MBA2002 Module 7
Is photography just a hobby—or something more vital for personal well-being, a way toward self-realization?
Question 1
Is photography just a hobby—or something more vital for personal well-being, a way toward self-realization? The concept of “mindful photography” as it is popularly known originated with Minor White, who studied during the 1940s with such luminaries as Alfred Stieglitz, Ansel Adams, and Edward Weston. Later at MIT, after delving into Zen Buddhism, White taught the importance of meditation and mindfulness for effective photography—and as a way of life. “Be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence,” White (1966) advised—and more broadly observed that “innocence of eye has a quality of its own. It means to see as a child sees, with freshness and acknowledgment of … wonder.”
Though empirical research remains scant, health professionals are increasingly using photography for its emotional benefits. In 2008, the First International Conference on Phototherapy and Therapeutic Photography took place in Norway. Originally an offshoot of art therapy, the wider use of photography to enhance well-being is gaining popularity through adult classes and workshops. Such programs emphasize how photos can serve as a visual diary for self-insight, enhance positive memories, foster creativity, and strengthen connections with others.
Mindful photography is also being used in the classroom. For example, in a project designed to teach children the concept of well-being, Drs. Saoirse Gabhainn and Jane Sixsmith (2006) at the National University of Ireland instructed a group of 8- to 12-year-olds to take photos of “things they liked,” and a follow-up group organized the photos into categories such as “people I love the most,” “food and drink,” and “animals/pets.” This activity proved an effective instructional tool for catalyzing discussion about well-being. A study led by Dr. Yu Chen (Chen, Mark, & Ali, 2014) at the University of California at Irvine used photography to bolster positive functioning among college students. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: taking a daily selfie with a smiling expression, taking a daily photo of something to make oneself happy, or taking a daily photo of something to make another person happy. In all three conditions, participants increased their positive affect. However, those assigned to make themselves happy became more reflective and those assigned to make another person happy became closer with friends and family members.
This activity involves an adaptation of the above study. Every day for the next week, use your smartphone camera to send a photo to two different family members or friends. The theme can be nature, architecture, or people. Choose one theme for the week and stick with it. Afterward, describe how both you and your recipients were affected by this activity. If you particularly enjoyed it, you may select another theme for a second week and also choose different recipients.
Write about your experience.
Question 2
For this activity, we would like you to increase your awareness of art and beauty in your world. It is clear to even the most casual observer that the appreciation of beauty is important to people. Cave paintings that are over 30,000 years old display well-developed skill and a keen eye for aesthetics. Tombs and burials that are many thousands of years old contain paintings, spectacular coffins, jewelry, and other objects that leave no doubt the culture valued beauty and took the time to support the artisans who created these objects. Today our lives are filled with objects and artistic expressions created to bring more joy and meaning to life (Martinez-Marti, Hernández-Lloreda, & Avia, 2015).
For the next week, please pay attention to colors, textures, sounds, movement, or even tastes that you encounter. Pay attention to these elements in your experience throughout your day—as you walk or drive, in your home, on campus, as seen on other people, everywhere you go. Note, in this activity you don’t need to look for “artistic” expressions. Just notice the world around you on a day-to-day basis. You may also notice everyday elements of your world and recognize that someone had to design every manufactured item in your world. That is, someone had to imagine how everything would look—clothes, buildings, cars, books, iPads, computers, and so on. Someone had to create how each element of your environment would look.
Strive to notice the natural environment as well. The obvious choices are sunrises and sunsets, but look around at the way landscape designers and gardeners have created natural worlds of beauty with shapes, textures, and colors. Try to notice the sounds in your life as well. Listen to the background music in television shows, movies, commercials, videos, and anywhere else where music is part of your experiences. Be aware that beauty can take many forms including aesthetic beauty, natural beauty, and moral beauty. Moral beauty is the experience you get when someone’s behavior or a singular experience seems to express the highest virtues and moral potentials of humanity.
Have fun with this exercise, but we would ask you to make sure you try to see something new and look at your world in a way you normally don’t. That is, please don’t simply repeat activities that you already do or go see art exhibits that you’ve seen before. Reach out and try something new.
While doing this activity, take time every day to do a little journaling or just take some notes. At the end of a week, review what you wrote and write a brief description of how the activity affected your well-being. It may be helpful to share your feelings or experiences with friends or family members, and remember that even seemingly small events can be recorded as well.
Answer preview is photography just a hobby—or something more vital for personal well-being, a way toward self-realization?
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