The majestic bald eagle definitely didn't start my photography journey but they did start the birding journey for me. Birding is what brought me to the realization that photography can be therapeutic. I struggle with worry, anxiety, guilt...I'm often in a hurry and don't know why...birding for me brings me out of my head. Out of that static that happens in your brain...the churning and noise...for me it stops when I am focusing on a bird or other wildlife. It gets me out of my head and allows me to refocus. When you start focusing on a creature who is out in the wild, living, surviving...not protected like we all are most of the time...it is awe inspiring. They can't be inside their head, they need to focus on survival. Finding their next meal or not getting eaten. It's amazing to think about.
I like most people never paid much attention to birds. In all honesty, I was afraid of them...yes because of the movie. Since becoming an accidental birder, I notice how others are going about their human lives oblivious to an eagle soaring overhead or the sound of a hummingbird chirping by. Now I find myself focusing on hawks on my drive to ignore others who might make me needlessly angry on my drive. I could sit and watch hummingbirds for hours. The thrill of finding a rare or special bird and getting a shot with my camera means I had a good day. It really is the simple things in life that can make all the difference.
Photography is appealing to me because it captures life. It also allows a very analytical minded person like myself to be creative. Framing the scene, getting the shot, editing the image...I like it all and I like being able to have things to look back at. I have always had a terrible memory. I remember the stupidest things like every birthday of every person I have ever known or phone numbers...which is not useful anymore...or license plate numbers for people. But for whatever reason my brain has a bad time remembering other things in life. So photography helps to bridge that memory gap by freezing an image in time so I can look back and remember the beautiful things I have seen and done.
Taking photographs takes me out of my head and looking at photographs taken by others help me to not focus on what is churning through my brain. So photography is very therapeutic for me and I'm guessing it can be therapeutic for others as well. This world has so many ugly things going on right now. I'm just trying to spread happiness one photo at a time. :)
Comments