Why Photography is Such a Fun Hobby

1. Why Photography is Such a Fun Hobby
It s a simple question. Why am I taking pictures? What s so special about photography
compared to other visual art forms?
I m not writing this to give you an answer, but I m sharing why I love what photography does for
me and why I think it s such a great hobby to integrate into my life, which also resulted to me
starting a photography blog site.
Why Photography Means A Lot To Me
As I share my personal reasons to these questions and I d like to encourage you to add yours in
the commenting section as well. Feel free to add a link to your blog or gallery for everyone to
enjoy as well.
I m sure everybody has a GREAT story to tell.
Photography Fills a Need

2. I believe we all picked up a camera at a very young age, no matter how simple or basic that
camera may have been. My first camera was a Canon Snappy 50 given to me by my mom when I
was 8. I believe it was because of the 84 Olympics ads that I saw in the magazines that kept
advertising this camera. It s unusually long frame and that little orange tab to make the flash fire
were icing on the cake for an 8-yo! I wanted the star-spangled version but that was unavailable
in Asia back then.
Anyway, my mom was a shutter bug, not in a technical or artistic sense, however.
Like most moms, she snaps everything and records every little embarrassing memorable
moment my sister and I go through. It was like a diary for her, and she ended up having
suitcases of photo prints sorted in plastic bags and Dymo labels (remember those? Damn I m
dating myself too much here!).
Fast forward to my grade school and high school years, my camera adventures circled around
taking photos of friends, skateboarding antics, and martial art events. In college, the acquisition
of a proper SLR opened the floodgate of gear lust and more serious phases of photography.
Now that I m a father, my camera s job circled back to what my mom used to do, documenting
my son s adventures. My son s daily photo diary started four years ago and I m still doing it now.
I wished I was able to start the daily photo project earlier, but at least I took enough pictures of
him since birth that my collection can still be considered complete .

3. Photography also fills a lot of less personal needs for me. From taking pictures for my
businesses, earning opportunities through paid photography services, or even starting my online
blogging journey. I wouldn t have experienced those things if it wasn t because of photography.
Practicality
Many feel that photography isn t an art nor should it deserve as much attention as paintings
because it s relatively easy to get into photography. While I do agree to a certain extent, there
are several factors the naysayers fail to realize as well.
Anyone with an image-capturing device can get started with photography, that makes it fun and
personal for everyone. Yes, you don t need talent to take pictures, but unless your goal was to
make photography your art medium, there s nothing wrong with just snapping pictures with no
concern on technicalities nor aesthetics.
I don t think there ll be many people out there walking into an art store buying a set of paint
brushes and start painting out of convenience or impulse. I ve yet to see a major headline news
moment being drawn or painted either, it s just not an immediate way to communicate
compared to photography. Ever wondered why it s easier to find a camera for sale than a set of
art brush?

4. I appreciate a good sketch or painting as much as anyone, but for a guy like me who has no
talent in painting or drawing, there s a big, invisible wall preventing me from connecting to any
paint artist.
A photograph, on the other hand, allows me to imagine as if I m seeing the place through the
eyes of the photographer (I hate that cliché, but there s no better phrase).
With digital photography, the immediate feedback connects us even faster. Camera phones,
remote uploads, social media sharing all allows us to see the world as it happens – yes, even if
there s no skill involved!
Now how is that a bad thing?
The Gadgets are Fun
As with any hobby, the success, growth and longevity depends greatly with its marketability.
The technology revolving around photography is highly addictive and the way brands play into
people s minds produced both amusing conflicts and inspirational camaraderie. The simple fact
that most of the products aren t that different but they are marketed in such a way that only
subjective comparisons can be made these days allows photography to be an endless source of
debate, which by itself is entertaining and attention grabbing already.

5. Film cameras in the past get to enjoy a life cycle of about 2-3 years per model. Now in the digital
world, even the highest models only get 18 months of life before being supplanted by a new
model. Entry level cameras won t even last a year before they re due for replacement.
New technologies bring out new needs for additional accessories and gadgets, and for most of
us gear heads, we re more than willing to help out the economy and feed that gear lust of ours.
Immortalizes the Things You Care About
The biggest reason, I believe, is just the ability of capturing a moment as it happens with just a
single click of a button. Sure, skilled and experience photographers may capture the scene in a
more artistic manner compared to the casual snapper, but the key point is, you captured what
you want to remember right then and there!
Our brain and its stored memory are amazing, you can piece together fragments of an event
and relive the entire day with ease. If it s a group event, all of you can recall every single detail
collectively with just one photograph. The emotions a photograph can throw back at you can be
overwhelming at times regardless of technical execution.

6. The ability of photography to connect to our past, associate us in an event, and preserve
memories without words or interpretation makes it an influential hobby for all of us.
What s your story? How did you get started with photography? Where has it taken you and
what else will you do with it? Share it below for the world to see.