Why do you take pictures?

I have answered this one before somewhere. I first bought a camera because I wanted a record of my daughters growing up and to preserve memories of notable happenings in my life. That got me started and of course the first camera a Retinette soon was not good enough so along came the Exacta system with different lenses, Nikons and Leica rangefinders and so I went through the usual equipment mad phase.

Then came the camera clubs with their brainwashing " judges " who said you can't do this and can't do that. Now I get a lot of pleasure out of using a 1940's folding camera with a lovely soft lens for portraiture in black and white and am beginning to appreciate the photography of Julia Margaret Cameron and the like. So for me Photography has developed into a quest for more " atmosphere " in photographs rather than just a recording. I won't be pretentious and call this art. That is for others to decide. I am no good at painting,pottery/sculpting, or basket weaving so I guess photography is my outlet for whatever creative juices that I have. Cheers.

Every moment, every place,

 

every person, every face,

 

has perfect exposure,

 

a line to trace.

 

My obsession (not for fun!)

 

is to capture each and every one!

�Why do you climb the mountains?�. A famous climber answered: �because they are there�. Wonderful statement, full of poethry. But I think that he simply can�t understand why he climbs: too much factors are involved. The same is for photography: really hard to explain why I do what I do ... I guess that I�m looking for THE PERFECT shot: a shot obtained with my photographer skills, that could communicate strong feelings (even only for me, I don�t care); a way to express and store something that is flying in my mind, in that moment. I think that each shot talks about the photographer, but some shots talks �louder�: I�m looking for that.

 

Alberto Pareto

(not a native english speaker ... !)

value the moment - honour creation - remember myself

a lot of people take pictures to remember, or preserve. i don't like remembering.

 

and unlike someone else said above, i *CAN* draw, and i can paint a little too. i plan on learning both more, as well.

 

photography to me is the creation of imagery. i like creating. it just less involved, less emotionally sapping, and more easily reproducable than drawing. and a lot faster. i see photography just like drawing or painting.

As a Children's Profess. Photog.- I shoot because Kids are a challenge. Each child is different. The satisfaction of seeing a child be themselves in front of the camera. I love making history. I love to shoot. I love kids. I am an artist that can relate to kids. No assistant for me. I take photos to make me smile.

I would love to be Kim Anderson one day! Wish me luck!

Shari from Minnesota

<p>You cannot <i>take</i> a photograph, they are non-existant objects until you <b><i>make</i></b> them.</p>

I appreciate another way of looking at the world. I walk a fair amount, appreciate a fresh breeze, a happy dog, an interesting piece of construction, but now I also look at them to discover if there's some way I could, in the two-dimensional space of a photo, show something of their essence. Some times I see a picture and take it, some days I don't see anything and try to refrain from shooting. Today I was out for an hour, had a nice walk but took no pictures. I ended up taking my camera for a walk, which is still a nice way to spend some time. As someone with an inclination to gadgetitis my photography is about seeing composition and worrying less about the aperture and shutter speed. I'm not trying to change myself, but if there is a little broadening and softening at work then I'm sure I could benefit.

I take pictures because it is the only way I can become Brendan

Turner.

Why taking pictures? Because I feel the need to express my very own personal view of the world. I see it first, try to absorb it, appreciate it, then recreate it within me in 2D form as camera would see it, only then press the shutter. It's not even that easy, more often I don't even get to pressing the shutter! Other times I don't even need a camera. The camera is in the way, it's just wonderful to be able to see, all you need is an eye and your mind! I still don't know what my subject is... For me photography is very much a process of exclusion where as painting, for instance, would be a process of inclusion (somebody's quote).

 

Photographic goal. As I am going through my life I use photography to express my personal experience. It's a form of my spiritual expression. Again, it's not so much about sharing the beauty of the world as much as discovering who I am. The camera is looking two ways - into the subject and into the soul of the photographer. Photographer is always there in the image. I can't remember who said this, Ansel Adams?

 

It's a form of my spiritual expression. Just like music. I also play guitar and I can't separate music from photography. Major headache! But at least music is a very cheap form of expression at times when you can't afford photography. :)

 

Photography is not that expensive, too! Unless you're constantly thinking that better lens/camera combo will improve your images. I don't want to get into this, it all depends what type of photography one is into. Lets leave it there.

 

I better stop here. I just wish I could take at least one photograph in this lifetime that would be above my average "ok" shots...

 

My best wishes to all of you!

"I paint my mind just 'cause I'm alive"

John Frusciante

Why? I don't know. I'm too wrapped up in all the parts of it to be able to say. But I do know it has given me back my soul after it got lost in the day-to-day corporate world.

To satisfy my inner vision. And because i want too. I like to take a slice of life, freeze it, and contemplate it. Not to count the number of hairs on my rear, and impress anyone.<div></div>

Simply because I can make a photograph that I like a whole lot better and in less time than a painting.

because every moment every sight is a slice of life begging to be captured forever.

 

i cant draw or paint either.

My family is, and seems to have always been, very

optics-oriented. My grandfather (on my mother's side) was a

troubled veteran, but created amazing black and whites when he

could not express love for his family. My father was legally blind

from a young age, but now enjoys such hobbies as photography

and astronomy. Others in my family were artistic and skilled in

many forms of visual arts. For me, photography is about seeing

the story and capturing it. Although I write fairly well, in my

opinion, the camera can capture so much more.

 

It is difficult to describe the look on the face of the player who just

made the winning shot, or the ominous look in the clouds just

behind the wildflower. I am a bit of a purist, and am interested in

capturing what actually happened, and I believe that posing and

touching-up photos (to change the structure) causes

photography to cease to be an art form, and sets it up to be a

matter of image-creation instead of image-capturing.

 

But I digress.

 

-Carroll

Hi to all past and present,

 

I want some memories that I choose to keep, I use a camera sometimes. Otherwise I guess I'd prefer to have a photographic memory! Although there I things I would rather not remember, there are also things I would rather not photograph either. If I can find the right moments to remember with a lens I will be very happy.

 

Cheers.