2lazy7's photostream  

I'm not a photographer, but I play one on the internet...

Photography is an extremely interesting medium in that it is used in so many different ways - from the front page news to advertising, family memories, documentary purposes, all the way to the "art" seen hanging in galleries.

As an art form, I find the subjectivity of whether or not an image is "good" or not also very interesting. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder, and the life experiences, mood, situation, expectations, etc. all contribute to the viewer's experience and ultimate feeling about a particular image. How does one define aesthetic and something's validity as "art"?

For myself, this is part of the appeal of photography - the artistic and expressive nature of it. Taking photos is easy - or is it? Are my photos "good" or not? Does it matter?

As a photographer, I'm always seeking to improve - technique, composition, color, artistic expression, etc. and I think the flickr community is a promising avenue for this - the sharing of ideas with others and the ability to study what works and doesn't work from all the participants. I hope to learn, share, and improve. I'd also hope, that as opportunities present themselves, I'd be able to offer advice without offending someone who disagrees. Bear in mind that I'm still learning too and sometimes I might suggest something that a more experienced photographer might disagree with. But again, that's one reason why I'm here - to continue to learn and improve.

My personal interest in photography started with astrophotography - particularly comets. I've since expanded my interests and am always finding new things and different ideas to pursue. I hope that with time I can improve and eventually reach the point where I can create images and not just pictures.