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I meditated in the garden this morning in the knowledge that birdies would generally not enter the garden to eat from the bird feed out of fear of Human in such close proximity. I decided to do a litmus test on this. I closed my eyes & gradually slipped into a calm stillness. I opened them briefly to peak out at a family of blue tits sitting on the wall. They looked like they were considering if it was safe to make moves toward the bird feed with Human at such a dangerously close proximity to their bird-feed. I began to take my concentration away from them again & focus my attention inside on my breath, when I opened my eyes after a few minutes, the family of blue tits were happily feeding right beside me. Allowing for the ideal opportunity, although with very subtle movements, to capture a nice image.

As within so without

At first glance taking photographs and practising meditation might seem to be unrelated. Photography looks outwards at the visual world via the medium of a camera and meditation focuses inwards.

Meditation and photography actually have much in common, both are based in the present moment, both require complete focus, and both are most successful when the mind is free from distracting thoughts.

With so many distractions in the world today meditation is a good way to escape & to reduce the general downfall this can bring to your focus, awareness & attention.

For many, photography acts as a form of meditation; a way to separate themselves from their stressful lives.

Both photography and meditation require an ability to focus steadily by stilling the mind allowing you to see more clearly.

A still camera will always capture the best shot, the same rule applies to the mind.

While the meditator cultivates uninterrupted, non-judgemental awareness of the moment, the photographer captures the moment with a new perspective clear of distractions.

While fully living in the moment you get a feeling for your surroundings & open yourself to moments that would often escape your view, suddenly begin to appear in your awareness.

Finding focus & stillness inside before finding it on the camera can be very beneficial & creates a direct connection with you & your device

Through my journey in photography I have found that meditation has made a much bigger effect than I had expected & in a very positive way. Photography encourages mindfulness by heightening our awareness of what we see around us.

Releasing judgment, setting a mindful state in body & mind, the scene will become your entire focus. Reduce expectations, judgemental thoughts, be in the moment with no distractions. Sometimes you can't see the beauty in a moment when your mind is on other things like politics or the latest news. Your perspective is wider-ranging than the best & most expensive lengthy camera lens you can find. So making yourself a part of the camera lens your focus & aperture suddenly opens to what you are witnessing.

Intuition kicks in after quietening the mind. You can become more aware of your surroundings & begin to follow an intuitive hunch that you begin to trust. Now the magic begins to open up. Intuition is the key to catching a good photo. I find when I meditate & my awareness is free from obstruction, this is when I know instinctively the shot is good before I even check it on the back of the camera, never mind the laptop when I get home.

You gain an emotional reaction that fills you with confidence that you have captured an expressive moment in the process of taking the picture. When you get home to review the images, that image that sparked the most emotion is 99.9% of the time the one which rises above the rest in depth & appeal.

If I have not meditated in a manner that brings my mind to a state of silent stillness, I know from experience, that it is very unlikely, unfortunately, I will capture many images of substance. When tired or with a lot on my mind I would take a walk with my camera & take snaps of beautiful scenery, without any feeling of how the shot will look on review when I get home. But...

“Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera.”– Henri Cartier-Bresson

So when I walk out without setting my mind at ease & in stillness, I feel I am not able to truly open my inner aperture. Therefore reducing the chance of capturing an image of beauty. It's not that the beauty is not there, it is more so because I did not open my awareness to the possibilities. When I got into a deep meditation & leave with a silent mind I know I have a very high chance of finding a memorable capture. It is a feeling, an emotional connection you get with the photo & scene you are trying to capture when you click the button. That is when you know that when you sit down to review your images that the one that sparked the most emotion is the one that will stand out above all the rest.

You don't create a photo with your camera, you create it with your eyes, heart & your state of mind.

“To photograph: it is to put on the same line of sight the head, the eye and the heart.” ― Henri Cartier-Bresson

If you are not looking for it, chances are you won't see it, so opening your awareness & releasing blockages opens you up to witness a true artist known to many as NATURE.