Team Members at Cherry Tree Nursery developed their photography skills at a workshop designed to enhance mental wellbeing.
Run by Karin Meineke from Common Roots, the session offered participants a calm and reflective introduction to the practice of Mindful Photography. It began with a welcoming atmosphere and grounding exercise that helped everyone to relax and connect with each another.
Participants took part in a short check-in, sharing their motivation for attending and their expectations for the workshop, before completing a ‘Positive Feedback Umbrella’ to reflect on their current mood and wellbeing.
Karin introduced the principles of Mindful Photography and explained its benefits for mental health. Participants practiced using their phone cameras, especially the macro function, with a potted plant before moving into the greenhouses.
There, they were encouraged to explore familiar plants with fresh curiosity, focusing on small details they might not have noticed before. Many participants became deeply absorbed in this quiet, creative exploration.
After returning to the group, each person selected one photograph to share with another participant, explaining their emotional connection to the image. This was followed by a group discussion that strengthened the sense of connection and shared experience.
To close the creative process, participants wrote a sentence describing what resonated with them during the activity and collectively assembled these sentences into a group poem.
At the end of the session, participants completed the ‘Positive Feedback Umbrella’ for a second time and were pleasantly surprised to see noticeable improvements in mood and wellbeing, even after the short workshop.
The check-out feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with participants expressing a strong intention to continue using Mindful Photography as a tool to support their mental wellbeing.