Photography and mental health

By Adrian Toon, director of a2n.

The Pandemic has hit us all very hard and, with a significant change to our daily routines, this can leave us with some common mental health issues which can include stress, anxiety, uncertainty, frustration and depression.

An absorbing hobby or interest, such as photography, is said to reduce boredom and consequently reduce stress. A study in 2018 by Lancaster University researchers found that engaging in photography can significantly improve a person’s well-being. The study showed that taking pictures on a daily basis and sharing with others can actually improve ‘self-care’.

It is the process of composing and being creative in taking a photograph that keeps the brain busy and, as a result, the process is therapeutic and makes a person feel refreshed. The involvement in photography also puts a person on common ground with others and can form an interest group or indeed can be used to engage in conversation.

With the recent news of successful vaccines to treat Covid-19, hopefully all the government safety measures we are working under will soon disappear and things will get back to a new normal.

So, the time to capture pictures of workers and changes to your businesses during the pandemic should be recorded now. In a year’s time all these measures will be a distant memory, hopefully.