| I have enjoyed photography most of my life. | | | | 6. Photography can be a great career. Imagine being |
| Sometimes I made money, sometimes I did not. I put | | | | paid to go to far off places, to meet beautiful people, |
| thousands of hours into a photography website that | | | | to see things most people only dream of. To get to |
| has not made me a dime, yet still it consumes me, | | | | that level, I need to know all I can about the art. So |
| often filling my every waking thought. So the question | | | | whether I have reached there or not, I need to keep |
| arises, why do I put in so much time on something that | | | | learning more. |
| has not made me rich, or well known, or even | | | | 7. Photography can build self esteem. Compliments on |
| supported my family? | | | | your work, feedback, input all let you know you're |
| The answer to that question, like most, is probably | | | | doing something worth wild. When you can take |
| different for each of us. But if you are at a point, or | | | | someone who feels like a "nobody" and make her look |
| ever get to a point where you find yourself asking | | | | like a Goddess, there is no greater feeling in the world |
| "why bother"? Maybe this list will help spark an answer | | | | (for both of you)!! |
| for you. | | | | 8. Photography offers you the chance of immortality. |
| 1. Photography can relieve stress. It gives you the | | | | Photos on the cover of Life, Time, or National |
| excuse to be outdoors, to hike, to explore, and to fill | | | | Geographic magazines can be seen by Billions of |
| your lungs with good, clean fresh air. As you | | | | people. If you can move their editors, you can move |
| concentrate on other things, your own problems just | | | | the world. |
| seem to fade away. | | | | 9. Photography can unite your family. From baby |
| 2. Photography expands the imagination. It can be your | | | | pictures to high school dances, to marriage and |
| muse, your inspiration, even a starting point for other | | | | beyond, nothing helps you relate or draw closer to |
| creative endeavors. It helps you to see the world and | | | | someone than seeing what they've been through. It |
| people in a whole new way. | | | | helps you hold onto the memories when everyone |
| 3. Photography can be a spiritual experience. The rush | | | | else is gone. |
| of climbing a mountain or the magic of capturing baby's | | | | 10. Photography is my gift from God. It is my |
| first smile helps put the world in perspective. Touching | | | | responsibility to use the gifts I have been given. It's |
| the hearts of others is great . . . but touching your own, | | | | what I do, it's who I am. Like most gifts from God, its |
| puts you on the path to eternal enlightenment. | | | | purpose is to be shared with the world. How can I |
| 4. Photography is a means of communication. Yet | | | | share what I don't understand? How can I make my |
| more than that, it is a means of acquiring information. | | | | talents grow without actively seeking out more |
| Documentation, entertainment, and revelation all come | | | | knowledge and better understanding? |
| from being able to "See" another point of view. | | | | Obviously this listed is influenced by my own beliefs |
| 5. Photography can touch the hearts of others. | | | | and life experiences; however . . . making a "Top Ten" |
| Whether you are trying to raise money for "starving | | | | list of why YOU love photography, might just be the |
| kids" from Africa or trying to save an "endangered | | | | greatest gift you could give yourself this holiday |
| species" in Alaska, nothing can win people over faster | | | | season. Give yourself a reason to believe you can |
| than great photography. | | | | succeed and you will. |