Heal your mind with photography

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