Are photographs the main reason you photograph?

[Tom Stanworth]

As much as I love photography in general, if I could not create my own the frustration would probably not allow me to enjoy the wider subject. So yes, I do it because I need to create and deal with my own perspectives. Its an outlet that prevents the perssure getting too high. If I cannot shoot for a long period of time I go fairly nuts.

[mjs]

I thought about this for a while...

I'm in it for the photographs (prints.) I looked at pictures for decades before I ever took up a camera (I'm a late starter. Or, as my wife claims, just 'late'.) When I started I used print film, slide film: slides never really interested me but prints do. I have books and magazines, I go to museums and galleries. One of the best part of gatherings with photographic friends is the opportunity to see what they're doing, photographically.

I love the process, too. This past Sunday I got up unGodly early and drove to a state park. Hiked over the hill to the west end of the lake. Wandered around until I finally set up the 4x5 then watched the light on the lake and listened to the geese as the sun rose. I love this sort of thing and the feeling of satisfaction when everything's just right and that mechanical 'click' of a Copal shutter firing just satisfies me to the soul. Ten negatives in two hours -- breakneck speed for me!

But, yeah, it's the print.

Mike

[Paul Jenkin]

Photography has played an integral part in most of my leisure time for the past 35 years. I know embarrasingly little of the names of trees, plants and such but photography (the process) has got me off my rear-end and out into the wild blue yonder with my trusty (insert camera brand here) round my neck to try to capture its essence.

Despite still using lots of film (but since I no longer have my own darkroom), few of my photos end up as prints. However, whether we love or hate the new-fangled digital medium, we are on this forum as a result of its ability to share our literary and pictorial views. Consequently, most of the output I make public (be it scanned negs or digital photos) end up on my website and/or on other photo galleries.

I love the end result of my photographic efforts (however humble they may be in comparison to other, more professional and gifted artists' works) but the process by which I obtain them is just as important to me. I suppose that's one of the differences between amateur and professional - for the professional, the end result has to be the most important objective.

[CPorter]

It's hard as hell for me to photograph and print the way that I really want to, it's a time issue among other things. It would be pointless for me to photograph and not complete the process to arrive at the print I'm looking to have. Photography , and all of its related processes, is a huge release for me, so I guess I need to experience the whole thing from start to finish.

[Thomas Bertilsson]

For me photography is something I do to get a break from reality. I'll admit that I absolutely detest processing film. It's a chore, no matter how you twist and turn it.

But doing the actual shooting, looking into the ground glass, composing, directing if with people, metering - taking all the factors into consideration before I release the shutter - that's both fun and meditative. And when I'm at it I forget about the world around me and focus only on making the perfect negative to print.

And here comes the transition of processing film. It's a necessary intermediate step that solidifies the ideas and thoughts I had, so at least it's productive, and a means to an end.

Printing - that's the truly magical part for me, because that's where my ideas are tweaked into making the best representation of my original idea as possible. It's not until the print is dry, flat, mounted, set in an overmat, and preferably framed that I feel like it's a complete accomplishment. I rotate many mounted and overmated photographs in my frames, and dream that perhaps one day they'll hang in a gallery, museum, or someone's home for others to enjoy. I'd like to think that my images could have a positive impact on somebody's life. I know this is the case for a couple of people that have purchase my prints, and that gives me a huge kick.

But seeing a print that I'm truly happy with, where the printing is just right, all of the tonal values are as I like them to be, the tone and color from toning suits the subject matter, and the final presentation is before me - that makes me happy.

During the process, attempting to focus and make one single thing perfect - that's the 'asylum' part of it. It helps me relax from the rat race of every day life. It helps me stay sane. I hope to God that I never have to become a digital photographer, because it doesn't give me any of the pleasures above.

[Paul Jenkin]

Thomas, like yourself, I always regarded developing the negative as a complete and utter chore. I saw it as maths and science and physics and done to a pretty exactling formula - and something to get done to allow me to get on with making the print (in the days when I had a darkroom).

I'm not very dextrous and, consequently, I wasn't naturally gifted as a printer. I could produce decent quality prints for camera club competitions and good enough for me to hang on my walls but if I did a wedding or any serious assignments, I went to a pro lab.

These days I'm happiest with slides and (dare I say it) digital as I can tweak and re-tweak the digi file as much as I like to get the desired result. I really envy you and the other 'quality' chemical printers as I'd rather give up than continually produce results with which I remain disappointed.

[EASmithV]

Apug is an incredibly magical place when it comes for technical nerdiness and information. Always interesting to see a post that seems to differ slightly from this.

I really don't know... I just kind of got distracted... And more distracted. Photography is my great distraction, and the problem is, I can't and won't stop! Heeeelllllpppp!!!

[EASmithV]

TBH, Half the time is because I feel cool walking around with a Graflex.

[NickSimcheck]

I'm sure somebody has said it before me, but;

Can't I love the entire process from start to finish?

I love using different cameras, I love interacting with people and places, I love seeing the final image when the process is finished.

I do feel that images can have just as much (sometimes more) meaning to the viewer then the photographer, but they can also be quite different feelings.

[phyllis72]

it's an interesting question to say the least. Concerning my own personal experience, with the film it's about the final out come, and the total darkroom experience. With digital it's about the shooting. A theory for why; I don't regard digital as real. Even though I shoot both, (yes I'm a whore, and suffer from GAS because I work in a camera store. It's hard not to be.), enjoy printing both . I do like going to galleries and museums to photographer's works. I think it's the printing aspects that get me for museum shows. When I saw Ansel Adam's moonrise it was a laugh because of seeing all the burning and dodging marks on it. To me it's like seeing a painting vs. a print of the painting. It's affirming to see the mistakes and short cuts the "masters" have made.