Wellbeing through
Courageous,
Creative,
Action.
Howdy Friends,
A genie pops out of a bottle and grants you a single either/or wish:
a) You get to have what you want.
b) You get to want what you have.
What’s your choice? And speaking of, what is it that you really, really, want out of life anyway?
I’m Joe in Colorado. Call me your Mindful Photography Field Guide. I want to help you take courageous action, experiencing inner peace while using your unique creative gifts. That is what I learned to do and I can show you precisely how.
Perhaps we have some things in common:
A spirit of adventure.
Highly sensitive to the world around us.
We sometimes struggle with, ahem, slightly uncomfortable emotions.
In The Mindful Photography Field Guide, I share 15 smartphone photography practices that can help bring you back to sanity when you spiral into depressing, anxious thoughts. Filled with full color photos, practical how-to action items, engaging stories, and solid research, this book reveals time-tested practices you can use to recenter your mind, embrace the present moment, and experience the full joy of living.
If you want someone deeply invested in your wellbeing to help you through these 15 practices, reach out and let’s have a complimentary call to explore if a mindful photography private coaching arrangement would be a great fit for you.
Fellow journeyers, if you told the Genie that you prefer wanting what you have over having what you want, then you are on the path to inner peace. Let’s open your eyes up to the blessings all around you right here, right now.
Happy hiking,
Joe Van Wyk (and Frankie the Doodle)
PS:
Download the fun and engaging “Chase Things That Sparkle” practice (my favorite).
Adventure to a place of
inner peace,
even while journeying through a
world gone mad.
In The Mindful Photography Field Guide, Joe Van Wyk shares 15 smartphone photography practices that can help bring you back to sanity when you spiral into depressing, anxious thoughts. Filled with full color photos, practical how-to action items, engaging stories, and solid research, this book reveals time-tested practices you can use to recenter your mind, embrace the present moment, and experience the full joy of living.
The best part? No photography experience is needed. Whether you are an adventurer, a seeker, or a creative soul longing for peace and connection in a chaotic world, you’ll find the keys to practical, everyday mindfulness in these pages.
Transform your smartphone into a powerful tool to access inner peace
Experience joyful presence, rather than distraction and stress, during difficult times
Bless others with your gifts to spread feelings of love, laughter, and happiness
Frequently Asked Questions
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In the book you will find engaging practices that foster hope and inner peace. Unfortunately, the following statistics aren’t so positive and encouraging. 700,000 people die by suicide each year (World Health Organization). Men are particularly vulnerable, ending their own lives at nearly 4x the rate of women. White males accounted for nearly 70% of suicide deaths in the U.S. in 2021 (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention). Nothing is as tragic as someone successfully taking their own life. That said, ponder this: for every suicide completion, there are 25 attempts (Merck Manuals). That means there are 17.5 million suicide attempts each year. Hopelessness and despair are all around us. Perhaps you are struggling too. If so, this book is for you. It is written by someone who was desperate to find relief from chronic dark thoughts.
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Capturing a pretty photo and capturing the present moment are different. As you practice these methodical photography exercises, even your simple snaps will become more visually appealing. That’s great. However, that’s not the point of mindful photography.
Want to grasp the spirit of mindful photography? Ask a child to take several photos of things they are most grateful for. Observe them. Watch them get lost in creating, while totally unconcerned about perfection. Notice the “heart” in what they show you.
You have now witnessed capturing the present moment versus ego-centered photography. You may not be a kid anymore, but if you are teachable, smartphone photography can become an ever-present and powerful tool for inner peace.
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In The Mindful Photography Field Guide, Joe Van Wyk shares 15 smartphone photography practices that can help bring you back to sanity when you spiral into depressing, anxious thoughts. Filled with full color photos, practical how-to action items, engaging stories, and solid research, this book reveals time-tested practices you can use to recenter your mind, embrace the present moment, and experience the full joy of living. You’ll find whole new level of love and commitment to your photography practice.
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Photographing Mindfully
Creating for Connection
Focused on 5 Senses
Lost in Creation
Present
AwarePhotographing Non-Mindfully
Creating for Likes
Detached from Reality
Lost in Thought
Hurried
Asleep -
These practices are specifically designed for smartphone photography. I do realize that mindful smartphone photography sounds like an oxymoron. On one hand, we have the mind-blowing advancement of smartphone cameras. On the other hand, we are balancing the fact that smartphones are society’s number one killer of presence (and advertisers’ top choice for controlling our minds).
However, with discipline, we can take a mindful approach to our smartphones too. As such, each practice in this book starts with the intentional act of turning your smartphone into a camera, turning on airplane mode, and cutting off your outside connection while you are practicing.
The exercises in this book will help you master the amazing camera that’s always with you. You’ll practice photographic awareness, scenes, macro-photography, landscapes, abstracts, architecture, street photography, portraiture, approaching strangers, editing, organizing, and archiving your work.
Practice 1
(Joe's personal fav)
"Chase Things That Sparkle."
Part of the three “Follow the Light” practices, “Chase Things That Sparkle” will help you notice glittering flashes of light—aka sparkles. You will see common things in an inspiring way—like observing glittering gold showering down through fall Aspen trees. You will also see things you once thought were insignificant in new ways, like the twinkling highlight in your dog’s eye, or the sparkle of your sweetheart’s earrings. All the while, you’ll find yourself lost in the present moment, simply enjoying the act of creating.