Nature photography as physical therapy: movement, mindfulness, and meaning
Our sports, hobbies, and avocations are important parts of overall wellness. As a runner, the benefits are obvious. As a nature photographer, they’re more subtle, but every bit as healthful and fulfilling.
PHOTO ABOVE: White-breasted Nuthatch on a maple tree outside the window of my exam room. This was my most recent entry in WFDD-FM’s Photo of the Year Contest.
First, there’s nature
Being in nature just feels good, in all kinds of weather. And the closer you look, the more fascinating it becomes.
Like the time I watched a Great Blue Heron try to steal a fish from a Double-crested Cormorant in midair…and just happened to have my Nikon camera and long lens ready. That moment didn’t last long, but it reminded me why slowing down and paying attention matters.
Mindfulness, camera in hand
Nature photography requires patience. What is nature going to do? You don’t control it. You have to be ready, observant, and present.
That’s mindfulness in practice.
It’s also more physical than you might think. Sometimes it involves a lot of walking. Other times, nature “happens” just a few steps from our back deck.
Movement you don’t notice until later
We have a frog in our pond that we call Penny. To get her portrait, I got down to eye level. That angle made for a much stronger image than standing upright and pointing the camera downward. It also allowed the background to add interest, instead of showing only water.
It turns out that nothing beats a few minutes of squatting and stretching. I forget that I’m exercising because I’m focused on capturing a moment.
Nature photography can be very meditative. I find myself focusing on my breath while waiting for Penny to look me in the eye.
Learning, creating, and sharing
Entering contests, having images published, and framing favorites to decorate our home brings real emotional fulfillment. It also keeps me learning.
Angie and I enjoy researching the subjects I photograph, and over time, we’ve become much more knowledgeable about the wildlife in our area.
And sometimes it becomes a reason to travel.
The call of the wild?
We’ve taken trips to the Outer Banks to photograph the wild horses and the many birds on Monkey Island. Closer to home, a subspecies of Manitoban elk—native Eastern elk are sadly extinct—has been reintroduced in western North Carolina. Capturing images of Cervus elaphus manitobensis in the wild was a photo safari waiting to happen.
On that same trip, Angie spent her time in a hundred-year-old cabin, weaving a table runner on a large floor loom. We were both fully engaged and both learning.
There’s also a social component that keeps us involved. We enjoy the Piedmont Bird Club, the T. Gilbert Pearson Audubon Society, and the Greensboro Photography Group.
The PT takeaway
Nature photography creates deep focus while delivering all kinds of exercise: physical, mental, and emotional. From a physical therapist’s perspective, I can’t recommend it enough.
Further reading…
“It doesn’t matter where you are, East Coast or West Coast, near or far, photography can serve as a walking meditation and help our overall mental and physical health.”
– Steffen A. Kaplan, a former New York Times photo editor, from “Nature Photography Is My Walking Meditation 🙏It helps keep me healthy, focused, and creative!”