What's Your Purpose?

Joe Reifer has written some interesting stuff lately on his blog. He posed the question asking what our purpose is in our photography.

I've spent some time chewing on this and thinking about my photography. I left him a comment with my succinct purpose statement, one that I've just created. His requirements were to sum things up in two sentences at most.

I photograph because I want to do so on a very deep and personal level. I have an overwhelming desire to visually communicate and share my meaningful and emotional experiences in nature with other people.

What do you think? I like it. Perhaps tomorrow I won't feel the same way, but for now it really works for me.

So, if you're photographing (or doing some similar artistic or creative work), what's your purpose? Have you defined it yet?

BTW, Craig Tanner has made a new podcast. Check out Episode 24 - Finding the Heart of Your Work.

Craig's advice is that your purpose is always a "work in progress". He states that, "(your) purpose should resonate with a deeper part of yourself - you will get emotional and your work will touch powerful feelings and beliefs." He also describes how we can grow as artists by expanding our purpose to include new things. For example, we can include a community of people in our purpose, e.g. we can photograph with the purpose of providing a service.

This is fantastic advice, and one that I had already used inadvertently when I created my Visions of Big Bend photo project. One of the main drivers for the creation of that project is the existence of a wonderful online community of fans of Big Bend - Big Bend Chat. My expanded purpose (particularly relating to that project) is to "service" that community with my photos.

Stating a meaningful purpose is important. It gives your work some significance and helps keep your drive going. So, what's your purpose? :-)