Contemplative photography is an approach to truly seeing and photographing the world with fresh eyes, emphasizing direct perception of “what is” opposed to evaluation and judgement. Just being with the senses.
I had the beauty of engaging in this practice with dear friends and colleagues years ago as a part of a mindfulness group, and I want to share my love of this practice with others (and reinvigorating this practice for myself). This practice is an extension of mindfulness, and invites us to connect deeply with our surroundings and capture moments as they truly are.
I don’t do this practice “perfectly” - but perhaps that’s the point. It is an ongoing opportunity to grow, expand, and contemplate what life really is.
“In the Office”
Thursdays are my in office days. Grateful for an office, and also noticed the corner of the table - the straight edges and shadows caught my eye this morning.
“Fuzzy Light”
Laying here with a dumb cartoon on, I took a moment to appreciate the sun coming through the window, illuminating the plants 🪴
“In bloom”
Caught the sight of this plant blooming. I’ve taken a liking to plants and gardening over the last year and a half; I love how it challenges my ideas of perfect and cultivate a deep appreciation for imperfection.
“Summertime”
Busting out the corn cob holders from my childhood. These ceramic dishes are decades old, made by grandma. The dishes contain the sensory memories of summer dinners and fresh corn on the cob 🌽
“Patterns”
Appreciating the grain of wood on each of these stairs. And the way the right highlights the left side (And the dust and dog hair collecting on the stair tread).
“Stegosaurus Tail”
It’s the contrast of textures - the bumpy rubber to the ridges of the blanket.
“Dashboard”
Driving to see family today, and just noticed the texture of the dashboard. The shadow, the contrasts - there is a lot to take in.
“Can you hear me okay?”
The microphone that I use for work. It has been my trusty microphone since the start of the pandemic when many began to work remotely.
Today I was sitting and being mindful and noticed the pattern difference on the center of the microphone base part compared to the rest. I took a moment to also feel the textures. 👉
“Early Mornings”
This mug has an interesting texture - the little dark specks are raised and contrast from the smooth glaze.
I also very much love the feeling of a hot cup of coffee in the early morning hours before the sun rises. ☕️
“Dad’s House Blanket”
The folds of a soft blue blanket.
This blanket is so soft, almost velvety feeling. It feels so cozy and comforting while I sip coffee on the couch.
“New Hobbies”
Sewing table with green fabric, fabric cutter, and sewing machine in the background.
My goal with this new blog is to maintain my contemplative photography practice in a space that is not tied with the company Meta. I’ve missed the ability to share my reflections through my camera lens, and I figured this is as good an option as any.