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  • Writer's pictureJanice Gill

5 Top Benefits of Photography as a Hobby



Tiny, dark hairless furrow bee emerging from a dandelion flower
Long Faced Furrow bee on Dandelion - Photo by Janice Gill

Are you the kind of person that loves being creative?


Do you find that most creative hobbies involve being sedentary so you worry about having time for both a hobby and keeping healthy?


Are you looking for ways to keep your brain active?


Do you want to keep your memories alive and surround yourself with your loved ones?


Then Photography could be the hobby for you.


Read on to see the benefits this wonderful past-time can bring.


Get Out and About


Once you start with photography as a hobby, you'll soon find yourself wanting to find new locations, hidden vistas and inspiring surroundings. You may find you can take the odd shot from your car window but you'll want to find the best spot to take an image. Taking your camera for a walk will quickly ramp up from a five minute perusal to a half hour jaunt. It won't stop there, of course, and an afternoon will quietly disappear as you examine your surroundings through your lens. Your half hour daily exercise requirement will pass without you even noticing.



Cherry blossom close up showing a tiny heart at its centre.
The heart of a cherry blossom - photo by Janice Gill


Stimulate your Brain


Learning new skills is the best way of keeping your brain active. As a photographer you'll learn the skills of composition, lighting, focusing and many more while reaching to create your vision. Activities that use your brain help stave off the effects of old age and degenerative disorders.


Preserve Memories


This may seem obvious, but how often have you wished you had a reminder of special places, unique moments or friends and families. Often, our only records are for special occasions and we miss out the panoply of life, the little moments of joy and things that captured our imagination.

Of course, most of us have a camera phone these days. But are the results hit and miss?

Photography as a hobby is about intentionally learning to use a camera rather than taking snapshots. You'll soon turn the statistics around with more hits.

Those images will trigger memories for you later in life, more precious than any other, because you took the shot.

Photo of a young child focused on the eyes,
Baby Blue Eyes - photo by Janice Gill


Healing Power of Nature


While getting active anywhere, from city to streets mountain tops, is good for our health and longevity, getting out in natural surroundings is good for body and mind. Photography adds to these benefits with mindfulness and attention. You'll notice more colour, tiny creatures, scents and sounds among the peace and quiet.

All this will lift your mood: a vital ingredient for a healthy life.


Sharing


Sharing your images with families, friends or other photographers is a great way to start a conversation and build on established relationships or create new ones.

Interactions like these are another way to keep your brain active and healthy.


Getting started in photography


Photography can be an inexpensive hobby or, for enthusiasts with big budgets, can cost as much as a new car. Meaningful, beautiful images can be taken at both ends of the scale.

The important thing is to learn your chosen system, be that an interchangeable lens system or camera on your phone. Read about how photographers whose images you like get their shots and follow their lead.


One simple tip to improve your photography immediately, is learning to keep your camera still. Stand with your feet apart and keep your elbows tucked in. Breathe in and hold your breath as you press the shutter. You'll get far fewer blurry shots as you develop this skill.


Over to you - time to get snapping!

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1 Comment


Heal Thrive Dream, LLC Karen Robinson
Heal Thrive Dream, LLC Karen Robinson
Jul 03, 2023

Your photos are breathtaking! What I really like about your post are the questions at the beginning. Excellent prompts for anyone who enjoys journaling.

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