Improve Your Health & Well-Being With Nature Photography
Designing a healthy workspace and living environment
We all want to feel happy and well in our day-to-day lives — not just when we’re engaged in recreation, but also while we’re at work or relaxing in our homes. Healthy surroundings have been shown to inspire greater creativity and productivity, as well as a sense of peace with ourselves and others in that environment.
“Raindance” - New to my Fresh Water Therapy Fine Art Photography Collection
While artwork is most commonly used as décor for interior spaces, adding fine art nature photography to the walls of your home, office or business can actually reduce stress and help create a positive, uplifting indoor environment.
Here’s why:
When asked to think of a place where they felt relaxed and calm, more than nine out of ten people imagine themselves in a natural setting.1 Nature is intrinsic to our physical and mental well-being; it soothes the mind, restores balance, and even heals us. It simply makes us feel good. Having a calmer, more peaceful state of mind then allows us to make better decisions throughout our day, thus improving our lives.
Although most of us can’t spend all of our time outdoors, we’re starting to see more natural elements and art integrated into the hospitality, medical, and corporate industries’ architecture and interior design. Have you ever noticed how the sight and sounds of a waterfall feature or a koi fish pond add a peaceful ambiance to a business? Or perhaps you may have recognized how beautifully certain tree and flower arrangements appear to frame a landscaped home or other building. Witnessing the beauty of nature offers several positive effects on our brains, and the psychological ramifications of this relationship are truly fascinating.
“Raindance” hanging inside a medical office as healing art wall decor
Creating visually therapeutic fine-art photography has underpinned my work ever since I started pursuing my career as an artist. I remember watching a science documentary years ago that explored the brain’s responses to contact with nature. I was inspired to learn that hospital patients experienced shorter recovery times when allowed to view artwork or natural scenery. Further research led me to discover the concept of “biophilic design” as described by Harvard professor and preeminent biologist Edward O. Wilson in his widely acclaimed book The Origins of Creativity.
The word biophilia derives from the Greek philia, meaning “love of.” Biophilia literally means a love of life or living things. Human beings’ deeply ingrained love of nature is an intuitive and natural drive imprinted in our DNA. Many biologists credit this instinct with helping us thrive as a species, spurring us to locate the most fertile land, cultivate food, and nurture new life. We have a physiological need to experience a sense of closeness with the natural world. (2)
“Enlighten” - New to my Bird’s Eye View fine art aerial photography series
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, biophilic design supports cognitive function, physical health, and psychological well-being. (2) The NRDC incorporates biophilic design into all its offices to encourage the connection between humans and nature, as well as promote staff wellness and productivity. Since the average American spends 90 percent of their life indoors, increasing biophilia in artificial environments promises to offer significant benefits to our well-being.
As an artist, I’ve always intended for my work to serve a deeper purpose than simply decorating a space. I love how nature photography displayed in a medical office or business helps create a positive environment for people to recover and interact more meaningfully. Beyond any aesthetic consideration, my greatest reward as an artist has been that of facilitating people’s healing by helping them feel a sense of wonder, joy, and peace. Getting to witness these moments of transformation has been such an inspiration, both in my creative process and in my own healing journey.
“Serenity” hanging on a living room wall to add the peace of the ocean to this interior space
I invite you to witness the depths and beauty of some of the most beautiful places on Earth: “from the mountain to the ocean, from the windward to the leeward side”. (3) Purchasing a piece of fine art can be an investment in your own health and in your colleagues’ well-being. If you’re considering a piece of fine-art landscape photography for your space, I encourage you to contact me directly to discuss anything from deciding on the best photograph for you, to choosing the right artwork size and dimensions for your walls. And for every piece of my art you collect, a native Hawaiian tree will be planted to help perpetuate the ecological resources that sustain our island community.
Which natural settings bring you the most peace and joy? Feel free to comment below — I’d love to hear from you!
Hawai'i Fine Art Landscape Photography
Visual therapy for the walls of your home, office, or business.
1. The Planteria Group - What is “Biophilia” and Why is it Important?
2. The NRDC Organization - The Benefits of Biophilia
3. John Cruz - “Island Style”