Mindful photography enables us to slow down, look, and look again; to see our lives differently; to reframe our experience of life and to take action to create positive change towards ourselves, others and the planet.”
(Ruth Davey, founder of Look Again)
Ruth Davey founded Look Again in 2012 to combine her life-long love of photography with 30 years of experience of international community and business development to support people to see their lives, work and world differently.
Personal experience with mental health challenges and neurodivergence led her to develop this evidence-based mindful photography organisation. Despite deeply appreciating the mindful practice of paying attention, the two standard 8-week mindfulness courses that she completed didn’t give her the wellbeing support she had hoped for. The teachings felt distant and classic practices of body scan or sitting still for longer periods were inaccessible for her. Whilst a more relational compassion and communication course proved more helpful, Ruth continued to experience high levels of stress, distress and shame. Through this time of burnout and breakdown she started to ask herself the question ‘what do I love?’ and slowly weaved together her passions of photography, walking in nature and mindfulness. Her breakdown slowly became her breakthrough.
This combination is the core of the work that Look Again now offers to others, employing mindful photography to support people to improve their mental health and wellbeing, and create stories of hope for the future.
The approach is intentionally very accessible and adaptable, providing a different way into mindfulness. It is low-tech, simple, and playful. No special equipment is needed – only a camera or phone and the willingness to bring an open mind, slow down and really see the world around us.
“Mindful photography is a tool to help us become more consciously aware of and connected to the present moment. Using our vision and imagination, with the lens of a camera or smartphone as an anchor, it is experiencing the process of creating photographs in a non-judgmental way, with curiosity, gratitude and compassion.”
Now based in the England-Welsh Borders, Ruth offers in-person courses, community partnership projects, and 2-3 day in-person and online bespoke training for professionals where possible, as well as training people globally online.
Her passion is working with organisations who support mental health and wellbeing, creativity, nature connection, environmental sustainability, social justice, diversity and inclusion, hope, future thinking and regenerative practice. The Look Again approach equips these organisations as well as independent practitioners such as coaches, therapists, mindfulness and other teachers, and creatives, to support people to shift inner as well as outer perceptions.
To date Look Again has supported people living with or experiencing mental health challenges, cancer, eating disorders, head injuries, dementia, caring responsibilities, end of life care, recovery from addiction, homelessness, asylum seekers and refugees, and exclusion from education…
“In a professional context, mindful photography serves as an effective tool in counselling, providing a creative avenue for exploring emotions and experiences. The instant development of these photos can act as visual aids during counselling sessions, facilitating discussions and enabling staff members to articulate emotions that may be challenging to convey verbally. This approach offers a unique means of expression, promotes self-awareness, alleviates stress, and nurtures mindfulness.”
(Areen Abu-Hlal, Staff Counsellor, Palestine)
Look Again’s foundational work, ‘Reframe Your Now’, is offered as 4-8 week online and in-person courses. During lockdown, due to demand, this evolved into a training programme called ‘Working with Mindful Photography’ now completed by 250+ people in 35 countries. The programme was awarded the Mindfulness Initiatives’ Innovation in Mindfulness Training Award in 2024.
More recently Look Again birthed ‘Creating Hopeful Futures with Mindful Photography;’ a training that combines mindfulness, imagination, photography, learning from nature and regenerative practice to create the future we want to see rather than accept the story that’s coming our way. Look Again also offers wellbeing support for the workplaces to reflect on future thinking, leadership and social change.
“Our work has benefited thousands of people around the world and is recognised as an accessible and transformational intervention for personal, community and organisational development, and positive change. ” (Ruth Davey)
Having established a compelling ground of effective practice, Look Again is in a strong position to scale up their training. Ruth intends to offer more in person work, build further community partnerships and run bespoke training in Wales and beyond for specific needs such as neurodivergence and mental health.
A research partnership with the University of Gloucestershire resulted in evidence from both in-person and online training. The findings show reductions in anxiety and depression, improved mental health and wellbeing, increased social connection and the development of sustainable skills. Further details on how the insights have been incorporated into the Look Again methodology can be found here, alongside case studies detailing the benefits to both community and practitioners.
Currently Ruth is working in partnership with Mindfulness Wales, to bring mindful photography to young people in the Newtown area. Following a series of heart-breaking losses of young people’s lives within the local community, this project has been created to offer a safe, creative and hopeful space where young people can reconnect with themselves, one another and the natural world. The local Oriel Davies Gallery will host the project, and Powys Council are offering staff support in kind. Look Again will deliver an eight-week mindful photography programme combining mindful observation, creative photography, reflection and small group dialogue. Alongside the programme for young people, the project will include a mindful photography workshop for college staff and community members supporting young people. It will culminate in a public exhibition celebrating participants’ photographs, voices and perspectives, bringing the wider community together through creativity, resilience and hope. We would like to take this opportunity to extend our deep gratitude to the Ashley Family Foundation and Community Foundation Wales for their support in enabling us to run this project.
Email: ruth@look-again.org
Website: https://www.look-again.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lookagainmindfulphotography/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lookagainmindfulphotography/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-davey
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ruthdavey7738
