Seems like the more I listen, the more I hear people talking about the gear, the business of photography, the widgets. Let us not forget the simple love of photography.
I understand why there’s so much rhetoric in our industry about the business of photography and the gear and the gadgets. There is the common stereotype that most creative people aren’t good business people. There is fear. Gear is easier to talk about than vision. Exposures are exact, the camera dials have numbers. There is a ‘right’ answer to many of these questions.
But where is your love of pictures? Where are your actions that back this up?
Can you pick up a book of photographs and get lost in it?
Can you walk around with your iPhone or Android or your point and shoot or whatever and take 100 pictures knowing that they’ll never be for a client or a portfolio?
Do you love hunting for pictures?
Will you stay up late or get up early for pictures?
Do you sometimes ‘see’ life as a photograph?
It’s different for all of us, but when you can take a break from all the chatter, remind yourself–as often as you can–why you love photography.
Great post. It’s very true. I was always under the impression that gear always depicted the outcome of my photographs. Boy was I wrong. It hit me when one of my coworkers asked me to do some headshots for a corporate team introduction and during our one-on-one she’s asked me “so what got you into photography?” and she explained why she chose me, an exec assistant to take her photos vs one of our company designers was because she felt that my personal works really impressed her, it was very endearing to me. I then realized that what impresses me is what matters most with my photography. When your pictures depict your love for photography, it shows, and from there others will really get the sense of who you are as an artist, impress others, and open the doors of opportunity. Thanks for sharing that Chase.
Yes to all your question! 🙂
The proof : http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafemoka/
Thanks for the reminder Chase…I guess sometime we forget.
Ditto….you should pick up your camera, smile and think what can I get into today. I feel like I have a full personality with a camera in my hand.
yes, i think about it everyday!