FamiliesConnect: Finding Meaning and Purpose in the Art of Photography

You do not have to be a photographer to appreciate looking at a beautiful picture.      

A picture has the ability to draw you into a scene, such as a beautiful sunset or the serenity of a calm, inviting garden filled with wildflowers. This is the beauty of photography!

We are easily transported back in time as well when we look at a photo of a beloved family member or pet that we have been missing in our lives. 

Photographs allow us to remember the smallest of details that have long been forgotten. The clothes we wore, the people in the room or the houses we lived in are just some of the memories that can be immediately brought to mind as we look at a photograph.  

But photography is much more than that!  Photography has the ability to connect us to the present moment. Photographs capture unique moments! 

Photos provide us with an opportunity to view our present-day lives in a whole new light.  Photography can be harnessed as a meditative and mindfulness tool allowing the viewer to look through a new lens and open you up to positive perspectives and healing. 

In the October session of FamiliesConnect, we will be looking at ways to work with old photos we already have, and also looking at ways of connecting to our present everyday moments using a camera and the art of photography.    

You do not need a fancy camera to practice photography as we will be talking about photography in general and this includes whatever you choose to use as your camera.

In this session we will learn and explore different ways that each of us can use photography and photos to help us on our healing journey. I will be sharing some of my past photography projects that have given me great comfort as I navigated the early years of my grief and continue to practice. 

Photography has become one of my constant go-to activities for reducing stress in my life but also helps me to get outside and is helping me to keep physically active.   

Photography does not have to be a solo project as there are many other people who are also interested in photography and this can be done with others who share your interest. Also, photos can be shared with others on social media such as Facebook or Instagram. 

It has been scientifically proven that photography is good for you. It allows you to express yourself, but it also helps bring focus to positive life experiences, enhances your self-worth and even reduces the stress hormone cortisol. The process of taking photos is by nature a meditative practice and can help to draw you into a peaceful state. 

Some of the proven benefits of photography are:

• improves self-care habits, 
• encourages community interaction, 
• helps you remember the joys of life, 
• keeps the brain in shape, 
• gets the body moving, 
• mood stimulant, 
• improves creativity, 

just to name a few!

Join us for the next session of FamiliesConnect on October 28 and let’s talk about Finding Meaning and Purpose in the Art of Photography!