Photography is more than just about considering your subject, the composition, lighting, and framing before clicking the shutter button. As a hobby, it can bring about a positive and rewarding impact on your life. From training your mindfulness to helping you see things differently, discover the 7 ways photography can bring about happiness.

1. Fosters Your Creativity

EOS M5, EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens, f/3.2, 22mm, 1/15sec, ISO100

The world is bursting with inspiration, and photography is a great way to engage with the world in a creative way. That’s because photography makes you think and consider while you observe people and the environment around you. A simple yet effective way of challenging your creativity is to capture and post a photo every day, which acts as a visual diary that you can look back on fondly and hence boost your happiness.

Looking to capture more creative photos? Elevate your photography skills with 3 Creative Ways to Use Your Camera’s Continuous Shooting Mode.

2. Preserves Memories

EOS M5, EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens, f/4, 22mm, 1/20sec, ISO200

Remember the last time you looked through photos of family members or friends and how it made you feel? Studies show that recalling happy memories significantly increases happiness in the present day. Whether it’s a special occasion or those little moments that are precious yet easily forgotten, it’s about capturing happiness. Plus, when you photograph things that make you happy, you become more mindful, reflective and appreciative. 

Find out how to preserve your memories in print when you Print Photos Creatively Using the Selphy Printer.

3. Increases Enjoyment of Your Experiences

EOS M5, EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens, f/4, 22mm, 1/800sec, ISO200

EOS M5, EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens, f/2.5, 22mm, 1/4000sec, ISO200

Photography is more than documenting and preserving moments in time – it’s also about engaging with the experience. Notice how we tend to recall our travels more fondly? A study by the American Journal of Personality and Social Psychology revealed that taking photos affects the enjoyment of your experience. For example, when you capture travel photos or food shots, you become more engaged and hence that experience is more enjoyable.

Elevate your travel photos with tips from this article: Travel Photography with the Canon EOS M6 Mirrorless Camera: Exploring Italy

4. Gets You Moving

EOS M5, EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens, f/2.8, 22mm, 1/50sec, ISO100

Photography is an activity that can get you moving, usually outdoors, to give you inspiration on what you’ll be capturing. But it’s not just about going outside; it is also about taking the time to walk around the subject, and consider the background and foreground to achieve better composition for your photos. In fact, get ready to walk, climb, bend, even turn, to get your shots. 

Get inspired by the world around you like how Alvin Choon was in Videographer Captures Life on the Streets with the Canon EOS M5.

5. Trains Mindfulness

EOS M5, EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens, f/3.2, 22mm, 1/40sec, ISO100

Photography trains you to be more mindful and have patience. That’s because one rarely or almost never gets the perfect shot at the first try. Hence, it’s a mental exercise that involves a lot of practice – sometimes requiring hundreds of shots – with the potential of reaping great rewards. And when you do nail the shot, the happiness is immeasurable. For this image, staying focused was key to capturing the exact moment the bees rested on the flower.

Tip: Shooting in burst mode is helpful when you’re something that’s on the move. 

6. Establishes Human Connection

EOS M5, EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens, f/2.8, 22mm, 1/2000sec, ISO100

Taking portraits of someone you’re meeting for the first time? It’s a great way to make friends or expand your network. But more significantly, photography helps you build stronger bonds with the people in your life. Whether it’s taking photos at a party or capturing a quiet, pensive moment, photography helps you connect with other humans on a deeper level.

Tip: Use a small f-number to create shallow depth of field, which results in an out of focus background, so your subject stands out.

Love capturing portraits? Learn tips on how to approach people on the streets with photographer Justin Mott in this article Hues of Hue – Make Friends, Shoot Later.

7. Broadens Your Perspective

EOS M5, EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens, f/2.8, 22mm, 1/125sec, ISO100

Photography makes you look at things according to different angles, such as the point of view of a child or a pet or a bird’s eye view. Whether you’re shooting from a low angle or looking up high, photography requires you to seek out various angles of your subjects to help improve composition and perspective. Among the various reasons of taking up photography, this is probably the most beneficial as seeing things differently changes you, sometimes for the better.

Discover how going low helps you capture the world differently with Low Angle Shooting with Canon EOS M10.