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" It is more important to click with people than to click the shutter. " - Alfred Eisenstaedt
A picture used to be worth a thousand words. I remember when cameras had films and were limited to rolls of 24 or 36 exposures. My uncle used to spend hours on end in the dark in the garage developing them. What a mindful, meticulous and artistic process it was, watching as the black and white images were revealed like magic on the paper in the various solution it was bathed in, before being careful lifted, clipped on a line with a peg to dry.
Nowadays we snap photos in a flick of the thumb. It is so easy, so forgiving and so practical.
It is estimated that 3.3 million photos are taken in the world every minute* … a bit of a dizzying number, isn’t it? In Europe a person takes an average of 5 photos per day while in the USA the average is 20.
We are entering a busy time of the year full of festive occasions and countless opportunities to ‘point and shoot’. We might be tempted to see the world unfold through the lens of our smartphone (less than 8% of the photos are taken with a camera these days*!).
When you feel drawn to take a photograph, try this …
Before you capture the moment, slow down, pause and choose how you would like to capture it. You can experience it from behind the camera and review it later when scrolling through your photo gallery or you can put your device down and step into the experience, being fully present and savouring it later in your mind.
So here is my invitation to you, give a break to your tech and ...
Switch on your inner camera
Zoom out (direct your gaze outwards)
Look at what you want to capture. Experience the perspective, exposure, the colours and contrasts.
Feel the atmosphere, without filter.
Take a perfect panoramic perspective of the scene or a fine funnel focus of a close up.
Shoot all the details with your eyes and involve your senses.
Zoom in (turn the lens of your attention inwards)
Observe your posture, do you feel any tension?
How is your breathing, is it shallow, are you holding your breath inadvertently?
Be aware of what you are feeling in that moment. Take a ’selfie’, perform a ‘self-check’.
Every now and then, when you are about to take a photo this month, pause and take a snapshot of what you see outwards and a selfie of your inwards world.
🎁 A GIFT TO YOURSELF OR TO SHARE 🎁
Gentle January
7 daily doses of gentleness arriving straight to your inbox.
A few minutes of your time each day. A grounding, engaging, intentional, tranquil, mindful experience. Because self-care isn't selfish!
Registration now open.
Course starts 1st Jan (or after).
100% of profits donated to 'A Touch of Gentleness'
Dear phone, we need to talk
A 7 days bitesize online course.
Make some time with your loved ones, together listen to the daily 5min audio, have a chat about it and take action if you DARE!
The perfect opportunity to observe, evaluate and reflect upon the place your smartphone has in your life and how to make micro, sustainable changes to live with it happily ever after.
A fun and meaningful experience to enjoy by yourself or share with family and friends!
Be the official photographer of your experience. Temporarily disconnect from technology, reconnect to the subtle and delicate art of observing and dare to be the change you want to see in your organisation, family, community and life!
* Statistics: https://photutorial.com/photos-statistics/
Image credit:
Photo 1 by Mikhail Vasilyev on Unsplash
Photo for 'Gentle January' course by Mira Kemppainen on Unsplash Photo for 'Dear phone' course by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
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