In our hectic world, anything that asks us to pause and take a breath has got to be a good thing. That includes reminiscing and reflecting as we look at photo prints old and new, says Gavin Stoker
A recent report from leading photo-printing specialist CEWE, in consultation with psychologist Dr Audrey Tang, suggests that merely looking at photos, and reflecting on them, boosts positivity and improves mental health.
This chimes loudly with my own experience and emotions upon re-discovering a box stacked full of envelopes of 6×4-inch prints made in my 20’s and 30’s.
Digital photography had already arrived, but I obviously couldn’t shake the habit still of making hard copy prints as a record of every party and holiday. Sifting through the photos prompted an immediate emotional response.
There were friends I’d lost touch with, ex-girlfriends with whom I might have built an alternative future, music festivals I’d forgot I’d attended, plus photos of parents and grandparents sadly no longer with us. A bittersweet selection, but one that couldn’t fail to raise a smile, nonetheless.
It’s good to be bookish
While I’ve never much gone in for the creation of photo books, in preferring old-school loose-leaf albums that let me swap out prints, I can also now see the appeal of creating something tangible that serves as a hard copy reminder of something worth remembering.
There is a sense of mindfulness, for sure, about the process of choosing which images to include, laying them out how you’d like, and then doubtless the sense of achievement and satisfaction when done – amplified by your personalised book then arriving in the post and the excitement of seeing how it’s all come together. I’ve experienced similar time and again as a magazine editor.
There was also definite excitement in my bones when I used to receive those envelopes of 6×4-inches back from the chemist or, latterly, online photo lab. Because I’d find pictures I didn’t recall taking, leading to a surprised laugh, or smile. It probably was good for my mental health, but I didn’t appreciate that at the time, because it was simply the norm. Part of the process.
Boost your love hormone
Dr Tang suggests that looking at photos, leading to self or shared reflection, boosts Oxytoxin – known as the ‘love hormone’, a chemical messenger that influences social bonding. Revisiting pictures of our friends, relatives and happy times we might have forgotten provides us with emotional touchpoints that help us to feel more positive going forward.
Of course we can all simply scroll through photos on our phone, or hard drive, for a quick dopamine hit. But I find that it hits harder when I’m viewing and holding physical prints, not just digital files. I’m no psychologist, but perhaps there is an element of nostalgia – already a powerful drug in itself – added to the mood-enhancing mix. Along with all the other chemicals.
In any event it’s good, welcome news for photographers. And for our mental health. So, the next time you look at a photo and feel either love, a sense of reward, your mood enhanced – or all three – you know why.
Further reading
How photography boosts my mental health: real-life stories
