Brief Thoughts on Photography

I came across a terrific quote today while I was browsing around 'thinkexist.com'. The quote was this:

"Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still."
~ Dorothea Lange, American documentary photographer

For me, this thirteen word quote encapsulates what photography means to me personally. When I head out the door to do some photography, my goal is to take instants out of time. To alter life by holding it still. Photography allows me to freeze moments that we take for granted in every day life, and give them a completely different meaning and perspective. Life has so many dimensions, and I desire to try to snap them before they flucuate once more. Emotions and expressions on people's faces can be lost within seconds of them being shown. But with a camera in hand I can freeze the moment, capture the expression before it disappears. Before it is lost. And I find that the best photography--the true photography--is done when the subject doesn't even know they're being captured. Do you realise the shots one could get? It's amazing the end result you get when you take a picture of someone when they don't know you are. It brings out their true self. People tend to act almost fake for the camera. Most folk smile for the camera. It's a done thing I suppose. Not many frown when someone points a camera in their direction. So that is why like to secretly take pictures of others. It captures people as they are in that moment. How they are feeling in that instant. For me, that's the beauty of it.

Another thing I wanted to say regarding the above quote, is that the brilliant thing about photos is that they never die. You can always look back on moments and experiences. Some good, and some not so good. But that's also why we should show our true emotions in pictures, because when we look back on them, we'll be able to say and remember how we were feeling. It'd be a sin if all pictures feautured smiling people, because that's not how life is. We don't smile all the time. And I guess with photography, in contrast to fun pictures of a day out, it's more vital to show emotions instead of smiling because it's more artistic. People are more obligated to smile, let's say for a trip to the zoo, than an artistic shot.

For me anyway, I want to show how I feel in pictures. Almost like a visual diary, I guess. Since I bought my camera this year, I've taken over 2,000 images already. That's a lot of memories to look back on!