photography is about life
Capturing your daughter blowing out her birthday candles, or your son riding a skateboard down the uneven footpath… photos are about making your ever-changing world stand still.
“The whole point of taking pictures is so that you don’t have to explain things with words.”
~ Elliott Erwitt.
The purpose of photography is to communicate and document moments in time.
I often flick through albums (yes, the ones you hold in your hands!) or look back at photos on my phone or computer.
And there is always that one photo powerful enough to remind me of that moment. Memories lost resurface, and I return to the time it was captured, those memories still vivid.
These are the favourite photos of my children:
I have them framed on my piano, and even though we all comment that it’s time to update them, I love them.
They are the essence of my kids. Then and now.
so what is photography and what makes it so popular?
People photograph for many different reasons.
The following seven are why I believe it is so popular:
1. photography lets you collect meaningful moments
When you ask someone what they would grab if their home was burning down, the answer is often “photos”.
Whether it’s a hard cover album or their hard drive, the impulse to save our memories is a powerful one. One that says a lot about the role that photography plays in our lives.
Photographs are our personal story. The meaningful moments of our timeline, filled with faces, places and memories.
2. photography allows us to share and communicate
Photos tell our story. And when we share our photos with the world, we are sharing our story as well.
I was a latecomer to both Facebook and Instagram. And while I don’t share many, if any, photos of my own family, I love to see the images of my extended family. Vast distances divide us, but I feel like, just sometimes, I am there with them. And that is special.
3. photography is impactful and becomes history
When you think about the last 12 months, what images come to mind?
It’s this one for me:
A mass grave for victims of coronavirus in New York City.
A single powerful photograph can create change.
It can highlight social issues. Force discussion. Give voice to stigmas. Expose evil. Showcase good. Shed light on topics that society may not even be aware of.
These photos are more than just simple picture. They are important moments of our world forever preserved.
4. photography is an art form
It’s taken a long time for photography to be accepted as an art form.
Photography is a language of expression.
You take images of the objects you want the world to see. Play with composition. Edit, adjust, filter, tint, and that photo becomes an expression of your emotions. A little bit of your personality in a piece of art.
5. photography inspires motivates you to explore
This is definitely a big one for me!
I have plans to travel, like so many of us, when the world opens up again.
But in the meantime, I travel locally. Explore my surrounding and become aware of the little things. Enjoy life. Celebrate those moments.
I see it as practice for when I’m finally able to set foot on foreign soil…
6. photography builds connections
While #2 and #6 have a lot of similarities, I’ve left #6 in, because photography has enabled me to meet a lot of people.
People from those far flung places I one day want to explore. I’ve been able to build relationships with them, so I’ll be meeting up for coffee in lots of places around the world!
The developments in media and technology, phone cameras and social media apps have been instrumental in building these connections. And allowing us to share our photography with people across the world.
7. photography makes you look at the world differently
When you begin thinking about what photos you would take – even when you’re not carrying your camera – is when you know you’re looking at the world differently.
When you capture the world with your camera, it tends to make you more observant of the details.
You are in the moment, appreciating a beautiful sky… vibrant flowers… light and shadow… noticing small gestures… a smile… eyes…
The world takes on a whole different appearance when you see it through the viewfinder.
No matter what your reason for pursuing photography is, there is no doubt that it has been an integral and important part of our lives.
Now I’d love to know:
What is photography to you?
What motivates you to keep taking pictures?
What stories do you want to tell?
And what is it about photography that inspires you?
Please, share your thoughts in the comments below!
Tasha xo
If you’ve found The Absolute Beginners Guide to Photography useful, I’d love it if you would share it with your friends!
The rest of The Abosolute Beginners Guide to Photography can be found at the following links (I’ll keep building on it as the series goes live!):
