Practicing Presence - by Joy Prouty (Hardcover)

About the Book

A sought-after photographer and mother of seven teaches women to use photography as a tool to savor the ordinary, preserve family memories, and practice presence with their kids. Includes full-color photography.

Book Synopsis

Your camera isn't a distraction--it's your portal to presence

As a mother, life often feels like it is passing by in a blur. You take countless pictures trying to freeze time and capture the memories, but in looking back find you barely even remember experiencing the moments. But what if there were a way to preserve your family's story while also becoming fully present within it?

Combining the science of memory preservation with photography principles, professional photographer Joy Prouty shows you how to exit survival mode and enter the present moment through the photos you're already taking. With the camera as your magnifying glass for meaning, you'll learn to let go of perfect pictures, embody self-compassion, and rewire your brain to experience more joy in the memories you are making right now. Through human stories, poetic motherly wisdom, and gorgeous full-color photographs, Practicing Presence is your invitation to show up to the practice of fully living.

From the Back Cover

Your camera isn't a distraction--it's your portal to presence

For mothers, life often feels like it is passing by in a blur. You take countless pictures, trying to freeze time and capture the memories, but in looking back find you barely even remember experiencing the moments. But what if there were a way to preserve your family's story while also becoming fully present within it?

Combining the science of memory preservation with timeless photography principles, professional photographer Joy Prouty shows you how to exit survival mode and enter the present moment through the photos you're already taking.

With the camera as your magnifying glass for meaning, you'll learn to let go of perfect, embody self-compassion, and experience more joy in the memories you are making right now. Through human stories, poetic motherly wisdom, and gorgeous full-color photographs, Practicing Presence is your invitation to show up to the practice of fully living.


"This book has enabled me to do more than capture photos of our family; it has freed my heart to live into the expansive joy of the everyday."--Ann Voskamp, author of the New York Times bestseller One Thousand Gifts and WayMaker

"Joy Prouty invites us into perspective practices that help us see we are already standing on the sacred ground we have been searching for."--Scott Erickson, author of Say Yes and Honest Advent

"Few books have taken my breath away more times than Practicing Presence. This book has taught me how to be a better memory keeper and meaning maker."--Ellie Holcomb, Dove Award-winning singer/songwriter and author

About the Author

Joy Prouty is a professional photographer, creative director, and filmmaker who seeks to help people truly see. Her work has been featured on Entertainment Tonight and in a variety of publications, including Magnolia Journal and People Magazine. Joy and her husband, Donny, make heart-stirring films for musicians and nonprofit organizations. Through workshops and online courses, Joy teaches empathetic visual storytelling and self-validation through creativity. Joy lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with Donny and their seven children.