Street Photography and your Mental Health (feat. Pete Wands)

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In this video I talk to street photographer and doctor, Pete Wands about his approach to capturing his home city of Edinburgh in Scotland. He also shares about the mental health benefits which street photography provides him as he finds his flow state when out making images.

#streetphotography #mentalhealth #petewands

[thomaschamberlin]

I am a retired doctor. I was able to immerse myself in my photography trips to the point that it wasn't until the plane ride home that I remembered what I did and where I lived. A lot of people with intense occupations like medicine or computer programming need a fully immersive hobby like mountain climbing or rock climbing to make their brains stop thinking about work and to concentrate on the moment.

[CalMukumoto]

The message in this interview is why I keep going and making photos. Through Pete Wands you caught the essence of why we go. It is not about the “likes” on social media, it is about the time and peace you have while making our art. Thanks, Sean!
😊

[nevvanclarke]

I want to share this story with you guys and thanks for the video. It was fantastic. About six years ago, my marriage, finished and like most men at 45 years of age. it really broke me and cut me deep. I haven’t touched my camera for a long time, and I wanted to upgrade my gear, but my ex-wife never wanted to let me upgrade my gear. So I sold all my old cameras and invested in some new gear. Immediately, I started to get into landscape. Photography and I was out walking in nature, and I just started to heal straight away. My job is actually stressful. I’m actually a drug and alcohol counsellor in the addiction space and my job is hard enough. So my job is really stressful and I was going through an emotional and tough time…. At the moment, I would pick up my camera bag and put it in the back of the car and head towards the sunset. I would feel better. I would feel excited. I was connected to something important and that was nature. I can honestly say I don’t know where I’d be without Photography. Five years on I now have new beautiful partner and she supports me still to this day to go out and take pics. When I come back from a shoot, I’m light and bubbly and full of joy. As we say in the industry my cup is full. I have a theory that during the day and emotional jellybeans, I drained and if we get to 4 o’clock and we’ve got no emotional jellybeans left in a jar. We are no good to anyone, especially our families. Even just an hour outside around blew our sunset time. My cup is refilled and I go home, feeling engaged and happy.

[bethp]

Photography was part of my treatment for PTSD after serving in Iraq. I now use photography as a form of meditation to “rest my brain” and get a resilience boost when I need it.

[johnnyc.]

That was great. Motivated me to go shoot in my town, to capture the progress and history of a place that I guarantee, would not otherwise be preserved. People move too fast, drive too fast, ignore a sunset or a full moon, focused on their end mission to drive to work or the grocery store, or to check for social media updates on their smart phone (while driving), missing the beautiful world around them. I see it all, not always capturing it, but noticing it day to day as I drive to and from work. If only I had a camera installed in my eyes. The world is a beautiful place, regardless of whether the people are not.

[cun_]

Sometimes I go out alone with my camera and just take photos of random things on my way. It is just so relaxing to just be lost in your own world and craft something with lights and human nature.
Before this I was scared of photography. So much so I just left it. I used to say to others to never take my picture and never picked up a camera during those dark times. But right now I want to improve on that art.

[angelamaloney]

Once again, Sean Tucker really speaks to me and others. I took up photography after having been hurt serving my country overseas as a foreign service officer and coming home to the U.S. where doctors warned my employers that the injury left me vulnerable to some types of activities. My employee then spent the next four years assigning me that type of work while ignoring my doctors’ warnings I would get hurt, my reports and my doctors’ reports that I was actually getting hurt. I couldn’t get other jobs with a disability and leaving that one would have left me homeless and without health insurance while the employer was fighting me over workers comp and claiming I had somehow done it to myself. And—following three surgeries and rehabilitation—I was left with a permanent disability and PTSD. I started doing photography more seriously at the urging of friends. I started doing wildlife/nature photography and street photography in particular because they were almost like meditation. Photography has been opening doors to me now. I got two offers to show in New York last week, for example. But it’s most important thing is that it really is a mental health booster.

[rabinkarki]

These kinds of videos help a lot. Instead of showing gears and that this is the kind of video we need to feel at ease with our photography journey.

[streetphotographyguy]

Street Photography saved my life a few times. Thank you so much for this awesome work, dear Sean.

[Tedwill-home]

This video resonates with so many people. The shared trauma of the last three years, to individual and personal mental health issues, photography, like many other art forms, is great therapy. Thank you Sean!

[antwilkphotography]

We chatted briefly about this when I met you at your talk in London. Photography is the only thing that switches my ADHD brain off and allows me to totally immerse myself in something. I've been shooting 4 years and my mental health and well being have never been so good. Great videos as always Sean.

[tititatiti]

In a world where we get bombarded by horrible stories and tragic news, Mr Sean Tucker comes in and introduces us to all these wonderful and real people who showcase the Goodness of life. Sort of an undercover pastor for the art world. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU VERY MUCH !

[ImagesbyAsh]

As a Dad with a full-time job, Pete's story really connects with me. Photography allows me to clear my head of the "stuff" that work and home life chucks at me.
Thank you Sean and Pete for making this video and sharing your story.

[teddyabraham]

This video is related to me as well. When I hold my camera in my hand, it gives me happiness and a peaceful mind. I forget al my job tensions and pressures. Thank you, Sean 🥰

[adithompson]

Again Sean, an introduction to the real world we live in and an introduction to Pete Wands. Thank you. We need people like you to continue to tell the truth as it is. Life through photography. Copability through friends we never meet.

[SacredVStudio]

Thank you for this video, it is so important that we have something in life that brings us joy and allows us to express our creative selves. We have to have that outlet, be it photography, writing, poetry, painting, sculpture etc. Be creative, allow yourself to see the world like a child, in all its wonder.

[terripetterson]

Any type of photography I find extremely therapeutic, very relaxing, and it makes me very happy!

[christopherbarber]

Sean, thank you for introducing us to Pete, and of course to Pete for his observations and lovely photos!

[tedyander]

Absolutely remarkable episode... I lost all my gear a year ago, body and 5 lenses.
Inspired me to take up street photography again. Thank you !

[robert_skonblad]

Wonderful and important video! The photo of the woman in the window, just spectacular, such a lovely photo. Made me unexpectedly emotional.