om mind
recognising my own struggles with my ego (Ahamkara) I gained a
measure of context, not just for my art, but for my life as a whole. I
began intermittent meditation as a way to allay myself of whatever
internal struggles I was dealing with. This sparked the reconciliation
of my desires, with the concepts of Aprigraha (non-coveting),
Bramacharya (continence), and Satya (truthfulness).Beautiful shapes
As time passed, my base of knowledge broadened and my personal
style and taste narrowed. It just so happened that during the
same period of time that my conscious and artistic prowess was
maturing, my wife was making her own spiritual journey through the
practice of yoga. Before I even explored the ideas of yoga, she had
been attending classes and quickly developed a deep love and an
appreciation for the asanas.
One of the drawbacks to city living is a very hectic lifestyle. Before
we knew it, we had become isolated in a way that cut us off from
forming meaningful connections with people our age. To pacify her
own desires to connect with others, my wife began posting photos of
her practice on social media. As she advanced, her audience began
to grow and I started to take notice of the beautiful shapes she was
able to create.Collaboration
It wasn’t long until we began to collaborate regularly. Our mutual
appreciation for the practice and community that yoga provides
allowed us to throw ourselves into what became a long term
photographic project highlighting asanas in beautiful places. Our
work has led to amazing personal and professional growth that I
attribute, in no small part, to the revelatory experience of yogic
practice.
Through social media recognition and word of mouth, I have been
fortunate enough to photograph and befriend amazing practitioners
and teachers from all walks of life. In doing so I’ve found my life’s
great passion. Photography has become a calling that I will continue
to pursue for as long as I can.
My journey began earnestly and has many breakthroughs and
setbacks, but through cultivating a truthful acceptance of self, clarity
of vision, and an ongoing practice of Samtosha (contentment) I
have set down a path towards self-actualisation through my art. The
efforts of which continue to bear fruit with each passing day.^H.Spencer Bentley is a commercial portrait photographer based in
Washington D.C., USA (bentleycreativeagency.com)Tips on shooting yoga
THREE WAYS YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR YOGA
PHOTOGRAPHY RIGHT NOW. BY SPENCER BENTLEY1
While yoga does lend itself very well to photography,
practicing tried and true photographic techniques
can go a long way towards creating a truly memorable
image. The first and most important tip I would give any
new photographer is to become comfortable making
others comfortable. During a shoot, open and effective
communication is often the difference between success
and failure. Positive reinforcement and clarity in your
instructions can serve to make the experience enjoyable
for everyone involved. Being in front of a camera can
be very intimidating for models and under the wrong
circumstances that vulnerability can ruin any potential for
a good shoot.2
The second most important tip I would give is to have
a complete and thorough understanding of your gear.
Before you ask anyone to pose for you, you have to know
what your camera is capable of. Everything you need to
access should be committed to muscle memory by the
time you go out for your first shoot. A lack of knowledge
about your gear is not only unprofessional, but it really
doesn’t instill a lot of confidence in your subjects.3
Third and final tip is to be aware of the direction
and characteristics of light. All of photography
is predicated on the manipulation of light and as a
photographer you have to be in tune with both its intensity
and directionality. The most successful photographers
were masters of light manipulation in one way or another.
To be taken seriously in the craft, you have to do your
homework on what type of light works where and why.Top: Daniel Rām a
@danielrama_
Bottom: Irene Pappas
@fitqueenireneLeft: Irene Pappas @fitqueenirene
Right: Holly Bentley @hollybentley_yoga