Through the Lens of Presence
- Anna Wilson
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Mindful photography is not just about what we see, but how we see. It’s a contemplative way of slowing down enough to experience presence.
Sunlight danced across the worn hulls of fishing boats in Lake Bolsena’s harbour, catching ripples in the water and the textures of chipped paint. In that fleeting shimmer, the ordinary — the harbour, the boats, the gentle lapping of the lake — felt extraordinary. Photographing in that moment became meditation, a pause where noticing and presence converged.
Mindful photography offers a way to return to a moment, discover inscape rather than escape, and access creative flow through intentional observation. For anyone seeking a pause from the everyday, it provides a restorative path back to presence and creativity. My venture, Mindful Eye Photography, grew from this insight — and from a desire to create the kind of community I wanted to support my own practice. I am looking to create a space where photographers of all levels may explore, reflect, and create without pressure or comparison — nurturing clarity, fostering connections, and rediscovering inspiration.
Mindful photography draws from Zen and Tibetan dharma art traditions, where art is a form of direct experience and spiritual expression. One lineage, Nalanda Miksang, emphasizes practice over performance — creating from awareness, authenticity, and curiosity rather than ego or decoration.
Each photograph becomes a meditation, a way to see deeply, fully, and honestly.
“The contemplative practice is to transform the obvious, ordinary experience into an appreciation of the ordinary as extraordinary — the appreciation of it for what it is, the ordinary magic of being alive.” — McQuade & Hall, Looking and Seeing: Nalanda Miksang Contemplative Photography
My photographic workshops, retreats, and journeys begin with stillness — breath work, meditation, connecting to the senses, or simply pausing to observe. The camera becomes a tool for reflection, a frame through which participants explore balance, light, texture, and nuance. Mindful observation turns distraction into focus, revealing patterns and surprises that bring both order and vitality to the photograph.
“Anna’s program encouraged me to slow down, be present, and truly reconnect with who I am as a photographer.” — Jo Gomes, past retreat participant
Mindful photography naturally extends to photographing people. John Daido Loori, a Zen Buddhist monk and accomplished photographer, observes in The Zen of Creativity that the image reveals as much about the photographer as it does about the subject. In street or portrait photography, participants ask: “Am I taking or witnessing?” They approach subjects with curiosity, openness, and ethical sensitivity, considering consent and context.
“If your mind is cluttered, your images will be cluttered. If your heart is open, your work will be open." — John Daido Loori, The Zen of Creativity
Approaching your subject with presence and respect allows moments to unfold naturally. Portraits and scenes become reflections of relationship, connection, and emotional depth — turning ordinary encounters into extraordinary expressions.
Bringing my Mindful Eye Photography program into new landscapes felt like a natural evolution of my work — a way to unite mindfulness, creativity, and exploration. International journeys and retreats explore a variety of stimulating locations, offering opportunities for different types of photography while emphasizing presence, connection, and curiosity. Ordinary scenes — the play of sunlight on a harbour, the textures of a weathered street, or fleeting expressions in a crowd — can feel extraordinary when observed with attention and intention.
These experiences gently nudge photographers towards what heals and inspires, reminding us that noticing and creating are themselves restorative acts. Mindful photography weaves together structure and spontaneity, order and intuition, experientially demonstrating that both coexist beautifully.
Whether capturing sunlight dancing on a lake, wildlife on safari, or moments in a bustling street, my goal remains the same: to move with presence, finding stillness in the act of creation. In a world that celebrates speed and productivity, perhaps the real art lies in the pause — in the space between breaths, where order meets chaos and meaning begins to take shape.
It is in these moments of presence that photography reflects not only what we see, but also the calm, clarity, and aliveness that emerge when we are fully present. Mindful photography shows us that even amidst life’s chaos, we can find order — and in that balance, beauty, surprise, and meaning emerge.
Discover Mindful Eye Photography Join photographer and educator Anna Wilson for immersive retreats and international journeys that blend photography, mindfulness, and creative flow.
