All very interesting. I kind-a relate to it all and probably more but I think (very dangerous) the one of many thing standing out, for me is, "When I was taught by two wonderful Photog Instructors named Donna and Judith, To See with more than just my eyes. I did not understand at first what that meant! After months in the classroom, darkroom, field trips, museums of the photographic arts like the MOPA, Getty and others, one day we were hanging our work at City Hall and I, during a break, took my camera outside to photograph some interesting architecture and Donna walked up behind me and ask what I was seeing? I replied, buildings and reflections on the glass and the water. She said, look down at my feet, what do you see, a big leaf I said. She told me to look closer and now what do you see? I looked closer and saw color, texture, veins and many
shapes within shapes, sandy background, shadows and the beauty of one
small fragment of discarded creation. She said, now take my pictures of what
I now saw, from every angle of view and from different distances and
settings... I did! That was the first day in my life I understood, felt and knew
what "Seeing" stood for in art and photography. Most importantly, I now see
the planet differently and now more fully. I never knew how much I had been
missing...

The camera and lens help to slow me down enough to view my surroundings and to see and capture what I see through the lens with a now more developed inner eye. That sets me free and that is why I use and shoot the camera!

R/ The PhotogDog

I find myself wondering sometimes why we make, take, create photos. For family, for income, for memories, for art, for fame, to put on a disk and forget, or to investigate the world around us?
Sometimes I catch myself wondering why or what caught my attention for a shot and then remembering it was the light on the edge of the leaf, but the light has changed by then and the shot is gone. Perhaps better to wonder after the shot.
Anyway, was just curious as what other photographers think.
mariak

I find myself wondering sometimes why we make, take, create photos. For family, for income, for memories, for art, for fame, to put on a disk and forget, or to investigate the world around us?
Sometimes I catch myself wondering why or what caught my attention for a shot and then remembering it was the light on the edge of the leaf, but the light has changed by then and the shot is gone. Perhaps better to wonder after the shot.
Anyway, was just curious as what other photographers think.
mariak

I find myself wondering sometimes why we make, take, create photos. For family, for income, for memories, for art, for fame, to put on a disk and forget, or to investigate the world around us?
Sometimes I catch myself wondering why or what caught my attention for a shot and then remembering it was the light on the edge of the leaf, but the light has changed by then and the shot is gone. Perhaps better to wonder after the shot.
Anyway, was just curious as what other photographers think.
mariak

I find myself wondering sometimes why we make, take, create photos. For family, for income, for memories, for art, for fame, to put on a disk and forget, or to investigate the world around us?
Sometimes I catch myself wondering why or what caught my attention for a shot and then remembering it was the light on the edge of the leaf, but the light has changed by then and the shot is gone. Perhaps better to wonder after the shot.
Anyway, was just curious as what other photographers think.
mariak