Nature Photography and Mental Health

As May is mental health awareness month, we wanted to write a little about how nature photography can be hugely beneficial for our mental health. We’ll discuss various ways in which capturing nature can help our general well being and mood even if we have no specific issues.

Nature Photography and Mental Health: Taking time to enjoy nature

We spend so much of our lives rushing around, trying to fit everything in, often not really aware of everything around us. Photography allows us to slow down and spend time focussing on details. Whether you’re noticing the tiny curve of a stamen or the majestic shapes of the mountains, taking the time to notice these details can bring us joy and a sense of awe about out beautiful World.

As photographers we thoughtfully observe our surroundings, consider the light, the colours and the textures. We think about how we can best use these to tell a story though our images. We wait for the exact moment the sun hits the horizon as it sets or the bee pauses on the flower as it seeks out pollen. This slowing down means we are more mindful about what we are doing, our breathing and thoughts also slow. It’s better for our photography and better for our well-being.

Getting outside

We all know how breathing fresh air, absorbing vitamin D from the sun and getting your heart rate up with a walk is good for us, and photography provides a great reason to go outside. Going for a stroll in the woods, listening to the calming sounds of water at the beach or watching the sunrise over a pretty landscape can be so beneficial. It boosts your mood, reduces your stress and helps you sleep better. Sometimes just putting on your shoes and heading out can be the hardest part, but if you are motivated by the desire to shoot (or even if you don’t want to but you need to for a project or loop), this can help overcome that hurdle and once you are out you’ll feel better for it.

Check out the amazing new “Immersed in Nature” Collab course with Abi & Samantha!

Creative Expression

Whichever stage of the process you prefer – be it the preparation, the shooting or the editing – photography allows you to creatively express yourself. A part of how you are feeling will naturally emerge in the art you create and you may even find elements from your subconscious appearing too, with the finished piece surprising you or allowing you to process something you were struggling to put into words.

Check out the all new Down to Earth Preset Collection designed for Nature Lovers!

For some people, setting up an elaborate flatlay or making props ready for a shoot can be hugely therapeutic and the part of the process they benefit from the most. This can also be a great way to get your children involved. They could collect treasures from your trip to the woods (check out our treasure hunt here) and help you make a pretty nature table. You could investigate foraging and create some delicious treats or perhaps make a crown from flowers you have collected.

For others shooting is the stage is they find most relaxing and helpful mentally. Spending time capturing your subject from many different perspectives and with lots of different lenses and creative techniques. Our favourites are freelensing, reverse freelensing, double exposures, ICM and using Lensbaby lenses. We also like to experiment shooting through things; copper tubes, flowers or anything else that pops into our imaginations or we see and fancy trying!

The final stage, in which many people also find great enjoyment is editing. This could be as simple as the tones or level of contrast you choose, or maybe you love spending much more time in Photoshop adding overlays, creating intricate composites, making a diptych or double exposure and find that you can truly express yourself this way.

Making Connections

The final way we’re going to mention here is the opportunities for connections that nature photography opens up. Getting away from devices and spending quality time with our spouses and children. Our children spending time with each other, running around and playing in their natural environment. Children will create their own amusement and it is a joy to watch their little imaginations transform sticks into a fairy wands or swords, and play hide and seek as they explore a new place.

The connections made through photography can extend way beyond your immediate family. Making friends with people who have this shared interest all around the world is so easy now and it is so fulfilling to feel part of a community. Through Hello Storyteller and other online photography groups we have “met” so many lovely people, including each other!! These people are there to support us both in our photography and in our day to day lives. We thoroughly enjoy being able to do the same for them and are so excited to share our wealth of nature photography knowledge with you all in our brand new course. I hope you fill find nature photography to be a positive influence on your mental health as well.

For more inspiration, follow Abi and Samantha on Instagram! And don’t forget to check out their new course “Immersed in Nature”!

Please note:

Despite everything we have said and how much we believe photography can be very therapeutic in many ways, we are not actually recommending photography as a replacement for genuine psychological therapy. If you are struggling with your mental health, please know that it’s okay and important to seek professional help. Additionally, we recognise that photography can itself sometime negatively impact mental health so if you are finding this to be the case please be kind to yourself and put the camera down for a while. Sending you all love. xx