In a world where millions of images are shot at every moment of every day and where fast-paced environments exhaust and stifle creativity, The Mindful Photographerproposes an antidote: slowing down. Through twenty concepts as varied as ‘Confidence’, ‘Gratitude’, ‘Playfulness’ and ‘Compassion’, all combined with hands-on assignments, Sophie Howarth invites readers to reflect on their photographic practice and learn to pause, pay attention and become more at one with the world around them. From the canonical to the contemporary, The Mindful Photographer features the works of photographers including Saul Leiter, Rinko Kawauchi, Sally Mann, Edward Weston, Gueorgui Pinkhassov, Teju Cole, Sarker Protick, Tamsin Calidas and many more. Their images are accompanied by quotes, stories and anecdotes to inspire the reader, simultaneously broadening their photographic knowledge and creative perspectives. Putting aside preconceived ideas and the competitive pressures of picture-perfect Instagram posts, the book rewires our relationship to photographic practice as one to be experienced as unconditionally joyful and rewarding. Sophie Howarth’s insightful and soothing texts work as a guide to both a mindful approach to photography, and a photographic approach to meditation. Offered in a highly affordable and pocketable format, this will be the must-have companion for anyone seeking the spiritual benefits of creative practice and a more mindful approach to engaging with their world through photography.
