YOGA FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS & WEDDING VENDORS

Hello, fellow photographers and other wedding vendors!

This is a post about how to take care of ourselves in order to feel good and serve our clients better.

Wedding days are filled with excitement and lots of standing hours, and if we don’t start the day right it can become a really long day and that is not ideal at all. Also, if we don’t let go of the stress and effort of the day we might carry it longer than necessary.

Here are a few easy stretches you can do at home before and after a long day, and if you’re looking for more come practice with me at BYS 🙂

Let’s start with an easy wrist and arm stretch, because we do a lot with our hands, plus, this is a good one to repeat during the day, if you have a chance, and is great for “office breaks” too!

Easy wrist/arm stretch:

• stand beside a wall

• take your right hand to the wall, spread your fingers

• keep the rest of your body in a mountain pose alignment:
  • knees over ankles, hips over knees, shoulders over hips
  • feet are parallel and hip width apart, pressing down towards the floor
  • belly bottom pulls in towards the spine
  • shoulders blades into the chest (heart open)

•  start pressing your hand into the wall
  • press through the finger tips, the palm of the hand and the heel of the hand
  • feel the length of your arm all the way to your shoulder

• gently, start to take your chin towards your left shoulder (look image below)

• take 3 to 5 deep breaths and then release

• repeat on the left side.

Eagle arms:

This will stretch your shoulders and upper back. If it’s your first time trying this, be kind to yourself, don’t push it too far, just notice where you feel tight, pause and breathe.

• stand in mountain pose (see reference points above)
• stretch your arms in front of you, parallel to the floor
• Cross the arms in front of your torso so that the right arm is above the left
  • bend your elbows, bringing the right elbow into the crook of the left
• lift your upper arms so they’re shoulder height, and send your forearms away from your forehead, so they’re perpendicular to the floor
• the back of your hands should be facing each other
  • if available bring the palms of your hands to face each other (like on the image)
  • if bringing the forearms together is not available, you can bring each hand to the opposite shoulder (i.e. right hand to left shoulder) and keep lifting the elbows
• keep your neck long and relaxed (chin parallel to the floor)
• stay in the pose for about 10 to 15 seconds taking deep breaths
• release the arms, give them a shake and then repeat with the left arm on top

 

Forward fold with shoulders stretch:

A nice way to stretch the legs, especially the back of the legs, and the shoulders, allowing the head to be heavy and the neck to be relaxed.

• start in mountain pose
• feel all four corners of your feet pressing down
  • you can keep the feet hip width of take them wider apart
• interlace your finger behind your back
  • If interlacing the fingers behind is too much, you can hold to your elbows, or keep the hand on your hips and reach the elbows behind as if they wanted to meet behind your back.
• start to stretch the arms behind you as you reach your chest up towards the sky, and maybe take your gaze up too
• take a deep breath in and as you exhale start to forward fold
  • lead with your chest, keeping the spine long
  • bend the knees if you need to (if you’re tight on your legs, hips or back)
  • think about the back of your legs lengthening from your heels to your buttock
• release the torso towards your legs
• release the head towards the floor, no tension on the neck
• keep stretching the arms up and over your head
• take 3 to 5 deep breaths
• release the interlace of your fingers and bring the hand towards the floor
• inhale lengthen your spine coming half way up, exhale bring the hands to your hips, inhale come up the way up to stand
• take a few breaths and repeat changing the interlace of your fingers (other thumb on top)

 

Supported corps pose:

Yes, relaxation time! With this corps pose variation you’ll be gently opening your heart, which feels amazing, as you get into relaxation.

You’ll need two blankets (see image on the right): the first one you’ll roll into a “burrito” shape (green blanket), and the second one you’ll fold flat (brown blanket) and place it at the top of the first one.

 

• accommodate the blankets on your mat, carpet or directly on the floor (you might want a third blanket to lie on)
• sit right at the edge of the “burrito” blanket, so your hips are touching the blanket but not on top of it
• gently come to lie on the blankets
  • you want the green blanket to be right under your spine, allowing your shoulders to fall to each side of the blanket
  • the top blanket supports your head, so if you need more height you can fold it again
  • your neck is long
• allow your shoulders to melt down towards the floor, opening your chest
• find a comfortable place for your arms
• let the legs be long and heavy, the feet can roll out relaxing the ankles and the knees
• close your eyes and focus on your breath
• stay here as long as you want!

 

 

To come out, gently roll to one side, remove the blankets and lie on your back for a few breaths. Then, bend your knees, roll to one side (to a fetal position) and using your top arm press yourself up to seated.

 

I hope this help you to find some ease and relaxation before and/or after a busy day.

Give it a try and let me know if you have any questions!

warmly,

Levana