This is the second in a series of blog type articles I have been thinking about for a while. I realize that this isn't really "news" but in the past Newschoolers has encouraged this type of writing. This is just meant to be a discussion of my personal opinion and I realize that not everyone will find it interesting. Let me know in the comments what you think. Thanks!

Here is a link to part 1 "What?" http://www.newschoolers.com/readnews/44697/What-?c=latest&o=2

Everyone takes pictures but we don't often take the time to analyze why. For a long time I simply took pictures because I wanted to remember things. In the past few months I have started taking photos simply to take good photos, to practice a skill or perfect an art. This has led my motivation to take pictures through an interesting journey.

Mandatory hipster photographer selfie to start things off

Artsy-ness

Several things have happened this year to change my mentality on photography. I took a few good pictures and got a little bit of exposure, I got a taste of success and wanted more. I was driven. I had a motivation to shoot stills. I went to the mountain with the goal of taking good photos. I spent less time skiing and more time shooting.

Big old shifty to keep your attention

Pitted

I started wearing a fanny pack so that I could always have my camera accessible. I spent my days skiing hunched over, looking like a gaper grandma with my too tall coat fanning out like a bizarre maternity dress under my camo fanny pack. I skied backseat, getting myself into terrain that scared me, standing under cliffs with sluff falling all over me, finding tiny ledges to perch on, all to get the shot. And it payed off, I got better photos then ever before, and the stoke I got from capturing that beauty made it all worth it.

Yeah, I look pretty bad in a fanny pack

I think this shot makes spending a day in a fanny pack worth it.

[/i][/i]

I think this one is kind of cool too.

But is that why I take photos? Is it all for the up votes? Is that the goal, to have a bunch of people I don’t know like what I captured? No, I don’t think so. I am thankful for the exposure, I am stoked to be part of the NS Photographers Program but that is not why I take pictures. When I get the shot, after the athlete lands and the snow clears I look at my screen and say “Yes, this is objectively good, the shot is in focus, the cliff looks big, the exposure is set correctly, I got the shot, this will be popular.” I am stoked to get the shot but it is not internal happiness. It is real but it is all external, I am not happy simply because I loved the moment and I captured it. Instead I am capturing the joy of others and that opportunity to chronicle things that others will find universally interesting or beautiful drives my serious photography.

Another picture I like

This was a wet day.

I liked this shot, NS didn't

I started taking photos because I wanted to capture the things in my life that make me happy. I take a bunch of photos that don’t matter to anyone else, they are not objectively good photos, many of them are not straight or focused or beautiful. Instead they remind me of beauty, of happiness, of a moment. I am happy capturing the moment for other people and I love progressing the art and technicality of my photography but really for me the reason I take photos will always be the same. I want to capture the moments of beauty and happiness in life. My favorite pictures that I have taken will never make it to the front page or earn me critical acclaim in Media and Arts but they are what drive me to pick up the camera each morning.

One of the few pictures of me skiing, this isn't a good photo but for me it captures the moment well.

Another photo that captures the moment and make me happy but isn't objectively good.

I started taking pictures because I wanted to be able to chronicle adventures

I am happy to take pictures that others find exciting and beautiful but for me my motivation still comes from capturing moments that I enjoyed.

Thanks for your time!