Why do you take photographs?

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Name
Steve
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I think there can be a lot of reasons for taking photos, but I'm curious about those things that keep you doing it. I know that some find the combination of technical combined with creative challenge to be irresistible. It is something that requires a level of technical expertise, yet good results are possible almost from the start. Some make their living from it. Some do it purely as a hobby and some revel in the technical aspects almost to the exclusion of taking photos, except as a test.
For me, it is primarily a means of communication, but also an excuse to spend large amounts of time in wild forests with my cameras.
Why do you take photos?
 
Why do you take photos?


Because I'm fascinated by the ease it has to create holes
of tens of thousand of € in my bank account yearly! :wacky::wacky:

Ok, I make a living out of it since 40 years but I will take the
question for the non mercantile aspect of my photography.

The HUNT… it's all in the hunt. I am, from the very beginning,
an image hunter — appetite that is not fulfilled in the challen-
ging and exciting image making aspect of the trade.

I recently discovered, two years ago, the local marsh and I use
every free time satisfying my urge on the fauna — and someti-
mes the flora too — there. I also do my hunting everywhere, ai-
ming at anything of interest, at anytime of the day and year. No
rain, snow, storm etc will stop me… it is when most are going in
that I get out with excitement.

I love the gear, its purpose, and the effect it has on my life.
— Did I somehow answered the question? —
 
Today I will be taking pictures for a catalogue. Yesterday I was taking pictures to show the world how cute my dog is. Last week it was to give my slant on the dereliction of a slate quarry.
 
to make me and hopefully some other people smile :)
and for memories of course its nice to look back and remember when etc.
while i often smile at my pictures though i never seem to be truly happy with the quality :( .
 
I have taken pictures all my life. It was great to see the grandchildren looking at them and asking if it was there mum. No it wasn’t it was there grandma. The likeness very strong. Makes it all worth while
 
Partly because I love creating things and I'm rubbish at painting/pottery/knitting etc!

Partly to record moments in time.

But right now, I'd say I mostly take photos so I have the raw material (negatives) to work with in the darkroom. For me, printing is the hobby that gives me the most pleasure.
 
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From a personal perspective, to record things and create images that make people think. The latter doesn’t happen that often.

From a work perspective, to record events and make them look interesting, and that the people in them were engaged and enjoying themselves.

Oh, and of course, like any photographer, aim for those magic words: “you must have a good camera”.
 
Gives me " My Time " out and about
 
Mainly to record people, places and things. It's a secondary interest and I'm not 'into' the creative and artistic side of it.
 
Photography keeps me happy, I am retired, it has no other real purpose.

In a few years time every one of my images will either be consigned to the aether or land fill.
I care not.

For many years photography supported me and my family.
 
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I know that some find the combination of technical combined with creative challenge to be irresistible. It is something that requires a level of technical expertise, yet good results are possible almost from the start.
There have been threads on this before but as you say, for me it is the right mix of technology and creativity.
 
Capturing a time and a place, something of beauty and sometimes not..and because we can..
 
Yes especially sunny beaches. Lovely to look at in freezing winter with rain day after day. So depressing
Just got back from a weekend in Prague, shooting in -6 (still suffering from the cold). Lots of photos to remember that and the evenings with.
 
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Because I'm fascinated by the ease it has to create holes
of tens of thousand of € in my bank account yearly! :wacky::wacky:

Ok, I make a living out of it since 40 years but I will take the
question for the non mercantile aspect of my photography.

The HUNT… it's all in the hunt. I am, from the very beginning,
an image hunter — appetite that is not fulfilled in the challen-
ging and exciting image making aspect of the trade.

I recently discovered, two years ago, the local marsh and I use
every free time satisfying my urge on the fauna — and someti-
mes the flora too — there. I also do my hunting everywhere, ai-
ming at anything of interest, at anytime of the day and year. No
rain, snow, storm etc will stop me… it is when most are going in
that I get out with excitement.

I love the gear, its purpose, and the effect it has on my life.
— Did I somehow answered the question? —
That's a good reason. I often do that too. I will discover some new environment and use photography to slow myself down so that I can really see it. My eyes aren't so good now, so I can also see lots more in the photos.
 
For me, I take photo's because i'm really not as good at painting or drawing as I'd like, so it's the only way to get the pictures that are inside my head out into the world for others to see.
 
Today I will be taking pictures for a catalogue. Yesterday I was taking pictures to show the world how cute my dog is. Last week it was to give my slant on the dereliction of a slate quarry.
Is that partly communication and partly a job?
to make me and hopefully some other people smile :)
and for memories of course its nice to look back and remember when etc.
while i often smile at my pictures though i never seem to be truly happy with the quality :( .
Sounds like communication to me, and memories
 
Partly because I love creating things and I'm rubbish at painting/pottery/knitting etc!

Partly to record moments in time.

But right now, I'd say I mostly take photos so I have the raw material (negatives) to work with in the darkroom. For me, printing is the hobby that gives me the most pleasure.
As a tool to facilitate something else
 
Photography keeps me happy, I am retired, it has no other real purpose.

In a few years time every one of my images will either be consigned to the aether or land fill.
I care not.

For many years photography supported me and my family.
Maybe our photos will drift around the web for some years after we have gone. Then gradually fade.
 
to capture a scene in my own unique way, but mostly nowadays for money. Lovely lovely money.
 
For me it is to see the end result.
 
Feeds my fascination with the natural world. I get to see things I wouldn't have noticed otherwise, and takes me back to being a child discovering the outdoors and experiencing things for the first time.
 
Feeds my fascination with the natural world. I get to see things I wouldn't have noticed otherwise, and takes me back to being a child discovering the outdoors and experiencing things for the first time.
I feel that too. I have settled on fungi, but that is because it is hard to focus on everything and fungi, for me, has endless fascination and opportunities for discovery.
 
Point and shoot photography just for recording stuff - family, places, things. Non-creative, a bit of composition and any button pusher can take these.

Creative photography, to try to capture something more interesting or meaningful. Much harder to be original, most of it doesn't work.
 
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