The Benefits of Photography

[Mike Farley]

Over the past week or so in my weekly newsletter and club meetings, I have been talking about the benefits of photography when it comes to maintaining our wellness and mental health. Something which is especially important in these times when increasingly stringent measures are necessary to preserve our physical wellbeing. One of the activities which has helped me over the past few months has been my "photo-a-week" project which I started at the beginning of 2019 and have been doing ever since. You do not have to take just my word for it. This short YouTube video, link below, is from researchers at Lancaster University who have investigated the benefits of taking a picture every day. Photography is a positive act of self care and good for you. Official.

https://youtu.be/MVffBxgSEyQ

[Ronald Barker]

Quite right, one of the reasons I suggest photo of the month.
I have not been out every day but have been photographing the birds on the feeders in the garden nearly each day, but not a lot of verity, but it keeps the finger exercised pressing the button.

[Mike Farley]

......it keeps the finger exercised pressing the button.

And the mind engaged.

[Mike Farley]

The World Health Organisation recently investigated the benefits of participation in the arts for wellbeing in its "Health Evidence Network synthesis report 67". (Hey guys, snappy moniker. ) It found that active involvement contributes to a number of positive outcomes:

• It plays a critical role in health promotion
• it helps to prevent the onset of mental illness and age related decline
• it supports the treatment or management of mental illness, non communicable diseases and neurological disorders
• it assists in acute and end of life care

Wow! All that simply by picking up and using a camera*. We really are making an investment in ourselves. Since photography often involves some form of physical activity, there are other advantages as well. Added to which, being a member of a camera club or a similar group encourages social interaction which is also good for our welfare.

The full report can be found here (the above is taken from the summary of findings in the Conclusion):

https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/han ... 53-eng.pdf

* Or paintbrush or any other artistic medium. Naturally, I would argue that anything to do with photography betters anything else.