Why I take photos
Ever thought about why you take photos?
It’s a subject I’ve been considering recently and, upon reflection I think there’s one overriding reason and that is to store present events for future memories.
There are many reasons for making images from utility (references to a user manual or a new restaurant’s menu, for example) to the confirmation of an event or a reminder of a place.
Occasionally I’ll take a photo of a subject because of its inherent beauty, possibly due to a glimmer of light or an unusual aspect that makes it interesting to me. I can’t always explain what makes it special or why I make the image at the time of pressing the button.
Photography follows me in most of my pursuits whether I’m out for a street walk around a city or town or out in the countryside with my faithful springer spaniel. I could be on holiday or at an event such as a wedding, birthday party or opening Christmas presents under the tree, my camera is never far away. It is always charged and ready and I document what I witness in order to return to the images at a later date, sometimes nostalgically, to see if my memory is accurate.
Memories of a lovely day
I often review my old photos and let feelings surface, whatever they may be, and in doing so the picture transcends from only an image to an emotional reaction. Photos that interest me the most are the ones that evoke some sort of emotion, possibly a fond memory or a sense of place. Occasionally the memories will be sad due to a sense of loss but the ‘souvenirs’ remain nevertheless.