What is Flow and why is it important for our wellbeing? I’m sure most of us know the feeling – we get so immersed in what we are doing that we forget about everything else and time passes with our realising it. Most of us have also heard the term ‘being in the flow’. What we might not know is that research has been done in this area and the research would seem to indicate that being in this state is good for our mental well-being. Italian-born psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, was the first to recognise and name the psychological concept of ‘flow’. He defined the concept after interviews with artists who reported that they would get so immersed in their work that they would forget about everything around them, even eating, sleeping and showering. Flow is “a state of heightened focus and immersion in activities such as art, play and work”. It is the state of the writer writing, the musician composing or performing, the artist, potter, sculptor engaging in their craft, the athlete ‘in the zone’, the dancer dancing, the cook creating a meal, the child at play - the list is endless. Positive Psychology argues that when we are in a state of flow we lose consciousness of ourselves, move out of our head and into a more positive, rewarding state; a state of fulfillment. Research in this area indicates that people who experience flow on a regular basis have lower levels of depression and anxiety. Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi actually goes so far as to say that flow is the secret to happiness, https://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow?language=en https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-flow-2794768 If these claims are true, and the converse is also true that lack of flow sustains anxiety, it is a good reason to develop an interest, a hobby, a project in which we are really invested and in which we can become so fully involved that we regularly experience ‘flow’. Photography as a flow activity For me, photography is my flow activity. When I take my camera out and about I can forget all about my every day cares and concentrate on the activity at hand: How will I frame the picture? Which angle will I shoot from? Will I try for a wide or shallow depth of field? How can I get closer to my subject? How do I get the best shot? Photography is a subject that has vast potential for learning, for improvement, for creativity, for adventure, for enjoyment. It fits very well into Csíkszentmihályi’s explanation that, "Flow also happens when a person's skills are fully involved in overcoming a challenge that is just about manageable, so it acts as a magnet for learning new skills and increasing challenges." In that sense I have found my pursuit of photography to be a real ‘flow’ activity. Everyone will choose their own activity but it appears to be important to at least have some such activity which will develop our positive mental health and well-being. Here I wanted to achieve the star burst effect by using a high F-stop, in this case F16. These are my first few attempts. Conclusion Spending time with my camera observing, experimenting, discovering new techniques, overcoming challenges and enjoying the places I visit are activities that bring me into a flow state, a real anecdote to the stresses and anxieties of life. There is a real link between photography and flow. What is your flow activity?

My first posts in wildwillowways.com were written during August and September and I have ordered them to represent my journey as a beginner in photography. Future blog posts will appear as written and will hopefully reflect a continuing journey. During my research into camera equipment I relied extensively on user reviews from other amateur photographers and appreciated camera tips. I believe that being willing to take criticism will help me develop my photography skills so I welcome comments from readers of this blog. Please let me know what I am doing well and how I can improve, or pass on ideas for future blog themes.

Part of my reason for getting started with photography was my desire to slow down and begin to notice life as it unfolds around me. I want to go to interesting places and shoot both natural and human life. I want to tell stories through pictures and see things from new perspectives. i want to share my journey with anyone who is interested in following and hopefully learn from many people as my journey progresses. Photography offers all these things and more. I am not a professional photographer and don't intend to post photographs for their technical ability. Rather, I want to experience aspects of life through my camera lens and capture some of that experience for others to share. I will learn new techniques as I go along, and these too I intend to publish so that they might inspire just one other person to follow my path into the exciting field of photography. Everyone who takes up a camera will have a different experience - no two photographs will ever be exactly the same - but some of the questions, problems and frustrations, as well as the numerous joys, will be the same, and sometimes through sharing these we can support and inspire each other to keep going with this very rewarding art form. I do have an ultimate aim as I embark on what will probably be a steep learning curve - I want to take good photographs, photographs that I am proud of for a specific reason. I constantly look for photo opportunities but so far haven't had the relevant know-how to translate those opportunities into a good photo. I would like to learn about the technical aspects of photography and know how to get the best out of my camera. I would like to experiment with different lenses and try out various techniques. I would like to learn from studying professional images to discover what makes a great photograph. I would like to take a photograph to tell a story, to capture a moment, and to share these moments with a wider community. On this new journey there will be lots of failures, hopefully some successes and a lot of learning. I have gone on a number of photography walks and ended up with boring pictures. The main mistake I have made is to shoot the most obvious subject. Recently in my local park I tried to take an 'expert' picture of ducks as they enjoyed their morning routine. I watched two ducks as first one, then the other, went head down into the water. I thought, why won't they both keep their heads up so I can take my 'perfect' photograph? Then they both decided to dive down and I snapped the image. It's a natural image, it's what ducks do, they hunt for food. This photograph tells their story. My technique needs some work, and hopefully it will develop as I go on, but storytelling with my camera will be my priority. Discovering our creativity You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. Maya Angelou As a beginning photographer I have probably fallen down the same rabbit hole as many others and concentrated primarily on equipment, researching for hours to find the best camera for my budget, then mulling over which lens to buy next, and of course there are a lot of new techniques to master. However, the reality is that what draws me to photography is the potential to be creative so I need to find the time to think creatively, to act creatively in my photography practice, to look at things differently, ask myself, 'what type of photographs do I want to take?' and go for it. Creativity is about trusting ourselves, trying something different, experimenting, making mistakes, learning from them, trying again. While I don't aspire to becoming a photojournalist I do admire their work and often take inspiration from these master storytellers. They are experts at shooting the images that tell a great story. I will never create something entirely new but as a photographer I can, and should, create something that is new to me. In doing this, in being true to my own vision, it may even be possible to move others through my images. Conclusion Why is photography worth learning? Photography is challenging, creative, relaxing, gives us purpose, helps us express our view of the world. Learning photography is hard work, we don't know where it will lead, but it is a fascinating and worthwhile pursuit that amply rewards the effort it takes to learn. Don't wait until you've reached your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take toward reaching that goal. Unknown

As I scroll through photography blogs online I am assailed by vivid images of fabulous landscapes, beautiful portrait photographs taken in varying light conditions, sharp lines and curves, well composed pictures telling interesting stories. Compared to these my attempts at photography seem flat and lifeless. Even my best photos are a disappointment to me. For that reason this is not going to be another space to showcase professional photographs, although it might fall into the category of 'Photography Blog', nor is it even a blog for gifted amateur photographers. This blog is essentially a diary of a budding photographer with a passion for, and interest in, the subject, but limited know-how. It is in that sense a starter blog and I hope someone out there will share my journey as I come to grips with photography-related jargon, try to spend money as wisely as possible in a field where one can easily incur exorbitant costs, and most of all try to embrace the challenge of learning a new skill and enjoy the excitement of travelling along paths as yet unknown. Recently I have become focused on shooting 'scenes' with my smartphone camera, rather than simply taking the usual 'snaps', in order to get a feel for 'real' photography. I have tried to look with a photographer's eye. On one of my recent 'photography walks' I became aware of a bird high in a tree and watched as it went about its business. Even though it wasn't possible to capture the image in any great detail with my phone camera I did feel that I am becoming more observant of what is going on around me and I believe that this is a key skill in becoming a better photographer. It also teaches me patience. I didn't capture the image on that occasion but the time will come when I will be in the right place at the right time and with the right lens to capture an image worth capturing. In the meantime I will enjoy becoming more observant in everyday life, with or without a camera to capture the moment! Sharing a creative vision My belief about photography is that you can have one of two approaches - you can aim for technically perfect shots that abide by all the photography rules and stand up to criticism, or you can use your images to tell a story, create a pictorial narrative that the viewer can 'read', display your vision, your view of the world, with your images. If I ask myself what it is that draws me to a particular scene, a scene that makes me want to convert it into a photograph, and if I can answer that question to my satisfaction, then chances are that the image will speak to those who view it also. I have often gone out, camera in hand, and taken very few photographs. Nothing called me. I may have taken a few images to work on a specific technique but nothing around me spoke to me in a way that I wanted to capture and preserve. Whether my mode of photography is travel photography or street photography, whether I am shooting landscapes or images in nature, my aim in photography is to be true to myself, to take photographs that speak to me in some way, that have meaning. And if they speak to me, they may speak to others too. Do you agree that it is important to have your own vision when learning photography? Have your say in the comment box.

There is so much to discover when learning photography, so where do you begin? Do you start with camera lessons, by reading the camera manual or by getting out into the field and experimenting? Before getting out into the 'field' I watched some YouTube videos on getting to know the camera and enrolled on a beginner's camera course. Some commentators suggest using auto mode for a while, others suggest getting out of auto as quickly as possible. I read about aperture, shutter speed and ISO, and watched tutorials on each, but they made very little sense, so I began my 'hands on' learning by taking the camera out and snapping from different angles, and different distances, while still in auto mode. This was my first attempt at getting creative with my camera. I always liked the blurred background effect but didn't know how to achieve it. I now know that it's down to aperture so I'm out of auto and onto aperture priority. I took my camera out to my garden to experiment with A (Aperture Priority) and P (Programmed Auto). The Blue Challenge! On one of my go-to photography sites https://digital-photography-school.com/weekly-photography-challenge-out-of-blue I was presented with the blue challenge - to go out and shoot as many images as possible with blue subjects. I was definitely guilty of contempt prior to investigation on this one. I didn't see the point in only taking photographs of blue, but on a 30 minute walk around my own neighbourhood, snapping only blue, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the task, and how much I take for granted as I go about my 'busy' life! This task asked me to become observant, to seek out blue. So off I went with my camera and kit lens. Below are some of my first attempts. I will now have to shoot at blue hour! My attempts will show up in a further post. My next task is to capture only autumn colours. Again, this involves being selective and observant, looking for the colours that epitomise the season but that will also make for a worthwhile picture. Not as easy as it might seem! The photograph on the bottom right was captured with my phone camera. It offers lots of potential for improvement. I am already becoming my own best critic! These are some of the starting points I used to get used to my camera and to begin to build a portfolio of images as a starting point for my photography learning. If you would like to add anything to this post, please use the comment box.

Do you suffer from 'lens envy' as a beginner photographer? Are you happy with the kit lens that came with your camera or do you think that a bigger and better lens would help you take better photos? I certainly began to think that way and I couldn't get the thought out of my head that I could make better images with a better lens. My first purchase Initially, I began to see the limitations of the kit lens for any kind of distance photography so I splashed out on my first 'real' lens, a Nikkon 70-300mm zoom lens - and I was hooked! I can see the appeal of this type of photography - it brings distant 'objects' so much closer and allows the photographer a privilege not normally possible. Despite the fact that I succumbed to the pressure from within to buy a second lens, I do agree with the words of a photography writer who says, limit your equipment - it forces you to be creative. I don't intend to invest in a huge number of lenses but rather to concentrate on improving my photography technique. But for now I want to enjoy the bit of extra creative freedom I get from being able to zoom in on my subject. Below are some experiments with the zoom lens. Many photography writers comment on the flat images returned when using a zoom lens. This is understandable yet there is no other way to get close to a speeding boat or view a bird relatively close-up. I also like the fact that I can capture people engaging in various activities without being intrusive. my second purchase Prime lens My third lens, and final lens for the foreseeable future, is a second hand prime lens, a Nikkor 50mm 1:1.8. This is a fixed focus lens but will allow me to really experiment with bokeh. Below are the first experiments. I didn't worry about light in these photos but concentrated on getting a bokeh effect. I experimented with getting closer to the subject and further from the background. The 'nifty fifty' lens does give a better bokeh effect than the kit lens and this is an area of photography I am interested in developing. Update As I have progressed in my photography journey I have added to my camera and lens collection. I still have the belief that learning photography is not about buying bigger and better equipment, and my priority is still to concentrate on learning techniques for improving my images. However, as I explain in this post, it is good to have a basic selection of lenses to experiment with and use in different ways and for different purposes. If you are learning photography and would like some suggestions for lenses that won't cost a fortune, the following post and its links might be of help. https://www.wildwillowways.com/post/starting-photography-on-a-budget-these-are-my-go-to-cameras-and-lenses-that-won-t-break-the-bank

“Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field.” – Peter Adams I feel as though I am straying into unfamiliar territory as I consider aspects of photography such as vision and soul. Until now I have been concerned with improving the technical elements of the craft but, having recently read articles on some of the ‘deeper’ components involved in improving our photography, I realise that there is much more to becoming a good photographer than simply learning how to use a camera. It would be too easy to believe that if we buy an expensive camera, fit it with top of the range lenses and learn how to use it well, we’ll always take good photographs. Good camera equipment and good knowledge are obviously important, but they are not everything and in fact I recently viewed some excellent images captured with just an entry level camera and a kit lens! So, what is it that makes a good photograph? Or maybe a more accurate question would be, what makes a good photographer? Every photographer has to make a lot of choices on a photo shoot. We ask questions such as: How will I frame the shot? Will I include this or exclude that? Will I take a close up shot or move away a little? Will I take the shot from eye level or will I take it looking up or by getting down low? What shutter speed/aperture will I use? How will I compose the image? Then there are considerations such as getting the right light and the right moment. All of these decisions, and many more, will affect the final shot, but even at that we have no guarantee of a good shot. So what makes the difference between the image that people will look at and move on and the image at which they might stop and look and admire? In a recent post I wrote about the importance of having a vision for our photography. Vision, or intent, is undoubtedly important to the success of our images but this is an aspect of our craft that remains largely in the mind of the photographer. We can have a brilliant vision of what we would like to do yet bring it no further than just a vision. To be of value to our photography work, our vision has to take expression in the images we make. Just how do we translate our vision into reality? I believe this is done through the passion we have for the images we shoot; it comes about when we really care about our subjects. Top fashion photographer Tim Walker once said, “Only photograph what you love”, and to my mind there is real truth in this saying. It's the same for anything we do. If we do it with passion we are likely to get better results than if we have a lacklustre approach to what we do. I believe that if we start with a vision, then bring to our photography practice a passion for the images we create, our work will come alive, it will have ‘soul’. Photographer and writer David du Chemin repeatedly talks of good photographs having ‘soul’. We may ask, how can objects have soul? My reading of this term is that photographs which are worth a second glance have something of the photographer in them, the photographer has invested some of his or her own passion and vision into the shot and has therefore imbued the work with ‘soul’. Hozier is a musical artist for whom I have great admiration. He speaks through his music with a very authentic voice and to me his music has ‘soul’. Soul is not something that is easy to define, but Hozier’s own words go some way to explaining what it is: All songs, all pieces of art, reflect the world that they were made in and the values of those artists and the hopes and aspirations of the people who listen to that music and who made that music. We often hear people say that music has soul, that certain types of music touch them, elicit an emotional reaction, evoke memories and even drive action. In a similar way it is true to say that some types of photography have soul. Down through the ages photographs have aroused strong emotions in people – good photojournalism comes to mind – and some images have spurred people into action for one reason or another. Even at a more personal level, a beautiful portrait or a family image can bring a tear to the eye. Photographs are chosen as wall hangings because of the feelings they evoke in their audience, and very often landscapes, wildlife and nature photography, even abstract images, are used for times of reflection. To my mind, the main thing that all these photographs have in common is that they depict ‘beauty’ in the broadest sense of the term, whether that beauty is courage borne out of difficult circumstances in a war torn country or an amazing sunset; whether it is beauty in the midst of squalor or a simple image of a child at play. My belief is that it is that inherent beauty in an image that speaks to us. Just as every good musician wants to create music that speaks to the audience, so too, everyone who takes photography seriously wants to produce images that speak to others in some way. At the risk of repeating myself, I believe that in order to attain this there is something even more important than the aperture or shutter speed we use, or the type of lens we choose. We must have a vison for our photography, know what we want to achieve in terms of our images, and pursue that with a passion that will shine through in our work, even if the photographs themselves are not pin sharp. To repeat an often quoted saying of famous photographer, Ansel Adams, “There is nothing worse than a brilliant image of a fuzzy concept.” Put yourself into your images I take lots of photographs but I only show those that ‘appeal’ to me in some way. They have something of myself, of my own world vision, invested in them. To my mind, that something is beauty in an image and I try to seek beauty wherever I can find it, even in the most unlikely places. I love waterfalls and have really enjoyed trying to get the 'milky' water image. I love to see reflections in the calm evening water. They always draw my eye and urge me to make an image I love to capture the beauty of a new season The eye of the beholder… In many ways appreciation of photography, like appreciation of art or literature, is a very subjective pursuit. I may see something in a photograph that will not appeal to another person, just as in art or literature. Yet, objectively, there is still what is considered ‘good art’ or ‘good literature’, mainly because of the talent of the writer or artist which is invested in their art form. No-one will deny the talent of Charles Dickens as a writer, whether or not they enjoy his writing. In the same way there is ‘good photography’; images that are chosen carefully and framed a certain way, that use light to full advantage and where the photographer’s passion and skill are evident. Good photographers produce good photography and one of the best ways of becoming better at photography, as well as taking more pictures, is to study good photography, see how good photographers work, see where the passion is evident in the images they produce. I don’t know if my images have soul or not, maybe that really is in the eye of the beholder! However, I am heartened by this description of soul from photographer Alain Briot. “Soul is brought about by the care and the craftsmanship used to create the work…This soul is the personality of the artist. It is the demonstration of personal choices and the decision to implement a personal idea rather than other people’s ideas.” I certainly do try to have a passion for the shots I take and feel something for the images I keep and share. I find that when I put time, energy and feeling into creating a photograph the result is more pleasing to me than when I just take a snapshot on my phone camera. I try to take photographs that only I can take, that show my perspective of the world. I like to post the images that I enjoyed taking and that I care about. They may not appeal to everyone, but if they appeal to me there might be at least one other person out there who will be touched in some way by the images I take, and that is a good starting point to having ‘soul’ in my photographs! I love to return to this place. It is a place of calm and peace, and at times it offers perfect conditions for photography. Unfortunately it is not near where I live so I have to grab the opportunities when I can, but when I arrive here at evening light I just have to capture the beauty Conclusion While not everyone can aspire to becoming a great photographer, the good news is that we can all improve at our craft as long as we have a passion for what we do, are willing to work on getting the basic techniques right and try to inject a little ‘soul’ into our work. How do we do this? We do it by finding out what it is we love, what gives us joy, what sparks our emotions, what makes our heart skip a beat! When we capture the people, places and things that we love, that we feel passion for, then that passion will bring soul to our photographs. “A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense and is, thereby, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety.” - Ansel Adams Do your photographs have soul? Have a look through your photo collection and see if any of them draw your eye. These are the images to which you have a special connection, the images that contain part of yourself, the images that have soul. Make more of them. Thank you for reading, and If you found this post useful, please feel free to share it.

A Guest Blog by John Adams If you are employed in a creative industry, you have probably encountered the dreaded creative block time and again. Whether you are a photographer, writer, artist, entertainer, or filmmaker, it is not out of the ordinary to feel uninspired or hollow sometimes. You may have been working too hard recently, suffered a personal crisis, or perhaps you just feel tired or bored all the time for no apparent reason. There is no specific time or place for a creative block; it just happens and you never know how long it may stretch. I do not know of a magical cure that works for every creator, because we are all individuals who rely on a unique process. Nonetheless, the following practices can help you escape this cycle of misery. 1. Give Up and Cry I’m not kidding or mocking anyone. Crying (with audible bawling and visible tears) is a good thing, irrespective of age and gender. It is oh so important to release your frustration, no matter how horrific it sounds and looks. By the time the sobs cease and eye streams stop rolling, you shall feel a lot lighter and content. Following up with a long nap and comfort meal is even better. You can go back to feeling and acting normal after that. 2. Get Out Seriously, get out! Staying within a confined real estate all the time has curbed your imagination as well. How can you think out of the box unless you come out of it? Go for a long walk, meet up with friends, go on a date, take a road trip, try a new cuisine, do some window or actual shopping, etc. The change of atmosphere and scenery is healthy for your mental health, and thereby creative tendencies. 3. Read and Stream Reading a good book, watching an unseen movie, or streaming an interesting show are all decent means of diverting the mind from haunting thoughts of not being able to create something worthwhile again. Somewhere along the way something will click and inspiration will strike; until then relax and enjoy the distraction. 4. Engage in Humdrum Chores If you want to get rid of the stress caused by creative block, whilst being productive, get busy with household chores. Washing the dishes, scrubbing floors, and doing the laundry will utilize all the negative energy pent up inside you. As your mind clears up, it becomes a welcoming canvas for creative thinking. 5. Induce a Powerful Emotion Many writers and artists work best when they are overwhelmed by a strong emotion like sadness, pain, or anger. In order to achieve that state of mind, you shall have to expose yourself to triggers. This might not be the healthiest approach for everyone, but it works. You may recall the death of a loved one, the time a trusted friend betrayed you, how the love of your life broke your heart, or when your ex was meeting up with a divorce lawyer behind your back. 6. Try a fresh Perspective Sometimes it is helpful to bounce ideas off someone else. This person does not have to be an expert creative from your field; in fact, the more naïve the better. A random and raw point of view can often lead towards the right direction. For instance, if you are a filmmaker, ask people in your neighborhood about their favorite movie from your favorite genre. Then ask them about improvements they would make to that film, and what kind of movie they would love to watch or make? 7. Pursue the Silliest of Ideas A true creative never treats any idea like a bad one. The silliest of opinions and impressions can become building blocks of a masterpiece. If you are onto something but it doesn’t seem good enough, do not discard it before giving it a fair shot. You may actually surprise yourself with the outcome, or worst case scenario is that your assumptions hold true and you earn a valuable lesson for life. Not every idea and creation has to be perfect; allow yourself to make mistakes and enjoy some harmless fun for a change. Author Bio John Adams is a lifestyle blogger who concentrates on health, fitness, and self-development. He encourages readers to fight their fears and overcome obstacles holding them back. He believes that every person can improve the quality of his/her life by thinking positive and making better choices. He loves to share his insight on life experiences, and contributes on various online platforms in the same niche. You can check out another of John’s posts here

It is said that learning composition is an essential part of learning photography, and that composition can determine the difference between a ‘good’ and a ‘bad’ photograph. A well composed photograph is more pleasing to the eye so the photographer has to make some decisions in order to get the composition right. There are some rules about composition, such as the ‘Rule of Thirds’, which are referred to in most articles on composition, and there are those who advocate using these rules to get the best compositions. Others, such as Michael Freeman, author of a number of best-selling photography books, wonders why the rule of thirds gets repeated so often, “and never with any examples that are worth looking at”. (Fifty Paths to Creative Photography, 2016) As with most things, the best position might be to be aware of the rule but not to follow it slavishly. While learning all we can about photography techniques and having decent equipment are important considerations, none of these will matter if the shot is sloppy. I have too many photographs, taken in a hurry, which have distractions in the background, unwanted objects taking up space in the image, unused space, lack of balance, or many other “blemishes” that make these bad photographs. Correcting these faults doesn’t come down to using correct aperture or shutter speed, it comes down to the photographer’s eye; how the photographer composes the image, the decisions made about what to take in and what to leave out. This ability to compose a visually pleasing image is not something that can be learned overnight but rather is the result of lots of hands-on practice at taking photographs. I wanted to capture an image of people coming and going along the promenade at Bray, Co. Wicklow. I failed to notice the rubbish bin on the right hand side, and now that is all I see when I look at the image! My reading on the subject of composition has yielded numerous good ideas for improving my images. I have begun to incorporate ideas such as shooting from different angles – looking upwards and taking a shot, shooting at ground level, taking both landscape and portrait views, shooting close up, shooting at the same level as the subject, shooting 'through' something else or 'framing' the picture. These techniques will hopefully train my eye to start looking for the best way to take a shot. I took lots of different shots of the same scene to try to capture an image I liked. One of the most crucial aspects of being creative in photography is being true to your own style, being authentic. Sure, other photographers will have taken the same shots using similar techniques, but it is important to tell your own story as a photographer, make your own decisions as to how you want an image to look, have your own vision. Experimenting with your own vision may at first result in shots that are not so pleasing, but with perseverance, and as part of the photographer’s true vision, they can begin to take on their real beauty. In some senses composition is about the decisions that are made when the photographer is about to take or is taking a shot. But in another sense composition can be determined even before the shoot, by the vision which the photographer is working from, how this shot or series of shots will fit into that vision, how they will be part of a theme. Whenever or however the decisions are made, it is clear that most good shots don’t just happen, they are a result of planning, perseverance, time and effort, and maybe a small sprinkling of good luck! I keep going back to the same spot spot to try and capture a good photograph of the swans. As I learn more photography skills I am trying to improve the composition of the image. And I need to do some learning about image editing! I like the simplicity of the images below. Sometimes composition doesn't have to be complicated and if the image is pleasing to the eye (particularly my own!) it will be a success, at least in the beginning stages of photography. They may not be technically brilliant (I haven't even attempted Lightroom yet!) but they have that quality that I am looking for. Do you have a composition technique you would like to share? If you found this post useful, please feel free to share it.

I recently updated a post called Can Creativity Help in a Time of Crisis and Uncertainty? which was originally posted last year. Very little has changed for many of us since then; we are still battling the same virus, still enduring lockdowns, still living through unprecedented times when we are prevented from doing many of the things which we formerly took for granted. At the time of writing, none of us knows for how long these conditions will endure or what the eventual outcome of this pandemic will be. Neither do we know what the eventual return to some sort of normality will look like. In the meantime we need to survive as best as we can, look after ourselves and our loved ones, and mind our physical and mental health. We need to make use of all the resources at our disposal to do that. Each of these posts offers some ideas about how to support ourselves through this time. I hope you find them useful. In the absence of travelling for photography I tried to capture beauty in the remains of last year's hydrangea in my garden 1. https://www.wildwillowways.com/post/creativity-challenges We all need to keep negativity at bay during these challenging times. Taking on a creative challenge, however small, can help to do this and, as well as developing our creativity, these challenges are a boost to our mental and emotional health. Have a look at what's available and find a creative challenge to suit you. 2. https://www.wildwillowways.com/post/6-ways-to-reignite-your-creative-spark If you are having difficulty harnessing your creativity at the moment, for whatever reason, these tips are for you. Hopefully they will help you to rekindle that creative spark and to get in touch with your inner artist once more. 3. https://www.wildwillowways.com/post/how-to-get-out-of-a-creative-rut-and-into-flow This blog is a sort of follow up to the previous blog in which I gave my six tips for releasing our creative energy when it gets smothered in all the day to day busyness or when we just can’t find our ‘mojo’. There are other times, though, when you find yourself in a real creative rut, when nothing you create excites you, when the creative energy is low or even non-existent. How do you get out of that rut and back to a 'flow' state, fully absorbed in what you are doing? 4. https://www.wildwillowways.com/post/how-to-stay-motivated-in-these-uncertain-times I have recently updated this post, which may be of relevance to anyone who is having difficulty with motivation at the moment. This post might be particularly pertinent now that most of us are in the middle of a strict lockdown. I offer 7 tips that have helped me stay motivated and some resources that might interest you. 5. https://www.wildwillowways.com/post/how-do-we-keep-our-blogs-relevant-in-this-time-of-crisis-and-uncertainty In this blog I discussed what the world needs from bloggers right now, and, more importantly, what the world does not need from bloggers right now. Read my post and see if you agree with my views. Re-reading these posts has given me the motivation to keep creating, to keep positive and active, to keep doing something each day which is uplifting and which supports my mental and physical health. I hope you find something here which will motivate you in the same way. If you do, please share the post.

Like millions of people worldwide, I found 2020 to be a difficult year. As well as being plunged into a global pandemic and experiencing all the loss that that brought with it, my family also lost our beautiful mother during the year. While many of us won’t be sorry to see the end of 2020, we are apprehensive about what 2021 will bring. Will it be more of the same or is there real light at the end of the tunnel? With ‘pandemic fatigue’ beginning to set in, I believe we need to find ways to keep going, to get a fresh perspective, to look after our mental health while we remain in uncertain times. I hope these suggestions will help you to do just that, as they have helped me, and if you find them useful please share them so you can help another. ************************************************************************** Dodder River, Dublin During the year I explored areas close to my home that I hadn't previously explored There is no doubt that for most of us on planet earth, 2020 was a very difficult year. At this time last year none of us could have predicted what lay ahead, and if anyone had they would have been labelled as some sort of crank. But what was unthinkable became reality and we lived through a year like no other in the living memory of most people. Although there is light at the end of the tunnel as we enter this new year, we are not out of the tunnel yet and we still face months of restrictions on our lives, the struggle to cope with this new reality, and, for many, pain and loss. The truth is, none of us knows what lies ahead at any time, so what we need to do is to find ways to cope with our current reality as best we can. At this stage many of us are experiencing ‘pandemic fatigue’. I only recently realised that this is a recognised condition as its range of ‘symptoms’ are being experienced by so many people. The signs of pandemic fatigue range from feelings of depression, despair and a sense of hopelessness, through to feelings of being ‘fed up’ and lacking in motivation, to becoming careless about advice, bending or flouting the rules or even justifying behaviours to suit our own ends. Many people experience these feelings more often than others, but there are some things we can do to beat pandemic fatigue and get our new year off to a good start. If we go into the new year with the feeling that it will just be more of the same then we are doomed to remain in our negative mindset and our mental health will suffer, so here are some things which I have found useful during the last few months and which I hope will help you cope over the months to come. 1. Accept what is This is a lot easier said than done and it’s not easy to accept reality when it involves real fear, real restrictions on our freedom and real loss. But the truth is we are powerless over so many things and acceptance of that powerlessness is the only way to begin to see what we can change. Without acceptance we are constantly in fight mode, railing against what is happening, feeling how unfair the situation is. And we need to accept that too. It is unfair that we can’t get to hug, or even see, loved ones. It is unfair that many people are spending so much time cut off from others, it is unfair that we have lost out on so many things we could have done. But unfortunately, much of this really is beyond our control. When I eventually accepted that I wouldn’t see my daughter or 2-year-old granddaughter for a long period of time it spurred me on to do something positive, so we arranged a regular weekly video call. That has given me much needed contact and has also kept me in my granddaughter’s mind as toddlers so quickly forget those who are not nearby. 2. Stay in touch with family and friends Following from number 1, one of the highlights of the year for me has been the amount of phone, text and video call contact I have had from my family and friends. Indeed, there has been much more contact in some cases than there might have been in normal times. I think this contact is vital and I intend to keep it up in the coming year. 3. Share your feelings While I recognise that for some people feelings of despair are very real and may need professional intervention, for most of us a good old rant can make a difference to how we feel. If you are feeling angry, express that anger. If you are feeling that life is unfair, express that feeling. On many occasions I have found that sharing my feelings with a friend who is feeling the same way, or who at least identifies with how I am feeling, has helped both of us to pick ourselves up and realise that we have a lot to be grateful for. 4. Practise gratitude It is often claimed that when we are grateful it is hard to harbour negative feelings. The problem is getting ourselves out of negativity long enough to even recognise what we do have. That’s why I think we need to practise gratitude, why we need to make gratitude a habit. If we take a moment in the morning to focus on what we have in our lives that is positive, or a moment at night to recognise what was positive in our day, we will begin to establish the practice of gratitude into our lives. There are many ideas online which make this practice easier. For some people, writing down what they are grateful for helps to embed the thoughts, and gratitude lists are common in many self-help programmes, but whatever way you choose to do this the important thing is to try to find at least one thing each day for which you are grateful. At the end of the year it’s a good idea to focus on some of the positive events of the year, and never more so than at the end of this year. While my mother's death in June was the most painful event in my life in recent years, I also have a lot of gratitude for the fact that she died peacefully, that all of my family were able to travel to her funeral and that we got to say a proper goodbye, something denied to so many this year. I heard a radio presenter ask listeners to name their highlight of 2020 and it got me thinking, sure there were highlights, so what were mine? Again, looking for the good things that happened is a way to accentuate the positive in what could easily be dismissed as a totally negative year. A highlight that comes to mind for me was during the brief respite from restrictions in the summer when I got to spend a beach day with my granddaughter, splashing in the sea, building sandcastles, and enjoying a 2-year-old having fun. 5. Get exercise each day I am a great believer in getting outside every day to walk, take photographs, meet friends, and whenever I can I take my exercise outdoors. But there are occasional days when the weather is just so bad that I am forced to stay indoors so I try to do some form of indoor exercise. I know that I always feel better at the end of the day if I do something physical, whether it’s following an online workout, skipping on the spot or simply going up and down the stairs a few times. It all helps to get rid of that sluggish feeling that comes with sitting around and which is no good for my mental health. I love to get out and about with my camera and explore what is around me, day and night 6. Keep a routine Many people have bemoaned the lack of routine that characterised the year just ending. For some, being in the new position of working from home meant that routines like having a few private moments while driving or walking to work, exercising before work, or simply getting out of the house and meeting people were all gone. Many of us had to establish new routines but for many those routines got caught up in uncertainty and constant change. I think it is important that we establish at least one thing that we can keep constant no matter how outside forces intervene in our lives. That will be different for different people. For me, it’s taking a quiet time in the mornings, before I get into the hustle and bustle of the day, to ground myself, do some deep breathing and focus on what I can do to give meaning to the day. I find that if I waken with some anxiety about the day ahead, taking a few moments to focus on and consciously deepen my breathing returns my mind to a state of calm and brings me back to the present moment. I recently came across this meditation designed to beat pandemic fatigue. You might find it useful, but if not there are lots of meditations online and you’re sure to find one that suits you. 7. Think of someone else One of the proven ways to help us forget about our own woes is to think of someone else. Reaching out of ourselves to help another gives meaning to our lives, gives us a sense of usefulness. We saw countless examples of this type of selfless behaviour at the beginning of the pandemic. Pandemic fatigue might have lessened our desire to reach out, but it is still important. We can do this in simple ways like calling a friend unexpectedly to say hi, listening to another instead of always complaining, posting a positive image on social media, or simply saying hello to people we meet while out walking. That person might need a little kindness today. Thinking of others doesn’t mean we have to neglect ourselves, it just means spreading the positive. If you think someone in your life would benefit from the suggestions in this post, please share them. Who knows, one small idea could make a world of difference to someone. “The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.” Paulo Coelho 8. Have some leisure time doing something you enjoy Whatever our circumstances, whether we have children and family commitments, a busy work schedule or whether we spend a lot of time alone, it is important to have something that we enjoy doing and that we find time to do that. It might be walking, going for a run in the morning or evening, sea swimming, reading, listening to music, dancing, painting. Whatever you enjoy doing it’s important to do it, especially during difficult times. I love taking photographs, so I try to find time every day to go out and find something that draws my attention. It might be something very local to my home, and I find that there are lots of photo opportunities all around and no excuses for not going out and doing what I enjoy doing. Photo opportunities are all around us and doing photography gives us a great chance to get out into nature. No expensive equipment is necessary - a phone camera will get you started! Some mornings I even manage to capture the sunrise 9. Take it one day at a time I think we have all realised just how uncertain life can be and how we can’t predict what will happen from one day to the next. It might seem simplistic to suggest that we live one day at a time but one day is all we can live. Yesterday, with all its joys and sorrows, has gone and the future is not guaranteed so if we can concentrate on living fully in this day, we will experience all that life has to offer us. Conclusion I hope that you find some of these suggestions useful as we move into a new year. I hope they will give you some practical ideas as to how you can make small changes that can make a big difference to your mindset. No-one will be able to practise all these suggestions all of the time, but if you try just one or two of them, they might make a difference to how you approach each day while we are in the grip of this pandemic. And who knows, they may be the start of some new life-long positive habits. "For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice." T.S. Eliot

I started on my latest photography journey just over two years ago after an absence of several years. I had a lot to learn and approached my new journey with great excitement. Two years on and I can say without a doubt that this has been more than just a hobby. I have found a pursuit that has given me much joy as well as supported my physical and mental wellbeing (see my last blog, https://www.wildwillowways.com/post/photography-the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving). I now spend much of my time learning, observing, creating and sharing and have certainly found the antidote to boredom. During the worldwide pandemic, when opportunities to travel for photography were drastically curtailed, I was able to diversify and find photo opportunities nearer to home. This allowed me to see the potential in my own close environment and to begin to find the extraordinary in the ordinary. This year I have enough images to produce a calendar as a gift for family and friends. I am very proud of this for a number of reasons, not least of which is that it is testament to the fact that I didn’t give up despite the difficult year, and have in fact grown to love photography even more. Looking back over my image collection to make my choices for each calendar month helped me to evaluate my images and appreciate the type of photography that I am drawn to. I realise that I like photographing trees and boats and capturing images near water. I like taking close ups of parts of objects and photographing old things. I have also discovered that I like photographing more banal subjects and I encourage myself to see beauty in the mundane. Below are my image choices for my 2021 calendar with a caption to say where each one was taken. It’s not a professionally produced calendar, but my family and friends won’t mind. They will appreciate that it is my own work, a culmination of what I have achieved over the past two years and a celebration of a change of direction in my life. 2021 Calendar Sandymount Beach, Dublin January Marlay Park, Co. Dublin February Ballinteer, Co. Dublin March Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin April Lady's Island, Co. Wexford May Hook Lighthouse, Co. Wexford June Ballinamore Canal, Co. Leitrim July Belanaleck Quay, Co. Fermanagh August Marlay Park Wildlife Garden September Wellingtonbridge, Co. Wexford October St. Enda's Park, Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin November Dodder River, Dublin City December Mohill, Co. Leitrim "For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice." T.S. Eliot