“THIS IS THE KIND OF THING I’VE NEEDED IN MY LIFE & IN MY HEART” - A.L.
Free Class May 1st & May 15th Online
〰️
Free Class May 1st & May 15th Online 〰️
You can use the camera in your smartphone to improve your emotional well-being, through The
L.E.N.S. Method.™
L.E.N.S. stands for:
Light • Empathy • Now • Storytelling
How can a smartphone photography course support mental health?
This unique digital course inspires personal growth and emotional connection through a fun and accessible creative medium, digital photography (smartphone camera-friendly).
It’s creative photography with a focus on personal growth and stress resilience. It’s about reimagining the use of smartphone photography to benefit our hearts and minds.
I share ‘photo story prompts’ and host live group photo sharing sessions via Zoom and in person to boost calmness, creativity & authentic connection.
The framework and method I’ve created are a simple yet powerful way to explore the 5 Pillars of Stress Resilience.
This is for you even if you think you’re ‘not good at taking pictures’. Smartphone cameras welcome.
Creative Photography Workshops for Stress Resilience, Connection & Self Expression, smartphone camera-friendly.
.
Mindfulness Nature Photo Walk and intro to L.E.N.S. Method.™
Join me in an experience where you will connect with the energy of nature, and practice a mindfulness activity through making intentional photos of nature.
(JUST BY USING YOUR SMARTPHONE)
This is an inspirational in-person group workshop that I offer in various locations within and near NYC. I will share some inspiration with you and then we’ll go on a walk together where we’ll create some photos, through the lens of mindfulness and connecting with the energy of nature. It’s a walking meditation practice that incorporates connecting with all of your senses.
It’s no mistake that you’ve been guided here. You want to do something that will activate more joy in your daily life with ease, simplicity and fun. And you want to connect more deeply with yourself and with others.
I’ve created a unique method to help get you there.
The L.E.N.S. Method is valuable and it works. It has been instrumental in helping me
get in touch with my inner child and self actualizing journey.
Yvonne B. (full workshop series participant)
L.E.N.S. Method Virtual Course with support. There is nothing else quite like this out there.
This is an online course which includes live group sharing sessions on Zoom with me.
You will be inspired and guided to practice mindfulness and gratitude, using the unique LENS Method way. And you will learn how to create your own better story-telling photos (smartphone camera-friendly), for connection, community and to calm your nervous system.
You will learn and implement the principles of the L.E.N.S. Method, which is a healing and practical creative approach that has the added benefits of supporting both mental and emotional well-being.
This experience collapses personal development timelines through a fun and engaging series of photography classes (and ‘photo story prompts’) that will transform your outlook on life and open you up to a world of wonder and serendipity.
See how you can harness your digital devices as a powerful force for good in your life through the L.E.N.S. Method.
“It was an incredible experience…
The world needs your class! You teach from the heart and help to open the hearts of everyone in your class.” - @Andreas_eye
(Brooklyn Public Library LENS workshop series participant)
L.E.N.S. METHOD™
3 L’s WORKSHOP • How to create a powerful visual gratitude practice inspired by ‘the 3 L’s’
Light • Love • Laughter
Enter your name and email via to receive a free guide to get you started.
“The L.E.N.S Method is really brilliant! It inspired me to look and feel beyond what is in front of me. I also like the pairing of photos with an inspirational quote. I’ve always loved how a photo can evoke a feeling or bring back a memory. A moment in time captured forever. And Carey’s voice is so soothing and very pleasant to listen to! -Pam”
“NATURE DOES NOT HURRY, YET EVERYTHING IS ACCOMPLISHED.”
Creativity is not optional, it’s essential to regulating our nervous systems. The ability to regulate your nervous system is your super-power, and the key to improving your mental and emotional well-being. These workshops are also about tuning in to who you were as a kid, and reconnecting with your true nature.
Step 1
Meet on Zoom with me for Part 1 Inspiration and Tech Tips
Step 2
Use what you’ve learned to create your own images.
Step 3
Connect with the group again and share your photos.
This is not like anything else out there. You can do this whether you live in a big city, have a giant redwood forest at your doorstep, or anything in between.
In addition to the fact that spending time in nature can significantly lower your stress hormone levels, here’s just a few of the benefits of participating in this workshop:
• Experience
Give yourself and someone you care about a unique and meaningful creative experience that lasts.
• Enrichment
Doing things that enrich your life with creativity invites more abundance and joy into your life.
• Embodiment
Begin to embody the version of yourself who incorporates creativity and mindfulness with ease into their daily life.
Symbolic Sight
Truthfully, I’m someone who can rarely sit still long enough to meditate. But when I can get close to nature and equip myself with a smartphone or camera and concepts to visually explore, I can get into a similar flow state.
Years ago, as part of my process to heal my mental health, I became inspired by the concept of Feng Shui ‘art cures’, and began photographing a series of images in nature that visually symbolize Grounding, Growth, Reflections. This is what The L.E.N.S. Method™ Foundation Workshop is based on.
Make it stand out
Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about CREATING yourself.
“EVERYTHING IS ENERGY AND THAT’S ALL THERE IS TO IT. MATCH THE FREQUENCY OF THE REALITY YOU WANT AND YOU MUST GET THAT REALITY. IT CAN BE NO OTHER WAY. THIS IS NOT PHILOSOPHY. THIS IS PHYSICS. ”
Why I created this.
Ever since I fell in love with photography at the age of 12, I’ve leaned on it as a creative tool to help process my emotions, and I’ve come to realize, as a mindfulness practice. I declared at that age that I would either be a professional photographer or a therapist.
Little did I know then that I’d go through a lot of trauma over the years concerning my mental and emotional wellbeing. At this point in my life, I’m more resilient, mentally and emotionally, than ever. And I’m grateful for everything I’ve experienced, because I know it all helped shape who I am now.
I believe sharing our stories can save lives; and I’m on a mission to help others learn how they too can use the process of making photographs as a way to heal, to grow, and as a path to connect with their intuition.
The lens through which you see yourself has a direct effect on how you experience the world around you.
Photography is a powerful tool that can be used to heal and to grow.
We’ll explore ways to create images as a mindfulness tool, and gain insight into new ways of seeing yourself and your daily life.
You’ll learn to create better story-telling images & become more aware of the stories you tell yourself.
Testimonials
“The LENS workshop was such a powerful way to keep my day-to-day grounded in mindfulness.
During the second session, where we told our story through the images captured, I was surprised at both how impactful and how different everyone’s experience was.
I felt deeply connected to the other participants, and inspired to continue my personal journey.” Testimonial and image by Luz
Loved it!
“At first I was a bit self-conscious about making nice enough photos with my phone to share with the group. (Especially after seeing Carey’s inspirational work during Part 1 of the workshop). But she reminded us to let that go and focus on enjoying the process.
During Part 2, I realized I was getting so much more out of this experience than I could have imagined when I signed up. Loved it! ” - Nina
“Carey, thank YOU so very much for this workshop! I found it very helpful and timely. Just the thing I needed to get over a funk I had been in; it gave me a nice boost of connection and creative expression.
I didn’t fully know what to expect when I signed up, but a few tears were shed (my own). It truly was an unforgettable moment in time that, although most of us had never met before, we all ended up bonding over sharing a meaningful experience. I’m so glad I did it.” - Jenny
Testimonial
“I really enjoyed the L.E.N.S. Method workshop. It made me look at life and nature in a whole new way. After the workshop, it helped me to slow down, look around, and be more mindful.
I especially enjoyed hearing what others thought about the pictures they were taking because it was inspiring and made me think in a different way.
Carey is a sweet and gentle spirit and is great about asking questions and encouraging you to think more deeply. I also enjoyed some of her photography tips and use them when I take pictures!”
Testimonial and image by Michele
Testimonial
“I found the workshop with Carey to be inspirational, beautiful and an act of self love and of self acceptance.
I came away with an enjoyable experience that helped me reinforce the awareness of my desire to slow down, and to truly be present especially during this fleeting time in my children's lives as they're growing up. Thank you!”
Testimonial and image by Kerrigan
“The Energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.” - Brene Brown
Corporate Wellness Initiative
The L.E.N.S. Method™ Workshops are a unique and enjoyable way to incorporate mindfulness, creativity and emotional intelligence for employees at your company or for your organization.
This workshop is interactive and helps people get into a creative flow state, resulting in teams becoming better collaborators and discovering more creative solutions at work. Smart-phone camera friendly.
Get in touch with me to learn more. Both virtual and in-person options are available. carey@careykirkella.com
Email me or book a time in my calendar here.
Social emotional learning through creativity for students.
The L.E.N.S. Method Workshops tailored for teens and parents. Get in touch for a custom proposal for your group of students. I’m a registered vendor through the Department of Education in NYC. Also for camps, homeschool communities and more.
Scroll through the images below to see an example of a series of photos I made of my son and I, which helps illustrate a series of ‘story-telling images’. My son Gavin is a highly sensitive child, and I often take intentional, story-telling photos of our life using the camera I always have with me, my iphone.
This series is an example of a photo story prompt I created, which falls under the ‘Self Awareness’ category of the 5 pillars of emotional resilience.
The L.E.N.S. Method™ was born out of my love for expressing myself through photography, the journey I’ve experienced with my mental health and regaining my sense of self-worth; coupled with my strong desire to help others using my skills and life experiences.
The framework and photo story prompts I’ve designed for my workshops and 6-week programs are inspired by the 5 pillars of emotional resilience.
Creating images about these concepts helps reinforce them in your mind, and you become a more intentional co-creator of your life.
Photography can be a powerful tool in helping you be an agent in the creation of your own well-being, and to help share your story.
The image above is a self portrait I made to help share my story about the importance of quality sleep and mental health. At the time, my son was two years old and still waking up multiple times at night.
If I could go back in time and hang out with my teenaged self, I would share that there are 5 Pillars of Emotional Resilience, and that nurturing each one of them is a key to becoming a happy and successful adult. My teenaged self would have rolled her eyes and continued dreaming about being a professional photographer for The New York Times Magazine.
But if I could have learned these simple life-nurturing concepts while doing something fun that I already loved (making photos), then maybe it just might have clicked (pun intended) and the seeds would have been planted.
This is the type of useful knowledge that most of us aren’t taught in schools or growing up, but wish we had been exposed to in some way.
These workshops and programs are approximately 25% about the technical side of how to take better storytelling photos, and 75% inspiration, creativity exchange, emotional connection, and self awareness.
If you’re looking for a photo program that’s primarily about the technical side of photography, with mainly tips for taking better photos with your smartphone or camera, then this may not be the right workshop for you. Schedule a call with me if you’re not sure.
“You can’t stop the waves but you can learn to surf.”
Carey Kirkella is an award-winning photographer who continues to photograph advertising campaigns for clients including LoveWellness, NY Life insurance and many more. She also works with purpose-driven entrepreneurs to create custom image libraries that help them connect authentically with their clients. Her fine art photography has been exhibited internationally.
She and her husband are the proud parents of a rambunctious and highly persistent 5-year-old boy.
She is especially passionate about mental and emotional well-being, motherhood, messages from the universe, and collaborating with others who are on a mission to help improve our world.
MEDIA
The Just Boldly Go Podcast
The LENS Method and Emotional Resilience
Her Talk Show with Sabrina Victoria
Create your own LENS Method photo practice with this special photo journal template. Or use the templates in your content creation for personal or professional use.
This special series of templates is designed to inspire. You will receive a PDF with a link to your 20+ page customizable Canva template. You can add your own photos and pair them with the quotes and affirmations provided on the pages, or you can edit the text to customize those too. Also included is an illustrated reference page of the 5 pillars of emotional resilience, which is what the LENS Method photo story prompts are inspired by.