For me, being in nature, walking and taking photos and being with other people for a day is a form of meditation. I also regard the creation process and artwork the same way, because they’re different doors to the same place: the present moment. They all take me to a state of mental calm and relaxation.

When I leave my house for a few hours I to try to practice being present - and with no (or very little) expectation of what I’ll see or experience. I try not to ruin the surprise that Mother Nature might have in store for me.

And in that sense it’s like being a child again. You become a witness without a filter - an observer untouched by mental designs, concepts and conditions. I carry an empty cup, you might say.

And when I get back home my cup is full of gratitude and wonder, and a sense of renewal from the original experience. I feel alive and fullfilled. I don’t think I could arrive there if I had these pre-conceived notions about how things should, or could go.

Surprise is God’s little game which we all should play, I think - so let’s play!