Walking

Walking is a cure. I discovered this in my late teens. Whenever I felt sad, I’d go out and start walking without a destination or sense of time. I walked until it felt right. This became my secret weapon for my mental health. Within a couple of years, this prescription became a habit. I walked even when I felt good. It helped with my depression and enabled me to explore many of my favorite places.

Meditation

I have tried several forms of meditation, but long walks are my favorite. The rhythm of footsteps, the steady pace, and the immersion in surroundings create a mental space where thoughts can settle and untangle.

I don’t wear headphones while walking. Simple act of holding a camera sharpens my eye. The photos may not turn out perfect on every walk, but my mind appreciates the experience of having three, five and sometimes even seven hours of complete peace and tranquility.

Walking as Operating System

I stole this phrase from one of Craig Mod’s many delightful newsletters. I enjoy the expression and the concept it represents—viewing a walk as a framework for creative creation, an avenue for inspiration to generate tangible results.

I suggest you read 116th dispatch of his Ridgeline newsletter.

“Street Photography”

From a young age, I casually took photos, yet I never linked it to walking, despite how obvious it seems now. In 2017, I made the choice to bring a camera on every outing and began documenting my walks.

In some odd way, this has become a documentation of the state of my mind rather than the streets. I took photos of everything my brain would fixate on. My hands obediently followed the stream of thoughts in my head. I pushed the shutter release without any prejudice or analysis.

As a photographer, this was new for me. New and liberating.

The Out of Memory series originates from my tendency to carry a camera at all times and take spontaneous photos—capturing my journey through time and life. At the same time, I began maintaining a daily written journal. Eventually, Out of Memory evolved into an illustrated reflection of that journal and my walking.

Many of the images featured in my membership program zine series, I Dream With One Eye Open, are from this continuous project, which I hope to continue until my last breath.