Rambling and Photography

Every time I ramble, I take a photo on my mobile phone to record the event.  This could be a landscape, a close-up of a flower that catches my eye, a sculpture or a person that I have walked with.  In other words, my photograph is the highlight of my walk.  The next step is to upload it to Facebook where I record the number of rambles I have completed this year.  To date, I have completed 37 rambles with all of them lasting at least 30 minutes.

But what is the point of taking a photo?  Surely I could just walk without taking photos.  Well yes I could but I actually get a lot of benefits and pleasure from taking the photos. 

Mindful walking

While I am walking, I am constantly looking for photo opportunities.  Sometimes they are very obvious eg the little robin that landed on a branch beside me at the Broadwater Canal near Aghalee was clearly going to be my photo for the day.  I waited and inched my way closer to the robin to get an even better photo.  On other occasions, I have to really look for a photo – it may be a little flower hidden by grass but in fact, it is a very beautiful hidden gem. 

Of course, I am trying to take an image that I haven’t taken before – otherwise my Facebook friends will get bored.  The bottom line is that I’m really engaged with looking at the environment I’m walking through so that I can get the best possible photo ie taking photos forces me to engage in mindful walking.

Facebook likes

Even though you aren’t supposed to be motivated by likes on Facebook, I am!  I monitor the number of likes to see which photos are most popular.  The sea is a big hit with my Facebook friends as are close-ups of flowers and plants.  Photos with people are also popular.  Perhaps my photos are a way to bring people into my life and let them see different parts of Northern Ireland that they may have not visited for a long time. 

Walking in different places and at different times of the year

As well as it being a good idea to challenge me physically to walk in different places, it is also good to walk in different places to stretch my photography skills.  A photo at Peatlands Park is very different to one at the beautifully manicured gardens at Rowallane Gardens. 

Different times of the year are also reflected in photographs eg Lurgan Park looks very different in late summer than in the bleak winter months when the leaves have fallen off the trees.

Finding beauty in the world

By walking in nature and taking photos at the same time, it helps me to spot more beauty in the world as I am looking more closely at my surroundings.  This makes me more grateful for what is around us – things and people that we can easily take for granted.  Apparently sharing gratitude photos enhances wellbeing and connection as well as reducing feelings of loneliness.

Saving memories

By capturing these special moments, the photographs are an opportunity to preserve the memories of that day especially when I print out the photos and save them in a photo album.

“We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone.” 

Katie Thurmes

An opportunity to express myself

As someone who can’t draw a straight line, taking photographs is an opportunity for me to express my creativity which enhances my self-worth and reduces stress.  Photographs can be a way to reflect my own thoughts and to showcase the type of world that I would like to see. 

My thoughts about rambling and photography can be summarised by this quote:

• Live life
• Take pictures
• Relive memories
• Repeat

Be brave and start taking photos as you ramble!