This space is the beginning of something slow, gentle, and deeply personal.

The Mindful Aperture is my ongoing photographic journal—part of my final Master’s project for the MA in Photography at Wrexham University, and part of my own journey in rediscovering what photography means to me now.

After years of fast-paced work as a professional photographer, I found myself creatively burnt out and physically exhausted. Returning to university gave me the chance to reimagine my practice from the ground up. What emerged was not a desire to go bigger—but to go slower.

This project is rooted in mindful still life photography—the kind that invites you to pause, notice, and be present. It’s about creating images that don’t shout, but breathe. It’s also shaped by my experiences as a neurodivergent artist with ADHD, autism, and chronic pain. Traditional mindfulness never quite worked for me, but photography always has. It helps me quiet the noise. It helps me see.

Sometimes, I photograph what I notice.
Other times, I notice something that inspires me to create.
Both are valid. Both are part of this practice.

Here you’ll find a mix of daily glimmers, quiet still lifes, reflections, and journal entries. I’m not chasing perfection or pressure. I’m choosing presence, curiosity, and creative slowness.

Thank you for being here.

—
Birgitta | The Mindful Aperture
MA Photography | Wrexham University