"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera."
~Dorothea Lange
MINDFULNESS PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS, CLASSES, RETREATS
Calm, Creative and Connected - to Yourself and the World Around You
WHAT IS MINDFULNESS PHOTOGRAPHY?
Mindfulness is an attitude that can be brought to any activity. It is a non-judgmental awareness, from moment to moment, involving curiosity, compassion, and kindness. It helps us tune in to our senses, to the sensations of the body. We become more balanced and still.
With mindfulness, and from this place of inner stillness, there is more space for our innate creativity to emerge. It helps clear space for our true nature to show up. With photography, in particular, there is synergy with mindfulness. To capture the moment, you need to be in the moment.
Practicing mindfulness, with a camera in hand, we are more likely to notice the wonders of the world that exist in front of us — the intricacies of light, color, forms, sounds, the crunch of fallen leaves under foot. It is a moment to pause and notice, to care for and revitalize our minds, and to make room for the creativity in each of us.
Students describe the benefits of Mindfulness Photography as artistic renewing. Mindfulness Photography “helped reacquaint me with the desire to create” said one student. Another said, “you’ll not only take better pictures, you’ll know more about yourself as a photographer.”
For most, the impact of mindfulness is larger than on their art alone. One student described “feeling more in touch with myself and connected to the world.” “I noticed an immediate shift within me,” said another student. “I left feeling renewed, inspired and with a sense of calm.”
"All the technique in the world doesn't compensate for the inablility to notice."
~Elliott Erwitt
Mindfulness Photography workshops are for non-photographers and photographers alike, whether you’re new to mindfulness practices or already have experience. Camera phones welcome.
Simply come as you are.
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
“I’ve taken numerous photography workshops and Amy’s street class remains one of my favorites. Her assignments help you learn to see, not just to photograph… After a class with Amy, you’ll not only take better pictures, you’ll know more about yourself as a photographer.”
~Edward Boches, photographer and professor,
Boston University
“I am so happy I chose to sign up for Amy's mindfulness photography workshop, for I left feeling renewed, inspired and with a sense of calm. While I practice mindfulness on a regular basis and enjoy taking nature photos with my iPhone several times a week, I felt uninspired when November arrived to do any photography. It was through Amy's low pressure discussions on mindfulness and guiding us through various meditations, that I noticed an immediate shift within me. I felt like I walked through a new door and entered into a whole different November. The time we were given to shoot flew by, and for me that was a good sign that I was truly engaged, present and grateful to enjoy my surroundings. When I read in her workshop description to ‘come as you are,’ she really meant it. There was no judgement and no expectations."
~Jenny Jackson, healthcare worker
“Amy’s workshop was both relaxing and inspiring. It showed me how the photographic experience can be a kind of meditation.”
~ Marty Espinola, educator, school administrator
“The Mindfulness Photography workshop Amy led for our Camp Glow It Up Day Camp was phenomenal. Amy had the impeccable ability to lead us through guided meditations, which set the tone for our primary practice. In this fast-paced world, taking photos with such intention is almost a shock to the system, and Amy helped us create some beautiful images through her unassuming, open nature. I was originally drawn to Amy’s photography because she has a fantastic manner of capturing the present moment in an uncurated but beautiful way. The Mindfulness Photography workshop was so impactful for our participants that I will definitely ask Amy to lead another workshop in one of our future camps.”
~ Katie Lipsmeyer, founder and director, Camp Glow it Up
“Amy's Mindfulness Photography Workshop helped reacquaint me with the desire to create. During the workshop, Amy created a space for us to reflect on how photography can be used as a grounding tool to connect to the present moment. I left the experience feeling more in touch with myself and connected to the world."
~Natalie Minik, lecturer, Tufts University,
Film & Media Studies
“Participating in Amy's mindfulness workshop was a delight. So much of our lives are filled with endless action and pressure. Mindfulness is like pressing the reset button. Amy taught us to slow down and just breathe and gently clear the mind of all the noisy junk. We were learning how to be peaceful yet totally aware. The benefits of this concentrated focusing cannot be overstated. I hope to keep working on this in my daily life. Amy is a thoughtful and thorough teacher.”
~Medora Hebert, photojournalist
“Taking Amy’s mindfulness photography workshop was a mind-altering experience. She helped me connect with my inner child and learn how to observe my environment in a meaningful way.”
~Rachel, birth doula
“Great workshop. Peace and Serenity. I woke up a different person (today) i.e. perspective shift.”
~Marlaina Cataldi
“I was fortunate to attend a Street Photography class with Amy at the Griffin Museum of Photography. This was one of the most valuable photography classes I have taken. Class-based learning was combined with hands-on, in-the-field work. Her positive and supportive approach was critical in helping me gain much needed confidence and practical skills.”
~Andrea Waxler, founder and director, The Art Studio at
New Hampshire College
“The workshop combined two lives of mine: photography and working toward becomingmore present and grounded in my own life. It was a unique opportunity to spend some time being with others and exploring Eastworks with the intention of being where I was in that moment and not feeling rushed. Thank you, Amy, for this experience!”
~Liz, healthcare worker
“I was initially intimidated to sign up for a class at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. I’ve always loved photography, but I certainly never thought of myself as a student of the arts. Amy made it so approachable and fun that I found myself diving right in and anxiously awaiting class each week! Her own photographs are inspirational and her teaching style is warm and open.”
~Jamie Stober, data scientist
“A wonderfully talented artist and an exceptional teacher."
~Wilson Hunt, painter
Amy Thompson Avishai is the founder of The Center for Mindfulness Photography, offering classes, retreats and workshops, based in western Massachusetts. She is known for her sensitive, spare and nuanced portrayals of people and the natural world. She brings to her teaching over two decades of experience as an educator, mindfulness practitioner and photographer.
From early childhood, Amy's world view was shaped by observing, connecting, and living abroad. When she began photographing, she was transfixed by composition, moment, color and the process of making photos and holding human moments in time.
In her 20s and 30s, Amy photographed for The New York Times and other newspapers, and was featured in National Geographic. She also completed documentary projects abroad, including a Fulbright project about the education of girls in rural areas of Morocco.
Amy was exposed to mindfulness and meditation while photographing in Southeast Asia. Her own mindfulness practice deepened as time went on, and she came to recognize the similarities and synergy between meditation and her creative process. The two could no longer remain separate, and Amy soon began incorporating mindfulness practices in her teaching at the Griffin Museum of Photography.
In 2018, Amy moved to western Massachusetts and began teaching Mindfulness Photography. She is currently in the final stretch of a two-year intensive mindfulness meditation teacher training program with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, in partnership with the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California at Berkeley. Her graduation is expected in early 2023.
“Amy is a thoughtful photographer amplifying beauty in plain sight. She is a knowledgeable practitioner of mindfulness who is aware of its impact on our creative output.”
~ J. Sybylla Smith, Exhibition Curator, Educator and Program Developer
Feel free to reach out to Amy if you'd like to learn about upcoming events. Interested in bringing a mindfulness photography workshop to your organization or group? Amy would be glad to discuss options with you.
Email: amy@amythompsonphotos.com