d2b2 Loc: Catonsville, Maryland, USA

I shoot because, even at the price of photo equipment, it is less expensive than excessive drinking, over the long haul. Combining those two hobbies can also be interesting.

Singing Swan

Yeah, ya gotta do it or you perish. Photography is as necessary as breathing and eating.

And we're supposed to DO something with the results of those efforts ????? What a novel concept :) :) :) :)

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

The why: I take many photos of the grandkids and their environment.
The what: I make scrapbooks for the grandkids with those photos, and write any "special" things with them.
The follow-up: Eventually each of our 13 grandkids will get his/her own scrapbook(s). But as long as the are small enough to sit on the couch with me, we regularly look at his or her book together. They will not only have the memories in their books, they will also have memories of special time with Oma, where he or she is the all-important person.

The why: I take photos of our tv, the back yard, the bird feeder, to try our different settings, and to practice shooting hand-held.
The what: I will sometimes place an "old" and a "new" photo of the same subject side-by-side, then try to be my own worst critic.

The why: On many holidays there is too much happening and too much to be seen to remember it all. The photos will have to tell my story where my memory is lacking.
The what: Scrapbooks like the ones for the grandkids. Except this time it's my husband and I sitting down together and remembering.... with the help of the photos.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Leitz Loc: Solms

:thumbup: Rather a no brainer, indeed!

Addyrose

Aww, I love that!

RICARDOOO Loc: Findlay, Ohio

I post my images on DA

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

My images get stored on a hard drive, lost forever;
I take more pictures believing that at some point, I will create a truly memorial image.

pecohen Loc: Central Maine

These are interesting - and revealing - questions. The second (what to do with them) was probably the reason I got away from photography for a number of years. It seemed pretty foolish to spend all the time, effort and expense to get a collection of photos to put into boxes for storage but probably never look at again.

But somehow photography seems to offer a nice mix of technical challenges with an artistic outlet. It's something I enjoy doing just for its own sake. I do some wood-carving for exactly the same reason. Eventually I came back to it.

However, modern technology has provided an answer for me to the second question - what to do with the photos. After I shoot and finish PP on a collection of photos around some theme - a trip, a family party or some other topic, I assemble them into a video slide-show. Mostly I use Corel's Video Studio for this purpose and it allows me to zoom in and pan across an image as well as edit background music. The final result goes onto a hard drive attached to a Blue-Ray player in my living room. My family can and does watch them from time to time; they get a lot more use than any photo album I've ever had.

bobmadison Loc: Riverside Cal.

For Fun. For a few years I got caught up in making money with photography. (No fun)

Now just fun and I print a calendar for the family. Is Fun.

David Popham Loc: French Creek, British Columbia

My wife and I go on trips. We take lots of shots and then cull them so that "our best" shots can fit into a twenty page digital album. That album then sits with others. Guests can look at them while we prepare "appies" or dinner.

Bob Boner

Photography is more than a hobby for me. It is an addiction. I guess the main reason I do it is to experience nature and wildlife and to share my images with family and friends.

bparr1 Loc: Carthage, TN

I shoot photos hoping to get better at it but this time of year, I shoot portraits of kids with Santa Clause for my Vietnam Veterans chapter in Sumner County, TN. We print them out for the parents to take home along with the wrapped gifts for the kids to open on Christmas day and the food boxes.

ebbote Loc: Hockley, Texas

I take pictures for the fun of it, that's all.

Frequent Flyer Loc: Kujukuri, Japan

Each photo is a challenge and and achievement. I share some and keep everything that inspires me. Though I'm a beginner, photography is part of my life.