To Be a Photographer Is to Live!

I really have to admit it, but not every day do I feel like taking photos for someone else, but most days I feel like going out there and taking photos for myself. Most people see photography as something that just involves grabbing a camera or a mobile device and shooting whatever it is we see out there, but not for me. For me, photography is something else: it is a passion, it is an idea bigger than myself; for me, to be a photographer is to live. 

Me, Myself, and My Camera

As a loner kind of artist, I enjoy going for walks, talking to strangers, and taking my camera to photograph and document the casual encounters, a nice sunset somewhere, or maybe even a trashcan I find interesting with no particular idea behind it. My camera is one of my best allies: it has given me the opportunity to travel, to meet great people, to create art, to express everything I want, and it has allowed me to make a living. In a nutshell, my camera has provided me with most of the things a human might need, like food, traveling, happiness, friendship, a house to live in, beers (lots of them), and love. I have always been an interesting combination of an introvert and extrovert, and my camera has allowed me to push myself when I don’t feel the confidence to approach someone. Having a camera has given me the excuse to go and ask someone for a photograph, to engage with others, and ultimately, to interact and open my vision to other people.  

To Be a Photographer Is to Live!

The title is quite simple. When you are a photographer, you get to play around in many settings that you will never be able to do with any other profession. You get to be in a massive warehouse shooting football players one day, shooting in the desert or a remote beach location another day, interacting and having fun with beautiful people, traveling and eating great food, talking with locals and getting great travel advice. You get to direct people that have achieved great things for society, you get free advice from a guru you have to photograph, jump in a helicopter, shoot in an empty airport or in your own private jet, document divers on a beach in Mexico, help people communicate an idea, witness nature’s best events in the front row, go to great sport events, meet the queen of England and maybe one day make a difference. The list is endless. To be a photographer is to have a personal window into everyone’s life and lifestyle. You get to be with an environment, an animal, or a human and be a part of their journey. You get to connect in a deeper way and experience what they are going through, and you make your life richer with all those experiences. 

Our Photos Are a Collection of Our Life

If a photographer is to live, then a photo is a recording of that life. Every moment you live and take a photo is a way to step back and see where you've been, the people you’ve met, and the experiences you've had. Your life is being documented as you document and capture the world around you. I want to encourage all my photographer friends out there to continue documenting your life’s journey with beautiful images. Keep recording the moments you have and keep doing it with your own eyes! We are all unique creatures and unique artists, and our photographs are just a visual expression of what we’ve lived and where we’ve been. Keep going on walks and shooting, keep learning from your craft, and most important of all, keep connecting with your subjects and try to make a difference; money is not everything. Let's not stop creating and let's all work together towards leaving meaning in our work for generations to come.