I started to take photos because I wanted my own photos to be showcased in my blog posts. When I started I had no idea if what I was doing was good or not, I just did it. No one ever complained about them (LOL) and to me the photos were of course, amazing.
What started out as wanting to use my own photos, has evolved into so much more than just the act of snapping a picture for my blog. Stopping and taking a photo of a tree, a flower, of how the light comes through the window, has become a mindfulness pause in my day. It’s become a way of connecting with my intuition and following its guidance. It’s a moment in meditation. It’s me being one with what I’m photographing. It’s magic, it’s passion, it’s JOY. It’s my feelings in the photo, making taking a photo a deep and rich experience.
If you’re not already giving yourself the gift of a daily mindfulness photo pause, I’m encouraging you to do so. You don’t need an expensive camera, I take all my photos with my phone, it’s what I have with me all the time, so it’s super easy. Before you go out set the intention to find something to photograph, guaranteed you’ll find something or someone and let that be your daily fun practice.
At first I felt very self-conscious about taking a photo outside, I thought everyone is looking at me. I’ve gotten over it. I don’t make taking photographs an impossible thing, I make it easy and fun. I don’t compare my photos to anyone else, I don’t worry over if they’re perfect, I let my intuition guide me, and I shoot what I like. And it doesn’t have to be a photo outside, it can be a mindfulness pause right inside your home. I take photos of family, I stage photos for a particular blog post. I take photos that never make it to publishing. Inside or outside, doesn’t matter, what matters is that I take a moment to pause and to connect with my inner self to create.
The other thing that’s happened is that I developed a connection and a love for photography and I want my photos to be visually attractive. When I shoot I look for composition and light. I use two apps for editing, Phonto and WordSwag. These apps allow me to highlight and use text and they are free to download. There are many more apps that are great that you can find in a google search. And I’ve also taken a couple of online photography courses.
I took all these photos of my neighbors tree over the last few days. I told my neighbor that technically you could say that the tree is mine since some branches overlap into my yard, LOL. I have a relationship with this tree, I’ve watched it grow from a seedling, I love this tree we greet each other every day.
Stopping to take a photo is a mindfulness act, a moment in meditation, a connection between you and the subject you’re photographing. With every photo we’re creating a composition, our images tell stories, and we’re creating a moment of magic and wonder that fills us with JOY. JOY. JOY.
I’d love to know if you’re practicing a daily, mindful photo pause already. Or, do you want to start and you have questions. I’d love to know.
Blessings
In My Everyday Life 
These are beautiful photographs Masha.
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Thank you so much, I love taking photos. There’s a joy that comes along with posting your own photos, and your photos are also beautiful. Thank you ❤
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I think it’s increasingly common now with technology and cameras on phones that most people have for people to be seen taking photos, which helps make me a little less self-conscious doing it too. I love your approach to photos, and taking a moment to appreciate what you’re doing, what you’re looking at, and connecting with that creative part of yourself. The photos you share are beautiful and they bring me joy to look at. I’d not come across those photo apps, I’ll have to see if I can download them in the UK. I’d definitely like to get out more and take more photos (the garden is a little barren after the winter so there aren’t as many pretty flowers at the moment, otherwise it’s easy enough to snap away while at home), there really is something very satisfying capturing moments in time and the beauty right in front of you that you may otherwise miss if you don’t take the time to appreciate it. xx
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OMG “self-conscious” LOL that’s the word I wanted to use and I just couldn’t think of it, and the only word that came to my mind is “subconscious” I so appreciate you saying it here, I now changed it in my blog post. Hope you find those two apps, they are the easiest to use, I have an iphone, but I think they can be downloaded to other phones as well. Having a daily mindfulness practice has really brought me joy and if you’re not doing it already, I hope you’ll try it. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. ❤
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Great post! I take a lot of plant photos for my blog. I think they like being recognized and I know they like the attention.
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You take great photos of your plants and you’re very caring to them, I feel that when I’m reading your blog. You’re so right about the plants liking the attention and being recognized. When I take a photo of flowers, or a tree I feel that too and I can see them showing off their beauty in the photo. Thank you
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