Welcome to our online ‘See With Fresh Eyes’
Mindful Photography Exhibition
This online exhibition showcases the work of 28 people in their mid-life from around Gloucestershire, using mindful photography to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
The mindful approach to photography showcased here uses a blend of photography, mindfulness and being in nature, used to slow down, reduce stress and relieve anxiety and depression. Participants learned to see their lives from a new perspective, whilst building confidence and self-esteem, learning new skills and building connections with new people. Four courses were delivered in partnership with four host organisations. These provided participants with creative, simple and fun tools for improving mental health whilst producing their own creative powerful photographs.
From the autumn of 2019 the project See with Fresh Eyes has supported 40 people in their mid life from around Gloucestershire who have experienced challenges to their mental health or wellbeing.
The project was awarded a grant by the BUPA Foundation and delivered by Look Again, with support from Create Gloucestershire and Gloucester Cathedral. An extra workshop was hosted by Llanthony Secunda Priory and funded by Historic England.
The University of Gloucestershire is carrying out research about the impact of the project on mental health and wellbeing. See Impact for preliminary findings. A full report will be available shortly.
This online exhibition will be live until November 2021 with a physical exhibition at Gloucester Cathedral in July 2021.
Galleries
Participants were referred to the project by the following partner organisations: The Nelson Trust, Headway Gloucestershire, Maggie's Cheltenham and Longfield Community Hospice, charities that work with and support individuals and their families through physical and mental illness, or provide end of life care.
Each gallery link below showcases the work relating to participants referred from that partner organisation.
Co-created with thanks to:
This project was delivered by Look Again and the University of Gloucestershire with support from Create Gloucestershire.
The project was awarded a grant by the Bupa Foundation with support in kind offered by Gloucester Cathedral and Llanthony Secunda Priory.
With thanks to contributing referral partners Nelson Trust, Headway Gloucestershire, Maggie’s Cheltenham, and Longfield Community Hospice.
“I have learnt that taking a photo, stopping and looking, being curious can help stop your busy mind, worry and difficult repetitive thoughts.
I have now tried this a lot of times on my walks and every time it has broken thought patterns and made me notice and focus on the present and my surroundings.”
— Marianne Watts