CHPATER 99

2025-10-29

Photography has helped my recovery from depression, because during those few seconds behind the lens, I can completely forget my troubles.

In fact, back in early 2017, after a brain injury left me unable to work, I began taking photos at home to entertain myself during convalescence. Mainly, it was because photography was “handy” — something I could do anytime. As smartphone cameras became more and more advanced, even a fool could take decent pictures. I could easily capture moments, keep them as mementos, and share them instantly with friends and family. Over time, photography became part of my daily life.

The recovery process for depression is quite similar to that of a brain injury: the mind becomes dull, one tires easily, gets distracted, and struggles to focus.

From my own experience, the entire act of taking photographs helps me concentrate — on the shapes, compositions, and combinations of what I see. The moment I decide to take a photo, my mind automatically switches tracks — selecting the subject, finding a scene, composing the frame, considering angles, balancing the proportions between main and secondary subjects, foreground and background, distributing tones and colors, adjusting light and shadow, exposure, retakes, reviews — all done with full attention, in one seamless flow.

Though it may only last a few seconds, during that time I am entirely free from the ceaseless churn of thoughts in my head — it has a calming, healing effect. Before my depression, I had not noticed this benefit, but during recovery, when I realized its soothing effect, I found it truly worthwhile.

My wife also supports me in sharing photos with family and friends, and I have continued doing so. Out of concern for my safety, she often reminds me not to take photos in the middle of the road. But during cherry blossom season, when she wasn’t around, I sometimes broke that rule.

An overactive mind is deeply distressing. The more you try not to think about something, the more it invades your thoughts. The brain can feel out of control, gasping for relief. Therefore, any activity or interest that allows the mind to rest is worth recommending. Cultivating hobbies is, in essence, training the brain — giving it new tasks, teaching it knowledge and processes, nurturing its sense of appreciation, and reducing idle rumination.

I take photos purely for leisure, without any fixed procedure or goal. I mainly photograph scenery, not people — especially nowadays, when privacy concerns mean you often need someone’s consent before including them in a photo. To avoid trouble, I generally avoid photographing people. If figures do appear, it’s only to add liveliness or scale to the scene.

Photography also resembles another lifelong habit of mine — doing housework. When I’m upset and not in the mood to read, doing chores helps. These “handwork” tasks rely more on coordination between hand and eye than on heavy thinking. The physical movement shifts mental gears, giving the brain some rest. After finishing, not only is the irritation half gone, but some practical tasks are done too — two gains in one, a habit worth recommending.

Art serves many purposes. As mentioned above, it can redirect emotions, offering alternative forms of joy and nourishment for the soul. Yet for others, when heavy memories weigh on the heart, art becomes a channel for expression and emotional release.