Why even a glimpse of green changes something
For a long time, I've been fascinated by why nature affects us so directly.
Not just outdoors, in the forest, in the garden, or by a lake. But also where nature is only present as an image: as a photograph, as a view, as a visual counterpart in an indoor space.
A lecture by psychiatrist and neuroscientist Prof. Dr. Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg sharpened this idea for me. Meyer-Lindenberg has been researching the connection between environment, brain, and mental health for many years. I find his observation particularly remarkable that contact with nature doesn't only become important when we are in the middle of a landscape. Even the visual impression of green can change something within us.
This notion touches the core of my work.
Because many people cannot simply seek out nature when they need it most: in a hospital room, in a doctor's office, in a waiting area, during phases of exhaustion, worry, or vulnerability.
It is precisely there that the view outwards may be missing. And it is precisely there that what we see becomes particularly important.
The gaze seeks support
Rooms are not neutral.
Light, sounds, colors, materials, and images help shape how safe, tense, or supported we feel. In stressful situations, this perception often becomes even more sensitive.
The gaze then searches for something that doesn't demand additional effort. For something familiar. Alive. Non-threatening. Not overwhelming.
Nature can be such a counterpart.
Even as an image, nature can open up a space. It can lead the gaze outwards for a moment — even if one cannot leave the room.
What research shows
Research on nature and mental health clearly shows how deeply connected humans are to their environment. Green spaces can promote well-being, reduce stress, and support our ability to regulate ourselves.
I find studies particularly impressive that show that contact with nature is important early in life. Children who grow up with little green space have a higher risk of mental health problems later in life. Such findings show that nature is not just a nice addition. It is part of our foundation for life — including our emotional well-being.
For me, this raises an important societal question: How do we design rooms, cities, clinics, schools, practices, and interiors, if we know that what is visible affects us?
Nature images are not a substitute for nature
An image cannot replace a forest. No daylight, no movement in the fresh air.
But a nature image can create a connection.
It can remind us of something bigger than the current situation: growth, rhythm, seasons, earth, light, water, air. All that sustains us, even if we often forget it in everyday life.
Perhaps this is precisely where the quiet power of nature images lies: They don't just show something beautiful. They establish a relationship: between humans and the natural world.
What this means for my work
In my photography, I don't look for spectacular landscapes.
I am interested in quiet moments of nature: plants, light, colors, and forms that give the eye something to hold onto. My nature portraits arise from observation — not staging. They are not meant to overwhelm, nor are they meant to distract.
The visual representation of nature, in particular, can unfold a special quality in indoor spaces. It brings something alive without being loud. It can make rooms softer, clearer, more human.
A quiet beginning
What touches me about Meyer-Lindenberg's research is that it takes seriously something that many people intuitively feel: nature is good for us. Not as a romantic idea, but as part of our emotional and physical reality.
For my work, this does not mean reducing art to a function. An image should not have to prove what it accomplishes.
But it can be part of an environment that strengthens people.
Further sources:
Prof. Dr. Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg – "Green spaces ensure well-being"
Meyer-Lindenberg is a co-author of this Nature study. It investigates how city life and growing up in urban areas are related to the processing of social stress in the brain.
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