Heal your mind with photography
Here are more inspiring stories of how photographers have used their passion to deal with a wide range of mental health issues. Geo Harris is your guide
When I joined AP in 2016, I was really keen to run more articles on how photography can help with mental health challenges. I won’t waste valuable space with my story, but like many, I have been through dark times – and the camera has definitely helped. Seeing the huge response to the pieces we’ve published since then has been hugely gratifying, as photography is about much more than f stops, ISO wrangling or the arcana of lenses. Photography fascinates us because of its infinite variety: it’s an art, a science, a tool to enhance our well-being, and a lot more besides.
This year has been particularly difficult for anyone struggling with inner demons, and although the worst of the lockdown isolation is hopefully over for many, this wretched, ongoing virus is hardly conducive to optimism. We are where we are, however, and one big positive to come out of 2020 has been the growing appreciation of photography’s power to help us cope with difficult times.
Maybe it’s because taking pictures often gets you out into nature and away from your ‘washing machine’ head, or the false refuge of your bed; maybe it’s because taking a good picture requires a lot of focus and concentration, occupying the brain and helping de-amplify worry and bleak thoughts. Even if you can only meet other camera club members through Zoom, it keeps us connected to our fellows, too, easing the corrosion of loneliness. Over the next few pages, we’re delighted to present some inspiring case studies from a wide range of photographers facing mental and sometimes physical challenges. This is certainly not the last word, so please continue to share your stories via our Facebook and Twitter pages.
photographs this way is slower and more controlled; it feels less ‘frantic’ than with smaller formats. ‘I spend a great deal of time composing images so the process of making – rather than the photograph itself – is when I am at peace. Being in the landscape and feeling a part of it runs deep with my Pictorialism beliefs – I always try to convey an emotion rather than a prescriptive rendering of the landscape.’
Like most people, Steve has tried a range of genres and now feels he has found the right balance, both creatively and for his overall well-being.
‘My work now says as much about me and the way I feel as it does the subject I am working with. I’ve learned over the years to be honest with myself and my work whereas previously I was always trying to be something or somebody else.’
Steve talks the talk as well as walking the walk and is a keen advocate for challenging perceptions around mental health. ‘I have overcome stigma through my own experiences and having spent time in secure units, I consider myself very fortunate in being able to work through and understand my own condition. As a result I work closely with charities and institutions in support of mental health and well-being, such as Hospital Rooms. We are also in the process of launching an online Art Academy, which puts mental health and well-being front and centre of the programme. Education is an important part of my life.’
For more details, see www. stevemacleod.co.uk/about.