|
Why?... it's a big and broad question!... personal reasons and more interior motivations, both apply for me, I think.
I took to my camera as a way (at the time) of re-integrating myself into a world that I had very much distanced myself from and the result was a connection with both the people and community around me and a desire to try to get stories told, lives recorded and in a way make a lasting record of situations and people, fellow human beings that go through life somewhat un-noticed. It was a way of my reaching out and a way of combating fears and a way of life too... with a camera never far away it reminded me how to look at the world again after a time of forgetting how to.
Using a camera was a good way to make other people important, I felt that using a camera had less to do with my input than say painting or music, both things that I had done for years and invested a great deal of "self" into... as my photography began the fact that I was able to approach it and the focus being on the other side of the lens rather than my being behind it was a real help to me. That may have changed over the last few years as I have made more conscious decisions, what to shoot and what positive things I might be able to do with any resulting images or stories but in principle that scenario remains the same for me - who the the photo is of remains the most relevant aspect to me.
Karen, your a total star!... and Mark, for your news, please accept my thoughts and best wishes, I always enjoy your shots and activity here in the forums. Photographs, good or bad are always important, always tell a story, always preserve a moment, forever and thats why I love them : )
|