50% of women have low self-esteem, and a massive 85% of women opt out of important life events due to how they look and perceive themselves. A lot of women put this down to how the media represents people, particularly in a world of selfies and social media, where image is everything. However, photography can really benefit your self-esteem in many different ways, such as getting out and capturing nature, taking photos of others and changing the way you approach selfies to make them a positive thing, instead of a competition for the most likes.
Taking Pictures Of Myself, Self, Self…
Living in a social media world has led to a decline in self-esteem, as everyone is fixated on getting approval from others, while they over-analyze their appearance in selfies. If you’re taking and posting selfies on social media in the hope of approval from others, it’s more likely to have a negative impact on your mental health and self-esteem. However, experts believe that selfies can be empowering. If your attitude towards taking photos of yourself is to display self-love, it can be a big self-esteem booster, providing you don’t care if no one likes or comments on it. Of course, it could result in lots of positivity and support from peers, which will also make you feel good about yourself. If you’re going to take selfies, whether they’re beneficial or damaging to your self-image is all dependent on your mental attitude towards them. If you want to have quality photos of yourself then book a sessions with Alli Murphy.
Get Outside And Capture Nature
Research has found that nature can have a positive effect on body image. Two studies looked into how participants felt when they went outside, while three used photographs of nature alone, and all had positive results. It’s believed that this is because nature takes you away from appearance-focused situations and thoughts, as well as giving you feelings of pleasure, such as watching wildlife or the sunset. So, why not take advantage of both? Go outside and take the photographs yourself, so that you get the body image boost while you’re capturing nature, as well as having the opportunity to create unique pieces of art such as mosaics and photo collages to proudly display around your home for the continued positive effects.
Take Photos Of Other People
Taking photos of others can be a great way to help them and yourself. This could be in the form of an arranged photoshoot that focuses on positive body image and self-love. If you offer a judgement-free zone and make people feel comfortable, you’ll be surprised how quickly they come out of their shell and start to express themselves, which will make you feel good too. Many people also enjoy having a photo session of life events, such as before a life-changing surgery or during pregnancy. Photographing your family and friends also has the feel-good factor, as you capture happy memories that you can look back on. You can use pre-sets such as those from Greater Than Gatsby to ensure the outcome is a stunning one.
