Guilt and Photography

Guilt and Photography

  • Feel a sense of guilt

    Votes: 139 50.7%

  • not worry about it

    Votes: 135 49.3%
  • Total voters
    274
al1966

al1966

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Do you go through periods where you don't take any pictures? and does that make you feel some form of guilt?
After I finished my degree I did not pick up a camera for over a month I felt guilty but also all photography-ed out.
 
I am more prone to be concerned when I do not follow through with my creative insights. I go back and take advantage of light and locations when I notice. I stop and capture images when I am able.
 
No, that is simply life. Music would be nothing without the pauses between active notes and the same is with life. You make your own music as you go along with pauses now and then, until the end.

It is what you do overall that determines your outcome, so enjoy the breaks and come back each time re-invigorated with passion!:)
 
I dont feel guilty but I do confess that if I leave my house without a camera I feel edgy and uncomfortable. Its like my security blanket. Mostly I will carry one of my "good" cameras - a Leica or maybe a Nikon DSLR but if I really cannot carry something large I will at least have a small pocket digital about my person. I call it my "derringer". You know, the kind of small back up pistol carried by Bat Masterson and his wild west croneys. Even when I am not in the mood to photograph (and i do have those times when I am not feeling creative) I must have my derringer with me.
 
dave lackey said:
No, that is simply life. Music would be nothing without the pauses between active notes and the same is with life. You make your own music as you go along with pauses now and then, until the end.

It is what you do overall that determines your outcome, so enjoy the breaks and come back each time re-invigorated with passion!:)
Click to expand...

Yes. Life is meant to be lived, if not always photographed.
 
dave lackey said:
No, that is simply life. Music would be nothing without the pauses between active notes and the same is with life. You make your own music as you go along with pauses now and then, until the end.

It is what you do overall that determines your outcome, so enjoy the breaks and come back each time re-invigorated with passion!:)
Click to expand...

Very nice, Dave!
 
Those are times when I attempt to catch up on scanning and printing my huge backlog, which has grown to nearly 300 rolls needing edited!
 
I didn't vote because I didn't feel that either option was an accurate description of what I feel when I am not doing something in the photographic process. I have a strong desire to continue photographing, printing and framing because I love doing it. I want to keep at it but I don't feel guilty. I am not sure why one would feel guilty. Jim
 
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It's a hobby for me, so no. I feel great when I have time for it, but certainly not guilty if other commitments (especially family and work) keep me away from it. I do miss it when I don't have time, or for example at this time of year when the days are not long enough for the occasional photo stop on the morning or evening commute but guilt doesn't factor into that. The professionals among us may feel differently, and I won't fault them for that. I would feel guilty too if I wasn't doing my job.

Cheers,
Rob
 
What's to feel guilty about?

Frustrated, yeah, I can understand that. Concerned, too, or even uncomfortable.

But 'guilt' implies that you've either not done something you should, or have done something you shouldn't. Neither applies often in photography; at least, not for the sort of pics I take.

Cheers,

R.
 
Neither poll choice is correct for me:
No one else depends on my taking a photograph or not so there is no guilt if I don't shoot for a while.

And I might not worry about it, but I have worried about why I haven't shot anything in a while.

Rob
 
I haven't shoot with my Rolleiflex more than a month, and have a strong with to shoot with it, but at the moment I don't have some concepts and story on mind, so I hope to make something creative soon.
 
To me it's almost like a state of withdrawal if I can't shoot when I want. For instance when it rains too much like it does now and did yesterday. Makes me feel uneasy and unproductive.
 
My Pansonic G1 now goes everywhere with me , which settles the anxiety of ' just in case '.
I may not find anything to capture , but I can if the need arrives .
 
Maybe it depends on how many photos you take a week beforehand?
I get through a roll a week if I'm lucky, so at this pace I'm always more happy than not to be able to take photos.

I don't feel guilt, but I certainly feel regret when I see a shot and don't make any effort to take it.
 
When I don't practice with my firearms I feel irresponsible and put them where they can't be used...ie a large safe with combo vs. small safe with fast finger combo. When I fail to shoot my cameras, I'm so busy that I don't have time to feel guilty. Guilt is a waste of time.
 
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