Why is Photography Important?

The title of this article “Why is Photography Important?” is a question that I have been thinking about a lot lately. This question will have different answers from everyone who is asked. For me, personally, the answer to the question was always simple; to show the beauty of the world, that God created, through my eyes. Recently, however, my answer has begun to evolve to have a much deeper meaning to why I love photography.

The past few years there have been life-altering changes that have really matured my respect for life and what photography means to me. I married the love of my life on Aug 20, 2011 and the birth of my first son was on Dec 27, 2013.

The Journey of Photography

Since starting my journey as a photographer there are a lot of “rules” I have learned to what makes a great photograph, such as good composition, lighting, color, nice background, etc. Like many photographers just starting out, I also fell into the notation that professional equipment would help me take the next step to creating award-winning photographs. I quickly found out that this idea of professional equipment is not entirely correct. Please do not get me wrong; professional equipment is important to give us the best chance to create amazing photos. However, the most important thing a photograph needs to turn it into an amazing photograph is a strong emotional connection to the subject.

Luke and his Mommy

Create Strong Emotion

The above photo is a great example of “strong emotional connection” for me because these are the two most important people in my life. When I look at this photo I’m taken back to that moment and reflect on what our lives were like at that time. All the sleepless nights getting up every couple hours for bottle time. Watching this little miracle beginning to show his personality. The phrase “A photo is worth a thousand words” is not even close when there is strong emotion to the subject and the moment captured. I look forward to sharing these photos with Luke when he is older.

Luke

Our Little Joy

As our little bundle of joy grows, I find myself having more respect for life and spending time with loved ones. I remember when Luke was first born I was so excited to watch him hit milestones that I was wishing for time to speed up. Just a few short months later and I’m already wishing time would slow down. Now I find myself looking back at the photos and videos taken when he was born wishing I had that time back. I can only imagine what it will feel like when he is 18 and graduating high school. I’m already not ready for it.

The Ridall Family

Conclusion

So the answer to the question “Why is Photography Important?” is something that is ever changing. Though my answer remains the same “To show the beauty of the world, that God created, through my eyes.” My respect for these words is maturing every day. I do not feel that I am just taking pictures; I am capturing memories so people can pass them down through the generations.