Comment: For Christ Sake, What Do You Think You Pick Up That Camera For?

With the second assignment has been submitted, I can do a little bit of reflection and talk some nonsense before jumping into assignment 3.

I think I was rather lost about my own photographic goal. I mean if running around with gears give you pleasure, then by all means. The odd is you get pleasure but not improvement. I don't photograph purely for pleasure, but more for regerts. I missed the shot I wanted and I just have to go out there and try again.

Seriously, what is the purpose of picking up that camera? So that you can show your friends and family pictures and they think you are genius? Take some nude with your girl friend(s) and upload them on facebook when they threaten for a break up? Take picture of your children so that the dad (usually dad) of the kid next door feel shit about not having fancy equipments like yours? Or, you are an aspiring pro-photographer that you want to sell your photographs to pay mortgage, or buy a Porche?

There ought to be a purpose when you are spending as much money as a used car for photographic equipments, computers, printing device and education. Not to mention time spent on reading about the subject! I reckon it will be cheaper to be a drug addict than a photographer!


Lately because of a post I put on the OCA forum about free photograph, it occurs to me that getting ego boost from praise and recognition is great, especially from press or organization run by the people you don't know. However, eventually it is not the reason why I take photograph, and definitely not the reason why I live in this world for. I don't exactly fancy to spend the rest of my life to make money by producing "art" that some people like  but I don't like, nor bend over backward so that some people will appreciate what I do. I do what I do because there is such an impulse coming from inside that this is the logical thing to do, regardless if anyone will agree or care. Eventually it leads me to conclude that I am the one who need to know what I am aiming at and why. It should also be me who come to conclusion on what to improve and how. 


I have a very short life to live. I shouldn't have the spare time to worry about giving photograph away for free will destroy the untalented artists who fail to improve enough to get themselves back to the game. It also strikes me that it doesn't matter if other people call me a photographer or not, what I do is more or less the same, because I know why I am doing this.


By the way, I am still a camera user, not a photographer, and unlikely to become one any time soon unfortunately.