You might wonder what in the world photography and yoga have in common, but I find that yoga sparks creativity and photography increases patience....here are a few ways I believe they compliment each other.
1. Encourages Present Moment Awareness- In both yoga and photography attending to the present moment is encouraged and very useful. If you are thinking about what to make for dinner during a photo session you very well may miss the shot as the shot happens in an instant, which is this instant! Similarly, in yoga if your mind is wandering not only will the benefits of practice be reduced, you may fall out of the natarajasana you may have held for another 30 seconds had your mind been still.
2. Seeing Past Outward Appearances- In photography you will never get very far if you are just snapping a picture. To get a shot that stirs the soul you must see past the outward appearance and see what's hiding underneath. Every person, tree, flower, or building has this depth. In photography the task is to bring this out as much as possible to bring it to life. In yoga the same principles can be applied, although the focus is on yourself and your mind. Seeing past the surface thoughts and judgements to what lies beneath brings your practice to life and can transform your outlook on yourself, others, and life.
3. Judge Not- If you practice yoga and have learned any of the philosophies you have probably heard many times to check your judgement at the door before sitting on the mat. Judging yourself or your thoughts is not helpful and can actually hold you back from personal growth and understanding. Similarly, in photography, if we are constantly judging our work too harshly or comparing our work to others, we will start to feel resentful and will close ourselves off from learning and growing.
4. Lightness, Joy, and Flexibility- Yoga should always be joyful and light, and well flexibility is a given. It shouldn't be an obligation, but rather a time to relax, reflect, and have some fun! Photography should also be light and joyful, have fun with it and don't take yourself or the person or object you are photographing too seriously. Your attitude brings out a similar attitude in those around you. If you are having fun, they will most likely have fun as well and your pictures will show it! Of course flexibility is also very useful and usually required as many photographers will tell you. The weather, people's moods, and your equipment are not under your control and so being flexible becomes a necessary quality.
For me, yoga benefits many areas of my personal and professional life and I highly recommend it to anyone who needs a little more balance in their life and it is a great workout too.
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