What do you like most about Photography?

For me, my favourite shots are landscapes, waterscapes, waterfalls, that sort of thing. To be specific, the main thing I love is the feeling of peace in these quiet, beautiful areas, often early in the morning. And more generally I really enjoy the whole process. Getting up early, traveling to my chosen spot, getting set up, waiting for the right light, and then hearing nothing but the shutter as I take pictures. Putting the camera on 2 second delay, taking my hands away from the camera and hoping for the clearest sharpest picture I can get. Then packing up and coming home to see what I have.

The best thing is that enjoying the process so much means that even if I don't come home with any great pics, I've had such an enjoyable time I am not even bothered. And having one special shot is just a bonus. For me it is the "seeing" When I look into the viewfinder I see the wold a bit differently. It is reduced and simplified to a 2D image and my interaction and impression of that image are modified by the boundaries placed by the fame. I love it when I am shooting people and the "magic" moment presents itself. It is always a surprise and always very energizing. There are so many more moments that make photography an awesome experience I could go on for quite a while. It's tough for me to say whether I enjoy the process or the product more. I thoroughly enjoy the process of shooting and all of the grand adventures that come with it. I also enjoy, to a very similar extent, the process of loading up my shots, seeing them on the big screen for the first time, and transforming them into finished products by means of post-processing. I suppose if I have to give a solid answer right now, it would not be the photography itself or the processing but the adventures I find myself a part of. When I have had a rough day at school, I can just grab my camera on my way home, go for a motorbike ride around the beaches, (I live in a rural coastal community so its about 5 minutes from one side of town to town, so plenty of places to explore) find a nice break and go and shoot the local surfers, getting that perfect shot and sitting back and just relaxing. It is really rewarding and I couldn't think of a better way to spend my afternoons I absolutely love it. Maybe shoot a couple portraits of people fishing in the late afternoon soon, couple landscapes then its off home to process any of the images that need that little extra pop. It honestly just helps me forget the day that I just had and makes me feel so alive. Recording, preserving. This is the way things were and how they'll never be again. My work is photographing artwork for a museum, so for the most part the object that I photograph will hopefully last for centuries more without much change, but you never know... many amazing works were lost in WWII such as the bombing of Dresden. All we have left are photographs. I don't have kids, but talk about ephemeral. A child changes so quickly but we hardly noticed until you pull out a photo of yourself at 5 years old and hold it up to the image of your 32 year old self in a mirror. The city I've only lived in for 5 years has gone through significant changes in just that time. I wish I had thought to document more of it before now.