Giving up photography

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Roger Hicks

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What, if anything, would make you give up photography? Roger Fenton, a very great photographer, and one of the founders of the (later Royal) Photographic Society, did so. In his 40s, I think. Would you? If so, why?

Tashi delek,

R.
 
Hi Roger,

For some reason, still to be included by you, you did not differentiate between being forced to leave photography and doing it voluntarily for another craft or field of interest. Since both paths are absolutely diverging situations, I don't think you missed it, your op is unclear to me.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
Shalom Ruben!

I deliberately include both. What would force you, as well as what would make you think, "Oh, to hell with it"?

Warning: this is a trick question. I'd give up photography for Frances tomorrow; but equally, I'd not have fallen in live with her, let alone married her and stayed with her, if she'd wanted me to give up photography. We'll have been together 28 years on my brother's 56th brthday, May 14th 2009.

But (for example) would I give up photography in occupied Tibet? I don't know, but I like to think I wouldn't.

Tashi delek,

R.
 
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Did HCB not essentially give up photography : wikipedia
"Cartier-Bresson retired from photography in the early 1970s and by 1975 no longer took pictures other than an occasional private portrait; he said he kept his camera in a safe at his house and rarely took it out. He returned to drawing and painting. After a lifetime of developing his artistic vision through photography, he said, "All I care about these days is painting — photography has never been more than a way into painting, a sort of instant drawing.""

There are times when I feel the need to throw off the complications of 'serious photography' and enjoy the simplicity of a point and shoot digicam.
Once I get too old to have a darkroom or even operate a computer, that print button on the back of a digicam will finally come into it's own.
 
Well....perhaps not entirely give up! - one of the most pleasureable aspects of my photography is to wander around the nearby Yorkshire moors and dales, just taking in the beauty of it all. I have allways wished that I could draw or paint the wonderfull scenery satisfactoraly, And look on in total admiration when I come across someone sat doing so. Sometimes both of us have taken sketch pads and pencils on a day out, in stead of cameras, and often thought about taking some lessons, now if by some means I achieved competancy with water colours or pen and ink..........🙂
Cheers, Dave.
 
If I won the lottery. Then I'd find a posse of hot babes and jet around the world seeking all manner of self inflicted trouble. If my wife reads this, ha, ha, just kidding, I'd donate it all to charity and continue working in the darkroom.
 
My late father gave up photography overnight.
Once we returned to Iraq from Germany,and once we were subjected to the wraths of living under the Baath rule, my father did not enjoy taking photos anymore. He put away his Bolex 8mm camera and his Zeiss RF camera for good.
 
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Roger Hicks said:
Shalom Ruben!

I deliberately include both. What would force you, as well as what would make you think, "Oh, to hell with it"?

....
R.
Click to expand...

Well I have written and deleted just now my post. I will be smarter and wait to see where all this is going.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
Force? Health, insufficient eyesight, and pretty much any situation where it would be incompatible with the basic survival of my child(ren) - I might disregard risks to my own life for the love of art, but I would not risk the life of those dependent on me.

Out of free will? Well, for any stronger interest. I have changed directions in my life quite a few times. Photography is not the only true way of expression, nor the only one I am reasonably skilled in - and what's more, I haven't yet lost my curiosity for learning even more...

Sevo
 
Death would do it 🙂
Finding no joy in the world around me ... not seeing photos and potential photos everywhere i go
Total lack of inspiration would be the dark side of giving photography away - Been there it sucks 🙁
On the bright side i would feel no need to capture my surroundings if i loved the area and people i was with, would be like collecting beautiful butterflies and storing them between the pages of a dusty old book
 
Death. If they quit making film, I'll just shoot digital. It is not as relaxing, but I'll still do it. I suspect that the production of film will outlast me.

I'm 51 now, and have been taking pictures since I was 6. So far, it's been a lifetime hobby. So, Death.
 
Ok, a moment after deleting my post I seem to catch what the op is about and I am sorry for having deleted it.

I was perfectly right Roger in making my distinction about the circumstances under which a person may leave photography, even if photography has been a most central part of his life.
The circumstances, the reasons, the objectives to achieve - all these and more are part of the decision. I would say that a person forced by circumstances to leave, most of the chances will return.

In principle I can leave photography for a long period and restart it later. In fact this is exactly what has happened to me. The period in-between was one of doubts, uncertainity, etc. But these problems were not due to leaving a holy shrine illuminating my life per se, but due to the problems external to photography.

After solving those problems I have found myself in another square within photography. I have to re-define my purposes after accepting and settling my accounts. Since the first period was full of joy and excitment but not glory, who knows, perhaps my second one will be positive as well or even better.

At my 54 year on the planet I find life is quite complex to establish hard patterns, quite caotic to foresee any future, and nothing is to be discarded. It is more about how do you move and decide, than about fixed trenches.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
I don't see how I could give up something that, to me, is really just an artistic medium that I enjoy doing. It's not my job, I don't make a career out of it, and even if I did I would still take photo's when I felt like it.

I don't go out hunting for photo's, I just carry my camera around and take shots of stuff that interests me. It's like writing, drawing, painting, or anything else. It's there when I feel like doing it.
 
I can't give up photography right now (because my wife loves scrapbooking and and kids are 3 and 1) but sometimes I do wonder what the purpose of it all is. I take pictures, but never really look at them. Maybe once in a while. Sometimes photography distracts from what is truly important for me, when I "need" to get pictures developed and my kids just want to play, or that I have a camera between myself and my child when playing.

I can see giving it up - I have done it in the past, but I also came back. I guess I need balance. that's all. I need to have fun with my kids with out the camera, but be ready to capture memories on film (or CCD/CMOS sensor) as well.
 
When the Wedding Photographer (capitals on purpose) did my wedding in 1964, He had photographed my wife as a 3 year old and he came to the wedding with a wide angle Hassy. He had had Polio and used two crutches with forearm supports. He did a wonderful job; strobe, natural light, portraits. This guy was old and good. Why give up something you are good at for any reason.
 
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