Amateur Photographer - UK (2020-01-25)

12 25 January 2020I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113

PeterDenchis a photographer,videographer,presenter,

writer,authorandcurator.Heis therecipientof a World

PressPhotoawardandhaspublished several books.

Seewww.peterdench.com

© TRACY CALDER

CONTENT

FOR

NEXT

WEEK

S ISSUE MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

SonyAlpha 6600

AndyWestlakegivesSony’sflagship

APS-Cmirrorlessmodela full test

Aprizeyear

AmyDaviesroundsupthephoto

contestsyoushouldenterthisyear

Pointsofthecompass

JohnWadeontheremarkableCompass

camera, that had a multitude of features

TracyCalderhasthe

lowdownonbuyingand

selling old photographs

How to

make

money

In next week’s issue

On sale Tuesday 28 January

Doyouhavesomethingyou’dliketogetoffyourchest?Sendusyourthoughtsinaround

500 wordstotheaddressonpage 23 andwina year’sdigitalsubscriptiontoAP,worth£79.

I

sit justmeordoestheworldseem

a littlemoretoxic?Therearemore

waysto connectandsharethan

everbeforebutwithincreased

accessto goodnews,there’salsoan

intravenoushighwayof bad.I’mnot

depressedbutI feela littlelesshappy,the

flamesof joyburna littlelessbright.My

film-makerfriendis depressedandhas

beenfora whilefora numberof reasons:

lovedonesfallingill, careertroublesandthe

isolationthatfreelancersoftenexperience.

Thenot-sohappysnapperneededhelp

andI, andhopefullyyou,havesomething

tooffer.Theywerelookingtopull

themselvesoutof it, tofindaninterest

thatwouldgetthemoutof thehouse.

Perhapswitnessingotherpeoplebeing

happyanddoinginspiringthingscouldbe

a wayforthemtogleansomehappiness

of theirown,tobeinspiredandeventually

easetheirdepression?Usingphotography

astherapyisn’tanoriginalconcept,very

feware,butthatshouldn’tstopusfinding

a waytomakea positivecontribution.

Mentalhealthsupport

Thisis theseedfromwhich

capturehappiness.orghasgerminated.

Nothingrevolutionarybutnevermore

relevant.Mentalhealthis society’sissueof

themoment.Photographyhasneverbeen

morepopularoraccessible.Theneedto

sharethehappiermomentsof ourliveshas

neverbeengreater.Moreandmore

peoplearecomingforwardto saytheyare

strugglingwithdepression.Thisis sadbut

reassuringthatpeoplecansharetheir

troublesknowingthey’renotalone.

CaptureHappinesshopesto builda

communitythatencouragespeopleto

focusonthepositivein lifethroughthelens

of a camera.A movementthatmotivates

peopleto getoutandtakephotosasa

valuableprocessin itself,whatevertheend

result.Thecommunityutilisesphotography,

filmandpersonalexperiencesto share

perspectivesandproblemsin thesearch

forpeaceof mindandcontentment.It

focusesontheworldaroundus,to escape

introversion and taste delight.

WhatI contributeis toshowcasesome

of myphotographythatreflects

happiness,setfrequentphoto-challenges

andalsoguideotherstogetstartedon

theirphotographicjourney.Theteamalso

includesanappliedpositivepsychology

andleadershiptrainerandresearcher.

Theyofferpracticaltipsanddailyhabitsto

promotepositivementalhealth.

CaptureHappinessis a lovelyphrase,

oneyoucancarryin yourheadwhen

huntingforpictures.A focusforthelens,

motivationforthemindanda reasonfor

being.It usesthecameraforwhatI believe

is itshigherstrength,to turnit awayfrom

usanddocumentlife.Theworldneedsan

antidotetothespirallingfeelingof despair.

Helpmake 2020 theyearweturnthat

frownupside-down.

If you’dliketogetinvolved,simply

captureyourhappinessin a photoand

shareonFacebook.Postyourphoto

onyourInstagramprofile,tagging

capturehappinessnowandusethe

hashtag#CaptureHappinessNow.Sendin

yourphotosandstoriestosmile

capturehappiness.org.Notrolls,haters,

politics or partisanship. Keep it HAPPY :-)

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS COLUMN ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER MAGA ZINE OR TI MEDIA LIMITED

© PETER DENCH

A littlebitofhappinessgoesa longway.Why

not use photography as a force for good?

Whatcanbedone,tohelpthenot-so-

happysnapper?Photographymayhave

the key to a world-weary malaise

View point

Peter Dench