Why Should You Photograph?

Online Photography School

Why do we take photos? What is the appeal that makes photographers continue to take photos?
Professionals do it to get paid. It’s how they pay the bills. It’s how they put food on the table. It’s how they take care of their families. But, they also have a love for photography. It’s that love that drives photographers to keep shooting pictures. So, I guess the real question is, why do we love it? Here are some of my reasons.

Capture Memories

How many times have you gone to a friend or family member’s home and picked up a photo album? Were you able to go through that album without smiling at least once? Probably not. If you’re like me, you probably turned through the pages of that photo album and re-lived some of the memories you saw in the pictures. I’m sure you said things like “I remember this!” or “We had so much fun here!” It didn’t matter that the photos were probably taken by an amateur photographer. The photos did the job of capturing those memories.

Capture Moments

Moments happen all the time and they can happen fast. A kitten pouncing on a ball of yarn. A wave crashing against the shore. The swing from a batter at a baseball game. Photography freezes these moments so we can take the time to enjoy them.

Tells Stories

Have you ever seen a photograph that just made you stop and look? Many times, the subject of a photo is so powerful, it doesn’t matter if it was taken by a professional or amateur photographer. The stories these photos tell can sometimes have the ability to overshadow any technical ability of the photographer. These stories can be happy, sad, and any number of other emotions. Think of photos of Olympic medalists at that moment of victory. Think of photos of tragedies such as natural disasters and war. These stories can also be more personal, such as the photos taken at your wedding.

Communicate With Others

You’ve heard the old saying. “A picture is worth a thousand words.” It’s very true. Professional and amateur photographers alike have the ability to express themselves through their images. When someone looks at one of your photos, they are able to see something exactly the way you saw it. Photography can convey ideas in a very artistic, visual, and creative way.

Improving As A Photographer

I’m sure you can agree with many of the things I’ve written about our love of photography. I also feel it’s safe to say that many photographers wish they could improve their ability with a camera. All of us have looked at photos we’ve taken, compared to photos others have taken of the same or similar subject matter. We may have asked ourselves, “How did they get their photos to look so much better than mine?” How many times have you taken a photo, only to be disappointed with the outcome? It can be frustrating sometimes.

We have a drive to get better and, as the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. We may shoot 100 photos and find 1 that we think is absolutely amazing. It’s that one photo that keeps us shooting. It’s that one photo that inspires us to try to do it again.



So get out your camera and go capture some memories! Go capture the moments that happen around you! Tell stories with your images! Continually improve your photography! Most importantly, share your images with others. Because your photography can not only inspire you, but it can inspire others as well.
As always, Happy shooting!

Author:
Jason Pryor