spending time outdoors has great therapeutic benefits at any time of year, but this is particularly true in winter. When daylight hours are reduced it is important to try to get out often in the fresh air. Nothing fulfils this objective so much as a winter photography walk in a woodland, and your camera makes the perfect companion for your trip. I hope these tips help you to make the most of your winter woodland photography shoot. The following blog post may give you more ideas. Tips on How to Improve your Woodland & Forest Photography — Brad Carr Photography

I recently heard a photographer remark that he hadn’t been out taking photographs for some time due to bad weather, stating that it would be good to have optimal weather conditions all the time for photography. I can understand his sentiments. Some photographers find themselves to be very uninspired in certain weather conditions. They like to have good light and when this is unavailable they tend to despair of getting any decent photographs. And if you live in a climate that has very long dark evenings, a lot of rain or just constant grey skies, it can be difficult to feel inspired. Despite this, I do feel that as photographers we must embrace all weather conditions for photography if we are to continue to get out with our camera on the many days when the weather is less than optimal. I have come up with some reasons to support my belief. #1. A diversity of weather conditions challenges our photography skills and helps us to think more creatively. If we had ‘ideal' weather conditions all the time our photographs would all look the same. There would be no challenge, no need to think differently or accommodate seemingly adverse conditions. There would be uncertainty, mystery, compromise, variety, opportunities to develop creativity, resulting in huge rewards in terms of images, and would most photographers not take this over ‘perfect' every time? #2. ‘Good’ weather does not mean the same thing to every photographer. If we don’t experience all weather conditions we won’t know whether we actually prefer shooting in a woodland after a rain shower to capturing yet another ‘easy’ golden hour image. We won’t know how creative we can become on a frosty morning or experience the challenges of achieving proper exposure when photographing in snow. If we don’t embrace all weather conditions for photography we risk selling ourselves short, opting for easy over inspirational and settling for images that don’t stand out from the crowd or give us that ‘wow' factor. #3. If we don’t embrace all weather conditions, we may miss the best weather conditions. If we don’t go out on a dull, grey, overcast da we may miss that brief moment when the sun breaks through the clouds. If we don’t go out because it’s been raining all day and the light is poor we may miss the way rain water glistens on leaves and flowers and gives them a beautiful glow, perfect for macro photography. If we don’t go out because it’s too cold we may miss how the early morning frost makes patterns on the hedges or how the fog lingers among the trees, making for great abstract images. I have missed many potential photographs by staying at home when the weather is ‘bad’, and I know this because of the times that I embraced the weather conditions, went out with my camera, and was rewarded with some memorable images. FINAL THOUGHTS When we look out at grey skies, dark and gloomy conditions, or even harsh summer sunlight, I think we can all be tempted to decide that the conditions are not right for photography. But I would urge you to think again. Think about how those grey skies could add mood and atmosphere to an image, how a rain shower could leave behind beautiful hanging raindrops, how a clear blue sky and harsh sunlight might open up the possibility of getting interesting macro images, or provide great contrast between light and shadow for street images. Think about trying moody black and white images when there’s drama in a cloudy sky or creating a spooky woodland scene on a misty day. The possibilities are endless when we embrace all weather conditions. All we need is a little bit of imagination and proper clothing!

There is a saying in photography circles that the best camera is the one you have with you. For most people, most of the time, that camera will be on our phone. There are many who say that the top phone cameras can rival DSLRs and mirrorless cameras for image quality, while others believe that phone cameras still have a long way to go before they can produce images that can truly rival those of ‘real’ cameras. I have used my phone camera on many occasions for both street photography and general images of subjects that caught my eye, and I have been pleased with the results. I previously wrote a post on why I think phone cameras are good for street and urban photography. I am not a professional photographer therefore I don't have top of the range camera equipment. And while I agree that a phone camera is a good option in some forms of photography, my question is whether the phone camera can be used in landscape photography to take photos that can match those of entry level or mid-level cameras used by amateur photographers. Does a phone camera work for landscape photography? I set about finding out. THE VERDICT While the image quality of these photographs is not terrible, and while a more skillful photographer might have created better compositions regardless of the equipment used, I do see a few issues with using a phone camera for landscape photography. Firstly, the colours are often very saturated and tend to look unrealistic. In addition, phone camera images are difficult to edit as they are effectively already processed by the camera software. Unfortunately, the images are not all processed in the same way so the results can be unpredictable. Thirdly, there is obviously a limit as to how far the phone camera can zoom, which imposes restrictions on the composition from the outset. That being said, I did enjoy the process of capturing these images. I was still able to use photography skills such as surveying the scene and picking out my composition, trying to catch the best light and looking for an interesting perspective from which to shoot. Phone cameras tend to produce better quality images close-up, as seen above, which leads me to conclude that they are perfectly adequate for many types of photography. However, I have to conclude that, while they can offer an enjoyable photography experience, and often produce pleasing results, they don't quite rival a DSLR or mirrorless camera for traditional landscape photography. You might like to watch these recent videos on the topic from two well known YouTube photographers iPhone vs. DSLR 2023: Is Your Big Camera Obsolete? from landscape photographer Adam Karnacz of First Man Photography The iPhone Camera is Actually Rubbish from photographer and film maker Rick Bebbington The two photographers reach a slightly different conclusion about the adequacy of phone cameras for landscape photography. What do you think?

I recently read a comment in response to a YouTube video in which the viewer expressed his annoyance at the use of the term ‘mindful photography’, suggesting that there is ‘no such thing as mindful photography’. While it may be true that there is no official genre of photography called mindful photography, it certainly does exist and is practised by thousands of photographers. In my view, mindful photography refers to doing photography mindfully or doing photography as an aid to helping us become more mindful. We can do landscape photography mindfully; we can do street photography mindfully. It all depends on our mindset on each occasion that we have a camera in our hand. Photography brought me to this place. The image itself may not be fantastic, but the photography experience, and the mindful experience, on that day was memorable. HOW PHOTOGRAPHY HELPS YOU TO BECOME MORE MINDFUL The topic of this post is to consider how photography can help you become more mindful, something that is becoming very important in today’s uncertain world. More and more people would like a way to switch off from a constant bombardment of bad news and from their own negative thoughts. Sitting still and trying to meditate or practise mindfulness is not for everyone. For those who are more visual in their approach to life, the way to still the mind might be to get out into nature and be immersed in all the sights, sounds, smells, mood and atmosphere of the natural world. But at times even this activity can bring a sense of sadness and hopelessness when we think of the way in which we humans are behaving in the world and the way in which we are treating the natural world. Photography offers us something more than just being in nature and observing, although that is an important part of the photographic process. Photography allows us to connect with our environment in a meaningful way, to engage with the elements and become one with the subjects we are photographing. Springtime brings an abundance of opportunities to contemplate the beauty of nature. In choosing our subjects we are giving meaning to the things around us. To me, this is mindfulness in action; a situation where our focus is firmly on what we are doing in the moment and to which we give our full attention. When I allow photography to be a mindful process I can let go of other thoughts and worries and concentrate on what I like to do – take photographs. My final images don’t have to be award winners, they are just images that are pleasing to me. Some of them may even be good enough to share. The process is what’s important, being present in each moment, enjoying the feeling of the camera in my hand, the subject and composition lined up in front of me, and the click of the shutter button as I capture the image. Doing photography mindfully is not an occasion to be critical or negative about your images. It is a time to wander, observe, admire, choose what you like and enjoy the moments and the process. Mindful photography may not be a photography genre, but photography does, in many ways, give us an opportunity to be more joyful, to be more mindful. Being in tune with the landscape and connecting with the natural environment as we make our photographs is a great way to disconnect from the stresses of everyday life. And that can’t be a bad thing! Further Reading Photography - A Gateway To MIndfulness 3 Powerful Reasons To Embrace Mindful Photography You might also be interested in the following YouTube video: Exploring MIndful Photography With Kim Grant & Nikon's Neil Freeman

Have you ever come to a standstill with your photography and wondered how to bring back the joy that you used to feel when out taking photographs? I know that at times I come to the stage where I feel that I am going around in circles learning about photography yet not making much progress in real terms. Added to this, if the feeling coincides with a time when I am unable to travel to explore different locations and try out new techniques, then sometimes my camera doesn't leave the house for days. How Does Mindful Photography Help? I first took an interest in mindful photography two years ago and my interest has continued to grow. This earlier post describes my belief that photography has become a gateway to mindfulness for me. Although at that time I was in the midst of learning the technical side of photography and tempted to only share my best photographs in a bid to receive more ‘likes’, I was also aware that I could get caught up in the rat race in photography, just as in anything else, always on the lookout for that perfect shot, always comparing myself to others and finding myself wanting. I knew that my heart did not lie in this type of photography and so I began to explore the concept of mindful photography. For me this was about being rather than learning or doing; it was about slowing down and allowing experiences to come to me. It was about seeing without taking pictures, about waiting, about being present in the moment. For me, mindful photography has been the opposite of mainstream photography. It is not about competition or perfection; it’s not about the best equipment or the technically brilliant shot, and while I do still want to learn and become as technically proficient as possible, mindful photography has influenced my practice to a great extent and this has given me much more freedom to shoot as I want to shoot, to take my time, not feel under pressure and to enjoy more fully what I love doing. Mindful photography has given me more freedom to shoot as I want to shoot, and make the images I want to make, without fear of judgement ‘Mainstream’ vs ‘Mindful’ Photography While it might not be accurate to see these as opposite types of photography, there are some obvious differences and mindful photography is not for everyone. Professional photographers are intent on getting the best shots and their livelihoods depend on that, so they are concentrated on the technical and aesthetic aspects of their photography. Similarly, if you are learning a new technique and want to practice it, that is where your concentration will lie. When you are concentrating on getting the perfect shot or achieving technical competence you are thinking, expecting a certain outcome, planning for success. When you choose to practice mindful photography, you don’t go out expecting any particular image, you let the image find you. You wander, remain open to your environment and what it offers and reveals to you, and the picture presents itself. You approach your photography with the wonder of a child. My 2-year-old granddaughter doesn’t come for a walk in the woods expecting any particular outcome. She brings an open mind; she responds to what presents itself to her. She is drawn to certain objects, colours, textures and she responds naturally by touching, exploring, discovering something about the object. Mindful photography borrows that child-like sense of curiosity, wonder and awe. When you practise mindful photography, you don’t go out expecting any particular image, you let the image find you. I was unexpectedly in this place, and although the light was harsh at 11.30 am on a sunny day, I took as many images as I could Seeing anew Mindful photography is a bit like seeing something for the first time. We begin to see even familiar scenes in a new way; we come to appreciate beauty in the ordinary. Mindful photography is about “letting go”; letting go of expectations and stress and rush. It is about slowing down, taking time, being in the moment. In mindful photography there are no judgements of ourselves as photographers or comparisons with others. There is no bad light or bad weather or poor subject. There is just this subject, in these conditions, that draws us and asks us to make an image. When I stopped here, a fog had descended over the lake. In many ways the weather was not ideal for photography but I like the images and I still remember the sense of calm I felt in the location. A short time later the fog had burned off and the scene was completely different. FINAL THOUGHTS I hope I have inspired you to at least give mindful photography some thought. In my next blog I will outline 3 powerful reasons to embrace mindful photography, at least as part of your photography practice. You might also like to read my previous blogs: Does Photography Support A Mindful Experience or Take From It? How Embracing Mindful Photography Has The Power to Transform Your Life Know anyone who might enjoy this post? Feel free to share the link.

Mindful photography is about being in the present moment, seeing what is around us, accepting things as they are without judgement, finding beauty in the ordinary. It is not an alternative to regular photography but can at times be an alternative way to approach our photography practice. Mindful photography will not appeal to everyone who does photography, but for those who enjoy approaching photography in this way there are additional benefits to our lives which make this approach worth trying, at the very least. Here are just some of the benefits to be gained from practising mindful photography. Mindful photography: 1. Supports our physical health No-one needs to be told that exercise is good for our physical and mental health. We know that a daily walk is recommended for us all, especially if we don’t exercise in other ways, yet it can be difficult to find the motivation in our busy lives to get out and walk. As with all photography, mindful photography is a great motivator to get outside and take some exercise. Taking a camera with you, or just your phone and the willingness to observe and capture anything that catches your eye, gives you a good reason to get up and out. While you may not always be ready to go out for a serious photography session, mindful photography is gentler, it has no expectations, it gives you a reason to walk while observing and listening and being in the moment ready to capture the image that draws you. Photographer Anthony Epes puts it this way: “For me walking and shooting requires me to set an intention to be open to everything on my walk and to approach this experience not as a journey to getting anywhere - but to simply be on a journey of curiosity and seeing.” 2. Keeps us living in the moment Mindful photography focuses on the present moment. In a previous post I wrote of an outing with my camera where I spent some time in my local park, wandering through the walled garden, taking photographs of plants and parts of plants, observing a little bird hopping around which I tried to capture on camera, noticing how the first signs of spring were already in the air. I was focused on seeing, noticing, tuning out the rest of the world and making time for myself and the images I would capture. As I did this, I had no thoughts of anything that had gone on in the past nor had I any worries or anxieties about the future. I was fully immersed in what I was doing. In fact, the practice of photography doesn’t really allow us to be anywhere other than fully present or we might as well not be there at all! I recently spotted how tame the robins have become and they allowed me up close to capture an image. On this occasion I just had my phone camera with me so I had to use the digital zoom to get a closer shot. Not recommended in serious photography but I did get an image of the robin that I might not have managed to get otherwise 3. Helps us get into a flow state Anything that is absorbing and engrossing, that engages your interest and helps you forget about everything else, can be said to be a flow activity. Research in the field of positive psychology suggests that experiencing flow is linked to greater happiness and wellbeing (Csikszentmihalyi & Csikszentmihalyi, 1988). I wrote a previous post describing how, for me, photography provides one such flow activity. When I take my camera out and about I forget all about my every day cares and concentrate on enjoying the experience. Mindful photography intensifies the flow experience as you become completely absorbed in the present moment. You are 'in the zone', free of distractions and alive to all that is available to see, hear, feel and smell, as well as to the image you want to capture. Your whole being is involved in the task and you leave your everyday cares aside. According to Positive Psychology, "understanding how to enter the flow state, and maintain it, is seen as a great way to enjoy the activities we get engaged in." 4. Focuses on things that give us joy, increase our happiness, improve our mental health When your focus is simply on the things that bring you joy you are free of expectations and pressure to deliver, even to yourself, and you become open to possibilities and opportunities. You have a blank canvas every day to explore and enjoy making images of the things you love. It might be a bark of a tree or a tiny flower. It might be a stone in the water or something that felt good to touch. Photography will not be a chore, with an expectation to capture great images, it will be a joy, a chance to do what you love and accept the outcome without judging yourself. 5. Encourages self-awareness As you wander, as you allow images to come to you, as you allow yourself to be drawn to your subject, mindful photography encourages you to become more self-aware, more in tune with your own likes and dislikes and the things that interest you. Mindful photography helps you communicate your world view to others. Walk slowly, look, listen, be present, keep an open mind, enjoy what is. Through this process you will get to know yourself. You are not answerable to anyone else, neither is your photography. As you get to know what you like and enjoy what you do you begin to trust your instincts rather than look for the approval or affirmation of others. Your photography becomes more personal, you feel free to experiment, become more creative, express yourself as you wish to, rather than fear the negative reaction of others. I love looking at clouds and I take every chance I can to get a good image. Sometimes the cloud formation in the background will be my main reason for capturing a certain subject 6. Encourages an appreciation of our surroundings Mindful photography encourages a more intimate relationship with your surroundings, with your subject and with your current experience as you see more deeply, breathe in a sense of place and time, observe what might often go unnoticed. You begin to appreciate your own space and expand your curiosity where you are. Mindful photography does not require travel, it just requires you to be present where you are and to make the most of the opportunities for images which present themselves to you in the here and now. A photographic reminder of my first trip to the coast after almost four months of lockdown 7. Helps us to slow down Mindful photography slows you down, encourages you to pay attention, to take time for yourself. If you take away the pressure of having to make great images you are free to do what you want to do, to go where you want to go, to walk without a camera and just be, to indulge your curiosity. 8. Encourages an attitude of reflection Mindful photography encourages you to be reflective, to make choices that suit your own mood and preferences. Today you might want to experiment with long exposure, tomorrow you might want to photograph some trees. Will you use colour, or does black and white appeal to you for that image? Will you use a DSLR and experiment with depth of field or will you keep things simple and use your phone camera? In mindful photography you can let the image reflect your feelings. You can be playful or serious, you can even choose to be abstract. It doesn’t matter, the choice is entirely yours. 9. Encourages gratitude Gratitude is one of the keystones of mental health according to the principles of Positive Psychology. The benefits of incorporating gratitude as a regular practice are well researched and documented. In a previous post I considered how we can harness the power of gratitude through photography. Mindful photography, in particular, encourages gratitude in our lives. In mindful photography we are drawn towards things which mean something to us, things that we are grateful for, thereby cultivating more gratitude for what we see. How often do we notice clouds in the sky, leaves on a tree, veins on a leaf? Yet, when we start to photograph these things, we begin to pay attention to them, to really notice them, and to appreciate them. 10. Gives us a sense of purpose Deepak Chopra* says, “One of the strongest ways to remain on course when recovering from loss or other hardships is to find and know your purpose…Of all the things that make human beings unique, needing purpose and meaning in our lives is one of the most prominent.” For many people it is arts and creativity which give them a purpose in life, for others it is becoming more attuned to the inner self and finding out what is of most importance in their lives. In a recent article written for Fitbit called Feeling Lost? Here's How To Find Your Purpose, According To Deepak Chopra, the author Deepak Chopra gives some suggestions as to how we might return to our purpose after this time of ‘sustained collective disruption’. I believe that every type of photography can give that sense of purpose, but mindful photography in particular has the potential to give our lives purpose and meaning. It can fulfil our creative desire, it gives an outlet and opportunity for learning and self improvement and it can be almost meditative in nature, fulfilling a need to experience something beyond ourselves. Perhaps more important to our sense of purpose is the fact that we don’t just make images for ourselves, and when we share our images we are sharing part of ourselves and hopefully bringing pleasure to others. We can be ‘eyes to the world’ for other people - recording snapshots of particular times and places, informing, inspiring, telling stories and maybe even amazing others with something we capture. We ask others to look through our eyes, to look again, to look differently and to see things as we see them. We don’t have to belong to the league of top photographers to achieve this, we can each make a difference in our own small corner of the world and that more than anything gives a sense of purpose to our photography practice. I hope that I have convinced you of the benefits to be gained by doing mindful photography. In my next post I give some suggestions as to how you can become a more mindful photographer, whether you are using a full frame DSLR, a smartphone camera or something in between. This is one in a series of blog posts relating to mindful photography. If you are interested in this topic, you might like to read some of my previous blogs How Trying Mindful Photography Really Changed My Perspective Does Photography Support A Mindfulness Experience Or Take From It How Embracing Mindful Photography Has The Power To Transform Your Life 3 Powerful Reasons To Embrace MIndful Photography How Can We Harness the Power of Gratitude Through Photography? If you know anyone who might enjoy this post, please feel free to share the link. Further Reading On Mindfulness Photography, and How It Positively Impacts Your Mental Health ************************************************************************** *Deepak Chopra MD is a well known humanitarian and wellbeing advocate and founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit organisation for research on well-being and humanitarianism. Author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, Chopra is a world renowned pioneer in the area of personal transformation. Updated December 2022

I heard about the Everyday Camera Philosophy some time ago and it interested me, so it has now become part of my photography journey. I was delighted to see a recent YouTube video on the topic from photographer and film maker, Rick Bebbington (link below), which prompted me to write this post. So, what is the Everyday Camera Philosophy and how can it help your photography? Put simply, the Everyday Camera Philosophy refers to the idea of having a camera that you can take with you everyday, or at least on most days. This camera needs to be small and lightweight to fit into a bag or pocket and be a camera that you enjoy using. An everyday camera can be taken on a work commute, a trip into town, or a trip out of the country. It can accompany you when travelling by plane, train, car, bus or while walking or cycling. In short, you choose your camera and bring it with you every day wherever you go. What type of camera should this be? This is personal to each individual but, since it needs to be small and lightweight, the best choices would be a small mirrorless camera or a fixed lens camera. My camera of choice is my Olympus OMD EM10 Mark ii, coupled with a 14-42mm pancake lens. I bring it in my car when on a road journey so that I don’t miss an eye-catching subject, I carry it in my bag when commuting into the city so that I am always ready for some street photography, I pack it in my hand luggage when travelling abroad so that I will always have a camera at hand for travel photography and I take it with me on my morning walk to capture those unexpected moments that may occur. Many of you reading this will no doubt say, ‘I have an everyday camera, it’s on my phone.’ I often use my phone camera when I don’t have any other camera with me but in my view, there are pros and cons to using your phone camera as your everyday camera. While a phone camera is good for quick snapshots it doesn’t have that real camera feel to it that I like. You don’t hold it like a camera or adjust settings as you do on a camera and, in my view, you don’t get the real photographer experience with a phone camera that you get even with a small camera. That’s why I carry my Olympus camera even though I always have my phone camera with me. On a recent trip to Portugal I had my everyday camera to capture the essence of the place, Vila Real De Santo Antonio. I believe there are many benefits to photography from adopting the Everyday Camera Philosophy. Again, Rick Bebbington's video covers these so don't just take my word for it. Benefits of the Everyday Camera Philosophy By adopting the Everyday Camera Philosophy, you are giving your photography brain a workout at every possible opportunity. You will come to know your camera so well that you won’t have to think about settings and menu options. You will develop an innate sense for good composition. You will often be able to catch the best light, observe the most interesting subjects and capture some unique moments that would not have been possible if your camera had been at home waiting for a ‘planned’ photography shoot. You will begin to weave the art of storytelling with your camera into the fabric of your everyday life. Final Thoughts The Everyday Camera Philosophy is a simple concept that could have far-reaching benefits for your development as a photographer. Simply by choosing a camera, taking it with you and using it at every opportunity, you will give yourself the best opportunity to grow in skill and confidence as a photographer, and you never know what you will capture! Why not give the Everyday Camera Philosophy a try and see if it makes a difference? You might like to check out Rick Bebbington's video below: Why You Need an Everyday Camera

Over the last few months my photography has changed direction. I have opted for more intimate landscape images, close-ups and woodland scenes. I have also spent some time doing street and urban photography and documenting places I have visited with my camera. While traditional landscape photography is a type of photography that I love, I have moved away from it for a few reasons. Firstly, I don’t often get to travel to locations that offer good opportunities for landscape images. The best opportunities close to where I live are for woodland, urban and general photography. I have lots of opportunities to capture close-up, and even macro, images. My second reason for not doing as much ‘big landscape’ photography is that I don’t feel skilled in this area and am often disappointed in my results. I need to learn techniques such as focus stacking to have a sharp image throughout the whole frame and some post-processing skills to avoid ending up with flat images. The first reason for not doing landscape photography was remedied recently when I was on a trip to the west of Ireland and encountered many beautiful landscapes, both inland and coastal. I had no excuse not to at least try to photograph these beautiful places. I also needed to use this opportunity to upskill. Here are some images from my trip: On my journey home I suddenly noticed this beautiful sky and fortunately I was close to a viewpoint. I wasn't the only one with this idea on that evening so I joined many other photographers who were trying to capture nature in all its glory. The colours in the sky changed many times in the course of the thirty minutes or so that I spent there, then just as quickly, all the colour was gone. While I may need to improve further in this genre of landscape photography, my efforts on this trip did help me realise that I still enjoy capturing traditional landscape images as I get to spend time in nature and I get to witness the beauty of mountains, lakes, oceans, and skies. I can never fully capture that beauty in an image but I do get an opportunity to be part of all that the natural world has to offer to the landscape photographer.

Some photographers shy away from doing autumn photography. They consider it to be too clichéd and repetitive, a type of photography that hardly requires any photography skill as nature itself does most of the work. I disagree. In a recent post I talked about the reasons why I love autumn for photography. I feel more motivated to go out when the world around me is full of colour - sometimes shrouded in mist before the sun breaks through, sometimes crisp and dry and calling me to make some images. I am drawn to the variety and abundance of colour that awakens my senses and gives me an enormous sense of gratitude for being alive to witness it all again for another short season before the winter comes to take it all away. I have really enjoyed my autumn photography this year. Here is my autumn images gallery of images taken over the past two weeks. I hope you enjoy it.