I’ve previously covered the mental health benefits of not only taking photos but also looking through a collection. Getting outside with our camera tops up Vitamin D and serotonin – known as the ‘happiness chemical’ – while flicking through photos of friends and family produces oxytocin, aka the ‘love hormone’.
However, what about the physical benefits of photography? Walking around taking photos is not only good for the mind, but in getting our steps in, good for the body too. And who needs a gym membership when the world is our gym?
So here are five ways in which you can possibly shoot your way towards better health
1. Keep yourself healthy and active by going for a photo walk.
Keep yourself healthy and active by going for a photo walk. Get your steps in – with the added satisfaction of potentially winning shots to show for it. Searching for a fresh, creative angle can provide a workout, as we hike through fields, climb sea walls or rocks, plus raise ourselves up, or squat down to emphasize a subject’s size or importance – all with the added reward of a healthy heart and a boost in energy levels.
2. Get out into nature
Get out into nature to improve body, mind and creative eye simultaneously. All that fresh air will help us sleep better, so we’re more refreshed and alert to creative photo possibilities the next day. Put nature and physical exercise together and you’ve also got a proven recipe for reducing stress and anxiety. We’ll all walk taller, look and feel better without the weight of the world on our shoulders.
3. Feel part of the local community
Let your photography help foster social and emotional connections and feel part of the local community. Meeting other people when out taking photographs is not only good for mental health and banishing the feeling that photography’s a solitary pursuit, but that newfound positivity will reflect in your body and appearance too. So, instead of joining a running club, consider a camera club!
4. Challenge yourself to take pictures of new things
Challenge yourself to take pictures of new things, in the process exercising your body as well as your mind. Experimentation improves cognitive function, which can especially benefit photographers as they get older. Improved hand and eye coordination and dexterity as we stretch fingers and thumbs to spin dials or flick levers in the process of altering camera functionality has got to be a good thing too, right?
5. Build your muscles and stay flexible
Build your muscles and stay flexible by squatting to take pictures and raising your camera up and down. Always remember to bend those knees so you don’t put your back out – although mirrorless cameras’ tilt ‘n’ swivel screens do admittedly provide a bit of a ‘cheat’ – enabling us to avoid crouching or standing on our tiptoes for a more impactful shot. Perhaps leave that vari-angle screen flush to the body, then, and move around instead.
The best part of making photography part of our daily self-care routine is that, as well as staying physically fit, we might just become better photographers in the process. Not even a Joe Wicks workout will provide that!
Related reading:
- One simple photography trick keeps me fit, saves me money, and makes me a better photographer!
- The best cameras for photography for wildlife, landscapes, street and more
- How photography can boost mental health
The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of Amateur Photographer magazine or Kelsey Media Limited. If you have an opinion you’d like to share on this topic, or any other photography related subject, email: [email protected].
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