Photography has always been more than just a hobby for me—it has allowed me to process emotions, navigate difficult moments, and connect with the world around me.
My name is Isabella; I’m a London based photographer and have been using photography as a creative outlet for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Italy, Ireland, and The Netherlands, which I believe also contributed to my obsession with photography, as it has been the only constant in my life. In this piece, I reflect on how photography has shaped my experiences, helping me slow down, observe, and find meaning in both the mundane and the extraordinary.
Photography as Therapy
The power of photography goes beyond aesthetics; it serves as a tool for emotional processing, a means of staying present, and a way to foster deeper connections with others. Whether through capturing everyday life, documenting challenging moments or sharing images with loved ones, photography has the ability to ground us in the present while preserving snapshots of the past.
Photography is one of the few ways I can slow down, reflect, and focus.
Various forms of photography have allowed me to process emotions and experiences. When I first picked up a camera, I had just moved to London and used street photography as a way to become more observant while exploring the city. As my style evolved, I grew captivated by photographing ordinary scenes—an interest that deepened during the Covid lockdown. Finding beauty in everyday objects and moments transformed my approach to each day. Rather than feeling trapped, I discovered countless ways to document my surroundings and create art from home. Another form of photography that helped me through difficult periods was self-portraits. The act of setting up a scene and placing myself in it provided the space I needed to reflect on my feelings. By becoming the subject of the image, I externalised my emotions, gaining a fresh perspective and feeling as though I were an observer of my own experience.
Photography in Difficult Moments
In one instance, my partner fell ill during a trip abroad. I was extremely anxious, being in a new country, seeing him hospitalised, and spending nights alone in a hotel while waiting for him to be discharged. While visiting him in the hospital, I noticed details of the room: the monochrome interiors, the way the light softened in the late afternoon, and the sun setting through the curtain. Without thinking, I pulled out my camera and started documenting the scene. Focusing on these small visual elements made me feel like I was experiencing the room through my lens rather than being stuck in it. I was able to disconnect my emotions from my surroundings, and it felt like I was merely experiencing the room through the images, as if I were flicking through a photography book. This gave me the time and space to process my feelings and allowed me to think clearly.
While my partner stayed in the hospital overnight, I stayed at a hotel alone. Being away from him, all I could think of was that the worst had happened, and my feelings of anxiety and stress returned. I once again turned to my camera as a way to process my emotions. A few days prior, I had created an "ice headband" to place on my partner’s head, as he had been bed-bound with a fever before being hospitalised. Remembering how the ice melted on his head, I decided to create self-portraits with the remaining ice. I balanced ice on my head, used the blue light from the freezer, and handheld my camera arm-length away from my face. The process grounded me, giving me something tangible I could control.
Photography as a Tool for Mindfulness, Especially While Traveling
While traveling, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the new sights, experiences, and people you meet. It sometimes feels like you’re absorbing too much content to slow down and appreciate your surroundings.
Photography has been a great way to deal with the overwhelming feeling of becoming out of touch with my surroundings while exploring a new place. This doesn’t only apply to flashy new destinations; it’s also helped me stay mindful on simple camping trips, where the slow, calm days blended together, and it felt like time was slipping away from me.
During a camping trip, I began carrying my camera everywhere, even while walking from the tent to the bathrooms. By doing so, I became really aware of my surroundings: the sounds of the campsite, and how the sunlight shone through the tents at different times of the day. Having my camera with me made me excited to wake up at 6 a.m. to experience the misty campsite before anyone woke up, to listen to the sounds of birds singing, and to capture the morning dew on the grass.
Photography as a Way to Connect with Others
Photography has become a way for me to show affection to those closest to me and document nostalgic moments. I tend to take photos of the people I’m closest to in a very unposed and natural way, aiming to fully capture their essence. Photographing family and friends offers a form of closeness that’s hard to capture through other means. It also gives me the chance to capture them in different settings, rather than relying on typical selfies or smile-filled group photos. I find beauty in capturing the quiet, ordinary moments—like the time my siblings cut each other’s nails or my friends brushed their teeth.
Connecting with people through photos has also allowed me to control feelings of time passing quickly, and fears of losing people closest to me. Photography allows me to appreciate the small moments spent together and makes those interactions that much more special.
Photography has been my way of slowing down, processing emotions, and deepening my connections with the world around me. But more than anything, it has given me a way to be present: to truly see and appreciate the details of life that might otherwise pass me by.
I encourage anyone reading this to explore photography or to find their own creative outlet, something that allows them to pause, reflect, and engage with their surroundings in a meaningful way. Whether it’s writing, painting, music, or even just journaling, having a medium for self-expression can be a powerful tool for mindfulness and emotional clarity. In a world that often moves too fast, creativity gives us permission to slow down and truly experience the moment.