Photographs: A shot at happiness in our locked down lives

Recently, a neighbour who grew up on my street found an old black and white photograph (main picture) of the little girl who lived in my house many decades ago.

In the snap, which was taken prior to the Coronation, the child has a large bow in her hair and is dressed in her Sunday best to present Princess Elizabeth with a bouquet of flowers during a Royal visit to Belfast.

I don’t know anything more about the photograph. I’d love to. When I saw it, it gave me goosebumps. Old photographs do that.

Just like my neighbour, many of us, during lockdown, have been rummaging in our attics and through drawers, unearthing photographic treasures, our Kodak moments of family weddings, christenings, happy holidays, momentous personal events.

Digital photography is liberating with its immediacy and perfection, but there was something special about taking a reel of camera film to the chemist, then waiting a few days for them to be developed. Opening the envelope was like opening a present, never mind that some of the photos would be blurry, or obscured by a large thumb.

Over recent weeks social media has been awash with old photographs as people, perhaps as a coping mechanism to remind themselves of good times past, share their precious memories.

Of course, there’s been little to post about recently - no sunny holidays, no joyous nights out with friends, no messy kids’ parties, so delving into the past is a good place to find comfort.

New research from CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company, has highlighted that looking back at our photos has a significant impact on our wellbeing and can dramatically improve our mood.

Over a fifth of people look back at their old photos multiple times a week and when doing so they feel nostalgic, happy, relaxed, and inspired.

The research shows that we find looking back and reminiscing on our favourite snaps more relaxing than meditating and listening to podcasts.

Behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings says rediscovering old photos can be a really beneficial form of self-care.

‘‘Taking the time to look back on our treasured memories can be truly beneficial for our well-being as it can help to evoke feelings of positivity and happiness. Because of this, we should take more time to appreciate and look back on them.’’

She added: ‘‘It’s never been easier to take a photo or post one on social media - they are the visual language of our lives. But, because of that ease, we often forget to look back at our carefully curated photos, and that means we are missing out on all the joy that they can bring.

“Photos remind us of people, pets, places and activities that we love as well as remembering the past. This has been shown to reduce our stress and enhance our mood and overall wellbeing. Research has also shown that having ‘real’ photos in our home, provides regular psychological positive reinforcement by reminding us of ‘social bond enhancement’ – essentially what and who is important to us!’’

Whether we are nominating each other to share baby pics, or simply laughing at the state of our best friend’s ridiculous perm in 1980, old photos can serve as a fun way to reconnect over shared memories.

While we are in lockdown and it feels like time is standing still, photographs are a reminder that time passes and change will come.

Londonderry-based author, Claire Allen, says she has definitely fallen down the ‘‘nostalgia rabbit hole’’ since lockdown began.

‘‘I’ve been looking at pictures from my childhood, old pictures of my children, pictures of trips with friends and of me with family members.

‘‘I think it not only distracts me from the worry that is all around at the moment, but it reminds of good times that I know will come again if we’re all just a little bit patient.’’

Claire added: ‘‘One thing lockdown has taught me is that it is people and not things that I miss.

‘‘So I’ve been searching out pictures of really fun times with good friends - and making a very firm decision that when we are free to go back to our every day lives I’m no longer going to put off all those trips and meet ups that we all said we would take but never quite got round to.

‘‘I’m totally re-evaluating my outlook on life and I’m determined to say yes a lot more in the future and to seize the day!’’

Claire, who has a new book out, The Hopes & Dreams of Libby Quinn, written under a pseudonym, Freya Kennedy, and published by Boldwood Books, sent the News Letter one of her favourite pictures.

She explained: ‘‘The photograph was taken during a girly holiday to Spain in 2016 to mark my 40th birthday. We took an absolute fit of the giggles in the Chinese Market trying on baseball caps and posing like we were in a girl band. Very silly but so much fun.’’

Nicola Bothwell, a PR and marketing practitioner who lives in Belfast, has also enjoyed revisiting happy memories in her photo album.

‘My husband Ian and I were watching Making the Cut on television which featured iconic locations we had visited in Paris, Tokyo and New York.

‘‘We started reminiscing about our day at the temple in Tokyo featured in the programme, cruising along the Seine and walking New York’s High Line. Of course next morning I looked out the photos from our trips and before I knew it I had spent a full morning looking at thousands of photographic reminders of memories made from family birthdays, graduations, holidays, friends weddings, days and nights out, concerts and festivals, achievements and anniversaries.

‘‘Our visit to Japan was before the days of selfies and we don’t appear in most of the photos we took but we have wonderful memories of travelling to Nagoya, Tokyo and Hiroshima, Mt Fuji and I remember Miyajima Island as being one of the most beautiful places we have been fortunate enough visit,’’ said Nicola.

‘‘We’d been talking long before lockdown about updating the framed photos scattered around our home but, like everything else, we never had ‘time’ to change them. Now I’ve chosen so many from various physical and digital albums that we might even need to buy more frames.’’

Nicola added: ‘‘I pray that those working hard now to keep us safe and healthy can one day take time out and enjoy reminiscing with their old photos like I have this week and that one day we will all be free to get out and explore again, making new memories to capture for future reminiscing.’’