Why do you do it?

bbjones · February 14, 2011

Maybe this has been covered ad naseum somewhere else -- I searched but couldn't find it. If it has, kindly direct me there and I'll shut up.

But if not, why do YOU keep shooting?

Some of you make a living this way, and for you it's pretty obvious. Eating and having a place to sleep are generally considered to be Good Things.

But if you don't photograph primarily for the money, what motivates you?

Is it the possibility that someone would hang one of your photos on their wall?

Is it the view statistics at SmugMug?

Is it some influence that you'd like to have on others? What is that influence?

Is it merely for your own enjoyment? That is, you'd benefit from it whether anyone else looked or not?

Is it some other reason?

Probably it's some combination of these. But what's most important to you?

angevin1 · February 14, 2011

Actually ...it has "sorta" been covered. Problem #1 is finding those threads, deciding if they have relevance and adding to them perhaps.

Most important to me: Creating!

Snowgirl · February 14, 2011

angevin1 wrote: »

Most important to me: Creating!

x2
It's really getting a personal thrill when, out of god-knows-how-many lousy shots, you finally get it right. I know when I've done it because I catch myself smiling and thinking a big, loud "yesssssss!" in my head - or even saying it out loud. It's all about personal satisfaction.

Then, if someone wants to pay me for it, BONUS. I'm being a bit facetious about that one because if people don't pay me, my dog goes hungry. But seriously, there are shots I do for money, and shots I do for me. Sometimes they're the same thing; sometimes not.

It's going to the hunting supply store and buying winter hunting gear so I can get out in the -20C and colder days we have here without freezing appendages off in order to capture crack-of-dawn snow images, for example. The clerks look at me and you can see them thinking... what is this crazy woman doing? And it's not caring that they do.

r3t1awr3yd · February 14, 2011

The cathartic state of "constant learning" is addicting...

Cygnus Studios · February 14, 2011

bbjones wrote: »

Some of you make a living this way, and for you it's pretty obvious.

But if you don't photograph primarily for the money, what motivates you?

I do use photography for my living, but I still enjoy shooting subjects that aren't paying the bills. Macro and high speed photography drive my creative juices at this moment in time, but if I could narrow down the one reason I shoot when I am not being paid for it.

It would be that I enjoy capturing the world as I want see it.

Tas67 · February 14, 2011

Because it's a constant challenge

Why do you do it?

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