Why photography?

I had some aquariums I was serious about and one night awhile back I bought some CZJ microscopes off ebay. I was also using a few Sony p&s rigs with the aquarium hobby which led me to fast fifty Contax, ZI, Contaflex and rex, eventually to Nikon which was what I always circled for Santa as a kid.

My cameras today...a black Contaflex Super with a 50 and an 85, Anscoset Autoset, F2, Df...the gear aligns well with my evolution.

Photography gives me a lot of joy I guess.
 
An artistic urge drives me. When I am photographing I look for something meaningful to fill the frame, and to isolate it from the wide, wide world (or to put it in context of the wide, wide world). When I am not photographing, I still look, but the urge for art is not satisfied - all I can do is explain it to someone else in words, and that never works.
 
I suspect I differ from most here in that my goal is to convey information and influence thinking about unique and disappearing cultures.

Photography just seems to be to be my most effective communication tool.

I once had the motivation to photograph as many here seem to. But after about 10 years of giving it my best, I had to conclude that I was doing nothing significant and quit for about 12 years. I later restarted when I had some clearly defined communication objectives.
 
I became interested in photography when I was a little kid, and Dad would be taking photos of the family while we were in the backyard, or on one of our infrequent trips to a state park. He had an Argus CC that he got during WWII, and every once in a while would show his Hawaii slides. Most of the family stuff he did on a Spartus Full Vue. But every once in a while when he got really serious, he'd break out the Argus C3. I'd look at it sitting on the fireplace mantle with all it's gearing, and think he had to be pretty good to handle a camera like that.

My own start began when I was taking a lithography class in high school. I first used a couple of Polaroid cameras, but wanted something more usable, with the ability to have a negative to make multiple prints from, so I bought an M42 system.

I took to it pretty quickly, and had thoughts of starting a career, but the military draft got in the way, and changed my plans. Still, I kept up with it, changing camera systems, and trying other formats. But by the time I got out of the service, I was mentally drained, and it was a long time before I got back into it.

After many years, and one more try at going pro, I settled on the premise that I could do it when I no longer had any priorities dictated by others. So now it's kind of like my therapy for dealing with what life throws my way, and since I've been retired, I can just up and say "It's too darn beautiful to be sitting around doing nothing.", then grab a camera and go.

So it's gone from fascination, to serious endeavor, and now to therapy, with a few lulls thrown in there. Quite a cycle to go through.

PF
 
I used to ride a motorcycle, mostly so I could work on its vintage engine. Same with the old Triumph TR3.
People ask if I like playing the guitar, but I know that I would much rather build a guitar than play one.
So...I take photos to rationalize buying neat old gear.
 
Irbridge,

thank you very much for your comments and kind words.

I absolutely agree that Math is a form of Art. I have no doubt about it. That's one reasons why I love my work and keep soldiering after my retire. There are many other of course: in Math one knows what is wrong from what is right and there is a nice accumulation of knowledge that lacks, for example, in philosophy.

The great mathematician Paul R. Halmos wrote I wonderful paper about this subject, just to propose the thesis that Math is a form of Art. He kindly sent a copy to me, but at the spare of the moment I am not able to find it and give you a reference. Books and papers are submerging my house, to the point that it always difficult to retrieve a specific piece of paper.

At the same time I don't like to be too specialized. I feel that Science alone is not enough to realize my cultural aspirations. Science and humanities are expression of the same mankind, and I dream of an unified culture, where they move on hand in hand, as it was long time ago, when knowledge was confined enough to be mastered by a single man (Leonardo comes to my mind).

Each of them, Science and Art are half of the story, and I would not feel complete and accomplished unless I cultivate both of them at the same time.
 
Also about Math I should mention the fascination of mystery and of the challenges that it poses, which sometimes last centuries.
People is afraid of mystery I think instead we should love it: it is one of the most beautiful aspects of human condition. And it provided me a wonderful job, that allowed me incidentally to get a living.
By the same token I believe that some extent of mystery improves a work of Art
 
I do it because I have something to say that I can't say any other way. I am a photographer. I photograph professionally and have for well over 30 years. Mostly commercial/advertising type work. No weddings or family portraits. That part feeds the family, pays the bills, buys the equipment and is that base that makes everything possible. I also do personal work which is what feeds my soul. I do believe without the personal side of it I would have been burned out years ago because the work I do professionally is not mine. It is ultimately the clients and often collaborations with other visual professionals. My personal work is all mine so I have something that reflects me. Nobody else.

Shameless plug.
http://www.tamarkin.com/leicagallery/streets-alleys-and-other-urban-observations
 
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