The healing power of photography

Ever since the dawn of photography, people have been trying to figure out exactly what photography is and what it is for. Is it an art, strongly influenced by the aesthetics of painting? A science, based on logical compositional and exposure principles, and the alchemy of darkroom chemicals or data whizzing between sensor and processor? A tool to help change the world? And is the job of the photographer strictly to record the world as seen through their lens, or interpret it in a more subjective way that is based on how they are thinking or feeling? These are big questions indeed. More recently, there’s been a lot of interest in the healing, therapeutic power of photography – how taking pictures can help you to be happier and cope better with life’s challenges, regardless of whether your photo wins a competition or gets lots of social media likes. Over the next few pages, we talk to a variety of photographers – some pro, some amateur – to find out how photography has helped them through tough times.

Coping with the big C

ANDREW FUSEK PETERS is a freelance landscape/wildlife photographer whose articles and images regularly appear in photo magazines (including AP) and thebowel cancer. While a lot of photographers might have hung up their cameras while they got through the gruelling chemotherapy, this was never an option for Andrew.