The Healing Power of Photography

Troublesome Times

Even though I’m approaching my 7th decade on this little blue planet, I have never witnessed this level of anxiety and uncertainty in my life and for those around me. The Coronavirus turned this world upside down, only to be followed by a savage war in Ukraine, at the hands of a nuclear superpower, Russia.

Most of us are sitting on pins and needles, wondering and worrying what the future may hold for our families and perhaps humanity.

Healing

As a longtime photographer, I’ve always found solace in my craft, especially when trying to capture the natural beauty of our planet. It brings me peace and underscores the Healing Power of Photography.

Capturing a “moment” with my lens not only allows me to hold on to that moment forever, but also to hopefully share the emotion I felt when I pressed the shutter.

A Common Thread

The irony of photography for me is, that while it’s basically a solitary endeavour, it has the capacity to connect on a personal level with so many others, including complete strangers.

While we all strive to be unique and carve out our own place in this life, I firmly believe we are all connected by a common thread, thus this visual medium tends to cut across all cultures and resonate with all of us.

Who amongst us is not touched by an image of a small child cradled in its mother’s arms or awestruck by a magnificent sunrise or sunset?

A Way Forward

With the advent of smartphones, equipped with high-end cameras and worldwide access to social media platforms, everyone has become a photographer and is capturing their own life in images and sharing them with others. This can simply be a light-hearted exchange or be meant to be more cathartic in nature, in an attempt to relieve stress and find a sense of calm within their own life.

Photography is an ideal vehicle to make that happen.

Feel free to view more photos at https://olsenphotography.ca/landscapes-1/