I had a bride as me why I am a photographer? In my heart I will always be a photographer until the day I die. I will always have a camera in my hand. I will always be on a quest to create something. Whether or not it will always be my career and my means of making money is another story. But I hope to keep it as my career for as long as possible.
And that brings up the question, why am I a photographer? Why is this the thing that gets me excited? Why is this the activity that I think about non-stop? Why does it motivate me to always try to learn more and become better?
The truth of the matter is, it’s not the photographs or the act of pressing the shutter that pushes me. It’s the people that are in the photographs.
Today, I was introduced to a quote from David duChemin’s book Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision
“Anyone can take a picture of poverty; it’s easy to focus on the dirt and hurt of the poor. It’s much harder and much more needful – to pry under that dirt and reveal the beauty and dignity of people that, but for their birth into a place and circumstance different from our own, are just like ourselves. I want my images to tell the story of those people and to move us beyond pity to justice and mercy.”
Poignant words to say the least.
I was immediately drawn to that quote. While I may spend my time photographing people in very different circumstances, I’m still photographing people. Anyone can take a photograph of a bride in a pretty wedding gown. But there is something even more beautiful beneath that gown. There are the hopes and dreams of “young” love. There are the emotions of someone who is publicly making a commitment and who is sharing a special moment with dear friends and family. I am witnessing the birth of a new family. I have the opportunity to record it all so that future generations can have a better view of that beauty beneath the gown. I want my photos to tell the story of the people I photograph. I want them to say more than what they wore and who was there. I want the photographs to say who they are and who is important to them.
With that said, I want to start sharing with you more about what I think makes good photography and what motivates me to pick up a camera.
It’s important to continue to connect with wonderful clients that are willing to trust me. If we are a good fit, and you trust me, there is no limit to the images that we can create. They will be more than pretty pictures. They will tell your story. They will be your personal legacy.