Why We Do What We Do

“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.” – Ansel Adams

I thought it would be appropriate that my first post would be about why I love photography. After a few years of shooting, I am just now starting to really connect with the art of photography. I guess you could say I am more purpose driven. My goal is to have more impact on the viewer. I want the image to tell a story. I love creating images that may remind the viewer of someone, a place, or a time long ago. I love to evoke emotions from laughter to crying. I love to show the beauty of nature and the beauty in humanity and humanity’s creations. Do I accomplish this with all my images? I would say not, but I strive to do so and as I learn more each year, my craft is refined a little more.

The other side of photography that I have grown to love is the fact that it gets you out into the world. From shooting nature to shooting on the streets, the experiences and chance encounters are exciting. Not only do you learn a lot about your subject, but you learn a lot about yourself. Shooting nature has made me research birds and insects. I have researched the historical significance of places and things. Thanks to my wife, I don’t have to go far to find the information I need. She loves history and is well read. I have met interesting people and gone to places I would not normally go. Increasingly I am getting the courage to do more street work. While I admire the work of street photographers, I never thought I would have the nerve to photograph people in their everyday environment up close and personal. I can’t say I am there yet, but I am working on it. My love for photography can be summed up in the following sentence.