What is your Goal as a Photographer?

Chicagophotoshop

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I'm curious to know from pros, amateurs, enthusiasts, hobbyists alike, what is it exactly you want to accomplish when you take photos.

I have 2 goals.

1. To sell photos on my website at a reasonable price. http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70421

I understand my limitations and talents and know enough that I wont be selling my photos at a premium. other then selling, give others an opportunity to sell on my site and for people around the world to browse images.

2. to look back a long time from now and see what time was like "back then"
 
Fair enough. They coincide for me, so you can use my answer there for here.

well do you take pictures for a hobby? do you want to sell work work? who is your audience?

I appreciate what you are trying to convey in your photos but what are your goals after they are taken? maybe the answer is "nothing" ok cool. just trying to strike up some conversation about goals.
 
I appreciate what you are trying to convey in your photos but what are your goals after they are taken?

I guess it does take some explaining. At this point, I'm not really worried about "after". A few years ago I had started down the road of making money off my photography, but because of my medical situation, right now I'm just happy if I can take the kind of photos I want to. It's really difficult for me. Sure, it would be great to get more "success", but that pales to being able to shoot the way I want to and developing my ideas and style.

But I do see the distinction you were going after now. If I had other issues taken care of, I'd be marketing to the fine art market (which isn't that great of a market). I'd probably also being doing some portraits and weddings just to make some extra cash, but photography probably wouldn't be my main source of income. I've won several ribbons, been published in the paper, have a [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1932461019/qid=1060529009/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_10/102-2333270-9540144?v=glance&s=books]book cover[/ame], had a [ame=http://www.markcarpenter.com/gallery/MC-LittleWorlds]solo show[/ame], and have sold framed images for a couple hundred dollars each to collectors, so I've hit a lot of my previous goals. I'd be entering more shows and such, probably try to get into a magazine, and getting my work out there, but it would still me mostly about doing the work.
 
I guess it does take some explaining. At this point, I'm not really worried about "after". A few years ago I had started down the road of making money off my photography, but because of my medical situation, right now I'm just happy if I can take the kind of photos I want to. It's really difficult for me. Sure, it would be great to get more "success", but that pales to being able to shoot the way I want to and developing my ideas and style.

But I do see the distinction you were going after now. If I had other issues taken care of, I'd be marketing to the fine art market (which isn't that great of a market). I'd probably also being doing some portraits and weddings just to make some extra cash, but photography probably wouldn't be my main source of income. I've won several ribbons, been published in the paper, have a book cover, had a solo show, and have sold framed images for a couple hundred dollars each to collectors, so I've hit a lot of my previous goals. I'd be entering more shows and such, and getting my work out there, but it would still me mostly about doing the work.
cool exactly what I was looking for. see for me, I do not have "goal" of winning awards or being published anywhere.

I just want some people to see one of my pictures and hang it on their wall because they enjoy looking at it. I certainly wont charge hundreds of dollars.

or simply just look and say "thats a cool pic" :)


I like to see peoples different prospective when it comes to photography. I feel like I stepped on some peoples toes around here because my type of photography isnt the "norm". and my goals are certainly different then the average "professional" photographer. anyway thanks for your post and I hope everything works out for the best regarding your health.
 
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It was once a money making enterprise. Now it is just recreation and relaxation. No goals.
 
I would like to learn to capture on film things that catch my eye and strike me as interesting. If other people eventually like some of them too, that's a bonus.
 
Four main goals:

(1) Be able to document important/special events for myself.
(2) Produce "artsy" shots I can put around my abode.
(3) Provide an deeply discounted service to friends for important occasions.
(4) Eventually be able to make a little money on the side.

I'd say I can do (1), starting to do (2), don't have quite enough equipment for (3), and so (4) isn't realistic yet.
 
My goal is to make a print which is significantly better than one of the prints already hanging on a wall in my house.
 

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