Photography is often described as the pursuit of beauty in ordinary things, routines, or moments. That’s not its only definition, of course. The greatest internal struggle I have with this art is the discontent with my limited perception to only shoot that which was already great, even before I stumbled upon it camera in hand.
I deeply admire photographers who can identify, or even create, an extraordinary composition unique from my imagination. But, not every photo I take demands to satisfy a set bar of aesthetic appeal; from travelling to snapshots of family members, sometimes photos are just that: snippets of an endearing memory.
That goes without saying, though. Photos are taken so often now because we’re spoiled to be able to capture anything and everything. To keep from disenchantment, then, I have 5 reasons that I continue shooting. I hope one may apply to you, whether you’re seasoned or looking to start. If you have another, I’d love to know.
1: Burst your bubble.
The first step to most shoots is probably hitting the explore tab in Instagram and looking for inspiration, but sometimes a spontaneous trip around where you live can just be more (fulfilling?). I think many photographers, just as I did, bemoan that their hometown is dry, insignificant, devoid of interest even. Like photography’s premise goes though, if you look amongst the ordinary, you’ll always find something.
For me, as a student in college, photography can be an escape. We always find ourselves caught up in something that, to be blunt, will be irrelevant with time. A shortcut? Explore the city I’m spending four years in.
One of my favorite aspects of urban areas is the juxtaposition of nature and industrialism.
2: Observe.
I notice I’m often spacing out and daydreaming as I walk down Locust, plugged into my earphones. I dislike it, though; when a friend waves at me, should I not be excited to have seen them since last? Yet, I habitually walk by, noticing too late. Photography forces me to observe the intricacies of my environment: how shadows play, architectural designs, choices of color.
It also reminds you of how much could change. Cities, as great they may be of a metropolitan and cultural destination, are populated with unfortunate events. I don’t know how much singularly we can affect this, but it helps to remain conscious of it.
Regardless if humans are trash, we make a lot of it.
3: Be your own storyteller.
I’ve always had an intimate love for fantasy. It drives me in all sorts of entertainment I follow, whether it be books, shows, or games. Though I may not be able to create as compelling a story as Rowling, I can produce an image and give myself that satisfaction of having imagined something different, likely, than what was reality in that moment.
What do you think of when you see these images?
4: Appreciate; move on.
In all my little explorations, the one theme that resonates most is how amazed I am to experience it. People running by that I’ll never know or meet again, an exchange of strangers, environmental wonder, there’s so much to taken in when life bustles around us. If anything, it roots your perspective, and serves as a visual pinch in the skin.
There are some very unique fashion senses around.
5: Show, not tell.
A photographer’s portfolio reflects their interests, style, and meaning. My ideal is that, though these photos may not individually be the strongest, they communicate something differently to each viewer as a collective project. Depending on your background and experiences, there’s a unique conversation to be had. To that end, I’ve contributed to some narrative, without needing to delve into the sometimes dangerous war of words. Editorializing, I suppose.
There’s still lots of good things happening.
I notice people interested in photography are often scared to start because they may not produce a good enough image by the end of a venture. I still feel that, as for every one photo I’m satisfied with, there’s another 100 I ponder on. But, I think now that it’s the other way around. Plurality is the bane of my photography, in that I don’t want to let go far too many of my rather unimpressive photos. Still, there’s an excess of moments to capture anywhere.
After all, every photo I’ve shown here was taken walking down just one street in Philadelphia.