Thoughts on being a photographer
As time goes by and I get further into the realm of photography things change in my point of view. As I move along on down the path of life I begin to realize things that I had never thought of before, but I also start to answer some questions that I asked years ago.
A few years back, right here on this blog, I asked if taking pictures would get in the way of a beautiful scene. If the fact that I had a camera in my hand would cause me to not enjoy the very things I was trying to capture.
Now, at this stage in my life I’ve seen many photographers of varying degrees in my travels. By nature, i am a bit of a people watcher, so I’ve done my own type of case study. Some people take things to new levels of insanity all in the name of capturing a moment that they don’t even enjoy, but I would say most do not. In general, most photographers are not only there to capture a moment “on film” but also to live in that very moment. To enjoy, to feel the pain, or simply relax in the minutes that surround that moment. It is truly an intense feeling.
This also brings me to another phase of photography I am only just now starting to understand. Interpreting others pictures. That’s right, I said interpret. It’s one thing to look at a picture and say “Wow! That’s pretty!”, but it’s another thing to look at that picture and understand what it took to make an image that would do that to someone. Trying to envision he minutes before and after an image really is what tells the story and makes it interesting.
So, at this point in my case study I have to say that it is possible to both enjoy a moment and take photos of it. Having something to look back on can have a much bigger effect than just the second that was captured in a photo.
