wetreed

I share my photos on six different Facebook pages and on this forum. This way thousands of people see my photos. Also I am constantly posting pictures I took in my Army days for the people I served with and their families. Many of these photos are over 40 years old. Some of my Army friends have told me they thought I was a pain when I was shooting them, but now they are really happy I took so many pictures.

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

To a "time capsule" for my family's posterity. How many times on this forum has someone presented an aged, faded photo of their great great? grandparents in hopes of getting a better rendition of what they really looked like, fun activities, special moments. I always felt that the 1st thing newly weds should get is a decent camera to document theirs & their children's lives.
I am now a grand paparazzo & have been constantly reminded by my kids how annoyed they are with my "voyeurism" . . . . . until they come around on the holidays and watch their lives unfold on the TV.

When my mother passed some years ago, we had the standard picture boards & a short slide show set up at the visitation. But it was the several albums of the kids growing up, family gatherings & the like that received the most attention. The documentation is worth the effort.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

My displaying has been in two parts. The first is to print, frame, and display on walls. We've been fortunate to have enjoyed many ocean cruises, mostly in Europe, but also in Alaska. We soon will go to Canada via a cruise ship. To all the destination, my camera has been attached to my hand, even in restaurants. There was even a last night "dance" up/down stairs in the grand restaurant on the Costa Concordia. We've also been to Egypt, Rome, Barcelona, London, and more. I mention these for there are framed captures of these. That even includes the main stairs here. So every time we go up and down to the top floor, I will see 14 of the captures on vacation. So for me, they go up on walls for us to enjoy. My second part? I no longer make prints but instead have wrapped canvas prints made, and ... of course, up on the walls. Two of those are actually 6' wide, and 4' tall. Spanish Steps in Rome, and Neptune's fountain in Florence. Most recently, I spent time at our botanical garden over a month's visits. Now, on a landing half way between the main floor and the lower level are 20 12"x12" wrapped canvas of flowers. We do have some rather cold and snow laden winters here, so seeing those is so refreshing during those cold months. Most recently, a large ferris wheel opened here. I've taken a daytime ride, complete with 57 captures. Soon, we'll take an evening ride with probably another 57 plus captures. I'm sure I'll have at least one wrapped canvas. And before anyone asks, no ... no large canvas made from those.

So, for me, I want to see the selected images, especially from our travels. What a great way to rekindle the memories.

In-lightened Loc: Kansas City

I don't have any L glass...but a couple with some gold rings...same thing. How many images/month depends on if I am able to get out into the field and whether it's landscape or my more nerdy bird nerd images. Those flight images sure drive the motor....

I am still self-employed because I like my work.....its my soul's calling. And it funds my passions. Ok, it's an obsession, if I am honest. I just love being outside. It's my church and it helps me remember beauty and innocence....the things that get lost in the busyness and burden of life. Someday, when I can't tote all that gear, I will have all those images to remind me of the moments and friends I have made along the way. I truly appreciate that photography speaks to my creative self and keeps those 2 remaining brain cells up the left side on the logical side, functional and agile. This year my goal was to submit some images in NANPA's yearly showcase. It was my first effort at submitting anything. Amazingly, one image placed in the top 250. I am humbled...there are a lot of talented people out there. I hope you stop by my Flikr page. If I inspire you to get out there and experience the beauty nature offers, I have accomplished my main goal in posting images be it on Flikr, social media or someone's wall.

I appreciate each and everyone of you who have contributed to this forum. It's where I started. Hearing how you think has taught me some valuable stuff! It's also toughened me up with some of the trollage that occasionally sneaks in here. Where and what else could someone do that would offer this much joy and growth?? See? It's not so expensive after all. Right?

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

Same question for playing golf or bridge or .....
At least we have something to show for our time.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

My father collected model trains, all gauges, old and new. Our basement was filled with them. My mother concerned herself with disposing of all of it if and when Dad passed.
Before he passed, he contacted a company in New York City, upon his passing, they came, packed it all up, took it back, made a catalog, and sold it all. Sent mom a nice check.
So, I have two friends assigned to get rid of my equipment on Ebay and send the funds to my family.
So, that taken care of, let me get to the crust of your post.
What is the final goal?
That goal was already set by my father, I got hold of a VHS tape made at one of Dad's bi monthly meetings with his train buddies. Someone asked my Dad what kept him going, his answer "MY HOBBY".
In the final analysis we all want to have a purpose in life, mine is posting on line and doing one man shows around the country. Bringing joy to others has always been a driving force in my life. (That and being a little bit of a troll here from time to time)
Now, what becomes of all my images, that's easy, my images are all stored on thumb drives, memory cards and hard drives. My oldest son knows where they are. My show images are all on three backup drives at home and my wife and son know exactly where they are. I also have two photo books made by shutter fly that contain my best images, my wife and son know exactly where they are.
I am ready if need be to leave at any time knowing my family can do what ever they need to do with my images.
All of my early slides and newspaper work, 50 years of wedding photography are all copied and on hard drives.
Every thing is in order.
I now shoot freely knowing I have done my due diligence in providing an easy exit from this life knowing all has been cataloged and properly stored and labeled.
And I will follow my own advice, "Have fun and Keep on Shooting until the end."

ncribble Loc: Albuquerque, NM

At heart I've discovered I'm an amateur photojournalist. We retired rather late in life at 72 and began traveling 4 or 5 months a year in our various RV's. We have loved seeing the US, Canada and Mexico through a windshield. My quest was to share these adventures with our children and more especially with our grandchildren. So with the photographs we took I could write the where's, why's and what our impressions were at that point in time.

At first I sent these Travel Logs out by email, but soon discovered that there was a limit to the size and quality photos that could be attached. The progression was building a website to display both the photographs and the dialog. This, too, has been a challenge, but it has kept the mind challenged. If I were going to display photographs then they should be the best and highest quality my ability and gear would allow. Thence began my learning curve and GAS, the term you enhance, but not that one that I endorse.

Yes, I have over time purchased several different Canon cameras, and lens. Now at 86 I only carry one body and the few 'L' lens I deem I need. My children and grandchildren have been the recipients of some nice gear. If I am going to take the time and energy to attempt to be a good photographer, then why not shoot the best gear I can afford. It is my money. We are not believers in cost accounting our vacation time or niceties such as camera gear. If we can afford to go we go. If not we stay home.

I've never sold a print and don't intend to, but I love to share the photos we have taken and to that end have given away many prints. On our Travel Logs we now have some 400 friends who receive them, and this year we have published 13 with one more to go after I shoot the Festival of Cranes at Bosque del Apache next month. They tell stories with dialog and photographs from Mexico, to Norway, Iceland, and New England, and New Mexico yet to come. It is a passion OH! yes, and one that I love and endorse.

My last leg on this journey through life is publishing phonebooks built around the various Travel Logs including the both the dialog and the photographs. As a child I remember sitting and listening to my Great Grandfathers tell of the Indian wars in Texas, and of their memories as a children in the Civil War. Oh! what I would give if I could now sit and read what they were describing. I hope the phonebooks and the website will offer my family that opportunity. Yes, photography is alive and it is the heart and soul of our journey through time.

Thanks Graham for asking your question, and my thanks to those of you who contribute daily to this forum. You are great to share your talents and experiences and are my early morning time with that cup of coffee.

Gracias,

Norm Ribble
www.ncribble.com

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

With all due respect, I would like to disagree with that comment.
May I critique?

I'm not big on gear.

First off, I haven't suffered or for that matter had my wife endure a GAS attack.
Second, I really photograph for myself. I want to satisfy my personal urge for satisfaction. Rarely does anyone see my final work. I am too lazy to do post processing. I may suffer from believing my work is far from professional.
Third, most of my work is in my home. I don't have any photographs in galleries.

As for admiring or appreciating the latest and greatest, I don't admire others equipment. Sure, the new Canon 1Dx Mark III is beautiful. I'm going to comment that it is far too much camera for me. I am outta' it's league. But I'm happy with my 5D Mark IV. I have seen others with the Nikon D5 or D810 and the Fuji GFX100. I think the Hasselblad H6D is also nice. Would I want to work with these beauties? No! I don't believe a more expensive joint will make my work better and more coveted by other photographers. The higher price of something doesn't elevate into class.
I'm really just out for the photos that make me happy. So I don't have a lotta' gear or glass. I have limited equipment and most of the "excess" gear I have is planned to be donated to a local High School.
Count me as a hobbyist rather than a professional like yourself.

By the way, I try to take at least one photograph per day. It's a holdover from when I was in school.

It was great chatting with you.

Happy Shooting!
Scruples

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

I remember my father, when he owned a Minolta SRT-101, would put his photos on Ektachrome and Kodachrome slides. As well as having prints made to send to relatives and friends. He would set up a screen, turn out the lights, and my family would watch photos from his carousel projector, which was round shaped. That was the pre-computer era. He had several hundreds of those slide photos. And he stored them in a drawer, labeled. I would say, wow, look at all those slides, packed in the proper sized boxes. I went to look at some laptops in past weeks at Best Buy Store. I was also interested in an external hard drive. It's amazing how much storage is available on hard drives today. One of the Tech Sales person told me that you can purchase a 10 TB of storage on a flash drive today. He said the price was $250. That's a lot of photo storage, or otherwise storage? It wouldn't be sold, if people didn't need that much storage? More than I'll ever need.

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

I create table books. Rather than cranking up your computer and hooking it to the TV, table books provide a great medium to share whatever.

Been doing my vacations/trips for years.

d2b2 Loc: Catonsville, Maryland, USA

For the most part, it is like catch and release fishing. The activity of trying to get a particular shot is a goal, all unto itself. But I give a certain number away for auctions to non-profit groups for fund-raising. Gifts to friends and family, to a small degree. And display in my house, which are rotated and renewed, tossing the older ones away or giving them away, in favor of new photos.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

It’s personal and to each his own.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Not my passion, have L glass and so not do thousands of shots a month.
I shoot composed shots that interest me and do not care what others think. I appreciate good comments of course.
I save them on hard drives for future use and if I look at them next week or year and decide I do not want them I delete them.
Final goal is my enjoyment and memories. Beyond that after I am gone I could care less what happens.
My legacy are the many buildings and resorts etc. that thousands of people use and enjoy every year.

PaulBrit Loc: Merlin, Southern Oregon

I must say how much I enjoyed this comment!

tomcat

All of my pictures fall into 3 categories: high school sports, vacation, and grandkids' sports. The high school sports shots are posted on Smugmug.com for the student athletes. I send the best ones from our family to Shutterfly and make album presents for them and keepsakes for our vacation. Only a handful of unpublished images reside on the computer hard drive