Hobbies can be described as a leisure pursuit, but they serve a very important purpose in pursuing a viable, healthy lifestyle! Hobbies can be anything from painting, playing one (or two or three) musical instruments, gardening, hiking, etc. Yes, hobbies are inherently—and also intentionally—a way for humans to share their creativity and joy, while finding fulfillment and purpose in those regular, mundane days of our lives.

What is a Hobby?

A hobby is an activity voluntarily done in free time and for pleasure. Hobbies are separate from jobs or life roles that intrude upon a person's daily life, or sometimes a hobby can be a job. Hobbies are recreation done for fun, enjoyment and diversions, not for making money as an actual job. Often, people may select hobbies based on their discriminate interests or knowledge and skills, or just want to try something new.There are endless opportunities for hobbies! Hobbies can be anything from a stamp collection, to yoga or fitness activity or craft. 

The advantages of hobbies for mental health can be significant

Being involved in a hobby yields positive results for our mental state of health. Hobbies, whether it be drawing, crocheting, or chess all engage our minds with sharp core concentration and help humans to feel less contained, more energetic but especially in the present. Furthermore, having a hobby can help an individual with distraction, take a break from life's worries, and reduce some symptoms or thoughts of anxiety and depression.. For example, some activity in nature, including hiking, exploring, and/or birdwatching often help a mind settle and find peace.

Hobbies and Physical Health

Some hobbies have physical benefits. Things like cycling, swimming and dancing are fantastic for keeping your heart healthy and providing energy. Even less intense things like gardening keep the body occupied while allowing for a relaxing mental state. If you have a hobby that gets your heart pumping, chances are this activity can open the door to a healthier you.

Learning and Development

For instance, a person may take up photography as a hobby, they may have learned things concerning light, angles, and editing. Someone who has taken up cooking as a hobby, may have learned about titles regarding cooking, nutrition and diet. Hobbies provide us with opportunities for personal challenge, self-confidence in our skills and capabilities, and the opportunity to learn skills that we may never have figured out were in our skill set. 

Social Connections Through Hobbies

Hobbies can also support greater social engagement. Clubs, workshops, or online communities related to a hobby can give a person ways to meet others who have the same interests.This can develop strong friendships and support systems, for instance book clubs promote reading and a platform discussion and share ideas.

Hobbies in the Digital Age

The digital technology platforms are changing how stand-alone activities are completed or hobbies are completed. For example, photography is as much about editing images in an app and posting to social media nowadays, as it is having a picture taken. Video Games used to be thought of as something kids played as a way to pass time—now, gaming is a hobby which encompasses courses that can be taken in real-time and live across the world. With the internet, the opportunity to develop new skills is more efficient and available through online courses on virtually any past-time such as painting, music, or language learning.

Working and Playing

In the fast-moving modern world, it can feel like there is too much being asked of us and inevitably we become overwhelmed and sometimes unable to manage our responsibilities. Hobbies assist in easing the pressure at school or work.. Hobbies allow for personal freedom and creativity where we often are unable to engage with those qualities in our daily lives. Just one hour spent engaged in enjoyable hobby, can rejuvenate the mind and body.

Promoting Hobbies in Children and Teens

Encouragement of hobbies is important for the youth to embrace as they begin to grow up. Hobbies help develop cognitive processing, creativity, and discipline.Hobbies facilitate other qualities as well; in turn, hobbies can help children to learn to manage their time, discover their interests, and work independently. The primary purpose is to get children involved in as many activities as possible; allowing children to experience what they get inspired by.

Though the actual taking of a photograph is as simple as pressing a button, there is much more to photography. It is an interesting blend of art, technology, and emotion that provides us with a means of capturing those moments that go by instantaneously, and a way to hold those moments and memories within an image for eternity. Light shows our world, and photography shows our light, and there's the opportunity to change the way we see the world - either as a recreational amateur, or as an avid pro.

• A Brief History in Photography The earliest photographs can be dated to in the first decades of the 19th century. The first permanent photo was produced by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826, which required 8 hours of exposure.. From the early permanent photo to the first daguerreotype, to the arrival of film photography and now to our digital photographic world - the growing interest and use of photography has changed - and as a result, the process of photography has changed substantially and made accessible to the average consumer.. Now photography is ubiquitous -- on smartphones, drones, and in countless apps -- and even the occasional user can capture their experience creatively. 2. Types of Photography Photography as a medium is broad and there are are styles and genres of photography to meet any interest - 

• Portrait Photography - Emphasizes the human expression, personality and mood.

• Landscape Photography - Emphasizes trees, nature and outdoor scenes.

• Street Photography: Captures urban scenes and spontaneous moments in public spaces.

• Macro Photography: Probes extreme close-ups of tiny things such as insects or surfaces and textures.

• Astrophotography: Reco v  rds the presentation of celestial objects and the night sky.

• Documentary Photography: Represents a real-life story or event by focusing on the narrative.

Every genre has its own techniques and tools; however, at their core, they all strive to understand and create a story based off the image themselves.

3. The Technical Side: Tools & Techniques

Photography is define as light and exposure. If you want to be a photographer, you will need to learn the "exposure triangle" - aperturen, shutter speed, and ISO 

Aperture (f-stop) - affects depth of field and exposure (how much light is hitting the lens).

ISO: This explains how sensitive the sensor is to light.

When you can master these three components, you can control how an image looks - and not just in terms of the emotions it evokes - motion blur versus sharp focus, dark shadows versus bright highlights.

Tools like tripods, filters, reflectors, and editing software such as Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop can all create a higher quality of image and express creation.

4. Photography as Storytelling

• Photography is, in addition to a technical skill, a language. The emotional responses, commentary or historical documentation that a single image can elicit will be seen in such images as Steve McCurry's Afghan Girl or Dorothea Lange's portraits of the Depression-era - these images represent more than photographs; they are visual stories!!

• A good photographer sees the world differently. Light, composition and timing work together to capture a moment in time, and may evoke feelings and ideas, whether it is a joyful wedding, or a quiet, snowy street.

5. The Era of Digitization and Social Responsibility

With the advent of smartphones and social media, photography is available to everyone. Today, social media platforms such as Instagram, Flickr, and 500Px allow photographers to upload their photographs, and instantly transmit them to millions of people worldwide. The safety nets like AI-assisted features such as automatic scene recognition, auto-enhancement, etc. have facilitated photography at the click of a button.

6. Some Tips for Emerging Photographers

• If you are just getting into photography, here are some quick tips:

• Use what you have: A smartphone can take some great photographs.

• Learn the fundamentals: Being aware of exposure, composition, and light.

• Practice: Take pictures habitually until you develop a sharper eye.

• Emulate others: Look at the work of photographers you admire and analyze what attracted you to them.

• Edit thoughtfully: Post-processing is included, it is worth noting that you should use this tool to enhance or clarify, not to disguise or mask your image as a basic missing tool.

Conclusion

 Photography is an ancient art that is an ever-evolving process. Whether it is a sunset, a social injustice or just your dog with its comical little grin every photograph takes us back to a moment in time. I think time is measured in moments and in an age of over-stimulation with visuals it is the well thought out and composed images that allow us to think about moments in relation to time. 

So, go get your camera, or phone, and have a look around with fresh eyes! And let me just add, the best camera is the one you have in your hand when the moment of inspiration strikes.