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Photography · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Photography for Mental Wellness and Self-Expression

Photography is a mirror. This course explores the therapeutic potential of the medium. Moving away from technical perfection, students focus on “Mindful Photography”—using the camera to anchor themselves in the present moment. The curriculum covers therapeutic self-portraiture, visual journaling, and the psychology of color to process emotions and combat anxiety.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Practice "Mindful Photography": Seeing without judgment
  2. Utilize Self-Portraiture as a tool for self-acceptance and identity exploration
  3. Create "Visual Diaries" to track mood and gratitude
  4. Understand the psychology of color and composition in emotional expression
  5. Discuss the impact of Social Media on mental health and how to curate a healthy feed
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Photography as Therapy: The concept of "Flow"
  2. 02Mindful Seeing: The 5 Senses Walk
  3. 03Visual Journaling: Daily Gratitude
  4. 04Color Psychology: Mood & Hue
  5. 05Breaking the Rules: Technical Perfection vs. Emotion
  6. 06The Photo Walk: Meditation in Motion
  7. 07Memory & Nostalgia: The Family Archive
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09The Self-Portrait I: Confronting the Mirror
  10. 10The Self-Portrait II: Performance & Persona
  11. 11Abstract Expressionism: photographing feelings
  12. 12Nature as Healer: Biophilic Photography
  13. 13The Shadow Self: Exploring darker themes
  14. 14Curating for Wellness: Social Media Detox
  15. 15Group Critique: Empathy & Support
  16. 16Final Project: The "Inner World" Zine or Series

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The "Inner World" Zine or Series

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Therapeutic Photography: Enhancing Self-Esteem, Self-Efficacy and Resilience by Neil Gibson
  2. The Mindful Photographer by Sophie Howarth
  3. Photography as Meditation by Torsten Andreas Hoffmann
  4. The Practice of Contemplative Photography by Andy Karr
  5. Little Book of Mindfulness (Contextual)
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