MVK
@mvk9 Aug
Why do we take pictures?
Re-reading Framelines Issue 10 in bed this Sunday morning, I came across Shane’s Madrid spread, and his question: why do you take pictures? So, here’s my answer. I used to take pictures all the time, mostly on my iPhone. My life, my work, my kids. Over years, photography and Instagram became almost the same thing. I had a huge following and a verified account back when you couldn’t just buy the little blue tick. Photography slowly became tangled up with being noticed, my lifestyle, my holidays, my work, my family, my pretty little life. Likes, comments, approval, a sense of competition crept in. Eventually, it all got in the way. Five years ago, I left Instagram. And strangely, I stopped taking pictures too. Until my wife said, “You can’t stop taking pictures of the kids.” So I started again, quietly, just for us. Then eight months ago she gave me a Q3 for my birthday, and down the rabbit hole I went. I tell myself now that I photograph simply because I love it. And I think that’s mostly true. But there are still two voices in my head. One says, share it, submit it, let people see it. The other says, there you go again, looking for approval. Perhaps some of that is just who I became. I left home for boarding school at nine, and the need to be liked, to impress, to belong, found its way pretty deep into me. So yes, I still feel absurdly happy when an image gets selected by LFI. And yes, I want to share things here, meet people, hear what they think and learn from them. Maybe that isn’t quite the same thing as seeking validation? I just pray sometimes that this isn’t just “Instagram-lite” for me. So I try to be very mindful of that. I’d like to believe that now it’s more about finding my kind of people. A little community of like-minded folk who are generous with what they know, happy to share, teach, encourage and be encouraged. People whose photographs make you stop and look twice, and whose company you’d probably enjoy, even if you know you’ll never actually meet. That feels like something worth being part of. Anyway, that’s my Sunday morning answer to Shane’s question. P.S. Josh, why wasn’t that seagulls photograph you made with Martin Parr in your spread? I would have loved to see that one.
Interesting MVK. I have asked myself the same question, many times and still do. I think the answer is likely to be very different for everyone and often has a personal historical factor. In my case I have always loved art, by which I mean visual images. For me this meant creating images and observing others work. At the age of 21 I decided I was not artistically skilled enough, so took an entirely different direction. Photography slowly entered into my life, I always loved taking snaps of places I visited. In my early 40's I realised I had a growing passion for photographic images and photography became my main pastime. I am now retired from paid work (which was all consuming and stressful) Photography had become my creative release and freedom from my paid job. Photography is now a big part of everyday of my life. It's a time when I do what I want, escaping being a dad and mundane daily responsibilities. Also to have control to experiment without fear. To spend time alone away from family and even friends gives me something which belongs solely to me. I like being alone to go to places of my choosing and meeting strangers, to have different conversations. When I return to my everyday existence, photography has refreshed me, given me a break, has helped re-charge my batteries - in order to do all the essential daily things which need to be done.
Super interesting, appreciate you sharing that. I wish I had the courage to ditch instagram but frustratingly it's too entangled with my livelihood. Also good point, a bit of an oversight to not include that image...
For me, Instagram probably kick-started it. It introduced me to street photography and, more importantly, to a photography community in London that is a great bunch of people fun, supportive and very social
But perhaps the bigger reason is that I’ve always been a people watcher. I love the absurdity of everyday life on the street, the strange little moments, gestures and wild coincidences that happen completely by chance. Photography gives me a reason to get out there and actually look for them.
It gets me out of the house, walking the streets, meeting friends, meeting strangers and seeing what is happening around me. It’s far too easy to sit at home and watch Netflix, but picking up a camera gives me a reason to go outside and engage with the world.
And I suppose, ultimately, it’s a creative outlet. I’m under no illusion that I’m a great photographer, but taking photographs satisfies an itch. I enjoy the process of looking, noticing, waiting and occasionally getting lucky.
Maybe that’s enough of a reason to keep doing it.
Wise words David - very articulate about why we do it!
Thanks Keith
edited
I take pictures with the knowledge I've acquired from many people, who gained their knowledge from others before them, and so on. I now do the same in my own small way, passing it on hoping it gets passed on.
Whether it's capturing moments or creating moments, the joy of doing so is the same. Photography always has been, and always will be, a bit special for me. Plus, the stories that accompany the taking/making of our images is a wonderful bonus.
That was so well put MVK. For every person out there taking pictures to build a brand or make a name on Instagram there are probably so many like the folks in this community who just love the process. For me its like when in Cat on a hot tin roof the Paul Newman character is asked why he drinks he says he is waiting for that click in his head. I guess when you press that shutter button and after days or weeks of shooting you get that one image that sparks that click you know exactly why you do it.