Pixiq

Wouldn’t it be nice if the world were always as beautiful as its sunsets and rainbows? Nature is splendid and is why most of us have become photographers. We record the beauty that surrounds us or at least the beauty that we can still find.

Soon I think, every waterfall in the country will have been shot at least a hundred times with HDR using a long shutter and an ND filter. It seems that a huge number of image-makers are only attracted to taking images of waterfalls, seashores and majestic mountains.

I don't have any problems with shooting them; they are in fact great subjects. I am probably just as guilty as anyone and at times somewhat jealous of those who know where the good ones are. The world has an abundance of beauty to experience and to capture.

Everything imaginable seems to have already been photographed. We have millions of images of almost every type of subject. We have billions of snapshots, trillions of faces, zillions of cats and dogs and bunnies and birds. There are images of cars and boats, buildings and trees. I see people taking pictures of rocks and signs, animals and food, the moon and the stars. We experience places through photographs of them. Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty are examples of things we’ve likely "seen" before we actually go there. Anything you can name has more than likely been recorded with photographs and video again and again and again.

Waterfalls, majestic mountains, sunsets and waves crashing on a beach make for some beautiful and awe inspiring imagery. They are of great importance to experience and to photograph. We need them in our lives.

However, there are so many other things in this world to photograph that it seems almost a sin not to photograph them.

The subjects of photography can be as simple as light (not really so simple) and shadow, color, texture, forms, weather, people, nature, culture, and so on.

Besides the beautiful, what else is there to photograph? Are there new subjects? What else can be photographed? Almost anything would be a start.

We all see the world from a personal perspective. In most cases we believe we see the world exactly the same as anyone else. Yet each of us standing in front of a subject will photograph it differently. I like that idea, but somehow we need to connect the dots. We need to see the differences from our unique perspectives. Our worlds are different because we occupy a different point of view.

Originality is something to accomplish! It is a goal to achieve! We as photographers strive to be creative in our work.

So what is there that might be new territory for photographic exploration?

All the things that we can see are perpetually changing. Light changes the appearance of the world each and every moment. Mankind also changes from moment to moment. The world is full of change.

The camera allows us to capture the good, bad and ugly. It is a tool for recording our being here in the universe. Photographs are an acknowledgement of our existence. They show us how we see the things in this world as well as each other. The camera can be used to reveal our character as individuals and as a culture. It is also a tool for change.

What do I mean by a tool for change?

With the camera we have a unique device, which can become a personal means for voicing our concerns about the world we live in. The camera is a tool that can be used to show the world what we think is important. Photographs and video can present our views and tell our stories. Through it we can depict the beautiful as well as the hideous. It can be used as a weapon for fighting politics, greed, poverty, war, pollution, hatred, and bigotry. The real power of the camera lies in its potential use for cultural change and human growth. It can be used for finding spirituality. It has been used for protecting environments, understanding cultures, recording catastrophic events, and for overthrowing dictatorships.

Your camera is a powerful and democratic communication tool. Use it as your voice. Use it from your perspective. Use it to change the world for the better.

Most anyone with a camera has the opportunity to record the things that could help us all to better understand life and to insure the peaceful coexistence of the human race and the well being of our tiny world.

Perhaps the title best suited for this role is - Concerned Photography.

Concerned Photography is also known as Social Documentary Photography.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_documentary_photography

Please read more of my posts regarding Digital and Analog Photography on Pixiq. 

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