where there’s smoke there’s forum fire
Why do you shoot?
If you're payed to do it, then why are people paying you to do so?
What's going to happen to all the pictures we shoot? We buy fancy cameras, spend money on storage, take time to post process, and what does it amount to? How often do you go back to look at your pictures? Do you expect your future generations to sit down and look through your images (they may be to busy making their own!)?
Mostly family candid shots and my cat. But what I take seriously are my landscape shots, which I hope to sell some next month at some festival. Provided I get the time and money to get proofs all together.
EDIT: Oh, why do I shoot? Ha ha. Because it's an art form that I have really been able to grasp and love. Now if I could just get the motivation to go out and get the shot.
I started shooting for birding reasons. As I got into it, I realized that photography is the one art form that I could be good at or at least semi good at. Why buy expensive fancy stuff? Why not? It's all about the quality of our lives that makes life worth living. When I'm alone, I can grab my gear and escape into a world of my own and capture and create what I see in my minds eye and keep it. Do I ever go back and look at my shot? All the time actually. I have a pbase where others can enjoy them should they choose. I have some of my shots selected to put into the windows screensaver and they randomly display when the screensaver comes on. It's become something for me that I never thought it would.
every single party or event that I attended in a last 2 years I end up with a camera in my hands for some I get paid some are just for
"wow thats a nice shot of me, can I have a copy gone put it on facebook..." and thats good enf payment
the only thing that really sux is doing friends weddings lol and this year its way to many of them : ) everyone is having fun and you are the one who have to stay sober for most of the night : )
Because I like it, and love the sound of the shutter :) it makes me feel relaxed
As for doing something with pictures, to be honest I put them on the hdd and occasionally come back to them - I'm more into process of taking the picture than to everything that goes after.
As for buying gear - I buy only this what I need to get the best shot possible, and I'm happy enough to have a wife that understand my way of relax
Because....
it's the only way cool people, like Gentoo, heartyfisher, adamz, monty11, NSXType-R, drkbl, Connor & Chloeanne, alphanikonrex, Quadrapixel, nau, mb, Willis, JMCS, snaketail, tai and NRadmin would let me hang out with them.
OH and because a girl once told me "why don't you take a picture, it'll last longer" and she was right ! 8^)
It runs in the family. My grandfather shoots a 4x5 crown graphic, my dad a D300, and I use both a Nikon d60 & N80 (for my personal stuff) and a Canon 5Dmk2 (for work... weddings, etc)
@NikoDoby - I've been told that, too!
Haha, nice one NikoDoby. :D
That's a good question- why do I shoot? I like capturing the moment. Sounds corny, but hey, I like the fact that I can stop time for that millisecond forever.
I don't really buy fancy gear yet- I don't even have a job! I get by with a D40, an 18-135 lens and a UV filter. Only recently have I bought a Photoshop book that I barely cracked open yet.
I look back on my photos every once in a while and wince when I realize I could have shot it better. I back it up on two USB hardrives- is that a bad thing? Plus my laptop has all my photos as well.
I spend 0 time post processing- I don't even open up Photoshop. I will be changing that practice soon.
The question about future generations is a weird one- I'm not sure if they will be bothered. Plus, I'm not sure if USB ports or cd drives will exist in the future. :D If that happens, then my photos will not even be readable.
Thanks for all the great responses!
I asked myself that very question after shooting my younger brother and sister playing outside. I must have shot about 1 gig of files, or just over 100 images. Then I sat down and organized and post processed, and then finally backed up. But nobody ever even glanced at the pictures. And then I realized that most days I shoot my family end up like that. Nobody even asks to see the images.
And the biggest thing that hit me was that my [messy] old photo library (I started a newer properly organized one when I got my D300) that had thousands of photos of my family has not even been glanced at since I started my new one. If I had deleted it, nobody would have cared less.
So then I thought that if my family isn't interested in the pictures, why would anyone else be?
But from your responses, it seems like most of you are like me.
I shoot for myself, and you shoot for yourself.
I guess that that is the way things are meant to be.
alphanikonrex, think of your photo library as a treasure chest. It may seem as though no one is interested in your pictures but when your treasure chest is dug up one day in the future it will be more valueable than you could have imagined. When your brother and sister are adults and look back at the day their older brother took 100 "silly" images of them they will be thankful.
Go to the photo-a-day thread or flickr and look at all the photos people have uploaded. Look at all the moments, people, places, and things that have been recorded one frame at a time. The reason they all took the picture? Simple. None of those moments will happen again!
I love looking at old photos and trying to understand what the photographer wanted me to look at. No matter how insignificant you think your photos are now, they will be priceless years after. Take a look at this "insignificant" photo stream. I hope it helps to inspire you to document your family's life.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/sets/72157603671370361/
It's amazing how much our medium has evolved and has yet to evolve. You are part of that evolution alphanikonrex! All of use here are. Go and enjoy it! Now bust out your D300 and D70 and take some pictures! I'll be waiting for you over at the photo-a-day thread.
NikoDoby has finally numbered us all curious minds who like capturing those moments in time of our world that would otherwise be lost like the tears in the rain, as someone said.
I suppose my photo library is like a treasure chest. The trouble is it takes up a lot of space!
But don't get me wrong. Nothing's going to stop me from doing what I'm doing. Whether everyone else wants to see my pictures or not, I'm STILL going to be having fun and gaining experience.
I'll try out the photo-a-day thread—I often visit it but I have never actually posted anything.
@NikoDoby: I got your message, thanks for visiting my site!
I guess I just can't get out of the habit. I usually carry my camera everywhere. A older gentlemen asked me the other day why I had my camera all the time. I told him it won't let me out of the house unless I take it. He looked at me like a calf looking at a new gate.
I shot photograps for 40 years as a living and just can't seem to break the cycle. I've owned just about every kind and make of cameras over my 40 years...Nikons, Canons, Leicas, Hasselblads, Sinars, Bronicas, most of which I have sold or traded. That I regret.
I remember purchasing my first Hasselblad 500C in 1970 for $500. That included the body, 80mm Planar and A12 back. Today that same 500C goes for over $1500 in good shape. I don't think I'll ever own a Haselblad H3DII-50...50MP at $30,000.00.
http://www.hasselbladusa.com/products/h-system/h3dii-50.aspx
My, how things have changed.
I shoot because I really enjoy it. Now, I can photograph what I want, not what people pay me to shoot. My wife has never really wanted to shoot, until the advent of digital. Now she enjoys shooting with her D40, it's something we both can enjoy together.
Do I go back and look at my pictures? ...ya betcha! I have two, 1TB external drives that I have as a redundant backup for all images. I use ACDSee Pro as the managing software.
Do I expect your future generations to sit down and look through your images? I could care less. They are there for those who care to. I shoot for me.
I imagine that image storage on HD's will become a thing of the past soon. Most everything is going to chips. It won't be long before 1TB chips will be within reach. I remember when the first 1GB HD came out...$1,000 is what it cost.
I've seen many changes in the art during my 70 years, when I saw my first Kodak box camera at the age of nine. When I realized that a piece or moment of time, could be frozen and kept, I was hooked. It's been a magnificent journey. I wish as much pleasure to everyone who picks up a camera.
Hear, hear Robert! Thanks for sharing.
I'm also in it for the process and the feeling of accomplishment when you get that shot that makes even yourself go WOW. I've been fascinated by beautiful photos for for as long as I can remember and now I can't tear myself away from my camera ... well I guess I will be able to tear myself away from it once I upgrade :)
I mainly shoot because I can :) I've taken up the challenge of taking concert photos way back in 2001 when I just got my CP995 and it evolved ever since. I don't or hardly ever get paid for my pictures but they do end up all over the internet, on cd/dvd's and in printing. I personally don't care too much about being paid for my photos because I have a great job that pays for all the bills. My main goal is to give all those who are interested a chance to relive the moments. A smile, a compliment and better even publication at some official place has been reward enough for me.
Do I expect the future generations to look at my pictures? Mmmm at least not all of them unless some of the artists I shoot get really famous and die ;)There is just no way people can ever keep up watching my stuff unless tehy are willing to have a very long sit. By now I have over 300,000 photos of concerts in stock (yes they are all in focus and good enough to keep) but my harddisks are patient.
Had to go through a lot of folders to actually find the photos for my upcoming exposition, hard to go through the pics eventhough I know where to get what shot. It took me over 10 hours to find all the pics so at least I'm still looking at them from time to time ;)
@ Niko - I'll hang out with just about anything that can drink a beer. :)
I shoot because it allows me to make the pedestrian interesting again. I love the way cameras allow us to see the world in ways that our eyes don't. When I point my 11mm Tokina at something I've seen 1000 times, it looks completely different. When I shoot at long exposures, I can see lights that I never knew were there. Or I can position my camera above or below eye level to see the world from the point of view of a NBA basketball player, or a young child.
I shoot to transform.
Willis:
Very good answer.
In some ways, I get what you guys are saying. When I put out all my effort into taking a photo, and know that I nailed the photo, I am extremely happy. It's especially fun with film- just finished two rolls, and the pictures I took were exactly as I expected. It is as if I had total control of the moment, and that makes me real happy.
Ok Willis, next time I'm in the Austin area I'm looking you up and your buying, but be warned that I'm half Irish and I can out drink 10 sailors 8^)
Niko - You know that there are at least to guys with slavic blood in them (100% in my case, most likely the same in Monty's case), so don't speak about out drinking :)
This was a very interesting thread for me; a newby to NikonRumor Forum. In fact, this is my first post. To fill you in a bit, I used to shoot Nikon film SLRs back in the '60 and '70s, then my eyes went bad and I just couldn't focus. As a result I totally dropped out of photography. Now, almost 70, I a getting back into photography with the wonderful autofocus. And so much more. But why should I shoot? When folks don't pay me, they don't ask for my photos...usually, and my photos aren't so great?
I just LOVE it. Getting that good shot. Being able to SEE right away what I've got and then putting it on a computer. I have joined a couple of photo clubs and am loving getting out with others at various events. I now make a practice of taking shots of .... just people... and then asking for their email address and sending the good shots to them. They appreciate it and it makes taking their pict just a bit easier. As a result, I was asked to shoot photos at a Charity Art Auction, and I did it for free. Just for the fun of it. I guess I wasn't too bad at it, as I have been asked to do again for a different event.
I did take a beginners photoshop course and learned a bunch (still have MUCH to learn) but I'm started with some post-production work. And now, I am turning to making prints and loving that. My wife, who still works as a college professor, has been enjoying my photos and has appreciated me having a renewed enthusiasm for the activity. I am debating about whether to buy one of the new D300s or the expected revised D700s; lots of $$ for a not even skilled amateur. But I know that I have advanced to the point that I CAN use the features provided by those cameras and that I WILL use them. Even if only for me to load on my Epson viewer, my laptop, and soon on to a little website somewhere.
I hope you all don't mind me jumping in here, but the topic seemed really relevant to me at this time. I will be a regular attendee at these meetings in the future. Oh, I am leaving on 6 Aug for a month of shooting pictures at various National Parks from San Diego, CA to Glacier National Park in Montana. Can't wait.
Nick Vanmatre (Nikyvee)
I'm sure I can speak for all the gang here at Nikonrumors forum in welcoming you on board Nikyvee. Great to hear that your enjoying your photography because that's what it's all about.
You didn't say what you currently shoot with, but if you already have DX lenses then definitely go for the new D300S. Unless you still have your old 35mm lenses then go get a D700 now and take it with you on your trip. Even if there really is a D700S, it wont be out until maybe the end of the year so think about all the pictures you'll be missing out on.
Although it's a bit heavier you'll love the bigger brighter full frame viewfinder. Plus it handles more like a film camera. But the D300S would be a great camera for you as well and having video would really make your pictures "come alive" ;^)
Goodluck, with whichever you decide to get and thanks for posting. Be sure to post your pictures when you get back!
I look forward to reading more about your adventures 8^)
Adamz looks like you, willis, monty11, and I need to meet for a friendly competition 8^*
Hmm, i'm gonna try something new, and put my input on here.
My resoning, art is a big deal to me, drawing wise I suck, painting wise I just have fun messing around, but photography gives you more, it gives me insperation, it's relaxing and gives you a since of pride in what you take. And being proud of something feels great, am I right? It just lets you get away, when i'm shooting, thats all i'm thinking about. Now, it would be rediculous to spend so much money for no reason. But, if you enjoy and, and it makes you feel good, and you have a great time doing it, then it's worth it. If I got better, and was older, being paid would be great, I haven't reached that dream yet, It would be great don't get me wrong, but as of now, i'm just having fun, enjoying something, having something thats mine, that I did, that I can feel good about. And like NikoDoby said, I have met some pretty awesome people this way.
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