Why am I doing this? Part II

I realize that my first post on why am I doing this is a very practical view point.
I want to say more about what moves me to be a photographer. Like I first said, some photos are learning experiences and some are work which pays my bills. However, if I only wanted to pay bills I could have earned as much money as I did last year working at McDonald's. I would have had a lot less stress too.

There are images that demands the viewer's attention. A small amount of these images capture the essence of the subject or some greater truth and reveal more with repeated viewings. Some images that stick in my mind are the gold miners taken by Sebastio Salgado and various portraits by Albert Watson.

I am a journeyman in the world of photography, practicing to create images that express my inner vision. With grace, some of these images will take a life of their own.

What drives me are images that haunt the inner recesses of my memory. Images that go beyond mere photo-taking to convey a compelling vision. This is the visual equivalent of Mt. Everest that I want to climb.

Is this pursuit noble? Is it as meaningful as solving world hunger and poverty? No. My motives for making the images I do are not altruistic. But I have a reason to be a photographer, to get out of bed each day and face the hurdles I do. And if my images serve my clients' purposes and touch people, I have nothing to be ashamed of.