[ChipB]

After a quick read, it 'appears' that there are many, many reasons why folks take photos. But, I think after a more careful reading of all the various "reasons", they basically boil down to "I do it for me".

That's one of the reasons I take photos - for my own pleasure! I enjoy the whole process - from deciding what to shoot, how to shoot it, how to post process it, and lastly, do I want to share the final 'product' with anyone (usually not, but I'll sometimes share a particularly good photo with a small, select group of folks - or even on PF). Sometimes I get positive feedback (which I enjoy), sometimes I get questions about the content or why it looks like it does, sometimes I get no feedback at all - and all of that is fine with me. Because, "I do it for me".

Chip - waiting for the weather to clear so I can go do some more "for me"!!

[DeadJohn]

...With no intent to barter or trade, why do you pick up your camera and shoot? ... Why do you think anyone else wants to see your photos? ...

My response is targeted at those questions. I shoot for myself. It gives me more motivation to go for city walks, for desert hikes, visit National Parks, etc. I like the challenge of night shooting, whether it's astrophotography or street scenes.

I don't especially care if anyone else wants to see my photos. My sharing circles are small groups here, on Flickr, and I'll rarely stick a photo on Facebook. I would rather be asked a question about my photo - that might improve my photography or help someone else learn something - than have someone click "like" which does nothing.

[grog85361]

I love using precision machinery. My passions extend to firearms, woodworking, auto repair, flying airplanes. They are all precision machines. I make no money with any of it. If I tried to, it would become "work" and it wouldn't quite be the same. I have never regretted the money spent on quality tools. I'm thankful God has gifted me with the aptitude to use those tools with pleasure.

So, yes, it's a me thing.

[Wheatfield]

I'm in another of my depressive funks, trying to figure out the value of things in my life. Since photography is a fairly big part of my life, and I make no money from it (and in fact have 'lost' thousands*), I'm looking there first. I don't know the answer right now, so I ask you what your purpose is. I'm talking to hobbyists here, not those who make money because that's too obvious. With no intent to barter or trade, why do you pick up your camera and shoot? What do you do with your pictures? Where does your joy come from?

Edited to add: I guess the bottom underlying and harsh question I really want to ask is... Why do you think anyone else wants to see your photos?
Edit #2: I need to explain the italicized phrase above. I am in no way regretful of purchasing my equipment, or do I miss the money spent on it. I'm lucky enough to be able to afford whatever gear I need, so money is not really a problem at this time. It was just supposed to be a semi-humorous aside in response to my statement that I'm not using my gear as a source of income.

I like to be where nice pictures are. The photography really is secondary. As for why do I think anyone wants to see my pictures? I harbour no presumptions in that regard. I shoot for my enjoyment and if someone happens to like one of my pictures, I can't be held responsible for that.

[c.a.m]

(This thread provided a most enjoyable read during my ride home on the transit bus this afternoon. Thank you all.)

As an engineer and scientist by education and career, I am attracted to and fascinated by the technical aspects of photography - from the optics theory, to camera and lens design, to software applications. I like to experiment and also enjoy fixing and reconditioning old cameras and lenses at my mini camera workshop. Heck, I like to meticulously calibrate the AF of my lenses (repeatable methodology, quantitative analysis, plots and graphs overflowing from my hard disks; you get the idea, I'm sure).

I'm an amateur and this is one of my main hobbies. I post some of my photos and share selected ones with family and friends; I'm happy when I get over 100 likes on a Flickr image.

Above all else, my greatest enjoyment comes during a photo outing, when I'm working my shot, playing with compositions, studying the light, slowing down. In those twenty minutes, I am free from life's complexities; in that instant when I trip the shutter, I've removed myself from everything except my subject.

- Craig

[awscreo]

I see it as any other difficult (I guess depending on how deep you get into it) skill to master - the process is enjoyable, and in the end it develops you as well, building new neural paths in your brain, allowing you to see things differently etc. Due to my deep obsession with photography I've learned to appreciate cinematography on a whole other level which broadened my cinematic taste to much more interesting directors and genres, learned a beauty of different seasons, see faces differently, see light differently. As well as having a backup plan if all else fails, I'm certain photography might be able to help me find sources of income if I need them. I only see benefits, apart from initial investment into gear and countless hours "lost" in researching into past and future purchases to maximize efficiency.

And theres nothing better I can do with my personal time than find a good spot to enjoy a gorgeous view of any kind with a camera by my side.

[Rondec]

I suppose there are different aspects of photography. There is the skill aspect of it -- the sense in which you analyze photos and figure out where you could have done something a little better and then going out later and fixing it. There is the aspect of memories -- a lot of my photos are taken of and with my family and a certain chunk of them go into scrapbooks that they look through and remember things about the past. The there is the aspect of escapism. That is to say, many of my photos are taken early in the morning before my kids are awake and it's just me and nature and it doesn't really matter what I am taking a photo of, it is more about the beauty around me and hearing the "sound of silence" (which is never heard when I'm with my kids).

As for cost, most of the cost of gear is more than covered by my wife, who shoots weddings. But even it it weren't, I haven't bought a new camera since the K-1 was released and haven't purchased new glass since I got the 15-30 a year and a half ago. I could shoot for a long time just with what I have now and be pretty happy. That all may change when the DFA 50 and K1 super come out, but for now I'm pretty satisfied.

In the end, satisfaction come, not from pleasing someone else, and certainly not from acquiring more stuff, but from doing something that pleases yourself.

[garywakeling]

I have loved photography since the first black and white image was developed in a friends darkroom, the process , the engineering, the art are all fascinating, digital manipulation and computer slideshows as well, family memories and history all keep me going. If someone was to see a photo and like it that is nice, however I do it for me. Oh and I do it with a Pentax

[BATMON]

Art is not necessarily about you.

[Unregistered User 8]

Hi Jason, for me the " why " is because it is the only ADVENTURE that I do solely for me. Not in a selfish way, but the choices and decisions I make when taking a photograph are only mine. Work, family and day to day living means making others the priority in the choices I make. My photography is MINE !!! The satisfaction I get when looking at an image that I am happy with, makes all the years of trial and error ( mostly error ) worth it for me. The thing I most enjoy about photography, is the combination that both the technical and the creative sides of my little brain are used at the same time. I think we all have times when things don't seem to be going well, but for me, it all falls nicely back into place when I take the next very good ( to me ) image.
Good luck with your " depressive funk," and hope it clears away soon.

[racingsnake]

I know for a fact not a whole lot of people care about my photos. But photography to me is an opportunity. I mainly shoot landscapes and cityscapes and its an opportunity for me to visit new places, explore, push me to find interesting spots, excite me to read up on things I haven’t paid attention to before. Even more so it’s an opportunity for me to reach out. There’s an amazing place right outside everyone’s window right now - it’s called the world! And that what photography is all about for me. Whatever it is that made you be in that place you are in right now don’t forget you are never alone. Whatever you believe in you always have us if need be. Grab your camera, find your subject, look through the viewfinder then stop and just take a look with your eyes. Be in the moment, feel it and live it!


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[photocles]

It's sometimes like a kind of meditation, isn't it?

Yes. Yes it is a meditative experience. In fact, I think that's why I just can't find a way to enjoy photography (the actual photo-capturing part of it) with other people. I have to be in a meditative state that is too easily broken. The other end of photography is less meditative - I can edit and print and talk about photography with other people at my side.

Going back to the "why"... Who cares if we don't become the next [insert famous photographer name here]? If photography can (like it has been said here a couple of times already) get us off the couch and it allows us a means to better experience elements of our short lives...why not?

I will add one more thing attached to the idea of photography having an ability to enrich lives. Frequently, I find that I learn something about my subjects, whether they be animate or not, after I have spent some quality time with an image in either post-processing or printing. Sometimes, it changes the way I feel about the subject in a fundamental way. I learned to live with really lousy Irish weather by working with photos taken in really lousy Irish weather and I learned to love the starkness of the open plains of the USA in much the same way.

Like the old Nike add said, "Just do it."

[normhead]

Photography is just a function of parts of my personality. I like to find things. I like to keep them, but I'm not a hoarder, I don't really like to own things. I like exploring, Pictures let me bring home digital trophies. My hard drives are the same amount of space, full or empty. But that's just the photography part.

I also like seeing images. To me it's just fair trade. I have 55 year old books I bought in part for their images. I've always enjoyed photographs. Getting out on the forums seeing what other people shoot and posting what I shoot, is part of the fun. I always knew I wasn't enough of a hustler to be a pro-photographer. But now that I'm retired I get to do what I want, take pictures.

As fan of the Leonard Cohen line
"They sentenced me to 20 years of boredom, for trying to change the system from within."
"I'm coming now, I coming to reward them"
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin."

Instead of taking Manhattan or Berlin I take pictures.
It's much less stressful.

I'm not going to short sell, the social aspects of forum life. For me it's "Do you want to talk to people interested in what you are interested in, or do you want to hang out in front of the Pizza place and talk about the weather and fishing?" At this age, you just find ways to do what you want to do. And if people like your pictures that's a bonus.

But for me it is all about the old question on a psych test I once took. "You see dime on the ground, do you take it or leave it?" Unfortunately, take a picture of it wasn't one of the multiple choice answers. These psychologists don't know Jack. No wonder they can't figure people out. You take a picture of it then post it on the Pentax forum... duh.

For me, photography is part of exploring. You explore the world you live in, you show people what you find, they explore their world and they show you what they find. Everyone's world view is expanded. That's actually pretty exciting.

[pepperberry farm]

I'm in another of my depressive funks, trying to figure out the value of things in my life. Since photography is a fairly big part of my life, and I make no money from it (and in fact have 'lost' thousands*), I'm looking there first. I don't know the answer right now, so I ask you what your purpose is. I'm talking to hobbyists here, not those who make money because that's too obvious. With no intent to barter or trade, why do you pick up your camera and shoot? What do you do with your pictures? Where does your joy come from?

Edited to add: I guess the bottom underlying and harsh question I really want to ask is... Why do you think anyone else wants to see your photos?
Edit #2: I need to explain the italicized phrase above. I am in no way regretful of purchasing my equipment, or do I miss the money spent on it. I'm lucky enough to be able to afford whatever gear I need, so money is not really a problem at this time. It was just supposed to be a semi-humorous aside in response to my statement that I'm not using my gear as a source of income.

I don't shoot for money at all, so I could be considered a hobbyist....

I shoot for me and only me - I shoot and try different techniques/lenses as a form of therapy, I suppose... all the likes/faves/etc are nice, it's always nice to be recognized, but if I don't get any recognition at all, I'm okay with it...

there's a creative side to me that, when expressed, seems to help me keep the balance in my life - no matter what the work/home life throw at me, if I can take a few minutes with the camera in my hand and lose myself in the shot..... I'm OK for a while...

I'm lucky enough to live out in the country, with virtually no neighbors (if you ignore the cows next door) and acres of land to wander across...



last week, a combination of illness and a death in the family kept me busy/exhausted enough that, for a couple of days, I didn't have my camera in my hands at all; I had my cellphone to shoot with and I did so, but there was one day that I didn't take a single photograph at all.... and it was awful...

I look back on that day, and the days surrounding it, and know what was going on in that time and understand that I was just surviving, just getting through the days.... and I also understand how important it is, for me, to essentially shoot my way out of the dark...

[zzeitg]

At this age, you just find ways to do what you want to do.

That's indeed the advantage of having photography as a hobby (not being a Pro). Do what you want to do.
(I mean only few lucky ones do what they really want to do and (as a bonus) are paid for that...)

keep the balance in my life

Exactly!