A photo-a-day practise in capturing moments of everyday life: Exploring the influence of photo-taking on wellbeing

Health (London). 2026 May 19:13634593261449196. doi: 10.1177/13634593261449196. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of mental health challenges, such as anxiety and depression, highlights the need for accessible and practical methods to enhance wellbeing as a preventative measure. Over half of the global population (54%) owns a smartphone, and the number of mobile users worldwide was projected to reach 7.49 billion by 2025. With smartphone cameras widely available, individuals can easily document daily moments, potentially benefitting their emotional wellbeing. This qualitative study explored the impact of photo-taking on individual wellbeing through a 3-week intervention grounded in positive psychology principles. Nineteen participants, recruited via social media took a daily photo for 3 weeks, each based on a theme set by the researcher: something they were grateful for (week 1), a selfie or self-portrait highlighting positive traits (week 2) and a picture to share with someone else (week 3). Participants then engaged in online one-on-one interviews with the researcher. Reflexive thematic analysis identified four core themes: (1) appreciation of life’s value, (2) shifts in mindset, (3) cultivation of purpose and (4) pursuit of positivity. The findings suggest that this intervention contributes to fostering a positive outlook and enhancing feelings of happiness, contributing to participants’ emotional wellbeing. While the study demonstrates a promising link between photo-taking and wellbeing as an accessible and preventative tool, further research is needed to examine additional variables, particularly across diverse age groups and ethnicities. As technology becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, such methods hold the potential for promoting individual and community flourishing with minimal effort.

PMID:42153295 | DOI:10.1177/13634593261449196