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.
Right on Chase! Fantastic post, thank you for sharing!
Good point, I totally agree. Gear is irrelevant if you don’t have an idea.
Allways good to lose yourself in a book or excibition and get motivated to create…
best regards
Morten Koldby, DK
Not just for the love of “photography” but also just for the love of CREATING!
It’s sometime very difficult to stop yourself and think about the reason why you are taking photographs..for me specially….But when i think of the passion i had (and still have) when i shot my first roll of film..It all comes back to me…It’s all about the passion!!
Bye from the lowlands(netherlands)
Sacha
Well, i fear that goes not only for photography Chase. I work in the webgame/flash development and here it is often also about “the new technology “XYZ” we MUST use now because it is “fancy argument here” And people (who work in the same area) often discuss if a button has the right animation. And not if the game is fun. Well, in germany that is, i know it is somewhat better in other countrys.
It may be a side effect of the internet era and the possibility to instantly see what others do, compare yourself, envy, love, share. And yes, you are right. It is because people want answers, real ones. That is why philosophers lived in a barrel long ago. Nobody wants to talk for ages about feelings 🙂 And, sadly, many people have not the … let me say ego cause i lack the right english words atm … to say “i love his/her stuff” without saying “and here look at mine, i am great too” People hunt a pat on the back, even more when on the internet.
But there may be other approaches. I a.e. buy gear because i also love gear. Hiking stuff, camera stuff, tech gadgets, whatever. I ordered myself a 5d recently. And hell, i really do not need it. I am a graphic artist, i make zero money with photography. But i want to have one to bring my stuff to a next level, just for myself. Just to play around with it. And yes, i could discuss tech stuff on the itnernet – but what for?
I may have good gear. But still, pick a random 5 of real photographers, give them a point and shoot or an iphone and they still will make stuff that will amaze me, make me stop right in my tracks and look at it.
That is what pictures should do. And gear can only stop geeks like me to look at. Pictures can stop anybody. Touch anybody.
I would love to see more people just doing things. And more people stop making “the sharpness in the corners is not optimal at 300%” comments.
So, for the love of photography and art, i will now go out on my lunch break and take a look at the world. I wish you a good time Chase, keep up the great work. It is inspirational to see what you and Zack and others are doing.
Lots of love from germany
Niels