I love photography; possibly to the point of obsession. But why?
For years I have known that I loved photography but I never deliberated on the reasoning behind it. I simply went with it and created a goal of one day having a family, leaving my career, and working from home as a photographer. [The snapshot visions that have danced in my head of this future included raising/playing with my babies around our lush garden and editing/posting photos during nap times. haha] Therefore, in my small amount of spare time, I have been investing and preparing for that dream. I have established a growing, reliable customer base and a healthy portofolio based on many different areas of photography. Also, I am well underway in many of the other initiatives that would be required for full business launch.
During the second half of last year, I accepted nearly every photo session opportunity presented to me. I felt like this enabled me to gain an accurate peek into what my goal would be like when fully realized. Unfortunately, instead of the overwhelming joy that I thought it would bring, I became close to the point of burnout and worrisome over potential loss of passion for the trade, which I attribute mostly to the ‘customer aspect’ of the business. [My vision started turning into crying babies sprawled around a dying garden while customers argued with me over the phone. Bigger haha]. Due to this, I have taken a big step back to perform a deep drill into what photography means to me in order to discover my true niche/passion.
Photography to Me:
These are the reasons I love photography:
- I am passionate about all aspects of art: photography, drawing, painting, dancing, music/singing, interior decorating & design, architecture, woodworking, web/graphic design, and gardening (decorating with live elements). I deem myself a generalist; good at many things (including non-art related) with potential to be amazing at whatever I apply myself to.
- The photograph is an instant deliverable, which generates immediate emotional response (whether favorable or unfavorable) and satisfaction of completion. Most other forms require much more time investment. Translated, it accommodates my hectic schedule nicely since I have limited capacity to invest in art. This is simply an advantage, not meant to diminish the conceived level of appreciation I have for it versus the other areas.
- I have learned that my thought patterns are centered on full processes and the big picture. I find this ironic since I am extremely detail-oriented while performing tasks. As soon as the details have been thought of and completed, my mind seems to deem them unnecessary, dump them, and prepare/focus on the next process or initiative. I think this is why I can’t remember jokes or quote conversations, although I can recant the overall meaning of conversations or experiences since I was 3. As an exception, my brain must classify music as important since I can hear a song once and remember every word, the artist, and the name of the song. But I digress! Getting back to the point, photos help revive the details of the memories that I have lost.
- In reference to sharing experiences with others, I am not a gifted orator. I find it difficult to pull bland, independent words from Webster’s toolbox and weave them into captivating verbal imagery worthy of the occasion. [As a note, I do enjoy writing because it gives me infinite time to reflect on word choice until I am satisfied]. Therefore, I rely on my camera to help turn mere moments into colorful stories. As the old saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words”~Anonymous.
- Most importantly, my true pleasure is not derived from capturing a posed photo of someone’s pearly whites in the best possible way during a photo session. I think this has been evident, although not top of mind, in my photography style of trying to blend in with the surroundings using my zoom lens to capture photos. Also, this may be why I have been segregating my photography sessions from my ‘funtography’ adventures. There is just something about capturing a real, unrehearsed moment in time that shows raw human thought/emotion or natural activity. Perhaps I find the investigation of psychological, socialogical, and environmental interaction intriguing. A real ‘smile and glimmer in the eye’ response of happiness will always be more much captivating than a fixed lipped, quivering cheek, dull eye attempt. Only a small percentage of people are good at being naturally ‘Photogenic’ and can create charisma with the camera to successfully pull it off…. and they are usually models/actors by trade.
Now for my next step… taking what I have learned to develop my niche and how to leverage it. Stay tuned! 🙂
Photogenics Photography 