What's the point of photography?

[Reality4711]

Thanks for asking.

I used to be really into photography, and quite enjoyed it. I don't want to say I was great or anything, but certainly had a naturally better ability than most, and even was contacted by some locally-famous photographers who dug my stuff. I was hoping to maybe turn my hobby into something a little more serious, maybe not a career, but certainly a passionate hobby that might earn some money.

Then I got instagram, and discovered that there's always very similar pictures that I took, some better, and some worse, and it really bummed me out. Maybe I wasn't as good as I thought, but it really took the enjoyment of the hobby out. Why create art if everyone else is doing it?

So I ask myself that question every time I walk into my room and the A7iii with 40 shutters sits on my counter, unused. Really hoping to find meaning again with the hobby.

This is the - "there is no point; its all been done before" scenario. Yes?

Positive reaction to that is - "No it has not!"

For every million images posted of the 'same subject' there will be not one pair of identical ones.

Why? Brains, previous experiences, eyesight, imagination, equipment. etc etc etc..

When you take all these variables and multiply up they produce figures as big as the ones we hear about space - the final whatever.

Point is, that argument is NOT VALID.

Repeating my last. To do anything in life there has to be an internal decision made for reasons that are also internal.

So much of the advice on these pages has the "I" at the beginning of it and that is the problem.

Advice or answers must by definition be based on the answering person. Their drives, tastes and reasoning. To answer your particular question getting passed the "I" can be the most difficult part. Find a reason inside to do something; then ask advice on how, when etc..

If you cannot find that reason inside then no amount of asking others will really help. I get that others may, by mentioning things, lead you to think one way or another so not decrying the responses (all good and useful) but ultimately your own decision will be like the millions of images out there - yours alone.

The only thing this ex manic photographer can recommend, if you are so concerned about your cameras lack of use, is - Do Not Leave your Room Without it!

If you do that for days/weeks and still do not take pictures then the answer to your question will be self evident.

Best Wishes.

 

[Ledgem]

Then I got instagram, and discovered that there's always very similar pictures that I took, some better, and some worse, and it really bummed me out. Maybe I wasn't as good as I thought, but it really took the enjoyment of the hobby out. Why create art if everyone else is doing it?

I find that interesting, because my take on it was quite different. I was really active on Flickr for a few years, and would love to browse the works of really talented photographers. It was inspirational to me - I'd try to mimic their style, or capture what they did, which was all good practice. Then I found that I could begin to blend styles, or apply skills from one form of photography to another. I'm not sure that I ever really felt discouraged - sometimes it made me feel a little down on my gear, though. But then I'd find that photography master who was creating works of art with a point and shoot that put my then-DSLR to shame, and it'd be inspiring again.

But then, the photography forms that I most enjoyed were insect macro and birding. Maybe someone has a better photo of that hawk, nuthatch, or grackle, but to simply spot one and get a nice photo of it was a small thrill in itself. If it was artistic, then all the better. Maybe photos are available, but I liked the idea that some people might see my photos and feel inspired, or at least more aware, in a similar manner as I was inspired and made more aware by the works of others.

These days most of my photography is family-based and I only share it within the family. Yet when I've been on my own, I admit that my camera is a strong motivator for getting me out of my house and exploring the world. I've gone many places I wouldn't otherwise have were it not for my camera.

 

[F-Train]

As an amateur, I enjoy cooking, riding a motorcycle, playing the piano and making photographs and videos. Of these, the only activity that has a point is cooking. The rest neither have nor need a point.

There’s way too much Protestant Work Ethic on display in this thread

 

[harriska2]

Like another poster said - document my family. Another reason is because my father was, apparently, a professional. 50 years later I’m going through the pictures and realizing, oh my, he was really good. Makes me wonder why he liked it so much. So, like you, I put away the camera 5 years ago and was uninspired. Because I now have a mac and Photos, I decided to put all our digitized and digital photos in one place. As I looked through the crappy photos I took and then my father’s glorious photos, I’m inspired to learn more with the equipment I have (Pentax k-01 and some not so prime lenses). Although dad had a friggin huge and heavy Pentax 6x7, I think the stuff I have may actually be better. If he could do it, the least I can do is try.

 

[Strider64]

I love photography and over the last year I have gotten the photography bug really bad. I like that I really don't have to chimp with my Sony Mirrorless cameras; however, I still get stung by the occasional photography composition miscues. However, I just chalked that up to still learning photography, for I believe that one is learning no matter how much knowledge one has.

I do think smartphones have fantastic cameras and I have seen really good photographs taking from them. However, I find them limited in what they can do at times, for example if I want to take a really closeup of an eagle then I am out of luck for I can't put a telephoto zoom lens on the camera or I have to sneak and climb really close to the bird (joking).

 

[Reality4711]

There’s way too much Protestant Work Ethic on display in this thread

Thank G*d I am agnostic. Might of been offended.

 

[Ray2]

It’s a hobby that gives me pleasure. I like gadgets, I like art. I believe I have a decent amount of creativity. I enjoy the process. I have utterly no interest in documenting life. In moments of reality, I clearly understand no one has any interest in the pictures I take. I also understand my siblings and children have utterly no interest in inheriting terabytes of images, most of which are countless poor smartphone shots of the same object/person taken within seconds of each other. As such I pitch virtually every pic I take. I do keep only those travel shots I distribute for shared viewing. Otherwise only what I consider a keeper is kept. That’s less than 300 images since 1960.

 

[guzhogi]

In the age of instagram & smartphones, what is the point of photography?

Remember, the world is not a static thing; the world changes & evolves. Plus, camera equipment evolves and can get better pictures.

We've all seen a thousand images of castles & temples in Japan.[/Quote]

Buildings can get knocked down & built

We've all seen a gazillion black & white candid street shots of a homeless guy being ignored by rich people.

We've all seen some "artsy" portrait of someone behind a cafe glass front.

There are new events every day. Could be a politician or activist giving a speech, a protest of one thing or another, a wedding of a loved one, etc.

We've all seen countless images of mountains, lakes, birds, flowers, trees, rivers, & cityscapes.

Mother Nature changes, either slowly like glaciers melting, or quickly like a volcanic island sinking into the sea after an eruption.

What does photography mean to YOU and why do you do it?

I do it because things change. I have events with friends & family. There may be thousands of pictures of the Eiffel Tower, but maybe only one or two of you proposing to your girlfriend in front of it.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Remember, the world is not a static thing; the world changes & evolves. Plus, camera equipment evolves and can get better pictures.

We've all seen a thousand images of castles & temples in Japan.

Buildings can get knocked down & built



There are new events every day. Could be a politician or activist giving a speech, a protest of one thing or another, a wedding of a loved one, etc.



Mother Nature changes, either slowly like glaciers melting, or quickly like a volcanic island sinking into the sea after an eruption.



I do it because things change. I have events with friends & family. There may be thousands of pictures of the Eiffel Tower, but maybe only one or two of you proposing to your girlfriend in front of it.[/QUOTE]


As I go into work every morning, there is a 3 meter wide image of a poppy field I shot.
The field is no longer there so no one will ever be able to photograph that image again.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

In a similar vein, when I lived in Southern California years before smartphones, I had a field job where I usually worked alone. I was often assigned the mountain areas in east San Diego county. One day, I was out near the little mountain town of Julian on a very lightly traveled highway. Since the town/mountains were currently experiencing a rare SoCal winter snow, I was working down in the valley to the east, where there was no snow and it was nearing sunset. When I looked back west toward the mountain range, the mountains were half shrouded in clouds, and there was a full rainbow that appeared to be coming from behind one mountain, out into the valley. This rare scene only lasted for a few minutes, and it was such a remote area that I believe I may have been the only person who even saw it. I was unarmed, photographically speaking, so all I have is the picture I took in my mind, and I pretty much stood there watching this moment the whole time. It was on that day that I decided I should have a camera on me all the time for that job, even if it was just my old APS film camera.

I guess my point is that if you just plan to shoot what everyone else has shot a million times, then yeah, it could be disheartening, but the world is a big place and there are plenty of opportunities for unique content. If nothing else, capturing a moment like the one I just mentioned would be golden. To this day I still wish I had it on film.

 

[mollyc]

Every moment is unique, even in the same location, and no one ever sees exactly the same moment. Shoot what you want and forget about the others.

 

[redshifted]

To share a point of view - what else is there?

 

[Matz]

Why create art if everyone else is doing it?

Creating art brings joy.

If that art form no longer brings you joy, then give it a rest.

Struggling to find rational reasons - meaning, if you will - for doing something that is fundamentally an immersive experience of a moment, or series of moments, is not often productive. At least in my experience.

Good Luck. Let us know how it turns out for you.

 

[Micky Do]

In the age of instagram & smartphones, what is the point of photography?

What does photography mean to YOU and why do you do it?

I take photos to document / record things for one reason or another. I particularly enjoy capturing moments at sports events, concerts and the like. Some of my photos are used on various web pages, or in the local newspaper.

I don't have a lot of expensive equipment, but could not do what I want to achieve with a smartphone camera..... I don't even have a smart phone. I just use a Fujifilm X20, and the Photos app on my aged Mac Mini to edit photos and store the keepers.

Here are some examples:

 

[Nathan King]

I've given this a significant amount of thought, and to be honest I'm not entirely sure I have a compelling answer. Some thoughts from my journaling about photography:

"Documenting my thoughts and experiences with only a pen, notebook and camera is a deeply meditative process. The more photographs I take and notebooks I fill the more I realize the greatest aspect of art may be the journey - a lifetime of catharsis aimed at discovering answers to our deepest thoughts, or perhaps to simply learn something about ourselves."

"With this realization a natural question may be, why bother creating images when so much excellent work has already been created? Honestly, I’m not sure I have the answer. Perhaps it is simply a reckoning with ourselves, an instinct to locate a form of truth in a chaotic world or a need for meaning. All human beings, at some level, need to find meaning within our own existence. In any event, I’ll continue taking photographs, not because I feel my images are special, but because I have something to say; I am compelled to create."​

 

[MacNut]

After my grandmother died, we found a bunch of old photo albums of the family. These are going back to the early 1900's. The historical archive a photo gives you is not the same as what you see posted of a kegger at college on instagram. To me wanting to capture those moments to be able to hold onto for 100 years and be able to pass down to other generations is the reason for good quality photography. Instagram and Facebook posts will fade over time. Or a new fad will take its place and those photos will be lost.

 

[Plett]

I have wrestled with the same thought and this is where I have landed.
It's primal. It fulfills our modern need to hunt. Knock something out of the sky and drag it home. It is ours. I have a podcast for example, not because there aren't plenty out there, but I like to create my own. Scratches an itch.

 

[Reality4711]

I've given this a significant amount of thought, and to be honest I'm not entirely sure I have a compelling answer. Some thoughts from my journaling about photography:

"Documenting my thoughts and experiences with only a pen, notebook and camera is a deeply meditative process. The more photographs I take and notebooks I fill the more I realize the greatest aspect of art may be the journey - a lifetime of catharsis aimed at discovering answers to our deepest thoughts, or perhaps to simply learn something about ourselves."

"With this realization a natural question may be, why bother creating images when so much excellent work has already been created? Honestly, I’m not sure I have the answer. Perhaps it is simply a reckoning with ourselves, an instinct to locate a form of truth in a chaotic world or a need for meaning. All human beings, at some level, need to find meaning within our own existence. In any event, I’ll continue taking photographs, not because I feel my images are special, but because I have something to say; I am compelled to create."​

Does this not all boil down to I do it because I want to.

If you lose the 'want' the rest follows?
[doublepost=1548592556][/doublepost]

Instagram and Facebook posts will fade over time. Or a new fad will take its place and those photos will be lost.

This was also said of letter writing, television, radio and analogue&digital recording.
[doublepost=1548592806][/doublepost]

Scratches an itch.

As my previous.

If you 'want to' you will. If not the opposite applies.

The guilt from 'Should be'. Why don't I? They seem to be the OP's problem.

The resolution is to defeat the guilt and feelings of failure. Accept what you are

 

[Plett]

Does this not all boil down to I do it because I want to.

If you lose the 'want' the rest follows?
[doublepost=1548592556][/doublepost]

This was also said of letter writing, television, radio and analogue&digital recording.
[doublepost=1548592806][/doublepost]

As my previous.

If you 'want to' you will. If not the opposite applies.

The guilt from 'Should be'. Why don't I? They seem to be the OP's problem.

The resolution is to defeat the guilt and feelings of failure. Accept what you are

Indeed.

 

[indychris]

The ‘purpose’ of photography for me changes with almost every picture. It can be to capture a moment. It can be to preserve a memory. With a photograph I can create a piece of art. At times a photograph can change a mind, encourage a heart or incite a laugh. With a photo I can detail a plan or simply explain an otherwise complicated idea. In a still shot I can pause time and take a deeper look at the world as it existed at that moment, observing things that I never would have caught as that millisecond flashed by. With a photograph I can objectively see what I may have only subjectively sensed.

There are a millions purposes of a photo, and my goal is to relish each one as much as possible.

 

[Reality4711]

The ‘purpose’ of photography for me changes with almost every picture. It can be to capture a moment. It can be to preserve a memory. With a photograph I can create a piece of art. At times a photograph can change a mind, encourage a heart or incite a laugh. With a photo I can detail a plan or simply explain an otherwise complicated idea. In a still shot I can pause time and take a deeper look at the world as it existed at that moment, observing things that I never would have caught as that millisecond flashed by. With a photograph I can objectively see what I may have only subjectively sensed.

There are a millions purposes of a photo, and my goal is to relish each one as much as possible.

You want to therefor you do!

 

[Nathan King]

Does this not all boil down to I do it because I want to.

If you lose the 'want' the rest follows?

It does, but for me that doesn't quite tell the whole story. It's a bit more personal than that. Perhaps I'm just a hopeless romantic. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Reality4711]

Oh I mean it in a totally personal way.

Whatever trauma mind crushing convolution you drag yourself through; eventually it will come down to "I" want to or "I" do not want to?

That bit is relatively simple. Dealing with the consequences of these decisions is the hard part for most people of some sensitivity. Outside pressures from friends (where's your camera - go on take a picture). I have this kit but am not using it 'Guilt' and the most caustic of all. "Why am I not creative like all these other people"?

Making images one way or another for over 50 years and now not sure why. Gives me a perspective on things.

No fame, no exhibitions, no monetary wealth. Having worked damned hard both as an amateur and a professional the reality is that there may be few hundred images out there on walls gathering dust and I suppose my library of 100K negatives and >250k digital files might be of value to someone (I know not who) but I still say the reason for all that is that I decided to take that route to earn a living.

Very glad to say that stopping is also relatively easy and that doing other stuff (drinking wine, loving my wife, playing with my dogs etc.) fill the gap more than adequately. It is the balance that ultimately is of importance I suppose

 

[BigMcGuire]

In the age of instagram & smartphones, what is the point of photography?


We've all seen a thousand images of castles & temples in Japan.

We've all seen a gazillion black & white candid street shots of a homeless guy being ignored by rich people.

We've all seen some "artsy" portrait of someone behind a cafe glass front.

We've all seen pictures of every imaginable type of flower with the background bokeh'd to hell.

We've all seen countless images of mountains, lakes, birds, flowers, trees, rivers, & cityscapes.


What does photography mean to YOU and why do you do it?

I guess I am selfish when I think of how I personally view photography. I mostly take photos for myself. Back in 2006 I bought a Rebel XT and proceeded to shoot thousands of photos. In 2007 I got a Canon 40d and took tens of thousands of photos over the next 5 years. I joined Flickr and spent countless hours looking at photos (many being an inspiration to me to go out and shoot my own). I shared a few but I was never really that good.

Up until 2018 I averaged 600-1000 photos a month. Mostly to assist with my horrific memory. Take a photo of it? Easier to remember later. I journal religiously almost every day and going over the photos I took during the day helps me recollect thoughts, events, and situations.

However, 2018 I slowed down significantly - averaged 100+- photos a month to now where I'll take 20-30 a month. Work has gotten heavy, I don't have access to a mountain range like I used to, and I only take photos with my iPhone these days - no desire to lug around a DSLR.

Most of my photos now are to help with my memory, family events, weather events, and sunsets/sunrises. Because I no longer use a DSLR there is little motivation for me to go out and mimic the pros I saw on Flickr back in the day. I do wish to get back into photography. Capturing beauty in the world made me happy.

 

[MacNut]

This was also said of letter writing, television, radio and analogue&digital recording.

The still photograph has lasted for over 100 years while other technologies have come and gone. To me nothing can replace a still image, not video, sound. You can look at a photograph anywhere without the need for special tools. It truly is the timeless medium.