Exploring Patterns & Textures

This week's mindful photography practice

Greetings friends! Welcome to this week’s 100 Wild Hours prompt. I’ve shifted the focus slightly to a mindful photography lens, because I believe that nature + mindfulness + creativity is a powerful formula for connecting with ourselves and the present moment. All you need is this invitation, and your smartphone! If you’re not into photography, each week’s invitation works just as well on it’s own, or with a journal.

You can follow the week’s invitation, or pick and choose from the ongoing list of invitations here (paid subscribers).

100 Wild Hours Invitation of the Week:

Explore Patterns & Textures

Follow your curiosity to explore textures and patterns you encounter. You might pick up a leaf, twig, rock, cone, or look closely at the bark of a tree. Really look at it in great detail as if you’re Sherlock Holmes searching for a clue everyone else has missed. If you’re looking at a leaf, investigate the serrated (or not) edges, and the pattern of the veins. Look at the intricate weaving of a nest, or lichen sprawled across a boulder, investigate the bark or markings on a tree or branch near you—following the furrows and specks and textures with your eyes and fingers. Don’t be afraid to touch and feel as you explore.

Keep reading for my suggested mindful photography flow, to help you get the most out of your time in nature. 👇

Mindful Photography Session Flow

1. Turn your smartphone into a camera: Disable WiFi and turn on airplane mode.

2. “Drop in” to the present moment: Take a few deep breaths and focus on your senses, using this guided sensory meditation, or on your own.

   If on your own:

• Bring your attention to the breath, breathing in a rhythm that feels natural to you. Notice the sensations of the breath as it moves in and out of your body.

• As you continue to settle in, notice if there are any areas in your body that are holding tension right now, that could naturally soften or release.

• Notice where your body is making contact, perhaps on your seat, your feet on the ground. Feel how you are being held by the earth,

• Bring your attention to the sense of hearing, welcoming any sounds you might hear, both near and far.

• Take in a slow deep breath, noticing any fragrances in the air.

• Notice what you feel on your skin; the wind? sun? clothing? bugs?

2. Begin the invitation: Start with a slow walk, imagining your entire body as an antennae, reaching out with your senses. What are you picking up? What draws your interest or curiosity?

3. Really “see” your subject or scene: When you find something you’d like to take a picture of, take a minute to look at your subject, to contemplate it before shooting. Resist the temptation to pull out the phone and just start shooting! You’ll notice so many more things when you take an extra minute to be with your subject.

4. Take a mindful photo: Take deep breath in and exhale as you create the image. You may also want to move around your subject, creating images from different angles, perspectives, or experimenting with the built in filters (like black and white or macro) in your camera. It’s easy at this point to be tempted to start fiddling with your camera settings and technique - but the simpler you make this process (just point and shoot), the better.

5. Pause and say thank you: Once you’ve taken the picture (s), pause for another minute and gaze at your subject before turning and walking away. Really SEE it. Resist the temptation to snap and walk away and you’ll receive the greater gift of being here in this moment. And you might notice things you would otherwise have missed!

6. Journal your experience: When you’re finished your session for the day, jot a few lines about your experience in a journal. How did this session make you feel? What things did you notice?

7. Pick a few of your favorites: Go through your images and pick 1-3 of your favorites and give them a star, a heart, or put them into a special mindful photography folder. This will create a curated story of your experiences and how you felt in the moment

8. Share your image(s) with others: Post your creations–and your inspiration for them– in the Wilder Life Chat, or send your favorite to a friend to brighten their day.🌳

(You can post in the comments here if you’d like, but you’ll need the chat to share pictures).

I can’t wait to see what you discover!

🌿 Jenny

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