Isn’t photography just the modern version of paintings? They’ve been around since the cave man first picked up a charcoal stick.
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What's the point of photography?
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Probably true. Photographs are the cell phones of paintings. You can take them anywhere.
It has changed for me over time, though some of that original essence is still there. My father was in advertising in the 70s and 80s. He was an art director and also ran his own company, and I absorbed a lot about photography and the art of printing (images and text) from him. I didn't do much myself until about 10 years ago. I've always enjoyed landscapes, seascapes and wildlife, occasionally people (but I mostly find them tedious ). Some documentation of life events, memories, etc, but I find those only moderately interesting. I've sometimes posted in various places, mostly not, and if I had images from 10 years ago to actually put into the "10 Years" thread, they'd show hopefully a nice improvement.
For me it is a creative outlet, mostly for my own sanity. It's a great change from my work and, particularly lately, it has become a much slower and much more deliberative process, especially with the addition of creating my own prints. Not to sound hokey, but it's almost a meditation. As AFB notes, and with which I am taking liberties, the desire to make images is an old one among humans and photography is a great way to make that real.
). Some documentation of life events, memories, etc, but I find those only moderately interesting. I've sometimes posted in various places, mostly not, and if I had images from 10 years ago to actually put into the "10 Years" thread, they'd show hopefully a nice improvement. For me it is a creative outlet, mostly for my own sanity. It's a great change from my work and, particularly lately, it has become a much slower and much more deliberative process, especially with the addition of creating my own prints. Not to sound hokey, but it's almost a meditation. As AFB notes, and with which I am taking liberties, the desire to make images is an old one among humans and photography is a great way to make that real.
Especially if like me you have no talent for drawing!It has changed for me over time, though some of that original essence is still there. My father was in advertising in the 70s and 80s. He was an art director and also ran his own company, and I absorbed a lot about photography and the art of printing (images and text) from him. I didn't do much myself until about 10 years ago. I've always enjoyed landscapes, seascapes and wildlife, occasionally people (but I mostly find them tedious
For me it is a creative outlet, mostly for my own sanity. It's a great change from my work and, particularly lately, it has become a much slower and much more deliberative process, especially with the addition of creating my own prints. Not to sound hokey, but it's almost a meditation. As AFB notes, and with which I am taking liberties, the desire to make images is an old one among humans and photography is a great way to make that real.
To me, photography is 180 degrees from painting. The former is a subtractive art form, and the latter is additive; photographers begin with the entire world before them and frame a small piece of a moment in time while painters begin with a blank canvas.
Will share two of my favorite photography-related graphs/memes from the black hole that is the internet:
The first graph is more pessimistic, the second more optimistic. I find both interesting/funny/inspirational/depressing (though I will add that some of the verbiage in the first graph is blatantly offensive).
I think both are true to varying degrees. The answer to your question is easy for anyone who pays the bills with their photography
For those of thus that don't, it's a question that used to interest me. Not so much these days. The answer for me is that it's a hobby that brings enjoyment to my life on various levels and for various reasons.
Doesn’t that depend on the photographer? Jeff Wall’s whole output is additive.
A Sudden Gust of Wind (After Hokusai), 1993 (Tate Gallery)
Katsushika Hokusai, Yejiri Station, 1832
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The Pentax 6x7 is a legendary camera and a completely different beast to the digital Pentax you have. If you know how to yield a medium format film camera like that it's on another level over a crop sensor body like the k-01.
For example some of the most iconic photos were shot on a Pentax 6x7. Example a really famous photo session from Kurt Cobain were shot on that camera right before he died. With that said you should use a digital camera to learn photography as you don't waste money on film.
I just signed up for a photography class at the local community college. Hoping to meet some talented people, find inspiration, and gain that spark again.
No way am I using that 6x7 body. But his 105 macro lens takes some unusually crisp pictures on the k-01.The Pentax 6x7 is a legendary camera and a completely different beast to the digital Pentax you have. If you know how to yield a medium format film camera like that it's on another level over a crop sensor body like the k-01.
For example some of the most iconic photos were shot on a Pentax 6x7. Example a really famous photo session from Kurt Cobain were shot on that camera right before he died. With that said you should use a digital camera to learn photography as you don't waste money on film.
Via a Pentax 6x7 to K-Mount adapter? That should work well, given that it will use the centre of the 105mm macro.
Yes it’s true we saw tons of pictures about street views, portraits, landscapes but as amateur photographer I never get enough of them: everyone has his/her own style and technique and if you play with the way you frame a picture or your capture a detail or a moment, it’s an endless journey into creativity.
I started taking pictures 40 years ago, when I was a small kid, passed through small compact cameras in the 70s, manual reflex in the 80s, automatic reflex in the 90s, digital reflex in 2000s and now I ended up challenging myself in taking the best pictures I can using only an iPhone 7Plus.
Endless journey, as I said.
I started using Instagram 3 months ago and found out that there are many sources of inspiration when you start sharing your pictures with others.
Everyone with a different style, a different personal touch, a different view.
That’s why I love taking pictures and sharing mine with others.
I started taking pictures 40 years ago, when I was a small kid, passed through small compact cameras in the 70s, manual reflex in the 80s, automatic reflex in the 90s, digital reflex in 2000s and now I ended up challenging myself in taking the best pictures I can using only an iPhone 7Plus.
Endless journey, as I said.
I started using Instagram 3 months ago and found out that there are many sources of inspiration when you start sharing your pictures with others.
Everyone with a different style, a different personal touch, a different view.
That’s why I love taking pictures and sharing mine with others.
Photography is a form of art, as someone said, the note are 7, by now we might ahve heard most of the combination possible,m but that still does not stop artist to make new music.
That is because art is more about communicating something, and creating a reaction, if your photo can create just a split second of happynes, sadness or any other form of sentiment, it was worth.
Usually you do photo for yourself not for others (just as any other form of art) so that there are a million similar will not make a difference, because the one you took is your, it show your way of seing thing, it capture your feeling in that particular moment.
Even bad pictures (as in quality) can be important and make a difference, just like a cracking record on an old cassette player might have popping sound and such, but still can pbring tears in your eyes because it make you remember something, it is not about quality or skill, it's about emotion!
A great and valid question in these current times of digitalized over-saturation of almost everything seen under the sun (or moon)... I enjoyed reading a lot of our members' reasons.
Personally, although I could wax poetic and romanticize my own passion for the still images I create - realistically even if no one else ever views them I expect the images that I have taken will last longer than my memory does. I want to still be able to envision my childrens' beaming faces when I am 83 years old. I want to recall the decades I've spent lounging and surfing at the beaches of paradise long after my visual recollection has passed. I want to be able to relive my wedding day in stark detail many years from now when I'm probably doing good just to remember my wife's last name. So yeah I love photographing things and seeing others images as well!
Personally, although I could wax poetic and romanticize my own passion for the still images I create - realistically even if no one else ever views them I expect the images that I have taken will last longer than my memory does. I want to still be able to envision my childrens' beaming faces when I am 83 years old. I want to recall the decades I've spent lounging and surfing at the beaches of paradise long after my visual recollection has passed. I want to be able to relive my wedding day in stark detail many years from now when I'm probably doing good just to remember my wife's last name. So yeah I love photographing things and seeing others images as well!
I divide it up between personal and public. I take photographs for myself, mostly. I enjoy the process, I like exercising some creativity with my eyes and the world around me. I take photographs of things that make me feel a strong emotion, or remind me of a truth, or connect with an experience I want to remember. I enjoy making images, and I enjoy looking at those images from time to time.
The public side of it is less important in the sense that I don't earn a living from it. I document life around me in a particular time and place in history, and I like to think someday my images could be used to show a future generation in the same place what life was like in a different time. It's probably wishful thinking, and it only accounts for about 5% of my motivation to take photographs, but its there nonetheless.
The public side of it is less important in the sense that I don't earn a living from it. I document life around me in a particular time and place in history, and I like to think someday my images could be used to show a future generation in the same place what life was like in a different time. It's probably wishful thinking, and it only accounts for about 5% of my motivation to take photographs, but its there nonetheless.
I've been thinking about this sort of thing for a wee while now and when I saw the thread initially, I chose not to contribute, as I felt the topic merited some deeper thought. As it turns out, it's simpler than I thought in my case.
I guess for me, photography is something I value and feel good about, even on the days where I end up with nothing. It's something I took a shine to from a very young age, but only realised and developed in my later teens. Thankfully, the days where I end up with nothing are fewer now owing to experience and knowing when to hit a location or scene at the right time - but it's taken me many years to learn and develop but I think this is what keeps me going. I love the creative outlet and how it mixes with the outdoors. I love the solitude and feeling of getting out there on my own. I sometimes decide to not shoot, and just take it the scene before me. I feel that in recent years, my work had begun to reflect this notion of solitude and inner calm / peace (did I just say that?).
Where am I headed? I don't know. That's the part I find intriguing and continues to engage me.
I don't know, this is maybe just a ramble.
I guess for me, photography is something I value and feel good about, even on the days where I end up with nothing. It's something I took a shine to from a very young age, but only realised and developed in my later teens. Thankfully, the days where I end up with nothing are fewer now owing to experience and knowing when to hit a location or scene at the right time - but it's taken me many years to learn and develop but I think this is what keeps me going. I love the creative outlet and how it mixes with the outdoors. I love the solitude and feeling of getting out there on my own. I sometimes decide to not shoot, and just take it the scene before me. I feel that in recent years, my work had begun to reflect this notion of solitude and inner calm / peace (did I just say that?).
Where am I headed? I don't know. That's the part I find intriguing and continues to engage me.
I don't know, this is maybe just a ramble.
First time I started out making collages and photo manipulations...it
was always a struggle to find images in the resolution I wanted and
the way I wanted them to be. So my goal was to use 'stock' photos
as little as possible. That's where my photography 'career' started
and evolved to advanced Macro / macro stacking and what not.
I'm striving to make them unique in my own way and that's the point
for me.
was always a struggle to find images in the resolution I wanted and
the way I wanted them to be. So my goal was to use 'stock' photos
as little as possible. That's where my photography 'career' started
and evolved to advanced Macro / macro stacking and what not.
I'm striving to make them unique in my own way and that's the point
for me.
A sobering thought, when you’re older and family and friends start passing away, video and photos is pretty much all you’ll have left. It’s good having those photos to look back on and remember them. So hang on to those pics and keep them safe.
True. But if they are stuck on a hard drive somewhere behind a password or two, they are as good as lost.
Print is the best way to ensure they get handed down.
We've all seen thousands of forum posts declaring photography dead.
We've all seen thousands of tweets by people who don't think that awe-inspiring shot of the Grand Canyon is quite grand enough.
We've all heard millions of people tell us to 'get a real job' or to 'not quit the day job'
But somehow, every time my daughter smiles, it is a magic moment worth preserving.
Never lose that sense of wonder when you see something or someone truly special. The whole "the world isn't really that impressive because I am just so damned cool," never worked for me. Looking at ruins built by humans 1000 or more years ago is just amazing. Will something I've made still be around to impress people in 10 centuries? How can you look at Yosemite and say "meh?" I would HATE to be the person that was so clueless that this seemed reasonable.
Photos are a way that I can share experiences. Sometimes it is a place, like the meteor crater, that not everyone visits. Sometimes it is a time, like my son's baseball game. Sometime's its a story, like the vacation in 2010. Every picture is a part of a story about something, and the pictures help tell the tale.
The point of photography is to create some of the best memories that we people will look back in the future.
For my personal projects I do it because I want to capture something. Some essence, moment, beauty. Something which makes me go "whoa" and also share it then with people I know and also don't know. I also like to have my own wallpapers on computers and cellphones .
For commercial projects, it is about money.
.For commercial projects, it is about money
.