The campus of the University of Applied Sciences Landshut offers us a stage for simple, yet poetic moments frozen in time.

This photo book, a celebration of the artistic talents of our undergraduate students, is meant to offer new perspectives: what these motifs have in common is their way of alienating the locations, of discovering something new and special in everyday life. Accordingly, this compilation should point to one thing in particular: mindfulness. This concept, which has its roots in Buddhist traditions, was introduced to the so-called West by scientists such as Jon Kabat-Zinn. It refers to a special presence of mind that is associated with psychological well-being. You encounter your environment with attention and interest, but not in a judgemental way, and discover new perspectives in the process. The camera and the task associated with it – capture moments – can help to achieve mindfulness.

At the same time, you can also train your creativity this way and thus promote your well-being, as creativity is associated with empowerment, as well as personal development, and can foster pride and self-esteem. Further, the connection of creative photography to actual problem-solving ability in everyday life is also worth mentioning. In this context, photography is particularly interesting compared to other methods such as painting because of its close relation to reality and especially to the limitations associated with it. Therefore, photographic creativity may train for the confrontations with the shortcomings in everyday life.

With this in mind, we hope the pictures will motivate you to (re)discover the campus of the University of Applied Sciences Landshut or your own surroundings.

Artists: Annika Burger, Matthias Böhm, Kaya Böttcher, Francisco Caballero Reinhold, Helen Caspar, Emily Sophie Hamann, Richard Heinrich, Lea Kirchgessner, Luis Linderl, Alice Majewski, Ayse Zümra Nevruz, Stefan Scharf, Memetsik Sedef, Isabell Spät, Celina Weigert Project: Prof. Dr. Maja Jerrentrup