Your Brain on Art- Day 11

 

“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.” Dorothea Lange

Photography has been shown to increase alpha waves in the brain. This is connected to relaxation, creativity, and memory. 

In my mid-twenties, I invested in a Canon SLR camera. It required me to set the aperture and the f-stop. I learned that I could blur the background if I used a low f-stop. I even took a photography class where I learned how to develop my own film. 

My budget only allowed me to develop one roll of film a month. So I was very discerning about what I took photos of. When my daughter began to crawl I realized a point-and-click automatic camera would capture her motions better than one whose settings had to be manually adjusted. 

After retiring from teaching I moved up to a digital Canon camera with a selection of lenses. I enjoyed photographing the cows on our farm in Wolfe City. I didn’t have to worry about settings and I could download them onto my computer. 

Fast forward sixteen years and I have been using my iPhone exclusively to take photographs. It’s just too easy and the quality is remarkable. My phone is always handy and I have the option to quickly edit any photo necessary.

I am particularly fond of photographing nature, especially wild flowers. I know enough about composition to create a pretty good photo. I also, know that sometimes you need to get up a little closer to get the best shot. 

A few years back I created an Instagram page to serve as a photo gallery. I get a lot of pleasure perusing through the photos I’ve taken over the years. 

If you are looking for an easy way to include more art in your life, I highly recommend using the camera on your phone to do so. You can check out YouTube to learn more about the techniques available on your phone and basic elements of composition.

Do you enjoy taking photos?