Dark Skies by Brian Auer

Before I answer these questions, here’s a little background on myself. I’m not a professional photographer, nor am I an amateur. I don’t make a living from photography, but I’ve made more than nothing. I’m not an artist, a photojournalist, a stock photographer, a fashion photographer, or a product photographer. What am I then? I’m just like most people with a camera — I love taking photos just for the sake of taking photos. What I do with those photos doesn’t define who I am as a photographer, and my skill level as a photographer doesn’t define what photography means to me.When I first saw the question “What Photography Is/Means To You?”, I was thinking of it as a single question. The more I thought about it, the more it started looking like two different questions. So for me, the most logical way to answer them in the order of “What It Is To Me” followed by “What It Means To Me”.

What Photography Is To Me

Photography is a form of art, and it’s a very subjective topic — which is why I like it so much. I consider most photos to be art (in one way or another), but I also consider the act of photography to be an art. The photographer must decide how to balance the technical and artistic aspects of each photo being taken. In this form of art there’s no right or wrong, just different.

What Photography Means To Me

For me, photography is a means of expression; a way for me to express my artistic side through technology. I’m an engineer, and a very technical person, so I’m fascinated by the camera and all its technical aspects.

Although I’m technical in nature, I’ve always had the need to express myself in non-technical ways. Photography just happens to be my perfect fit.

Photography is also a means of capturing the moment. I have thousands and thousands of photos of my wife and kids, and I wouldn’t trade any of them for anything. I don’t have the best memory in the world, but when I go back through my old photos, it’s like I’m there again. A whole section of time surrounding that photo suddenly comes back to me in total clarity — it’s wonderful.

So what does photography mean to me? More than I can express with words.