The Power of Photography
in dealing with Grief

One of the things, I have found most helpful in dealing with grief over the past few years has been working with photos in a type of meditative photography. Both photos that portray memories (which I write about in the memory book section) and photos of a more contemplative nature that help me get in touch with my emotions.

Contemplative Photography

I am not naturally an outdoors person. Yet I found myself drawn to and calmed by taking long walks outside or sitting by the river on my brother-in-law's farm. One day as I was watching my son and his cousin play in the river, I noticed a red leaf laying on the stones by the river bank. I kept looking at it. Somehow I saw in it a picture of my own life--beauty and dying that cannot be separated.

Gradually I began to notice the many metaphors nature offers us that speak to our lives--both the beauty and the sorrow. I began photographing these images and using them in reflection as a type of prayer or meditation.

You can read an introductory essay called Photography and Healing, where I tell how photography came to me as a healing path.

Here you will find an example of how I used photography in learning how to deal with grief.

Struggling to Thrive is a journal reflection on a particular day using a spring photo.

Here is an exercise and photos that you can use for your own reflection.

Doing Your Own Photography for Healing

On this first page you will find more explanation to contemplative photography and a couple helpful books. You will be given ideas for doing your own contemplative photography.

Here are a few more thoughts on using photography to deal with grief. I have included some specific ideas to help get you started in making photos that reflect your emotions.

Digital Scrapbooks is a page where I talk about my favorite online companies for making digital memory books. I used one of these homemade digital scrapbook software to make my very first edition of my now published book, Seasons of Solace. Of course that first edition was a photo journal for my own healing and looked nothing like the published version!

Brian's Interview About Photography and Grief shows how he used photography to help himself deal with the stressful illness and death of his wife.

Need to chat with a live person about dealing with grief? Read our Online Grief Counseling Interviews.