Serendipity {Lethbridge Wedding and Family Photography}

Most people have cameras in their pockets (which, historically has not been the case). Who knew a camera and making images could be such a powerful tool in mental health recovery.

There are a few recent studies that show that pictures can be a powerful witness to explore meaning in one's journey of growth and wellness. It could be a tool in finding a voice or purpose and help engage in further self-discovery, uncovering roadblocks and nurturing or reaffirming growth. This growth and meaning-making is more poignant when we attach a narrative to why the image is important or why the elements in the image are important to the person who made it. The journey of becoming is a life-long one and creating images can show what is important to us, and what we want to savour and story-tell about our lives.

We have all heard the saying, "A picture is worth 1000 words". I've said it a lot that pictures and the stories they tell have the potential of outliving you (as long as they last their digital storage, which is why it is important to print pictures and properly back them up- but that's a whole other post). What story will your pictures tell about your life? What will your pictures tell about what you found fascinating or beautiful? what will your visual story narrative be? What will your great, great grandchildren know about you because of the pictures you took?

I feel like the skill of photography is like a superpower. I can truly convey how I see the world through a lens of some sort. Whether it is my phone camera, my "big camera", my sport camera, or a drone, being able to show the world my vision of it is powerful. 

This image was taken as I was in the passenger seat, driving home from seeing my daughter and her little family. The sky was so vibrant and beautiful. I love vibrant, rich, velvety colours. I had to find a way to dynamically savour it through a lens.  I was able to get the silhouette of the fence in the foreground to such a beautiful ice-cream orange in the sunset. This picture made me happy and helped me feel accomplished. It is simple, it was easy, and it shows how beautiful our world is and how lucky we are to be spinning on it. It provided me a moment of reflective gratitude. (Gratitude is also an evidenced wellness concept.)  

Keep those cameras close by.

Doroud, N., Fossey, E., Fortune, T., Brophy, L., & Mountford, L. (2022). A journey of living well: a participatory photovoice study exploring recovery and everyday activities with people experiencing mental illness. Journal of Mental Health, 31(2), 246–254. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uleth.ca/10.1080/09638237.2021.1952950

Vansteenkiste, T., Morrens, M., & Westerhof, G. J. (2021). Images of Recovery: A PhotoVoice Study on Visual Narratives of Personal Recovery in Persons with Serious Mental Illness. Community Mental Health Journal, 57(6), 1151–1163. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uleth.ca/10.1007/s10597-020-00746-w