Do You Find Shooting Therapeutic?

[AcadieLibre]

Does anyone wake up, feel like going for a walk and shoot and come home later and find that your nice and relaxed, clear headed and just feeling better. One thing I do enjoy from photography is when I am doing it, all my mind is doing is scanning everything and everyone looking for a shot, paying very close attention to my surroundings and it relaxes me.

Just find my walk and shoots to be very therapeutic and a pleasant way to start a Sunday morning also (Any other morning works well but Sunday the streets are so quiet that time of day and less likely people will be in your shots or cars getting in the way). Left the house at 7am after a couple cups of coffee, got dressed and grabbed just my camera and one lens and went for an almost 5 hour stroll while listening to nice soothing tunes. I just bring one lens, makes me work for my shots, usually a different lens for each walk. These are just short walks, when I do a days hike I bring at least 3 lenses and a tripod.

So anyone else find it just is sometimes just what you needed?

[kat]

There are days when my husband will come home from work..take one look at me and know that I've had a rough one. I get the, "Pack up your camera". And we'll go for a drive and I get to take photos. Or out I go packed up in my gear for a walk around the lake.

Yay..I think I get that calmness and peace when I shoot :P

[tirediron]

Exactly; when I'm shooting for me, this is what I strive for; there's nothing better than being miles up in the back country with your gear, (Though unlike AL, I HATE going anywhere without a big chunk of my gear) and working on "those" shots.

[baddness]

It's very therapeutic while I'm shooting. Very stressed when I download the crappy images to my computer.

[tomorrowstreasures]

shooting is still stressful to me due to the fact that i am still in the learning phase of the equipment and so on....
'
on the other hand, knitting relaxes this old gal! :D

[Michaelaw]

If it wasn't for my love of going on photo walks I'd get no exercise at all :D. I love the air in the woods too especially after in rains or during the twilight hours when everything smells so fresh.

[Lovin]

Indeed is therapeutic, relaxing, at least for me.
Only thinking to go out and shoot some photos and clear my mind.