In order to become a better photographer, I started researching body language. I was exploring one of my favorite bookstores in town called the Bookshop on the Avenue. It's basically a house full of used books! For $5 I bought The Complete Idiot's Guide to Body Language. It's the only one they had so I thought I'd give it a try. So far, it's pretty good and the research is intriguing.
I found a few nuggets of information to be pretty interesting and perhaps useful on a regular basis.
Here is an excerpt from the book:
"Research on mindlessness tells us that we become progressively unaware of our spouses' or close friends' body language over time because it becomes part of an everyday routine. One result is that we may think they still do things that they haven't done for years, like interrupting, seething with anger, or looking skeptical... We may not touch our spouse as much as we did years ago, but we aren't aware of the drop-off. Similarly, eye contact may unconsciously decline over the course of a relationship, diminishing connection and preventing the exchange of meaningful body language. Don't be mindless about your most important relationships. Make sure you continue to exchange body language with those you love."
It's a good reminder to not forget who you are talking to, no matter how long you've known the other person. As time passes and people change, may we not forget to look them in the eye and give them the attention they need.
