Mindful – serie

Your guide to mindful photography, peaceful contemplation and a slow creative practice, including hands-on assignments, enlightening concepts and inspirational stories. 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 Photographer proposes 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.

Discover the joy – and health benefits – of walking and seeing the natural world.In this delightful guide, Alice Peck explains how, rather than simply providing a way of getting from one place to another, the simple practice of walking can have huge benefits for us, both physically and mentally, from ageing more slowly to sparking creativity. When we walk mindfully, we can reconnect with our body and the earth beneath our feet and discover a sense of calm. Walking outside also offers us a chance to be in nature, which improves our health and wellbeing, evokes awe and nurtures our soul. With inspiration for ways to walk, including forest-bathing (strolling through trees and wooded areas), earthing (walking barefoot in the mud), embracing friluftsliv – the Norwegian philosophy of enjoying the outdoors, and even a trip round the block, as well as easy meditations to try, Mindful Walking will soon get you on your feet and out of the house to enjoy the healing effects of taking a walk.