Hope motivates us. It lifts us up when we are at our lowest. It makes us focus on the good in things to come. Yet hope may be seen as a form of positive expectation that we create in our mind when times are tough, which if not fulfilled may lead to disappointment. Photography counters this and teaches us that hope can be found all around us, we need to just slow down and notice them. Hope need not only be a form of expectation we generate in our mind, rather it can manifest in the way things are in the world outside of us. The accompanying photographs depict scenes from everyday life where hope can be found.
It is found in the blossoming of flowers and tree buds, in the way a flock of birds fly against the bright sky, in the act of holding the hand of a loved one while out for a walk, or in the ordinary public sculptures in our city. This form of hope fosters a sense of stillness and peace in us by making us realise that we don't need to depend on our thoughts for comfort, rather hope and assurance of positivity can be found in abundance all around us if we stop to notice them. Its omnipresence reflects its simplicity and immortality; it can be found irrespective of whether we are at our highest or lowest state.
Rahul Argha Sen is a lecturer in Marketing at Coventry University by profession. He is an avid reader and writer, interested in research surrounding wellbeing and spirituality. He is also an enthusiast photographer interested in capturing the beauty and emotions found in nature and the city streets. He publishes his photographic work frequently on Instagram which covers two genres, namely, street photography, and nature photography (including macro and close-up photography). You can view his photographs and follow him on the following Instagram pages:
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