Why Photography? We all have reasons for taking pictures. For some it's the doumenting of their children's growing up, travel or the sharing of some event but for the purpose of this post I want to focus on what makes photography so interesting as a creative endeavor.
I should preface this with a brief bit of history. My background is in Architecture; went to school, worked in the offices of several Architects and Architectural Engineers and was at times "own my own". I didn't have any mentors really; had to figure things out on my own and as a result explored other creative disciplines. I've always referred to myself as a designer and more recently as a creative simply because I don't stick to just one thing. I write, draw, teach, design and take photographs and all of that is simply a way to express the values of creativity. Making something both functional and beautiful is what I have been striving to accomplish during last 30 years.
Photography has been for me mostly a creative outlet but that is beginning to change. In the past I would shoot much the way a painter would paint; see something interesting and then make an image that captures that moment. In the artistic sense the photographer is in control; no committee telling them which f stop or shutter speed to use; oh use this lens or that one, none of that. Look compose and click "painting in a fraciton of a second" a moment never to be repeated but to be viewed over and over again. It's this element of control; the same one the painter enjoys, that makes photography an interesting endeavor, at least to me. It's not until you want to sell your work does the issue of value creep into the picture and now you must look at the work through your patrons eyes.
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