Photography Not Just For My Fancies

A few days ago, I put up a tweet referring to my article here about my new photographic journey (the focusing on telling stories thing). Of course, I was too brief, because it is Twitter after all, but it started a strange series of replies that brought up another topic entirely, one worth thinking through here, in case it might be of benefit to any of you.

Cooper Strange I feel like I am starting a whole new photographic journey. WHY do I shoot? http://bit.ly/klT7Y

****** I feel like I am starting a whole new photographic journey. WHY do I shoot? (via @CooperStrange) Whatever makes you smile and feel satisfied

CooperStrange @****** I sure hope my photography accomplishes more than making me feel satisfied. If that is it, I quit. Just find a good book.

****** @CooperStrange You’ll accomplish whatever you set out to do if you’re passionate about it.

CooperStrange @****** Not true. I can be passionate about the moon coming up every other day, but it will not happen. All is checked by truth.

And that was that. I sure do not want to be rude (thought the 140 character limit sure makes us blunt whether we like it or not), but this is just more of the the same pop-psychology babble I have heard so much (especially from Americans). We buy in without even thinking it through.

Sure, it is ok to be passionate about some things. Fine. And yes, I do enjoy photography a lot and that is a great side benefit, but it is not the purpose. I personally want my life choices to do more than just tickle my fancies. I strive to find the meaning in everything and to make sure every word and action achieves an eternal purpose. If I just want to be pleased in this life, I am headed for a meaningless and painful future…’cause it ain’t gonna happen.

Then, within a day, a friend asked me a question on Facebook that really challenged me. She hit the core of this whole topic, and I did not totally know how to answer because I am right in the middle of figuring it out myself.

“So, why the intense investment in the photographs and websites? Total hobby or more? 🙂 I enjoy looking.”

And here was my nice sounding, but not so reasonsed response:

“Good question. Photography is more than just a hobby. I approach it professionally, but it is not a profession…in the sense that is does not make me any money and probably never will. I was about to say it is useful to others on this side of the world to help them communicate the local situation and just family portraits and such, but that is not it totally either.

“It is a form of communication for me. It is also capturing that which I know will soon be lost. It is about telling stories of life that are going on everyday, because those stories are valuable.

“Hm…I need to think more about that.”

These are just some of the thoughts from a guy who lives overseas, away from his family, and wants to communicate what life it like here. However, I also realize, this visual communication of mine is helpful in more ways that just between me and my family and friends. It does have a deeper purpose still, but putting that into words is the tricky part.

I used to think to myself, “I want to capture what life is really like for these people so future generations can have the record”. It was my gift to posterity. There is still an element of that, but now it is slowly evolving into something much deeper. For as I said above, if all photography does is give me some superficial satisfaction, I might as well grab a good book, because that is a lot easier and will take up far less time and energy.

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