Mindful Photography

I started my career as a fashion and beauty photographer some 20 years ago when I moved to New York City, back in 1998, to pursue my long time dream by attending the prestigious SVA (School of Visual Arts) and shooting fashion editorials for major magazines.

I've achieved my dream, working with all the fashion magazines I love, shooting with the models I once pinned on my walls and partying like a rock star in the world's hottest spots....I left the whole fashion industry drained, disillusioned and bitter. I didn't regret pursuing the dream I once had, and still have amazing memories of those wild years....but I had enough and needed to move on. Nowadays, I am still working as a photographer, but for specific clients and personal projects.

These days, when I grab my camera and take a walk...I like to practice the art of contemplative Mindful Photography.

What is "Mindful Photography", it is mindfulness applied to the process of creating a photograph.

It starts with seeing clearly and extends through the technical and composition choices, and synchronize my eye, my mind and my heart to the present moment.

When I practice Mindful Photography my first intention is to use what I see as my anchor. I walk, with my camera, observing the world. I am not looking for a photograph I am observing the visual panorama before me. Every time I notice that my mind has wandered into planning, reflecting or judging I come back to the seeing.

What happens when you practice mindfulness?

You have the opportunity to notice what your mind is doing when you practice mindfulness, be it simply sitting for meditation, following a mindful movement practice like breathing or engaging in a mindful photography.

As you concentrate upon just doing one thing (sitting and following the breath) you begin to notice how busy and lack of focus your mind is. But as you continue to practice over many days, months and years this experience allows you to become more aware of your mind’s habitual thinking.

Why you should embrace Mindful Photography :

1) See like a camera – A camera sees and capture light, its all what it does. Learn to see the light, do not put barriers between what your eye sees and the moment you press the release button.

2) Use what you see as your anchor – In meditation the breath is often used as an anchor; in Mindful Photography we return to the seeing. Do not interpret what you see or put second thoughts to it. Seeing is all what matters.

3) Develop your visual skills and knowledge - use the visual scenery before you to return to the present and create photographs that capture that moment.

4) Express your feelings with a picture – Photography is an amazing hobby, it can be a tool to explore and represent emotional experiences that you are currently experiencing. Are you happy? Angry? Upset? Peaceful? Or it can just be something that resonates for you at the moment you care capturing that picture.

For myself I love to take pictures of small details in a scenery, it can be a nail in the wall, a fallen petal from a bouquet of flowers ...

5) Use photography as a vehicle for self observation – Photography can be used to explore your world and can act as the intermediary between your inner world and the outer one.The more you practice mindfulness the more you discover about yourself.

6) Let go of unwanted -This is perhaps one of the greatest challenges that mindfulness and meditation can support you with. Practicing mindfulness provides the opportunity and training to recognize the thoughts and feelings that are playing through your mind. There are mindful photography practices you can follow to support your intention to allow these to dissolve.

7) Develop patience -Mastering in any skill is a long journey that may take up 10,000 hours. Allow the quality of patience to develop as you pay attention to the thoughts and feelings that arise in the process of learning your craft.

8) Trust your own feelings – Learn to trust and follow your own intuition. You must listen to your heart, as well as your head if you want to create photographs that are personal, unique and authoritative.

9) Bring mindfulness into other aspects of your life – Mindfulness does not have to be limited only to meditation. By developing mindfulness through photography you expand your potential to be fully present in your life.

Please visit the IMAGES section of this website to see some examples of my work.

VTL