Why do I take photographs?

I take photographs for many reasons.

Capturing interesting images is a fun hobby, a good creative outlet, and certainly I enjoy sharing my vision of the world around me with other people who might be interested in "what I see". It's also a great vehicle to get outside and do things whether it's traveling, local day trips, a simple hike, a vacation, or whatever.

Then there's the aspect of photography that involves capturing and preserving family memories with images. Major events, minor every day things, funny things, etc. The memories of a lifetime that make us all who we are.

I've never really thought of expressing that aspect of why I take so many pictures of my family, but then I stumbled across a blog called "Little Moments Frozen In Time" which is authored by Kelly Bigsby Lederhouse. It's a family blog that shows some of their life's moments with nice images.

On the front page of her blog is the statement below which perfectly reflects why I, and I'm sure many other people, enjoy taking family photographs. The statement "...Memories that are brought back to life every time I look at one" is very true. Upon seeing any of my photos, I can almost instantly recall what the picture is and where/when it was taken, and a flood of small memories associated with the image come back to mind. It's an enjoyable experience every time it happens....

That is the essence of photography for me...

Kelly Bigsby Lederhouse:

"A picture. A memory forever frozen in time. A second of my life captured in a photograph for me to treasure for all of time. Your children and their children can have this memory that was once yours. A second of your life, with the click of a camera, forever captured in a picture. A single moment that no longer exists is now yours to keep. How amazing is that?

You can look at a photograph and take a look back into time. Children grow and life changes. Moments come and go, and moments are sadly forgotten. But attached to each and every photograph is a memory and a feeling that will now be remembered for all time.

Life goes on, but those moments stay behind. New moments are constantly being created, and sadly moments are forgotten. My favorite photographs are in this blog. Each one I took and each one holds a special place in my heart. Memories that are brought back to life every time I look at one".