jeff laitila
Established
Why do we take pictures?
It’s a simple question. But I think that the answers to this question are as many and varied as there are people on this planet. We each have our own reasons, but I also think that there has to be some common thread, otherwise it would not be such a universal phenomenon.
I guess the first question that needs to be asked is this: What is it about the still image that captures our attention?
Could it be that it is the process of stopping time, allowing us to examine a scene in detail, consciously appreciating all the things that are normally only “noticed” on a subconscious level? When watching a video, the scene is in a constant state of change, no two moments are the same, and the limits of our perception only allow us to “see” one small part of each scene at a time. But with a still image, the eye has the luxury of time to explore and see not only the forest, but the individual trees as well. A moment in time has been frozen, preserved forever, but also never to come again.
I know that for me, I am always amazed at how much detail is captured in a single still image. Details that I was not able to notice at the time I created the image, due to either the distractions of sound and motion, or just the fact that we are all limited by the amount of information we can take in and process in any given period of time.
Maybe it’s a way for us to make a statement that “I was here. I existed” The proof is in the pictures. We document our lives, our experiences, not necessarily for the purpose of sharing them with others, but more as mental cue cards to help us recall with greater clarity, the experiences of our lives. Memory is malleable, and over time details become lost, or changed. And what we remember may not actually be what “was”.
In essence, pictures help us remember. They are the closest we have yet come to true time travel, to allow us to go back and experience the feelings we had, and remember.
We take pictures of things that are important to us. Family gatherings, and other “life events” such as birthdays, weddings, and the birth and growth of a child. For many this is the extent of their picture making, documenting the good times, the major moments.
But for those of us that takes things a step further, those of us that integrate this activity of recording our daily lives, we photographers want to capture not just the watershed moments, but also the many other, usually smaller yet still significant moments where something stuck us. Where we connected with a feeling, or were impacted by something we saw.
This type of shooting is more than just a documentary of our lives, but rather and emotional journal. Capturing a mood, or a feeling, and attempting to express that feeling in an image. I say “Attempt” because this seems to be the most difficult of all things to accomplish. I my past ten years of photography, I can’t lay claim to ever really capturing a feeling.
Not even once.
We each carry our own filter through which we see the world, and the same image can speak in many different ways to different people. It all depends on each individuals own personal frame of reference, how their life experiences up to that point have colored their filter. An image that means very little to me can have a profound effect on another person if it strikes some sort of personal chord with them. The opposite also holds true. An image that I absolutely treasure can (and usually does) hold no interest to others.
When I first took up photography I was only concerned about documenting as accurately as possible the scenes in front of me. This lead me down a long path of learning the equipment and techniques, the real “nuts and bolts” type of things related to image making.
After 3-4 years I had pretty much figured out, through some trial and a lot of error, how to document an image. Perfect focus, sharpness, exposure, they were all there. Technically I had figured out how to take a picture. But my images started to feel stale.
Sterile.
Lifeless.
In looking back into my photo archives I noticed that some of my more early images seemed to be better than what I had been recently producing, and upon examining them further I came to the realization that while it is important to learn the technical side of image making, it is equally important to shed that analytical skin and step into a more instinctive style to truly progress as an image maker. You have to know when to leave the nuts and bolts behind and trust your instincts in reaching towards a more ethereal goal; The capture of a feeling.
When you first start taking pictures you just flail around. Then you learn the technical side and this allows you to more consistently capture what you intended. But once you are able to do that every time, then you should stop worrying so much about the technical things, by that time they will be deeply enough ingrained to be there even when you are not conscious of them. Just forget about all the technical stuff, and start flailing again. Shoot on instinct. The fact that you have learned the technical side will ensure you don’t stray too far off the path, but giving yourself the freedom to have fun again and “go nuts” will add a new refreshing dimension to your images.
We often say “I took a picture”, and in most cases that is exactly what we have done. We have documented something as it was. But what is to me, the highest form of art, is when one is able to cross the threshold between taking pictures, and capturing emotions. And never worry about weather or not people like your images. After all, it is a subjective thing. So long as you are true to your own vision, and you enjoy the results then you can be sure that you are on the correct path.
Our experiences make up the music of our lives, and at least for me, photographs are the notes.
It’s a simple question. But I think that the answers to this question are as many and varied as there are people on this planet. We each have our own reasons, but I also think that there has to be some common thread, otherwise it would not be such a universal phenomenon.
I guess the first question that needs to be asked is this: What is it about the still image that captures our attention?
Could it be that it is the process of stopping time, allowing us to examine a scene in detail, consciously appreciating all the things that are normally only “noticed” on a subconscious level? When watching a video, the scene is in a constant state of change, no two moments are the same, and the limits of our perception only allow us to “see” one small part of each scene at a time. But with a still image, the eye has the luxury of time to explore and see not only the forest, but the individual trees as well. A moment in time has been frozen, preserved forever, but also never to come again.
I know that for me, I am always amazed at how much detail is captured in a single still image. Details that I was not able to notice at the time I created the image, due to either the distractions of sound and motion, or just the fact that we are all limited by the amount of information we can take in and process in any given period of time.
Maybe it’s a way for us to make a statement that “I was here. I existed” The proof is in the pictures. We document our lives, our experiences, not necessarily for the purpose of sharing them with others, but more as mental cue cards to help us recall with greater clarity, the experiences of our lives. Memory is malleable, and over time details become lost, or changed. And what we remember may not actually be what “was”.
In essence, pictures help us remember. They are the closest we have yet come to true time travel, to allow us to go back and experience the feelings we had, and remember.
We take pictures of things that are important to us. Family gatherings, and other “life events” such as birthdays, weddings, and the birth and growth of a child. For many this is the extent of their picture making, documenting the good times, the major moments.
But for those of us that takes things a step further, those of us that integrate this activity of recording our daily lives, we photographers want to capture not just the watershed moments, but also the many other, usually smaller yet still significant moments where something stuck us. Where we connected with a feeling, or were impacted by something we saw.
This type of shooting is more than just a documentary of our lives, but rather and emotional journal. Capturing a mood, or a feeling, and attempting to express that feeling in an image. I say “Attempt” because this seems to be the most difficult of all things to accomplish. I my past ten years of photography, I can’t lay claim to ever really capturing a feeling.
Not even once.
We each carry our own filter through which we see the world, and the same image can speak in many different ways to different people. It all depends on each individuals own personal frame of reference, how their life experiences up to that point have colored their filter. An image that means very little to me can have a profound effect on another person if it strikes some sort of personal chord with them. The opposite also holds true. An image that I absolutely treasure can (and usually does) hold no interest to others.
When I first took up photography I was only concerned about documenting as accurately as possible the scenes in front of me. This lead me down a long path of learning the equipment and techniques, the real “nuts and bolts” type of things related to image making.
After 3-4 years I had pretty much figured out, through some trial and a lot of error, how to document an image. Perfect focus, sharpness, exposure, they were all there. Technically I had figured out how to take a picture. But my images started to feel stale.
Sterile.
Lifeless.
In looking back into my photo archives I noticed that some of my more early images seemed to be better than what I had been recently producing, and upon examining them further I came to the realization that while it is important to learn the technical side of image making, it is equally important to shed that analytical skin and step into a more instinctive style to truly progress as an image maker. You have to know when to leave the nuts and bolts behind and trust your instincts in reaching towards a more ethereal goal; The capture of a feeling.
When you first start taking pictures you just flail around. Then you learn the technical side and this allows you to more consistently capture what you intended. But once you are able to do that every time, then you should stop worrying so much about the technical things, by that time they will be deeply enough ingrained to be there even when you are not conscious of them. Just forget about all the technical stuff, and start flailing again. Shoot on instinct. The fact that you have learned the technical side will ensure you don’t stray too far off the path, but giving yourself the freedom to have fun again and “go nuts” will add a new refreshing dimension to your images.
We often say “I took a picture”, and in most cases that is exactly what we have done. We have documented something as it was. But what is to me, the highest form of art, is when one is able to cross the threshold between taking pictures, and capturing emotions. And never worry about weather or not people like your images. After all, it is a subjective thing. So long as you are true to your own vision, and you enjoy the results then you can be sure that you are on the correct path.
Our experiences make up the music of our lives, and at least for me, photographs are the notes.
young pioneer
Newbie
i always think about what Winogrand once said : "I photograph because i want to see what the world looks like photographed." ... it's actually as simple as that...
I just remember the joy that I had when looking through the photoalbums that my parents had of their childhood, that my sister and me had of ourselves... sitting around at my aunts house at Christmas family reunions with all cousins and nieces looking through hundreds of slides of past holidays projected on the wall... hours of fun!
I simply want to document my life, show my kids where i'm from, what we did, what they did when they were too young to remember... the places we visited, the food we ate...
thats the main reason
and then i also try to capture things in a nice way... but putting too much thought in my pics often doesn't give me the best results... guess i need some more practice. hehe
I just remember the joy that I had when looking through the photoalbums that my parents had of their childhood, that my sister and me had of ourselves... sitting around at my aunts house at Christmas family reunions with all cousins and nieces looking through hundreds of slides of past holidays projected on the wall... hours of fun!
I simply want to document my life, show my kids where i'm from, what we did, what they did when they were too young to remember... the places we visited, the food we ate...
thats the main reason
and then i also try to capture things in a nice way... but putting too much thought in my pics often doesn't give me the best results... guess i need some more practice. hehe
Mael
Established
In my concern, just for fun.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
It's better than working for a living.
Besides, it never really feels like I have a choice. It's almost as if I have to take pictures, rather than merely wanting to take pctures: I see certain things, and they pretty much demand to be photographed. The emphasis on what I photograph may have changed somewhat over the years, but the compulsion is still the same.
Cheers,
R.
Besides, it never really feels like I have a choice. It's almost as if I have to take pictures, rather than merely wanting to take pctures: I see certain things, and they pretty much demand to be photographed. The emphasis on what I photograph may have changed somewhat over the years, but the compulsion is still the same.
Cheers,
R.
FrankS
Registered User
1.) I am driven and want to express myself creatively. I'm too shy for drama and dance, I can't sing for music, both writing and painting take too much time (for me).
2.) I appreciate the documentation and time travel aspect of photography.
3.) I enjoy the process of finding and taking photographs. Doing photography helps me be more aware and actively see my world.
4.) I enjoy using the tools/gadgets of photography.
5.) It pleases me to create images/visual art with photography.
2.) I appreciate the documentation and time travel aspect of photography.
3.) I enjoy the process of finding and taking photographs. Doing photography helps me be more aware and actively see my world.
4.) I enjoy using the tools/gadgets of photography.
5.) It pleases me to create images/visual art with photography.
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payasam
a.k.a. Mukul Dube
I started, as a boy, because it was something to do. Later I suppose it became a way of proving myself. It became a way of doing things for people which they would value and remember. It became a way of making a living.
T
Todd.Hanz
Guest
This is the quote I thought of after reading the OP's post, a man of few words but many great images!
Todd
bmattock
Veteran
I photograph for many reasons. Some that spring to mind:
I'm sure there are other reasons, but that will do for now.
- To fulfill a creative impulse. I get the same kick from writing.
- Because I like cameras. I like to use them to take photographs.
- Because I find the world endlessly entertaining, and I like to try to find ways to share what I see with others.
- Because it gives me carte blanche to do pretty much whatever I want to do.
- It gets me out of the house and into the world.
- I like to go take photographs of others doing what they do and then share those photos with them to please them. Ya, some of you won't believe this, but I like making other people happy.
- I like looking at the historical photographic record, and have decided to add what I can to it myself. Future historians and sociologists may find it useful in some way.
- I enjoy the ego-stroke when someone contacts me about a photograph and they like it or they want to use it in a blog post, article, calendar, or other publication.
I'm sure there are other reasons, but that will do for now.
wgerrard
Veteran
I've given up examining my motives at any great depth -- usually amounts to second guessing -- but I'd agree with the Winogrand quote. It's much like seeing through another's eyes.
When I travel, photography forces me to move around more slowly and with deliberation, looking closely at my surroundings. All good things.
There's also a bit of a self-challenge going on. When I take an image, I know how I want the picture to look. Reviewing the images later forces me to see how I measure up to my own expectations.
When I travel, photography forces me to move around more slowly and with deliberation, looking closely at my surroundings. All good things.
There's also a bit of a self-challenge going on. When I take an image, I know how I want the picture to look. Reviewing the images later forces me to see how I measure up to my own expectations.
gavinlg
Veteran
I need to create, and I need to express. I like finding a natural balance in things - I like the natural "flow of energy" that leads to good creation.
Photography is a really good way of applying this to the world around me.
Photography is a really good way of applying this to the world around me.
oftheherd
Veteran
These days I mostly photograph family. I used to enjoy for all the reasons stated above. I got a kick out of documenting what I saw, also creating "art" around me or just creating something unusual. Actually, I kind of miss those times and want to do it again. I have started to try looking at the world as I used to; through a lens.
arunrajmohan
Established
Fun and more...
Fun and more...
I, for most part, agree with 'Simona Bonomo, 32, an art student at London Metropolitan University at London Metropolitan University' (see: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/15/italian-student-police-arrest-filming).
However, I am a hobbyist and photography keeps me content, exited by the ever learning process and the results and ... if I do not do this I am afraid I will become that cop in the news/video above.
Happy Clicking and Season's Greetings,
Arun
Fun and more...
I, for most part, agree with 'Simona Bonomo, 32, an art student at London Metropolitan University at London Metropolitan University' (see: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/15/italian-student-police-arrest-filming).
However, I am a hobbyist and photography keeps me content, exited by the ever learning process and the results and ... if I do not do this I am afraid I will become that cop in the news/video above.
Happy Clicking and Season's Greetings,
Arun
Bike Tourist
Well-known
Well, I do some photography to sell stock online and create a little retirement income, but I could just as well be stacking boxes in a warehouse for all the creativity that it inspires in me.
What I have always wondered — Is photography a performance art? In other words, do you have to show your photography to someone in order to receive comments, criticism, make them see something they didn't see before? Or to document things that will soon be no more? Or to entertain and amuse? Or to receive the accolades of an artist?
There are people I have heard of who never showed their prints to a soul. They just kept them in a shoebox. I suppose to them the act of photographing was enough in and of itself.
What I have always wondered — Is photography a performance art? In other words, do you have to show your photography to someone in order to receive comments, criticism, make them see something they didn't see before? Or to document things that will soon be no more? Or to entertain and amuse? Or to receive the accolades of an artist?
There are people I have heard of who never showed their prints to a soul. They just kept them in a shoebox. I suppose to them the act of photographing was enough in and of itself.
mark-b
Well-known
To document our time on this earth; our achievements, iniquities, birth, and the end of life.
Photography is a vehicle for our perceptions and feelings that can only be expressed visually.
Photography is a vehicle for our perceptions and feelings that can only be expressed visually.
Becoming
Established
Longing. History.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
The gears, man. It's all about playing with the gears.
I'm joking... half-joking, really.
Actually, I sort of answered this question in a round-about and long-winded way.
I'm joking... half-joking, really.
Actually, I sort of answered this question in a round-about and long-winded way.
maelswarm
Established
Because I can't paint or draw, or do anything else creative. I'll just let the camera, lens, and bokeh wow and awe people who don't any better.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
_mark__
Well-known
It is faster than painting a picture