The goal of your photography?

[Chase]

now that I've had too much coffee, I'm starting this thread to read your opinions on WHY you take photographs? Seem like a silly question? I assure you I ask this with a serious tone, looking you right in the eye?

I'd love, love, love to see your thoughts as words and examples.

What, if any, is your philosophy on photography? Perhaps it is just harmless fun? Do you try to show nature as the human eye sees it? As something the human eye cannot see? Is it worth the effort when thousands of similar images of sights such as Horsetail Falls are available with two clicks of the mouse? Does it help you? Relax you? Get you to see nature "better"?

For me, this is often a complex topic and some of my thoughts have appeared in previous posts, often to the rolling eyes of the reader. Please share your personal thoughts.

[kepPNW]

Is it worth the effort when thousands of similar images of sights such as Horsetail Falls are available with two clicks of the mouse?

Always better with a, "BTDT!", yep.

And it's not just nature photos, but quite often friends/family in nature photos! Those don't come tumbling out of Google quite as readily.

Having thousands of hiking photos rotating through a screensaver at the office or in the living room offers an incredible way to go (back) where you'd really rather be, while you're doing what you need to do to facilitate that.

[adamschneider]

It's different when you take the photos yourself. Dunno why, but it is.

[mjuliana]

Humm...interesting question. Since I carry a lot of photo gear when I hike, I should be able to answer this question but this one is requiring a bit of thought...
I take photos when hiking/backpacking because:

1. I like the process of taking photos. I like to try to find things that don't show up in a google search
2. I like the process of editing photos...
3. I like having my best shots on my screensaver. Brightens any day when I'm stuck in the office.
4. Hiking has created many family memories. Being able to peruse through photos of these hikes allows us to revisit some awesome times we've had together. From the tiny frogs in lakes to my youngest wading in a lake shouting "I'm moving, I'm moving" after we told her that there were leaches and she should keep moving...
5. I hang prints of my favorite shots in our home.

[kaltbluter]

In general, because it is relaxing and enjoyable.

Specifically, I take photos of landscapes because looking at a photo of exactly how I saw something triggers memories that other peoples' photos do not.
Looking at this reminds me of a great weekend spent with my wife.



I take pictures of flowers/birds/bugs because I can see so much more detail that way. The details interest me.
I didn't notice how downy this Killdeer was until I got home and viewed it on the computer.


Or that this tiny spider had green mandibles(?) and red fangs.


This orchid is much more interesting to look at on the monitor than in the wild with my far-sighted eyes.


Then there are photos of the kids because they change so fast it is easy to forget how they were before. It's fun to go back and look at some of the older pictures and see how much they've changed.

What, if any, is your philosophy on photography?

Not sure, how about I make something up? I enjoy creating and viewing my photos and as long as that remains true I'll keep doing it. Folks close to me also enjoy viewing them. Others out there in the interwebs might just get a tiny piece of happiness once in a while from the ones I share. In this way my hobby increases the total amount of joy in the universe.

Perhaps it is just harmless fun?

Pretty much.

Do you try to show nature as the human eye sees it?

Usually, but sometimes it is fun to HDR or otherwise edit images into something alien.

As something the human eye cannot see? Get you to see nature "better"?

The eyes miss a lot in real time or at least mine do. There is more to see when time has been stopped.

Is it worth the effort when thousands of similar images of sights such as Horsetail Falls are available with two clicks of the mouse?

Yes, I wasn't there when the internet images were taken. They're wrong in subtle ways and don't match my mental image of the place. They usually don't invoke that feeling of knowing the place.

Does it help you? Relax you?

Yep.

[5th]

I take pictures so I can see where I've been and who I was with.

I wish I could take great pics like the ones I see here, but the truth is I don't have enough interest to learn how or I would have already. So I work on the theory that if I take hundreds of pictures, a couple will turn out pretty cool. It's enough to keep friends and family entertained in any case.

[sprengers4jc]

I can identify with all of these answers. It helps me relax, forces me to slow down and enjoy the little things (like moss and lichen patterns, an interesting pattern on a rock, an animal that I am studying, or a lesser-enjoyed viewpoint). It helps me identify things later, such as snakes, birds and flowers. I also notice things in my pictures sometimes that I didn't see at the time, like a bug who was hiding out under the leaf of a flower. Also, I enjoy sharing my pictures with friends who are house-bound, family in other parts of the country, and even my wife, who due to health concerns, might not have accompanied me on my last hike. It allows me to update others on conditions, or give a wildflower report to a group for folks who love that sort of thing. And in an increasingly fast-paced and stressful world, it allows me to relive awesome life memories over and over.

In short, my photo collection is a stop-motion sequence of my life as a hiker and how that has changed my worldview and influenced my relationships.

[Stefrobrts]

I do it for the memories. I agree with the above comment that my own photo triggers memories in ways other people's photos don't. I often come home and see details I didn't notice when I was there. I try not to spend my trips looking through the viewfinder though, and only take shots here and there. And of course I like to get my hiking partner or family in some.

I have kept a blog since about 2007, and I love going back and looking at pictures of our adventures. Even my husband says he likes to look back at it and see what we did! It's the modern equivalent of a photo album.

Sometimes I get lucky and get a shot so beautiful I'll have it printed and frame it and put it up on the wall. Every time I walk by and glance at it it makes me happy. My work to get a great photo, combined with going someplace interesting enough to make a great photo = a life well lived Makes it a little easier to get up and go to the daily grind knowing there are more adventures ahead.

[jdemott]

I agree with most of the above--I guess I have a multitude of goals for my photography. Mostly, I do it because I enjoy it. I like taking photographs, I like thinking about taking photographs, I like working on photographs in the digital darkroom, I like sharing photographs, etc.

I started getting serious about photography when my first child was born and I wanted to take some nice baby pictures. I still enjoy taking baby pictures, but now they are of grandchildren. Family pictures aren't works of art; they are more a record and a way to share happy times.

For a while, I was intent on making technically very high quality photos of various scenic locations. I enjoyed learning about the technical aspects of photography...but in many cases if you concentrate on technique you just end up with a photo that looks like many others and doesn't say anything.

Now I enjoy the process of seeing and feeling more. Often, when I am taking a photo I am not even seeing or thinking about a representation of a particular scene. I'm thinking about shapes and textures and patterns and light and feelings. I still enjoy technical challenges sometimes, but I don't obsess over technical perfection. For one thing I don't let photography dominate my enjoyment of a hike...it is just one part of it.

I am also enjoying smartphone photography, which is a fun way to use the camera for communication in a very immediate way.

[Chase]

For a while, I was intent on making technically very high quality photos of various scenic locations. I enjoyed learning about the technical aspects of photography...but in many cases if you concentrate on technique you just end up with a photo that looks like many others and doesn't say anything.

Thanks for your thoughts, very cool to read and see the words behind the pictures. I'm not sure I understand this comment, though. What constitutes high quality? Can you show some examples of the same subject matter that says something and one that doesn't say anything?