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Doug Ash Photography

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Photography Is My Passion: 14 Undeniable Reasons to Love It

Last updated on July 23, 2023 by Doug Ash

It always starts as something that grabs your attention. First, it is a hobby; eventually, it increases your curiosity and leads you down a path where you become obsessed with it. In general terms, we call it ‘having a passion’ and for me, photography is my passion!

If I say that words aren’t enough to express how much I love this art form, it wouldn’t be wrong. Photography is my chosen medium of creative expression. I use it to communicate with the world and show people how I view it. From stunning landscapes to the occasional amazing family portraiture, I love capturing the world in pictures!

You may find it surprising that I had my fears when I was just starting out as a photographer, and still do in some cases. Photography for beginners is challenging, especially when you want to capture beautiful shots but don’t know how. However, if you stick to the path and let your passion guide you, I can guarantee you will fall in love with photography just like I did!

Reasons Why Photography Is My Passion

If you are a beginner looking for some motivation, this is a good place to start:

1. Infinite Possibilities

As a photographer, you will develop a keen eye to notice slight changes in the world around you. Every day will invite you to explore something new, even if the things around you do not change in dramatic or obvious ways. That’s the beauty of photography! It opens up doors with an infinite number of possibilities that you can capture with your camera. It’s all about the details.

2. Challenging, Yet Rewarding

Photography is my passion because it seems like an impossible task at first until you capture that perfect shot. As a beginner, you imagine the shot in front of you, but the camera does not capture it the way you see it. That’s when the process quickly becomes frustrating. Yet, once you figure out how to play with your composition and adjust the settings in your favor, and not let your fears overwhelm you, the same challenge becomes rewarding.

3. Memorable Moments

It’s one of the reasons most people love photographs. They can relive the same moment that made them happy once. However, for photographers, it holds a different meaning. The memory of their captured shot is more than just the scene in the photo. The experience of the captured image is what they love.

4. Interpretations

Photography for beginners is just another hobby at first. You see something worth capturing and take the shot. However, when you show it to other people, you realize not everyone interprets the photo like you did. Through the learning process, you can come to learn the different layers of meaning behind a single photograph.

5. Being in the Present

Photographers have this urge to find the next best shot, freeing their minds from past worries and being in the present. You are focused on everything around you, trying to find all those little details, making you truly live in the moment. It is a gift for me to live in the present, and it can be a gift for you too.

6. The Process

Yet another reason to love photography is that it’s not rushed. Beginners often get tangled in the technical details of capturing a photograph. While the details are essential, it’s never the reason you capture breathtaking shots.

Figuring out the kind of shot you want to take, adjusting your camera settings, and “setting the scene” is something truly investing in. The resulting shot is what makes it worth it.

7. Response from People

Your camera captures the moment you thought was worth sharing with the world. Once you share it, you can experience the most beautiful thing—an emotional response from people who understand what you want to say with the picture.

Can be on Instagram or some other form of social media, or even prints. Catching someone’s eye as they walk by one of your prints or hearing “You took that!?!”, never gets old. (…in most instances lol)

8. Self-Expression

Photography is my passion because I use it to express myself. People find different ways to share their emotions and thoughts with the world. Some express themselves as dancers, while others as writers. Photographers use images to show people how they see everything around them.

9. Mindset of a Storyteller

A picture is worth a thousand words, remember? As a photographer, you can make that happen! Photography is the kind of pursuit that will help you become a better storyteller.

When you focus on the surroundings and notice everything around you, stories will appear themselves. You will see them and gladly capture them with your camera. It’s something, as a landscape photographer, I feel I do really well. I hike and get outside a lot, and by being a good storyteller, I am able to help viewers see what I see. I can deliver an experience to them.

10. Capturing Emotions

Some photographers find happiness in the smiles and tears in the sorrow they capture with the lens. Photography is a great way to capture how they see humans and their emotions for those who love observing people in their daily lives. Photographers become intuitive above reading people when they see them through the lens.

11. Capturing Nature

When you anticipate a perfect shot and wait in silence for that moment to arrive, the whole experience becomes unforgettable. Photography holds a different meaning for everyone. If you are inspired by nature , photography can be a way to appreciate what you like and share with others how beautiful this world is.

12. Ultimate Control

Unexpected situations occur all the time. You have to deal with mood swings, weather conditions, broken stuff, etc. Misfortune can’t be avoided, but one thing you can become capable of doing is controlling how the photographs turn out.

Whether it’s the lighting, location, switching up lens, or your response to whatever misfortune happens. For some, having that ultimate control is another reason for being passionate about photography.

13. Connect with People

As a photographer, you could meet many people every day and learn their life stories. They can share the hidden gems of their local town and help you find a place that has never been captured before!

Or maybe they share a touching story that helps you take a better, more in-tuned picture. Anything is possible when you pack your camera bag and connect with people who have stories to share.

14. Travel All You Want

Wanderlust can make people realize how amazing photography can be! Whether it is people from a foreign land or the colors of the setting sun , whatever you capture becomes meaningful. It’s one of the reasons why landscape photography is my passion. You can go wherever it takes you and find beauty in everyday life.

All photographers have different reasons to love this art form. Some like to capture their family’s best moments, while others use their photographs to capture the breathtaking beauty of nature. No matter what you choose to photograph, this is one creative pursuit that will enrich you in more ways than one.

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How Photography Changed My Life: My Story of Becoming a Photographer

What does photography mean to you? In this article, I share my story about how photography changed my life and my journey as an artist. See my ups, my downs, and see what it took me to get where I am today. 

It's that time of the year again. All of our friends are doing their 2018 in review or posting their top nines on Instagram. The notebooks open, the pens start clicking, and we reflect on our ups and downs of the previous year and look forward to a new 2019. However, as 2018 comes to a close, my gears run a little differently. This year, I chose to reflect on my entire career as a photographer and reminisce on the journey I embarked on just seven short years ago.

The Beginning: Where It All Started

When we dig through our archives of old work, it's sometimes hard to look at. But the fact is, we all started somewhere. When we look at the work of the great artists in history,  it is easy to say "I can never accomplish that level of work," but we often forget, they were standing in our same shoes when they first started.

My journey to becoming an artist began in 2012, when I started my freshman year at a charter film school. For four years, I attended G-Star School of The Arts, where my passions for photography and filmmaking were ignited. I remember sitting in my first film class, having never picked up a camera in my life, and a few days later, I made my first short film. I remember falling in love with the process of creating something with the camera. After I completed the project, my teacher came over to me and said: "hey, you got a good eye, kid. You should consider doing this as your profession. I think you've got a future in it". After hearing that, it clicked. From that point on, I decided that I wanted to do work with my camera for the rest of my life. I then, in the second week of school, emptied my bank account and bought my first camera.

How I Discovered My Passion for Portrait Photography

When I got my first camera, I was enamored by the beauty the world has to offer. I captured everything under the sun: macro photos of flowers, photos of the beach near my house, corporate events, and portraits. I have to admit, though: I tended to capture nature-related scenes, avoiding anything to do with people.

If you’re focusing on capturing others, you must learn how to photograph yourself first. Find out who you are as a person. Figure out what makes you click. Discover your strengths and your weaknesses.

When I first started capturing self portraits, it was just me staring into the camera with expressionless faces and eyes. But, after hearing Lynda's advice that night, I internalized it, and from then on, I committed to sitting down every weekend for four hours to just photograph myself.

Over the course of the next six months, I slowly began to become more comfortable, not only with photography, but with who I was as a person. The camera soon became my strongest and most distinguished voice. It served as the tool for how I expressed myself, and it was by my side during the blissful moments, like winning awards, and the darkest ones, like on my hospital bed when my lung collapsed. After nearly six months of just photographing myself, I gained enough confidence to start photographing portraits of other people. 

My Inspirations

When I was just beginning to find my voice and discover my passion for portrait photography, it was important for me to reference the iconic artists that came before me and learn what made them so great. Some of my biggest inspirations were artists like Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz, and Steve McCurry. I was able to dissect each artist's work and takes bits and pieces that later crafted my style. I was drawn to Richard Avdedon's work because of the unique way he connected with his subjects and how he drew out raw, unguarded emotions from them. I remember watching his documentary, "Lightness and Darkness," over a dozen times and being blown away each time. The next person that inspired me was Annie Leibovitz. I looked up to her ability and willingness to  be creative and create memorable photographs that were unique to her. Last was the iconic work of Steve Mcurry. I referenced McCurry's work to gain an appreciation for ingenious compositions and how to find a harmonious balance in the frame using colors. 

The Moment It Clicked 

For months, I would intensely research my inspirations and discover what made a great image, but it wasn't until one day, a copy of the National Geographic Photo Issue arrived at my doorstep. The moment I saw Steve McCurry's "Afghan Girl ,"  her eyes pierced through the page and right at me. I was profoundly moved by the way the eyes drew me in and how he was able to capture people and bring out the best in the people he was photographing.

With that in the back of my mind, I  took my black mattress out from underneath my bed, and set it up on my back porch, and made a make shift portrait studio. I setup my Canon T4i , 50mm kit lens , and used the sun with a big window as my only light. When I took the one picture that kickstarted my career in this setup,  the realization hit me:  I didn't need the most expensive or modern gear to capture captivating portraits, all I needed was my camera, my passion, and my desire to bring out the beauty in every person I photograph.

The Growth 

The moment I realized that the gear was not the thing that was holding me back from creating great work, I devoted every hour of my free time I had to improve my craft. I did dozens of shoots a month, countless hours scouring the web for tutorials on lighting, Photoshop, and everything photography-related, and then went out and applied the lessons I was learning online to my shoots. Action was the key proponent that was moving my work forward. By the time I had reached 2015, I looked back and noticed I had put in over 1,000 hours into photography that year. I then had the realization that this was just the beginning. It was truly humbling to see how much work I put in, but how far I still had to go.

Each year, I would look back on all of the shoots I did that year and would compare the last shot I took to the first photo I ever took in my career. Although the progress seemed substantial, I realized that the key to growth as an artist is to never be complacent with your work. That attitude carried me through the countless failed shoots, as I was only as good as the last shoot I did, and there was always the next photo to take. This mindset gave me the confidence to creating progressively better work year after year.

My Defining Moment as an Artist

How long was it before you first got recognition for your work? For me, it took me four years. Four years of shooting daily, failing countless times, and sleepless nights following my passion before anybody really saw my work. When I started shooting, I would constantly ask myself: "if nobody saw my work, would I still keep shooting?" And the answer was always a resounding yes. In my junior year of high school, I was walking to my next class, and the school callboard caught my attention. There stood a massive, colorful poster from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards (an arts and writing completion for high school students). That day, I submitted six of my favorite images to the competition and didn't know what to expect. To my surprise, a few weeks later, I got an email from Scholastic informing me that I had won two gold medals at the national level and was invited to an exhibition and ceremony at Carnegie Hall. So, I hopped on a plane to New York City, and I was overflowing with emotions. I didn't know what to expect. But nothing could have prepared me for what happened that memorable weekend. It would change my life forever.

Finding a Purpose in My Work 

With a strong support system and work ethic under my belt, I felt as if I were creating good images: they were well exposed and the connection with the subject was there, but there was something missing to tie it all together. The missing piece to the puzzle was a purpose, a purpose of what I wanted to do with my work. The more I shot, the more I realized that t here is more to photography than just taking pictures. There is the person behind the camera.

Doing Personal Projects

Throughout my career, taking on client projects definitely helped me pay the bills, but it often served as a roadblock in my personal discovery and stunted my creative spark. Ever since my senior year, I started doing projects that share my voice and my visions with the world. The goals of these projects were to help show the amazing people and stories they have to tell the world. I started doing these initiatives during my senior year of high school. The first series I did was called  "The Faces of G-Star" . In this project, I photographed 365 portraits during the last four weeks of my high school career and brought together my community through photography. It all amounted to an exhibition displayed in the hallways of the school.

I also used personal projects as a way to stay inspired and keep innovating. In January of 2018, I started a series called "A Century of Portraits,"  where I pushed my creativity to new limits. I captured portraits from every decade from the 1920s until now, using 20 lighting setups and building 20 different sets. This was my longest and most intense project I ever did. It taught me to never give up on my dreams, no matter how crazy they seem. 

Closing Thoughts 

To encapsulate a seven-year journey, I conjured up a few lessons that I have learned to live by every day.

The first is to just keep shooting. I discovered that the more I shoot, the more I fail, and the more I fail, the more I learn. I have always lived by this notion ever since I started taking pictures. When I am shooting photos or creating art, I am myself, and without it, I feel like there is something missing from me. This past year, being a full-time college student taking 18 credits, a writer for Fstoppers, and running my own business, I still made time to do over 75 shoots, paid or unpaid, just to keep the creative fire burning. 

Secondly, I learned that you should never be complacent with your work and that you are only as good as your last shoot. Using this mentality, it has driven me to create work that I could never had imagined I would be doing and keeps me getting better consistently. If I had been satisfied with one award or great photo, my career would have ended in 2015.

Lastly, if you want to succeed in this industry, you must stay true to who you are. There’s no one that can do it better than yourself. Being unique and true to yourself is the one determining factor that will set your work stand out from the rest. The only competition you have is yourself and being the best you could be. Don't waste your energy focusing on someone else's dreams, go out and conquer yours. 

Photography is more than just taking pictures, its a neverending process of self-discovery, accomplishments, and failures. So, in the spirit of the new year, look back at your old pictures and see how far you have come since the beginning. Photography, to me, means never giving up on dreams, having the persistence to keep shooting , and a vision to change the world one photo at a time. What does photography mean to you? How has it changed your life?  Share your experiences in the comments below.

Eli Dreyfuss is a professional portrait photographer based in sunny Miami, Florida. He focuses on making ordinary people look like movie stars in his small home studio. Shortly after graduating high school he quickly established himself in the art world and became an internationally awarded & published artist.

amazing article!!!

Wow anthony! Thank you for your very kind comment! I really appreciate it! Would love to hear your story about how photography has changed you :)

Couldn't imagine what it'd feel like to see your image printed at the awards you'd won... What a rush!

Also the early versus recent shots are charming. Some of my early shots are hilarious to look back on!

It was beyond priceless. Flew up there and had no idea. That picture ended up on their traveling exhibition and their facd for the whole year in all their marketing. Crazy feeling to be apart of history like that. Feel free to share them below! Would love to see!

Thanks for sharing this article. It's very inspirational!

Of course! I put the last 6 months into constructing it! Glad you got something out of it!

Amazing article! It's always great to look back and see some of your own work and how you've grown

Appreciate the kind words! Totally agree! I think everyone should! I would even do it on a shoot to shoot basis!

An inspiration. A real mensch.

Thanks so much! I definitely try!

Inspiration. :)

Your too kind. Thanks so much!

What a great article! Inspiring!

Keep on shootin' kiddo! If I weren't 72, I'd love to see what you do 30 years from now. And yes, failures are learning moments.

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The Story of My Journey in Photography

They say everything in life happens for a reason and while I didn’t hold much faith in that phrase before, I definitely do now. It took a serious life threatening experience to ignite in me a passion for my own photography as part of the healing process and then turn it into a career. I know in my heart that I have always loved photography, but the way I stumbled into becoming a photographer is anything but a fairy tale — in fact, it’s quite the opposite. I’ve always enjoyed looking at photographic images throughout my life. I can even remember going for visits to my parents as I grew older and always pulling out the family albums to look at the photos — it didn’t matter if I had already seen them. A few months ago, I was going through my old report cards and came across my grade school reports and was somewhat surprised that my kindergarten teacher had written that I knew my colors very well and that my art work was very good. My report cards, all through school, consistently reinforced that I had strong artistic ability although an art career never became the focus of further studies.

My first camera was a Pentax K1000 35mm film camera, and I think I was about 18 at the time. While I learned how to use it and shot some good images, this first venture into photography only lasted a year or two, and then the camera was put away. Sadly, it was about 25 years until I picked it up again. I never really gave photography serious consideration back then. There were others in my family who participated in artistic pursuits but they were mainly on the male side. Both of my brothers and my father were very good at drawing and my brothers were also musically inclined. Influenced by my sisters, I chose a different path, setting my sights on working in an office as they did. I don’t think I really had my priorities straight at that age, and to be honest I don’t remember being too focused on what career path I would take. So that is what I did for a little over 22 years. I worked in an office environment in accounting/payroll and eventually became an office manager. Had the incident I’m about to speak of never happened, I would probably still be working in the office and would never have found my passion in life.

Now here’s where life threw one of those infamous curve balls into our lives: Fast forward a few years of marriage, about 25 to be exact, and in 2008 and my husband and I are expecting our second child. Even with an advanced maternal age (that’s what the doctors called it, I didn’t think of myself that way!) I had no issues and had a perfectly healthy pregnancy all the way through up until after my son was born. That’s when the nightmare started, and to make a long story short, I suffered some life threatening issues and almost didn’t pull through. Basically my bowels had shut down after my son’s birth and 11 days later it ruptured causing me to become septic. I was put into a medically induced coma for weeks, leaving my husband with a three year old and newborn while having to deal with what was happening with me in the hospital. Fortunately some family members came up and stayed with our boys while my husband stayed by my side.

I don’t really have much memory of what happened after my son was born, up until after I was awakened from the coma. Thankfully I pulled through and after three major surgeries and several side effects from that ordeal, I was released from the hospital, with a colostomy bag attached.

It was a very lengthy recovery lasting about 3 years. It was a time of losing all my hair, learning to walk again, an additional four surgeries, and the depression that resulted from all that. It was a very physically demanding and emotional time in our lives but I was determined to pull through as I had 2 small boys at home that needed me. It was at this time in my life that I unwittingly stumbled into photography. I had been off work for over 3 years and never returned to my old job. I was hoping to find something new and start fresh. I felt like I needed that in my life. However, with the unemployment rate being so high in this area, it proved to be more difficult than I had originally thought. I felt like there was something missing from my life, the whole incident left me feeling like there was a void that needed to be filled.

Between living with the constant reminders from all the scars mentally and physically, I needed something to redirect my thoughts. That was in May 2011. That’s when I bought a camera, my first DLSR and kit lens. I started out shooting anything and everything in my backyard and front yard, day after day while I tried to figure out how to shoot in manual mode. It wasn’t an easy transition at first but with much persistence, trial and error I gradually had a grasp of it. By October 2011, I was a little braver and headed down to Niagara Falls with my camera to broaden my horizons. I was experimenting with long exposures and night photography and remember feeling so enthralled with it all. It wasn’t just an escape for me; I felt something when I was out shooting. It was and still is an indescribable feeling that overcomes me. It’s like I was in my own world, no worries or stress, just such a calmness about me and an easy flow. When I see “pockets of light” or an interesting composition, I get goosebumps. I started looking into photography programs around November 2011. I felt like I couldn’t learn everything I wanted to know about photography fast enough. I remember looking at other photographers work online and feeling so frustrated at times, wondering when or if I would ever be as good. I decided that I would enroll in the Continuing Education Certificate Photography program at Niagara College, a class that was held one night a week at the college. As much as I would’ve loved to take the two year full time digital photography program, I really couldn’t afford it and I also had two young boys to look after. In January 2012, I began the photography program at the college and once again, I felt I couldn’t learn enough, fast enough.

Later on in the fall that same year, I joined the Niagara Falls Camera Club with the hopes that I could learn even more about photography by being around seasoned photographers. I’ve been told by a few photographers that I actually had the “eye” for photography, my schooling helped to fine tune what was already there. I remember one particular sunrise that I went out to shoot at the falls in the winter of 2012. I got to the falls and was a little apprehensive and felt somewhat intimidated because there was a lineup of photographers there already, waiting to shoot the sunrise. In my mind I was sure they must have been much more experienced than I was. It took everything I had to continue walking up to them and pull out my camera and to set up for the shoot.

That was one of the most spectacular sunrises that I have ever witnessed in my life. Never again have I seen such a glorious combination of pastel colors, all glistening and reflecting off the ice coated tree branches by the falls. I think that truly was the “aha” moment for me, when I thought this is definitely what I want to do, I want to make a career from photography, more specifically landscape photography. The image that I shot that morning was entered into a competition held by Canadian Geographic and The Weather Network, and it was actually chosen and published in a Canadian Geographic magazine in July 2013 as the centerfold image. I remember walking into the store when the magazine hit the stores; I lined them all up on the shelf opened up to my image and took a cell phone shot of it. Needless to say, that added fuel to the fire and had me falling even harder. Since then, I have secured several contractual photography jobs in the tourism industry for Niagara Falls Tourism, Hornblower Cruises and Niagara Parks Commission to name a few and they have also purchased many of my images for their promotional materials both print and web based. It’s a great feeling when I see my work on a billboard for tourism advertising or even the NPC and NFT tourism guides, it reassures me that following my heart and pursuing a career in something I love was the right decision for me. Earlier this year, Niagara Parks Commission did a short video on me and used it in their advertising. It was under their “Niagara Parks Big Picture” series:

The Niagara Falls Review ran a story on my journey and my photography in December 2014, it was very well received and I had numerous people reach out to me saying that I had helped them and was an inspiration to them during their rough times. I have been a member of NPS (Nikon Professional Services) for the last 1.5 years and have had some of my work has been on display for 2 years in a row at the Nikon Canada booth in Toronto at the Exposure Photography show. Last fall one of my portraits was selected to be on display at 4 galleries across the country with Nikon Canada at the member exhibition tour. There were 30 images selected from all the entries received to be on display and I’m honoured to be one of them.

My most recent accomplishment was having one of my Niagara Falls images being selected as one the Top Ten Travel Pictures of 2015 by 500px. To be recognized in this group was extremely humbling to say the least, especially when I found out that others named in this group are very highly talented artists such as Scott Kelby and Elia Locardi — some of my favourite photographers! I think one of my most exciting moments so far was when I had 2 of my images go viral earlier last year in the winter. They were images of the American Falls in the winter with the ice bridge at night and the falls appeared to be frozen over. In the matter of 2 days they were seen worldwide and had aired on TV stations in Texas, Pittsburgh and were even shown on CNN to name a few. I had the LA Times contact me for an interview as well as other companies overseas contacting me through social media channels and emails. It was a pretty amazing couple of days, with quite a whirlwind of activity from it.

My thirst for knowledge and desire to become a better photographer has changed in this way from the first day I picked up the camera; it has increased tenfold. Some say that I’ve found my calling in photography and if that is so, I feel so incredibly lucky to have found it as some go through life never finding their special niche. Just when you don’t think you have the strength in you to go for it, give yourself that extra push, you’ll be amazed at what can be achieved with some hard work and determination and believing in yourself.

While the circumstances that lead me down the path and on the road to photography were very traumatic and life threatening and the road itself had its fair share of potholes, I believe there was a reason for these challenges and personal trials in my life and I think that they have just increased my passion for photography which truly holds a special place in my heart. I look forward to growing and continually learning as a photographer and I know that my love for photography will only grow over the years and increase my passion that already feels like it’s been with me my whole life.

If I could sum up my experience over the past years of my life’s story, I would say that I am grateful for the skilled doctors may have saved my life and mended me physically, but it has been photography that saved me and mended my mind, my spirit and my soul.

How to Find Your Passion in Photography

pas·sion: A strong amorous feeling or desire; love; ardor. From the Latin word “pati”, which means to ‘suffer.’

We are often told in society “follow your passion” — and I do believe that concept (to an extent). Often we cannot control external factors (like whether or not we can make our passion our full-time profession), but we can control what we do with our spare time.

My impetus for you in this letter is to follow your passion in photography. But of course, before you can follow your passion, you must discover what your passion is.

The difference between “passion” and “enthusiasm”

The idea I got for writing this letter to you is based on a lovely talk by Sara Lando, one of the most incredible portrait photographers around, and also one of the most intelligent and sweet photographers I have ever met.

Sara did a talk at GPP in Dubai, and talked the difference between “passion” and “enthusiasm” in photography.

First of all, there is a general misconception of the words “passion” and “enthusiasm” in the modern world. However, Sara being an ancient Latin/Greek studies major in the past, was able to differentiate the differences.

When we think of the word “passion”— we generally think of the modern concept of “what you love.” However when we talk about the “passion of Christ” — it is more focused on pain and misery.

The first definition of “passion” I discovered in Google was:

passion: strong and barely controllable emotion.

Passion is not always a positive thing— as dictionary.com defines passion as:

passion: any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, as love or hate.

So you can be “passionate” about what you do— but in a negative way. Furthermore, you can feel “passionately hateful” to someone else (a negative trait).

Instead of “passion”, technically the more accurate term is “enthusiasm” — which Google defines as:

en·thu·si·asm: intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.

However most people in modern English interchange passion (when they really mean enthusiasm).

The most interesting thing about the word “enthusiasm” is that it comes from the Greek word: “enthousiasmos”, which means “possessed by a god, inspired”.

But for the sake of this essay, I will just refer to the word “passion” (I don’t feel people really use the word “enthusiasm” as much anymore— although we should).

How to find your passion

Do you remember when you were a child? When you did stuff for fun? You simply follow your curiosity— you didn’t learn because you wanted to be “smarter”— you just did it for the pure joy of it.

Do you remember when you first picked up a camera? Do you remember before you learned all the technical settings, “rules” on composition, and other barriers to your learning? You simply photographed what you were interested in, and things that you loved.

I feel the first step in finding your passion in photography is to recollect your past. Vividly remember when you first picked up a camera. Where were you? What camera did you use? How old were you? What did you enjoy photographing?

For me, I was particularly interested in documenting my personal memories. When I started photography (18 years old), I just graduated high school, went to Korea for a summer, and was about to enter college. I’ve always had a horrible memory, so for me photography was about documenting my life, and about keeping it for posterity’s sake.

As time has gone on, however, photography has become less about this simple joy and documentation of my life. It has become more about becoming more “famous”, getting more followers on social media, and somehow trying to “prove myself” to other photographers. I’ve had a low-self esteem when I was younger, and I would constantly look to the affirmation of others for approval.

Even now, honestly— I am quite content with where I am with my photography (certainly a lot more in the past). Yet I am still envious of photographers who are more famous, more talented, and have more followers than me. It is a bug I know I will never be able to 100% eradicate— but I am trying.

What would you do if you won a billion dollars?

Okay— so let’s do this thought experiment: imagine you won the lottery tomorrow, and $1 billion dollars was transferred to your personal checking account. It would be the epitome of “fuck you money” — in which you would never have to do anything you didn’t want to do for the rest of your life.

Now the question isn’t “what would you do with your money?” The question is: “ What would you do with your time, attention, and energy ?”

So in regards to your photography— imagine that social media didn’t exist. You couldn’t get any “likes” on your photos, and you could only share your photos with a select few friends, family, and colleagues— what would you spend your time to photograph?

The first thing people say is that they want to travel the world and photograph the world. But honestly— do you really want to do that? Are you just saying that because you want to travel and see the world, or because you want to make “interesting” photos abroad because you feel like you cannot make interesting photos at home?

Let’s take a step back— what subject-matter did you photograph before you were a beginner in photography, and what was your motivation and impetus that drew you into making images?

I know some photographers who start off as designers, and for them photography is just an extension of them doing their art. For some others, photography is a way of having an excuse to leave their apartments, and for exploring the world.

For me, I think “street photography” is my passion because I love humanity, society, and making connections. To even be more clear, I am less passionate about “street photography” — I am more passionate about humanity as a whole. Photography just gives me an excuse to make new connections with others. I see the camera more as a tool to build a bridge between me and a stranger . I see the camera less a tool to make images.

For me, I honestly care less about images than making connections. And of course, this will be different for everybody, especially for you.

Why are you passionate about street photography?

Okay friend, if you are reading this, or on this blog, you are probably slightly inclined to being interested in this genre of “street photography” — and why? Perhaps you love spontaneity, the beauty of everyday life, and the fact that street photography is “unposed.” Not only that, but you probably have a deep current of humanity running through your veins, and you want to explore the world first-handedly, with a camera in-hand.

But the problem of becoming too passionate about street photography is that it can lead to frustration. For example, when I am not able to head into the city or a downtown area to shoot “street photography” I get frustrated. Furthermore, if you live in a boring suburb— yes, there are ways you can shoot “street photography” out there, but it won’t give you the same adrenaline rush as shooting on 5th avenue in NYC.

For me a partial solution is pursuing a concept of “personal photography” — in which you try to make the most beautiful and intimate photos of your own life. You are the actor of your play; you photograph your loved ones, your friends, and your simple life experiences.

The biggest benefit of photographing what is personal to you is that you don’t do it under the dictatorship of anyone else’s standards. You set the barometer, scale, and your own ruler. You judge and estimate your own photos by your own taste, aesthetics, and rules. You don’t really care about what others think about your work, because you are doing it for yourself.

Don’t force it

Also when it comes to finding your passion in photography; don’t over-complicate it.

What do you love to photograph, and what subject-matter are you intensely curious about?

What do you want to learn more about in photography, what do you want to explore. Do not consider what others might think a “good photograph” might be.

Sometimes to find our passion in photography, we need to be honest with ourselves— we need to also photograph what is personal to our own life story.

For example, if you were born in a ghetto or an inner-city, photographing gangsters and other troubled kids might suit you. However if you grew up middle-class in the suburbs, please don’t join a gang and photograph them to simply “make a name for yourself”, or to make an interesting “art project.”

You need to be authentic with your photography, art, and life. Brutally honest. You need to photograph who you are; not what others think who you are.

For example, if you are a more contemplative and introverted person— perhaps you should take a “zen-like” approach to your photography. You don’t always have to photograph people, simply photograph what brings you joy and happiness in your life.

Discover what not to photograph

Another practical tip— knowing what not to photograph is also an effective way to find your passion in photography.

For example, I personally started photographing landscapes and flowers, because that is what others “expected” of me. However over time, I got really bored of shooting landscapes all the time, as well as architecture (sooner or later, all of it started to look the same to me).

But what has never ceased to bore me is the human face, and humanity. There are so many different people of different backgrounds, colors, ethnicities, life experiences, and everyone has their own story— which is unique to them.

So I know that I am no longer interested or passionate about photographing the following: landscapes, animals, food, weddings, architecture, product photos, and studio photography.

So by subtracting what you are not interested in photography— what does this leave you with?

For me, it means that certain genres of photography interest me: street photography, personal documentary, documentary, and photo-journalism. I’ve always been a sucker for a good story— “visual storytelling” is another genre that is starting to interest me as well, something that photographer Ed Kashi does extremely well.

Avoid boredom

Another tip— try to avoid boredom in your photography at all costs. I think one of the worst feelings as a human being is to be bored. I would rather feel physical pain than to feel boredom.

By avoiding what you are not interested in, you can truly pursue what naturally stimulates, excites, and interests you.

The second you become bored with a photography project is the second you need to stop it. Others will argue that it is a good time to reassess your position in your photography (I agree), but to push past the “boredom” in your photography is to force something unnatural upon yourself.

Boredom is one of the best things built into human beings. It has provided us a natural stimuli to know what not to pursue in life.

Do you remember as a kid, when you were bored in class? It wasn’t because you were stupid or dumb— it was that you weren’t being challenged, or stimulated by what you were interested in.

I feel we all have natural talents and inclinations. Not only that, but I think the purpose of our lives is to fully develop our skills, faculties, and interests— to benefit humanity as a whole . So photography is less about trying to build your weak-points as a photographer, but to increase what you are good at.

Shoot what you’re good at

I also feel it is important to improve your strengths, rather than your weaknesses in photography.

Life is short. You will never master 10 genres of photography in your short tenure on earth. Having too many types of photography to pursue is a general distraction— I prefer the method of being like a laser-beam in your photography, and focusing all your time, attention, and energy on what you are good at.

One of the biggest benefits of photographing what you are good at is this: you build a positive “feedback loop” in which you stay motivated.

For example, if you photograph what you are good at, it will bring you happiness and joy. And that happiness and joy will continue to drive you forward to keep photographing.

Let’s say you do the opposite— and you try to photograph what you aren’t good at. Then you deal with frustration, anger, and your progress is stalled.

Nobody can become a fully-realized photographer in all different genres of photography. Just find what you are good at, what you enjoy, and keep honing in your personal diamond and skills.

Your life story is unique

To elaborate on this concept of a “life story” — you are a unique human being, with a series of life events that nobody else on the planet earth shares (but yourself).

So what is unique to your life? Explore that. Investigate that.

Humans love stories; the concept of story-telling has gone back to the beginning of humanity. What kind of story does your personal photos tell, and how are they different from others?

I also think most photographers spend too much time photographing the lives of others, rather than turning the camera to themselves.

What are the personal photos that only you can make? A million photographers can visit a rural village in Africa and take photos of sad starving kids. While this work is very important, there are probably thousand of other photographers who do this work far better than you.

Even when you are trying to develop your own “style” and vision as a photographer— be honest with yourself: are you simply trying to imitate or mimic another photographer, or are you being true to yourself to make photos that truly exemplify who you are as a human being?

There is only one of you out there. Keep telling your own stories.

Find inspiration in the everyday

The world is a fucking incredibly amazing, beautiful, and joyful place. If we ever get “jaded” from the amazing-ness of life, it is our problem, not the problem of the house in which we live in, the neighborhood in which we live in, and certainly not of the camera that we shoot in.

I’ll be frank— I get jaded easily. I succumb to the “grass is greener on the other side” syndrome. Often I wish I was in San Francisco, not Berkeley. Yet the irony is that I know millions of people who would love to live in Berkeley, as well as many photographers in SF who would probably prefer to live in Berkeley as well (we have 20 different varieties of kale, quinoa, and some of the best coffee here in Berkeley).

For me, retraining myself to appreciate the beauty of everyday life comes from Cindy’s niece Amelia. She is around 10 months old now, and everything she looks at the world is with wonder, excitement, and curiosity. She holds a leaf in her hand like it is the most fascinating thing in the world, she loves colors sights and simple things like pebbles on the ground. She is so amazed by nature, and has a natural “biophilia”— the love of living things.

Just look around you. If you are reading this on a laptop or a smartphone— think about how amazing that piece of technology is. Also consider how amazing this concept of the “internet” is— you have the whole collective knowledge of humanity that can fit into your front pocket. Yet we complain that we don’t get 4G signal coverage everywhere and inaccurate GPS signals (my problem as well).

Even think about the concept of a “city” — it is amazing that it all works, without people constantly killing and robbing each other. Think about the amazing invention of “running water” and how we can flush toilets, instead of toil for hours just to survive.

Think about how amazing the concept of a digital camera is— and how social media has allowed you to share your photos with millions of people around the world.

The world is so amazing, often words cannot even describe it.

I was in a plane (15+ hour direct flight from Dubai to SFO via Emirates) and holy shit— I was in a fucking plane at 45,000+ feet in the air, going thousands of miles an hour, and somehow not exploding and dying in the air. I complain that the flight is too long— but at what point in history could we circumnavigate around the world (without any stops), and yet I still complain of jet lag?

To remain interested in the world, we need to start over again. We need to “reboot” or “reinstall” the operating systems of our mind. We need to embrace “child’s mind” or “beginner’s mind” — where all the beauties of the world expose themselves to us, and we are excited to document all of that excitement and joy.

Do it for yourself

Yeah yeah, I know it is cliche— but really; you need to shoot for yourself, and disregard the opinion of the world around you.

One of the things that fascinated me about Steve Jobs is how much he distrusted “market research” and the opinions of the “masses.” There is a concept of “crowd-sourcing” which is noble in theory (that the collective knowledge of a random group of people is superior to the knowledge of an individual). While things like Yelp reviews work quite well— how can you put your own personal happiness, art, and vision at the hands of a crowd of strangers?

Therefore, you need to safely disregard the opinion of others— I recommend first taking a break from social media, and not uploading photos online.

Treat this like your “incubation” phase. If you are a baby chick, you need to stay warm inside an incubator, and you need to let your ideas germinate, grow, without the outside world trying to kill it.

If you have an idea for a photographic project and you share it with others too quickly; they will easily disregard it, criticize it, or try to kill it. Sometimes they have good intentions, other times envy hits them, and other times their opinion of your idea simply isn’t useful to you.

If you have an idea for any sort of photographic project, just pursue it. Shoot it first, do all the sequencing and editing (choosing of your images), and then share it with others when you yourself feel that it is a “final product.” Then you can take some criticism and constructive feedback to help you hone your vision.

But once again, you need to not be on the “social media treadmill” of just trying to upload one photo a day. How can you expect to create a great body of work, if you are constantly being distracted by how many likes, comments, favorites, or followers on “teh interwebz?”

Cross-pollinate

Another practical strategy to find your passion in photography is to cross-pollinate your ideas.

Imagine you are a bee, you are pollinating two flowers. And in that mixing, you come up with something unique.

Let’s say you are a painter, and also a photographer. How can you mix these two ideas to come up with novel ideas?

Let’s say you are a sculptor, and a photographer. Let’s say you are a businessman and a photographer, let’s say you are a teacher and a photographer. How can you create novel new ideas out of more than 1 thing you are passionate and interested about?

For example, my primary interest in life is sociology, philosophy, psychology, and the human spirit. I also love to teach, connect with others, and to travel.

I have been fortunate enough to “cross-pollinate” between all these fields of interest to produce a blog on street photography, where I like to share knowledge, information, while also traveling the world and teaching workshops on street photography.

It is a very unique niche to be in— but none of this would have been possible if I didn’t cross-pollinate all of my interests, skills, and passions.

There is nobody like you out there

There is nobody out there with the same unique combinations of skills, interests, and things you are enthusiastic about. Rather than trying to follow what others have done, see how you can carve your own unique niche.

There is a concept of “idea sex” (Justine Musk explains this is how Elon Musk comes up with new ideas) — in which you take two ideas, and let them make “idea babies”. For example, Elon Musk was always interested in the internet, renewable energy, and transportation. How did he combine all these interests? Well, he ended up being a co-founder for Paypal, which was to revolutionize banking via the internet. And now with his new 3 ventures: SpaceX, Tesla, and Solar City— he is trying to revolutionize transportation, while also creating sustainable energy for the future.

“Unified field theory”

To continue with Elon Musk— he pursues what physicists call a “unified field theory” — that all the things that you pursue in life end up intersecting, and cross-pollinating one another, and also building upon one another.

Einstein tried to come up with a “theory of everything” (as well as Stephen Hawking), in which the universe will be “explained” by a few fundamental concepts in Physics.

So how can you create a “unified field theory” in your photography? How do all your diverse interests converge into your main central idea?

Make yourself naked

If you want to know what you are passionate about in photography— you need to make yourself naked and bare.

This takes a lot of courage. What are you afraid to photograph? What are you afraid to expose about yourself?

If you want to be truly honest with yourself in your photography, you need to be very frank. You mustn’t censor yourself. You need to show your own reality, your own version of “truth” through your images.

Sometimes photographers will not photograph something they’re interested in because it feels “too personal.” But once again— making it personal is what makes it unique, special, and full of love and compassion.

To find your passion in photography is to discover who you are as a person— to stare at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself difficult questions about yourself such as:

• Why do I do what I do?
• What excites or frightens me in life?
• What are my strengths, and how can I continue to build upon them?
• What are my weaknesses, what am I afraid of, and what am I not comfortable with others knowing about me?
• Am I photographing what I truly want to photograph, or photographing what I think others will like?
• If nobody else in the world existed, would I still make photographs?
• Do I care more about the opinions of what others think about my photography than my own opinion of my own photography?

Take a break

Another practical piece of advice for finding your passion in photography— take a break, use that time to meditate, think, and reflect.

For me, I was on the “street photography treadmill” where I just spent everyday trying to find out ways how I could get into the city as much as possible to make photos.

But once I took a break from that, I was able to have the opportunity to reflect on why I loved making photos— rather than trying to focus on making “good” photos.

I also used this chance to really reflect on what a “good” photo meant to me. Was a “good” photo an image that would get a lot of likes on social media? Or was a “good” photo an image that I felt faithfully depicted what I found beautiful or interesting in a scene or a fellow human being?

One of the reasons I love to write is that it gives me a chance to reflect and mediate upon my life. Even this article I am writing for you is always writing for myself— to further flesh out my ideas, to also give me a sense of direction and purpose in my life.

Remember, it doesn’t need to be photography

As humans, we are all creative beings. To create is to be happy. When we are focused and “in the zone” of doing creative work, that is when we feel more “alive” and fulfilled.

This doesn’t need to be photography. Photography is just one of the many tools we can use in our “creativity toolbox”. We can draw, sing, paint, dance, and engage our creative faculties in many different ways.

Sometimes us photographers put ourselves into a box where we think we can only make photos because we aren’t “talented” at painting, drawing, or other forms of art.

Pablo Picasso once said that it took him several years to learn how to paint like Michelangelo, but it took him a lifetime to learn how to paint as a child.

See how you can summon and embrace your own inner-artist, your own inner-child, and to make art and to express yourself creatively, even if you have no “formal training” or skills.

Are you interested in painting? Go to the store, buy a cheap canvas, and start painting nonsense— and enjoy the process. If you are interested in drawing, just use a cheap piece of printer paper and start sketching with the closest writing-instrument at hand. If you are interested in writing or blogging, start a free blog and just start writing whatever is in your head, without fear of ridicule or judgement from others.

Stay creative as an artist and a human being— photography isn’t the most important thing in life; to be a productive and happy human being is.

Don’t shoot when you don’t want to shoot

The last point I want to leave you with this: don’t feel like you need to always be making photos.

I get it— the point of these 365 day projects and whatnot. But I think the problem is that it forces you to follow a mechanized routine of making photos to “stay inspired”— rather than focusing on making photos that you are truly passionate about.

I know I’ve made the claim in the past that you “should” make photos everyday. I no longer believe in that— only shoot when you want to shoot, and don’t force it. The more you try to force things, the less enthusiastic and passionate you will be about it.

As a writer, I struggle to always be “inspired” to write everyday. But now, I have taken the advice of Nassim Taleb and only write when I feel like writing. To write when you don’t feel like writing is like grinding your teeth on sand, or like forcing your way upstream.

True art and work should be effortless— like the Taoist concept of “wu-wei” (action without inaction). You need to get into the “zone” or a state of “flow”— where the images just pop out your camera, when the words flow from your fingertips, all without conscious thought or “effort.”

So don’t force your photography. Only shoot because it makes your heart sing, because it expresses your individuality, because it helps you stay curious, and because it make you exclaim how wonderful life is.

Always be joyful in making images, forever be a beginner and a child, and never stop following your curiosity in life.

Always, Eric

6:57am, Monday, Feb 15th, 2016 on my ghetto “standing desk” in my apartment in Berkeley, with 4-5 shots of “weak” espresso made at home on my cheap Capresso machine. Today’s jet lag wasn’t so bad, yesterday woke up at 1:30am, today I woke up at 3:30am. Hopefully I can survive today, and continue to enjoy this sense of profound peace and happiness being back home in Berkeley— close to my friends and loved ones .

Stay inspired

• The “Personal Photography” Manifesto
• How to Stay Curious
• Enjoy the Process
• Find out What to Photograph, Not How
• A Photographer’s Search For Meaning
• Why Do You Take Photos?
• Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself
• Have Creative Confidence in Yourself
• Do You Like Your Own Photos?
• What’s Holding You Back?
• Simple Contentment
• How To Find Your Unique Voice in Photography
• Live a Life of Leisure
• The Cindy Project
• The Things That Matter Most
• The Point Isn’t to Be a Good Photographer, But to Enjoy Life
• Beginner’s Mind
• There is No Wrong Way to Shoot Street Photography
• You Can’t Control the Results, Only Effort
• On Capturing Beauty in the Mundane
• On Searching For the Maximum
• On the Shortness of Life
• Small is Beautiful
• Photography (and Life) is About Subtraction, Not Addition
• How to Be Happy in All Circumstances
• Desire the Life You Already Have
• Should You Shoot if You Don’t Want To?
• The Beauty of “Creative Constraints”

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How to Create an Engaging Photo Essay (with Examples)

Photo essays tell a story in pictures. They're a great way to improve at photography and story-telling skills at once. Learn how to do create a great one.

Learn | Photography Guides | By Ana Mireles

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Photography is a medium used to tell stories – sometimes they are told in one picture, sometimes you need a whole series. Those series can be photo essays.

If you’ve never done a photo essay before, or you’re simply struggling to find your next project, this article will be of help. I’ll be showing you what a photo essay is and how to go about doing one.

You’ll also find plenty of photo essay ideas and some famous photo essay examples from recent times that will serve you as inspiration.

If you’re ready to get started, let’s jump right in!

Table of Contents

What is a Photo Essay?

A photo essay is a series of images that share an overarching theme as well as a visual and technical coherence to tell a story. Some people refer to a photo essay as a photo series or a photo story – this often happens in photography competitions.

Photographic history is full of famous photo essays. Think about The Great Depression by Dorothea Lange, Like Brother Like Sister by Wolfgang Tillmans, Gandhi’s funeral by Henri Cartier Bresson, amongst others.

What are the types of photo essay?

Despite popular belief, the type of photo essay doesn’t depend on the type of photography that you do – in other words, journalism, documentary, fine art, or any other photographic genre is not a type of photo essay.

Instead, there are two main types of photo essays: narrative and thematic .

As you have probably already guessed, the thematic one presents images pulled together by a topic – for example, global warming. The images can be about animals and nature as well as natural disasters devastating cities. They can happen all over the world or in the same location, and they can be captured in different moments in time – there’s a lot of flexibility.

A narrative photo essa y, on the other hand, tells the story of a character (human or not), portraying a place or an event. For example, a narrative photo essay on coffee would document the process from the planting and harvesting – to the roasting and grinding until it reaches your morning cup.

What are some of the key elements of a photo essay?

• Tell a unique story – A unique story doesn’t mean that you have to photograph something that nobody has done before – that would be almost impossible! It means that you should consider what you’re bringing to the table on a particular topic.
• Put yourself into the work – One of the best ways to make a compelling photo essay is by adding your point of view, which can only be done with your life experiences and the way you see the world.
• Add depth to the concept – The best photo essays are the ones that go past the obvious and dig deeper in the story, going behind the scenes, or examining a day in the life of the subject matter – that’s what pulls in the spectator.
• Nail the technique – Even if the concept and the story are the most important part of a photo essay, it won’t have the same success if it’s poorly executed.
• Build a structure – A photo essay is about telling a thought-provoking story – so, think about it in a narrative way. Which images are going to introduce the topic? Which ones represent a climax? How is it going to end – how do you want the viewer to feel after seeing your photo series?
• Make strong choices – If you really want to convey an emotion and a unique point of view, you’re going to need to make some hard decisions. Which light are you using? Which lens? How many images will there be in the series? etc., and most importantly for a great photo essay is the why behind those choices.

9 Tips for Creating a Photo Essay

Credit: Laura James

1. Choose something you know

To make a good photo essay, you don’t need to travel to an exotic location or document a civil war – I mean, it’s great if you can, but you can start close to home.

Depending on the type of photography you do and the topic you’re looking for in your photographic essay, you can photograph a local event or visit an abandoned building outside your town.

It will be much easier for you to find a unique perspective and tell a better story if you’re already familiar with the subject. Also, consider that you might have to return a few times to the same location to get all the photos you need.

2. Follow your passion

Most photo essays take dedication and passion. If you choose a subject that might be easy, but you’re not really into it – the results won’t be as exciting. Taking photos will always be easier and more fun if you’re covering something you’re passionate about.

3. Take your time

A great photo essay is not done in a few hours. You need to put in the time to research it, conceptualizing it, editing, etc. That’s why I previously recommended following your passion because it takes a lot of dedication, and if you’re not passionate about it – it’s difficult to push through.

4. Write a summary or statement

Photo essays are always accompanied by some text. You can do this in the form of an introduction, write captions for each photo or write it as a conclusion. That’s up to you and how you want to present the work.

5. Learn from the masters

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Making a photographic essay takes a lot of practice and knowledge. A great way to become a better photographer and improve your storytelling skills is by studying the work of others. You can go to art shows, review books and magazines and look at the winners in photo contests – most of the time, there’s a category for photo series.

6. Get a wide variety of photos

Think about a story – a literary one. It usually tells you where the story is happening, who is the main character, and it gives you a few details to make you engage with it, right?

The same thing happens with a visual story in a photo essay – you can do some wide-angle shots to establish the scenes and some close-ups to show the details. Make a shot list to ensure you cover all the different angles.

Some of your pictures should guide the viewer in, while others are more climatic and regard the experience they are taking out of your photos.

7. Follow a consistent look

Both in style and aesthetics, all the images in your series need to be coherent. You can achieve this in different ways, from the choice of lighting, the mood, the post-processing, etc.

8. Be self-critical

Once you have all the photos, make sure you edit them with a good dose of self-criticism. Not all the pictures that you took belong in the photo essay. Choose only the best ones and make sure they tell the full story.

9. Ask for constructive feedback

Often, when we’re working on a photo essay project for a long time, everything makes perfect sense in our heads. However, someone outside the project might not be getting the idea. It’s important that you get honest and constructive criticism to improve your photography.

How to Create a Photo Essay in 5 Steps

Credit: Quang Nguyen Vinh

1. Choose your topic

This is the first step that you need to take to decide if your photo essay is going to be narrative or thematic. Then, choose what is it going to be about?

Ideally, it should be something that you’re interested in, that you have something to say about it, and it can connect with other people.

2. Research your topic

To tell a good story about something, you need to be familiar with that something. This is especially true when you want to go deeper and make a compelling photo essay. Day in the life photo essays are a popular choice, since often, these can be performed with friends and family, whom you already should know well.

3. Plan your photoshoot

Depending on what you’re photographing, this step can be very different from one project to the next. For a fine art project, you might need to find a location, props, models, a shot list, etc., while a documentary photo essay is about planning the best time to do the photos, what gear to bring with you, finding a local guide, etc.

Every photo essay will need different planning, so before taking pictures, put in the required time to get things right.

4. Experiment

It’s one thing to plan your photo shoot and having a shot list that you have to get, or else the photo essay won’t be complete. It’s another thing to miss out on some amazing photo opportunities that you couldn’t foresee.

So, be prepared but also stay open-minded and experiment with different settings, different perspectives, etc.

5. Make a final selection

Editing your work can be one of the hardest parts of doing a photo essay. Sometimes we can be overly critical, and others, we get attached to bad photos because we put a lot of effort into them or we had a great time doing them.

Try to be as objective as possible, don’t be afraid to ask for opinions and make various revisions before settling down on a final cut.

7 Photo Essay Topics, Ideas & Examples

Credit: Michelle Leman

• Architectural photo essay

Using architecture as your main subject, there are tons of photo essay ideas that you can do. For some inspiration, you can check out the work of Francisco Marin – who was trained as an architect and then turned to photography to “explore a different way to perceive things”.

You can also lookup Luisa Lambri. Amongst her series, you’ll find many photo essay examples in which architecture is the subject she uses to explore the relationship between photography and space.

• Process and transformation photo essay

This is one of the best photo essay topics for beginners because the story tells itself. Pick something that has a beginning and an end, for example, pregnancy, the metamorphosis of a butterfly, the life-cycle of a plant, etc.

Keep in mind that these topics are linear and give you an easy way into the narrative flow – however, it might be difficult to find an interesting perspective and a unique point of view.

• A day in the life of ‘X’ photo essay

There are tons of interesting photo essay ideas in this category – you can follow around a celebrity, a worker, your child, etc. You don’t even have to do it about a human subject – think about doing a photo essay about a day in the life of a racing horse, for example – find something that’s interesting for you.

• Time passing by photo essay

It can be a natural site or a landmark photo essay – whatever is close to you will work best as you’ll need to come back multiple times to capture time passing by. For example, how this place changes throughout the seasons or maybe even over the years.

A fun option if you live with family is to document a birthday party each year, seeing how the subject changes over time. This can be combined with a transformation essay or sorts, documenting the changes in interpersonal relationships over time.

• Travel photo essay

Do you want to make the jump from tourist snapshots into a travel photo essay? Research the place you’re going to be travelling to. Then, choose a topic.

If you’re having trouble with how to do this, check out any travel magazine – National Geographic, for example. They won’t do a generic article about Texas – they do an article about the beach life on the Texas Gulf Coast and another one about the diverse flavors of Texas.

The more specific you get, the deeper you can go with the story.

• Socio-political issues photo essay

This is one of the most popular photo essay examples – it falls under the category of photojournalism or documental photography. They are usually thematic, although it’s also possible to do a narrative one.

Depending on your topic of interest, you can choose topics that involve nature – for example, document the effects of global warming. Another idea is to photograph protests or make an education photo essay.

It doesn’t have to be a big global issue; you can choose something specific to your community – are there too many stray dogs? Make a photo essay about a local animal shelter. The topics are endless.

• Behind the scenes photo essay

A behind-the-scenes always make for a good photo story – people are curious to know what happens and how everything comes together before a show.

Depending on your own interests, this can be a photo essay about a fashion show, a theatre play, a concert, and so on. You’ll probably need to get some permissions, though, not only to shoot but also to showcase or publish those images.

4 Best Photo Essays in Recent times

Now that you know all the techniques about it, it might be helpful to look at some photo essay examples to see how you can put the concept into practice. Here are some famous photo essays from recent times to give you some inspiration.

Habibi by Antonio Faccilongo

This photo essay wan the World Press Photo Story of the Year in 2021. Faccilongo explores a very big conflict from a very specific and intimate point of view – how the Israeli-Palestinian war affects the families.

He chose to use a square format because it allows him to give order to things and eliminate unnecessary elements in his pictures.

With this long-term photo essay, he wanted to highlight the sense of absence and melancholy women and families feel towards their husbands away at war.

The project then became a book edited by Sarah Leen and the graphics of Ramon Pez.

Picture This: New Orleans by Mary Ellen Mark

The last assignment before her passing, Mary Ellen Mark travelled to New Orleans to register the city after a decade after Hurricane Katrina.

The images of the project “bring to life the rebirth and resilience of the people at the heart of this tale”, – says CNNMoney, commissioner of the work.

Each survivor of the hurricane has a story, and Mary Ellen Mark was there to record it. Some of them have heartbreaking stories about everything they had to leave behind.

Others have a story of hope – like Sam and Ben, two eight-year-olds born from frozen embryos kept in a hospital that lost power supply during the hurricane, yet they managed to survive.

Selfie by Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman is an American photographer whose work is mainly done through self-portraits. With them, she explores the concept of identity, gender stereotypes, as well as visual and cultural codes.

One of her latest photo essays was a collaboration with W Magazine entitled Selfie. In it, the author explores the concept of planned candid photos (‘plandid’).

The work was made for Instagram, as the platform is well known for the conflict between the ‘real self’ and the one people present online. Sherman started using Facetune, Perfect365 and YouCam to alter her appearance on selfies – in Photoshop, you can modify everything, but these apps were designed specifically to “make things prettier”- she says, and that’s what she wants to explore in this photo essay.

Tokyo Compression by Michael Wolf

Michael Wolf has an interest in the broad-gauge topic Life in Cities. From there, many photo essays have been derived – amongst them – Tokyo Compression .

He was horrified by the way people in Tokyo are forced to move to the suburbs because of the high prices of the city. Therefore, they are required to make long commutes facing 1,5 hours of train to start their 8+ hour workday followed by another 1,5 hours to get back home.

To portray this way of life, he photographed the people inside the train pressed against the windows looking exhausted, angry or simply absent due to this way of life.

You can visit his website to see other photo essays that revolve around the topic of life in megacities.

Final Words

It’s not easy to make photo essays, so don’t expect to be great at it right from your first project.

Start off small by choosing a specific subject that’s interesting to you –  that will come from an honest place, and it will be a great practice for some bigger projects along the line.

Whether you like to shoot still life or you’re a travel photographer, I hope these photo essay tips and photo essay examples can help you get started and grow in your photography.

Let us know which topics you are working on right now – we’ll love to hear from you!

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Ana Mireles is a Mexican researcher that specializes in photography and communications for the arts and culture sector.

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Why We Do It: Photographers and Photo Editors on the Passion That Drives Their Work

T he people who make up today’s thriving photographic community are our eyes to the world. Whether established artists and journalists or passionate emerging voices, they inform us, they inspire us, they amaze us, they put our world in the broader context of history.

But that community also faces great challenges — dwindling sales, increased competition and a fragile trust in photographers’ mission to inform. Too often, those factors can make those of us in that community, photographers and photo editors alike, lose sight of what drive us.

For this post, my last as editor of TIME LightBox, I asked 13 of my colleagues – some of the many photographers and photo editors who have influenced and inspired me over my last ten years in this industry – to answer these essential questions: Why do they do it? Why do they wake up every morning ready to take photographs, to edit them, to publish them? Why is photography important to them and, by extension, to all of us?

Here are their answers.

Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, the New York Times Magazine

Photographs are the universal language of our era. Everyone has hundreds, maybe thousands in their pocket. Weightless, they turn the scale when the argument is: What happened here? Images don’t age or warp. A great photographer’s strings never go out of tune.

It is for this reason that we need photographers. They are the ones who sort all the chaos of the world into images that bring clarity to the free-for-all of life. They are the witnesses and artists who can distill the mayhem and beauty that surrounds us. They call our attention to the things we miss in our everyday lives and they call our attention to events and people at a great distance from our own patch of the universe. When they direct our eyes and hearts with precision and honesty, we know what we know differently and better. Photographers teach us to look again, look harder. Look through their eyes.

Ruddy Roye, Photographer

I shoot because I see. I shoot because if I don’t, I don’t know who will. Activism is seen as a dirty word. I shoot because I find peace in being especially active, and being a vigorous advocate for a cause.

How does one define what a “cause” is? According to Webster, it is “a person or thing that acts, happens, or exists in such a way that some specific thing happens as a result; the producer of an effect.”

I wish that every image I photograph reexamines and redefines the image of the black man, the black woman, and the black child. My photography is first and foremost a catalyst or reason to motive human action. Every picture I take asks the questions, “Who am I and what is my role here on this earth?” It is my way of seeing. It is my way of saying this is another way of seeing me.

Sarah Leen, Director of Photography, National Geographic

I have spent my entire professional life creating, editing, critiquing or teaching photography and working with photographers. It has been the way that I have experienced much of the world. In a deeply personal way I feel an image is a poem about time, about “staying the moment.” Photography can defeat time. Images can keep the memory of a loved one alive, hold a moment in history for future generations, be a witness to tragedy or joy. They can also change behavior, stimulate understanding and create a sense of urgency that will move people to action. Photography is the universal language that speaks to the heart.

Photographers are the dedicated, passionate and sometimes half-crazy individuals who are willing to give their lives, too often quite literally, to show us what needs to be seen, what needs to be known. I can think of no greater honor nor privilege than to have lived a life surrounded by images and the amazing individuals who create them and share them with us.

Stacy Kranitz, Photographer

For me it began with this fear of myself as a hermit and a search for a tool that would put me in a position to have to be out engaging with the world everyday.

Then it became this portal to and catalyst for reckoning with the other and how the camera can be used to breaking down barriers between the photographer, subject and viewer.

Now that the image has become devalued as a truth-revealing mechanism, it is free to own its subjectivity and becomes an ideal medium to navigate ideas around humanity, connection, identity, memory, presence, experience and intimacy.

Stephanie Sinclair, Photographer

Why do we do it? I think we all ask ourselves this question, especially as the industry becomes ever more volatile, with colleagues losing their jobs, and even their lives, more often than many of us ever expected when we went into this profession. Not to mention the steeply declining pay for those of us who manage to eke out a living doing editorial work… But for me, it comes down to the people in my photographs.

I still believe in the power of journalism and photojournalism to spark positive change — in a world where the pursuit of self-interest is prioritized by so many, its role speaking truth to power when all other avenues fail is unparalleled. And beyond the big-picture role of journalism, it can also be a revelation at the personal level. I’ve seen that from both sides of stories. For example, not long ago I was a story’s subject when my mother lost her life to medical malpractice in Florida hospitals; and, of course, I’ve been behind the camera interviewing hundreds of girls during my 15-year Too Young to Wed project. From both vantage points, I’ve learned how personally cathartic and validating it can be to share injustices suffered with a global community.

MaryAnne Golon, Director of Photography, Washington Post

Why is photography important? Photography speaks. When I discovered and later understood photographic visual language, I saw that this language could inform, educate and move audiences worldwide without the need for a shared spoken language. A successful photo story, when well-authored and edited, is universally understood. I once presented a photo story in China in silence to a professional photography group where the audience smiled, laughed, and fell quiet in all the right places — without a word in Mandarin or English. After the last frame, we all just beamed at each other. It was so thrilling.

I believe in light. Photography is light. That light is often shined into the darkest of places by the world’s bravest and most talented photojournalists. I have been most honored to support and publish work by many of them. I intend to continue nurturing, encouraging, supporting, cajoling, helping, counseling, appreciating, celebrating, and paying for professional photojournalism for as long as I am able. I believe in its power.

Aidan Sullivan, CEO and Founder, Verbatim

Photographers will tell you it’s almost like a disease, an obsession, a condition that drives them to tell the story at any cost, suffer hardships, isolate themselves and take extraordinary risks, all in an effort to capture and convey the story they are passionate about.

I have been there, as a young photographer, and I understand that passion and drive — and now, as my career has taken me through so many levels and roles in our industry, I feel compelled to support and nurture those storytellers, to help them continue to produce important work and tell those stories, often uncomfortable ones, so that we can, sitting in the comfort of our homes, be made aware of the darker side of our world.

This art, this madness, this compulsion to convey a story we know as photojournalism will not die, storytelling will not die, it will change and evolve but it is human nature to want to learn, to be educated and to understand our world through narratives.

I think photojournalism and the skills required to become a photojournalist are an inherent trait, genetic, it’s built into the DNA, it’s a need to be first to tell a story or pass on knowledge visually, like storytellers through the ages, when storytelling was deemed to be a gift and an important way to educate, when memory was a key requirement for learning.

Early cave drawings were the beginning of the visual narrative, all that has changed really is the method to capture those images and now, with a mobile and digital world, the way we disseminate them, instead of access to a few in our inner social circles, now it’s to hundreds of millions of people within the blink of an eye.

Laura Morton, Photographer

I first became interested in photojournalism primarily out of an interest in history. One day, while studying the Industrial Revolution, I found myself very saddened by a photograph of a child in a factory. I remember realizing in that moment that both the child and photographer were likely no longer alive and I became fascinated by how the photograph could make me so upset for the hard life of someone who lived so many decades before me. In a way both of them became almost immortal through the photograph and there was something very compelling about that.

I believe it’s incredibly important for photographers to document everyday life and even sometimes the seemingly mundane, not just for a better understanding of our times, but for individuals in the future to be able to reflect on who they are and how they got there. A photograph is particularly powerful because it is accessible to most of humanity. There is no language barrier in photography. I pick stories and pursue the projects I do with the goal of documenting not only important issues of our time, but ones that will also be relevant or perhaps even more vital for our understanding of humanity in the future.

Simon Bainbridge, Editorial Director, British Journal of Photography

Twenty years ago, I took a formative road trip across the Southwestern states with my sister and my best friend. She was studying literature at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and he was a film school graduate who was just beginning to take his experiments with a still camera more seriously. We planned to cross the San Juan Skyway, then head West to Canyonlands and Monument Valley, looping through New Mexico and back across the Colorado border, but we ended up taking the circuitous route.

Every few miles my friend would point excitedly at the horizon or some mark on the map, and suddenly we’d be veering off-road, heading for some rock or mountain or strange sounding name. Soon we’d be crossing “no entry” signs into reservation land, or knocking at the door of some crazy who’d spent years on a diet of marijuana and aloe vera, building a five-story tower made from Budweiser cans, or detouring up the aptly-named Oh My Gawd Road, or into Cañon City, “Corrections Capital of the World.” At first frustrated by these diversions, my sister and I soon gave in to the adventure, and over the next two weeks let ourselves be led by our random guide, in search of Kodak Gold. I would stand next to my friend, and see what he saw. But somehow he captured something ethereal and profound that I hadn’t recognized. We came to see the world differently; not through some new point of view, but by giving in to our heightened sense of curiosity.

Two decades later, this is still the Holy Grail. The photographers I most admire go out into the world with a sense of wonder and freedom and, yes, arrogance, challenging our apathy, making us see it afresh, for better or worse. Today, I am as willing and eager as ever to wade through the endless repeated themes and subjects to find those rare works that provoke, challenge and thrill me through their brave and insightful perspectives, or their sheer visual sublime.

Alex Potter, Photographer

When I left Yemen in August 2015, the place where I learned to photograph, build a story, and really love a community, I felt very lost. For over a year I tried to seek out a new base, a new story and group of people that had meaning to me, for something I felt connected to, without success. By November I was asking myself that very question — why am I still trying to do this?

I arrived in Iraq in November 2016, looking for stories having nothing to do with Mosul, yet I felt with so many other journalists around, I needed to find meaning elsewhere. I’m a registered nurse, so I sought out a small group of foreign medics working with the Iraqi military medics to treat people wounded during the battle. Living with this tight knit group, I began photographing our surroundings, the Iraqi medics whose job was so morbid, but who were so jovial in our downtime.

By working side by side with them and photographing what we went through together, I was useful, needed, and passionate about something again: I felt the desire to photograph for the first time in over a year. For me, photography is something I’ll always come back to, having assignments or not, to process my reality, to document the world around me, and to remember small details in difficult times that may have otherwise been forgotten.

Jeffrey Furticella, Sports Photo Editor, the New York Times

A favorite childhood memory is of my father driving us to a hobby store, purchasing a few packs of trading cards and me excitedly ripping them open to see what was inside. The bulk of what I’d find were mainstream releases, but what kept me tearing apart those cellophane wrappers week after week was the hope of unearthing something unique, something beautiful, something rare.

That same rush is what propels my belief in picture editing. In a time when our global awareness is under siege by an increasingly insular perspective, the responsibility of empowering photographers whose mission is to not just capture but to investigate, to enlighten, to excite, is one of the great privileges of our time.

Today there are more photographers producing more photographs and populating more platforms than have existed at any other point in our history. With that ubiquity has come an evolution in our audiences, which are more sophisticated and demanding than ever. What a thrilling time then to be tasked with looking through the mainstream releases in the hope of unearthing something unique, something beautiful, something rare.

Peter Di Campo, Photographer

Why is it important? Look at where we are right now. The world today scares me, frankly – people, cultures refusing to understand each other, and the results are frightening, and it’s to the benefit of the people at the top to keep it that way. So I have to believe in a more diverse and inclusive media (yes, to believe it’s dangerously problematic that the world has been predominantly visualized by people who look like me), and I have to believe in the innovations that allow for people to share their own stories with a wide audience. I care deeply about both investigative journalism and user-generated forms of storytelling, and I’m naive enough to believe that those two genres can coexist.

Everyday Africa recently had a big exhibition opening in Nairobi. It was wild, a full house. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A lot of the contributing photographers came in from across the continent, and we all met for the first time. You should have seen how the African photographers were treated – like celebrities! – by the fans who have been following them on social media for years. They’re seen as role models in the African art, photography and social-media circles because they’re black people imaging black people, and that’s Power. Anything I can do to continue supporting that – that’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.

Is it odd to be a white American man saying all this? I don’t let it bother me. We all have to care about this.

Jean-François Leroy, Director, Visa pour l’Image Photojournalism Festival

I’ve been doing what I do for 40 years because I’ve always had the same gluttony to discover, among all the proposals I receive, the pure nugget, the young photographer whose photographs are a slap in the face, the young photographer that has that rare talent. Today, to see established photographers, recognized by everyone, whom I exhibited first – I’m beyond proud.

Even if it can be difficult, at times, to work with photographers, I love to reveal them, to help them edit, to build, with them, a story. After all these years, I have the same passion for this witnesses of what we’re living through. They are our eyes. They show us what’s happening. They astonish us. They move us. They make us smile, sometimes. Cry, as well.

I can’t imagine my life without all these encounters, so enriching, so surprising, so astonishing. Life!

Olivier Laurent was the editor of TIME LightBox from 2014 to 2017. He previously was a news editor at the British Journal of Photography. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @olivierclaurent

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Home — Application Essay — Scholarship — Cultivating Photography: My Lifelong Passion

Cultivating Photography: My Lifelong Passion

• University: University of Vermont

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Words: 536 |

Published: Jul 18, 2018

Words: 536 | Pages: 1 | 3 min read

As I sit here reflecting on my journey to becoming a photographer, I realize that it was a seed planted by a relative that has blossomed into my lifelong passion. Growing up, I always had an interest in capturing memories and moments through a camera lens. However, it wasn't until my uncle gifted me my first camera on my 13th birthday that my love for photography truly began.

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My uncle was a professional photographer who had traveled the world, capturing breathtaking landscapes and portraits of people from all walks of life. He took the time to teach me the fundamentals of photography, and encouraged me to explore and experiment with different techniques and styles.

Through his guidance, I discovered the power of photography to tell a story, evoke emotions, and document the world around us. I found myself spending hours wandering the streets of my city, capturing candid moments of people going about their daily lives, or chasing the perfect light to illuminate a landscape in a way that would convey its beauty to others.

As I grew older and began to consider my future career path, I knew that I wanted to pursue photography. I wanted to use my skills and passion to create beautiful, thought-provoking images that would connect with people on a deep level.

At the University of Vermont, I hope to further my education in photography and gain a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of the craft. I want to learn how to effectively use lighting, composition, and post-processing techniques to elevate my images to the next level. I also hope to explore the different genres of photography and develop my own style and voice. Whether it be portraiture, landscapes, or documentary photography, I am excited to learn new ways of seeing the world and capturing it through my lens.

Ultimately, my goal as a photographer is to create images that not only look beautiful, but also inspire and educate others. I hope to use my craft to shed light on important social issues, tell untold stories, and capture the beauty of the world around us. My uncle may have planted the seed of my love for photography, but it is my passion and dedication to the craft that has brought me to where I am today. I am excited to continue this journey at the University of Vermont, and to see where my love for photography takes me in the future.

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Certainly, receiving a scholarship would be instrumental in my pursuit of a degree in photography at the University of Vermont. While my family has always been supportive of my academic aspirations, financial constraints have often limited my opportunities. Receiving a scholarship would not only relieve some of the financial burden of tuition and fees but also allow me to focus more fully on my studies and extracurricular activities. Additionally, being awarded a scholarship would provide me with a sense of validation and recognition for my hard work and dedication to the field of photography. I am eager to explore the various scholarships and financial aid options available at the University of Vermont and hope to be considered for any that align with my academic achievements and future career goals.

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PHOTOGRAPHY. MY PASSION. MY LIFE

2021 marks the fifth anniversary of Fan Ho’s passing and what would have been his 90th birthday. For the occasion, this new publication “Photography. My Passion. My Life.”, bundling the best of Fan Ho’s work, was released in December 2021.

This photo-book contains a selection of 138 photos by the celebrated photographer, intertwining his internationally renowned works with those that have yet to be released. The book contains an essay “My Quest” written by Fan Ho himself in the 70’s, explaining his own practice and his stylistic journey as he was influenced by different movements in photography occurring at that time. Through his essay, we learn about his interpretations of aesthetics, poetics, philosophy and synergy, as seen in his photographs.  

Hard Cover Case Binding

Size: 13 x 10.5  in.

Language: English and Chinese

Publisher: WE Press Co. Ltd.

ISBN: 978-988-79341-0-3 $160

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Why i have a passion for photography, people need to see the best parts of themselves.

Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything. -Aaron Siskind

I fell in love with photography a long time ago. I was 13 when I first started taking photos. I captured everything. I was known as the friend who always has a camera with her. As I grew older, I began to take photography more seriously. I knew it was something I wanted to start a career with.

But why? Why did I choose photography?

I chose photography because I want show people the best things about themselves. I want to show the world in a different way that makes people think deeper. You see, photography is so much more then focussing and pressing a button. People who take photos are capturing the world in their own way. If 10 people take a photo of the same subject, I guarantee that the photo will look different from each person.

We all have different perspectives. When someone takes a photo they are sharing their perspective, and I think that is pretty cool.

Photography also tells a story. Everyone has a story. Now that people can capture images on their phones, everyone is capable of telling their own personal story through everyday photos. It is amazing that we are able to do this at the tips of our fingers.

Through my photos I want capture the best aspects of my subject and tell their story. I want people to feel what the subject is feeling. Every time I pick up a camera I love photography more and more.

This summer I was given the opportunity to serve with WinShape camps as their Media Specialist. I will be doing all the photography and videoing for my travel group. I will be doing two things I love most, photography and travel. I can not wait to see the new ways I am going to fall in love with photography this summer. It was so amazing that God gave me this opportunity and I can not wait to see how He is going to use me this summer.

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Cool off with these 8 beers.

Summer is hot and humid, and it's almost like summer was made specifically to drink the refreshing, cold, crisp wonderful, delicious, nutritious nectar of the gods. Which is none other than beer; wonderful cold beer. With summer playing peek-a-boo around the corner while we finish up this semester, it's time to discuss the only important part of summer. And if you haven't already guessed, it's beer. There are few things I take more seriously than my beer, in order are: sports ... and beer. Here are my favorite summer brews:

Coors Light Summer Brew:

This summer shandy begins this list, it's a mix of lemon, lime and orange. While this is by no means a craft beer, it still has it place as a refreshing summer brew to enjoy.

Leinenkugel Summer Shandy

Solid choice for any summer get together, great taste with a hint of citrus.

Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat

Distinctly reminds me of Fruity Pebbles, but nonetheless is a wonderful summer beer.

Sam Adams Summer Ale

Sam Adams is known for their traditional Boston Lager, but their Summer Ale is damn good.

Hell or High Watermelon

Made with real watermelon, not much is more summer-esque than juicy watermelon in July.

Blue Moon Summer Honey

I love me some Blue Moon, so the summer brew is a no-brainer on this list.

LandShark Lager

Fun fact: LandShark is owned by Anheuser-Busch, and is more commonly know as the signature drink of Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville.

Obviously Corona had to take the number one spot. To me, there's nothing more refreshing than a cold Corona with lime on a hot summer day.

So whether you're on a sandy beach, a fishing boat, or at a pool, just remember what our dear friend Jack Nicholson said, "Beer, it's the best damn drink in the world."

Drink responsibly and never drink and drive.

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75 degrees and sunny, plus, no humidity. I mean do I really need to say more?

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Perfect Weather

You'll get an effortless tan.

Being outside is inevitable when the weather is this nice, so slap on some low SPF and enjoy the perfect weather as you become a bronzed beach babe!

You can exercise with a view

Who said working on your summer bod has to stop when summer starts? In SoCal there are hundreds of gorgeous hiking trails in the mountains or on the cliffs overlooking the beach, so maintaining your summer bod is easy on the eyes and a lot less of a drag!

You don't have to worry about bug bites

The likelihood of you getting bit by a bug is slim, so you don't have to worry about smelling like bug spray whenever you want to go outside.

In n Out all day, every day

No explanation needed.

We have outdoor concerts

At the county fair or on the beach, summertime means outdoor concerts with good music and great friends.

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25 Lyrics for Selfie Captions

Because let's be honest, we all use lyrics..

Sometimes you can't think of the perfect caption for your Instagram post. I love using lyrics as my captions because there's so many great lines in songs that just seem to fit in the moment . Here are some lyrics that could work for your selfie or pictures of you with your friends!

1. “Don’t get too close, it’s dark inside. It's where my demons hide.”

Imagine Dragons, Demons

2. “Tonight, we are young.”

Fun., We Are Young

3. “Cuz I may be bad, but I’m perfectly good at it.”

Rihanna, S&M

4. “Tell me how they got that pretty little face on that pretty little frame.”

Justin Timberlake, Summer Love

5. “I can’t wait to fall in love with you, you can’t wait to fall in love with me.”

6. “sweatpants, hair tied, chillin with no makeup on.”.

Drake, Best I Ever Had

7. “Why you so obsessed with me?”

Mariah Carey, Obsessed

8. “We ain’t ever getting older.”

The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey, Closer

9. “I didn’t know that I was starving until I tasted you.”

Haille Steinfeld, Starving

10. “Didn’t they tell you I’m a savage?"

Rihanna, Needed Me

11. “I’m gonna make you miss me.”

Sam Hunt, Make You Miss Me

12. "Cheers to the freakin weekend.”

Rihanna, Cheers

13. “Love’s a game. Wanna play?”

Taylor Swift , Blank Space

14. “You don’t know about me, but I bet you want to.”

Taylor Swift, 22

15. “Let’s set each other’s lonely nights, Be each other’s paradise.”

Justin Bieber, Company

16. “Trippin’ on skies, sippin’ waterfalls."

Troye Sivan, Youth

17. “Wish we could turn back time, to the good old days.”

Twenty One Pilots, Stressed Out

18. “But you will remember me for centuries.”

Fall Out Boy , Centuries

19. “Something about you makes me feel like a dangerous woman."

Ariana Grande, Dangerous Woman

20. “Don’t act like it’s a bad thing to fall in love with me.”

Justin Timberlake, Not A Bad Thing

21. “Darling, I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream.”

Taylor Swift, Blank Space

22. “Find me where the wild things are.”

Alessia Cara, Wild Things

23. “I’m high on lovin’ you.”

Florida Georgia Line, H.O.L.Y.

24. “If you’re gonna be somebody’s heartbreak, somebody’s mistake, if you’re gonna be somebody’s first time, somebody’s last time, be mine.”

Hunter Hayes, Somebody's Heartbreak

25. “Don’t be afraid to take the road less traveled on.”

Lauren Alaina, Road Less Traveled

Bruce Springsteen's Top 7 Lyrics

Everything bruce says in his classic rock songs..

Anyone who was born and raised in New Jersey (or anywhere really) knows of Bruce Springsteen, whether or not they like him is a whole other situation. I hope that his hundreds of classic rock songs and famous high energy performances, even in his sixties he can put on better concerts than people half his age, are at least recognizable to people of all ages. Love him or hate him (I identify with the former) you have to admit that some of his songs and interviews have inspirational quotes and lyrics.

Here are a few of Bruce Springsteen's most memorable song lyrics because whether you're a die hard fan who named your dog after the man (I totally did that) or you have other opinions, you have to admit that some of his lyrics are on point:

1. "Talk about a dream Try to make it real You wake up in the night With a fear so real Spend your life waiting For a moment that just don't come Well don't waste your time waiting." (Badlands)

This is one of my personal favorites. Maybe it is a little lengthy, but it really hits on some major points.

2. "It's a town full of losers/ I'm pulling out of here to win" (Thunder Road)

Maybe this only resonates with people who hate their hometown (which is most college students I know). However, I once watched an interview where Lady Gaga said that this was the lyric that inspired her to become a musician. Which is pretty cool if you ask me.

3. "You've got to learn to live with what you can't rise above" (Tunnel of Love)

It's the Bruce Springsteen version of "if you can't beat them, join them."

4. "I got something in my heart / I been waitin' to give/ I got a life I wanna start/ One I been waitin' to live" (Leah)

For some reason, I have always loved this less popular song.

5. “God have mercy on the man/ Who doubts what he’s sure of” (Brilliant Disguise)

This had to be included because this is my favorite Bruce Springsteen song, but it is also a solid quote.

6. “Well everybody’s got a hunger, a hunger they can’t resist/ There’s so much that you want, you deserve much more than this/ Well, if dreams came true, aw, wouldn’t that be nice?/ But this ain’t no dream, we’re living all through the night/ You want it? You take it, you pay the price” (Prove it All Night)

Maybe it is not one of my favorite Bruce Springsteen songs, but this lyric is still powerful.

7. “Is a dream a lie when it don’t come true, or is it something worse?” (The River)

"The River" is another one of my favorite songs, it has so many quotable lyrics. This is just one of them.

New England Summers Are The BEST Summers

Why you should spend your next summer in new england..

Three years ago, I chose to attend college in Philadelphia, approximately 360 miles away from my small town in New Hampshire. I have learned many valuable lessons away from home, and have thoroughly enjoyed my time spent in Pennsylvania. One thing that my experience has taught me, however, is that it is absolutely impossible to beat a New England summer .

You cannot beat the beach. Believe it or not (which many people may not), New England has a long and beautiful coastline. Most of my high school summers were spent sitting on the Wall at Hampton Beach, getting sunburnt and eating Acai bowls from The Secret Spot. The Wall was the place to be both during the day and at night. We begin our days there with a KB's bagel and coffee , and end them with pizza and ice cream. It’s not a New England summer without that 4 p.m. text from someone, “Who wants to meet at the Wall tonight?” Nighttime is for Tripoli’s Pizza, the sound of waves, and wishes on shooting stars. Wednesday nights are especially important, as those are the nights that Hampton Beach sets off the weekly firework display.

When the summer days end, the beauty of New England does not. Summer nights are arguably the best time of day. At the end of the day, we enjoy the most beautiful sea breeze. I’ve spent so many nights wrapped in a sweatshirt on the porch, counting the fireflies lighting up the yard. This weather also makes for the perfect bonfire. If we’re not at the Wall, it’s very likely that someone will have a fire in his/her yard. If you haven’t huddled up to a fire with your best friends, then I recommend doing so this summer (just make sure someone brings the ingredients for s’mores!).

With the beach, comes the best seafood in the country. I’ve seen menus in other states refer to clam chowder as New England clam chowder, though it’s impossible to understand until you taste it for yourself. Down the coastline, towards Seabrook, NH and Salisbury, Massachusetts, you can find Brown’s and Markey’s. They’re competing seafood restaurants across the street from one another, equally busy on any summer night. One of the most famous ice cream places in New England, The Beach Plum, actually serves award-winning lobster rolls! Seafood is done right in New England. It’s not wasted with fancy silverware and expensive appetizers, but instead served buttery and delicious on paper plates.

After a seafood meal, ice cream is an absolute requirement. New England summers bring forth one of the world’s greatest rivalries: Lagos versus The Beach Plum. There’s limited inside seating inside both of these places, as ice cream should be eaten and enjoyed outside. The Beach Plum is generally enjoyed during the day, located directly across from North Hampton Beach. As children, we can all remember begging our parents to let us run and grab ice cream before going home. At Lago’s, we get the most refreshing taste of an old-fashioned ice cream shop. The ice cream scoopers record all orders and prices by hand, and add them up with their pencils (no calculators allowed!). It’s incredible how quickly and efficiently this is done. It’s normal to get Lago’s more than once a week, sometimes even more than once a day...the best summer days end with salty skin and sticky ice cream fingers.

1A cruises have to be mentioned specifically and separately from everything else, as they are their own New England specialty. Whether you are home for the entire summer, or home for just one week, 1A cruises are a must. Route 1A, or Ocean Boulevard, runs all along the New England coastline. We drive down the road staring at the ocean and the mansions across from it. “Which house would you choose?” was one of my favorite games to play with my family during our drives to the beach. No one knows what the actual speed limit is on route 1A because it always driven slowly, designed as a scenic route. You can start in Rye, NH and end in Massachusetts or just drive along for a couple or minutes—it doesn’t get less impressive. Some of my most treasured memories are those spent listening to country music and gossiping with friends on our “1A cruises.”

While there are beautiful places all throughout the United States, I, along with many others, can agree that New England, undoubtedly, is the best place to be in the summer.

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Photography. My Passion. My Life.

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• Description

This photo-book contains a selection of 138 photos by the celebrated photographer, intertwining his internationally renowned works with those that have yet to be released. The book contains an essay “My Quest” written by Fan Ho himself in the 70’s, explaining his own practice and his stylistic journey as he was influenced by different movements in photography occurring at that time. Through his essay, we learn about his interpretations of aesthetics, poetics, philosophy and synergy, as seen in his photographs.

Fan Ho transitioned from the world of photography to the film industry while maintaining his enthusiasm for art. This transition is examined in an academic essay written by Dr. Timmy Chen, who is currently researching on Fan Ho’s cinema, further elaborated in an essay and personal interpretation by Law Kar, a veteran film researcher and personal friend of Fan Ho.

As per the Fan Ho family, “Fan Ho will always have a special place in our hearts, and we feel closer to him through the lasting legacy of his work. We know we will continue to discover something refreshing every time we look at his unforgettable images, be they portrayals of a bygone era or of the endurance of the human spirit.”

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Essay on My Passion

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Passion in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Passion

Introduction.

My passion is painting. It’s a unique form of self-expression that allows me to create my own world on canvas.

Why Painting?

I love painting because it provides a platform for my imagination. With every stroke of my brush, I can bring my thoughts to life.

Impact on Me

Painting is therapeutic for me. It helps me to relax, reduces my stress, and gives me a sense of accomplishment when I finish a piece.

In conclusion, painting is my passion. It’s more than a hobby, it’s a part of who I am.

250 Words Essay on My Passion

The genesis of my passion.

Growing up in the digital era, I was always fascinated by the endless possibilities technology offered. This fascination soon turned into a passion when I wrote my first line of code. The sense of accomplishment I felt was unparalleled, sparking a desire to delve deeper into the realm of technology.

The Impact of My Passion

My passion for technology has shaped my life and career choices. It led me to pursue a degree in Computer Science, where I have been able to explore different facets of technology, from coding to artificial intelligence. This passion has also allowed me to contribute to society by developing solutions for real-world problems.

The Future of My Passion

Looking ahead, I see my passion for technology continuing to grow and evolve. I aim to use it as a tool to drive innovation and positive change, leveraging its potential to solve complex global issues. My passion is more than just a personal interest; it is a commitment to using technology to create a better future.

In conclusion, passion is a powerful motivator that can lead us to achieve great things. For me, technology is not just a field of study or a career, but a passion that fuels my curiosity, creativity, and desire to make a difference. It is a journey of continuous learning, growth, and innovation, and I am excited to see where it will take me next.

500 Words Essay on My Passion

Introduction: the awakening of passion.

Passion, a profound, intense emotion, is the invisible force that drives us to commit ourselves to particular activities, ideas, or fields. It is the spark that ignites the flame of our deepest interests. My passion, which I discovered during my early teenage years, is for technology and computer science.

Unveiling the World of Technology

The journey of learning.

I embarked on a journey to learn more about the intricacies of computer science. I started with basic programming languages and gradually moved to complex ones. With each line of code I wrote, I felt a sense of accomplishment and a growing desire to learn more. The more I learned, the more I realized that computer science is not just about coding; it’s a way of thinking and problem-solving. It’s about developing algorithms to make life easier and more efficient.

Challenges: The Fuel to My Passion

The journey was not always smooth. There were times when I felt overwhelmed by the complexity of the problems I was trying to solve. However, these challenges only fueled my passion. Each obstacle was an opportunity to learn something new, to push my boundaries, and to come up with innovative solutions. These challenges taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of a growth mindset.

Impact and Future Aspirations

Conclusion: the power of passion.

Passion is more than just a strong interest or hobby; it’s a commitment to pursue something with all your heart and mind. It is the driving force that pushes you to go beyond your comfort zone and explore new horizons. My passion for technology has shaped my life in countless ways, and it continues to inspire me to learn, innovate, and create. It is a reminder that when we pursue what we love, we not only find joy and fulfillment, but we also have the potential to make a significant impact.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

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Essay on My Hobby Photography | [My Hobby Essay]

Hello, friends today we have come up with an essay on My Hobby Photography . In this essay, I have told about how I got into this hobby and have explained why photography is my passion.

My Hobby Photography

There are always many interesting activities going on all around us, and among such activities, one may be our hobby, the thing we love to do the most without getting bored is our hobby. And my hobby is photography.

Photography is my favorite hobby. I got into photography when I was given my first camera as a gift from my parents on my 13th birthday. At first, I didn't know much about how to use a camera, but I was very much interested in the camera. I quickly started learning more about photography and started experimenting with different techniques. As days passed I kept on mastering new things about photography and I am still learning new things as it excites me the most.

One of the things I love about photography is how it allows me to be creative. I enjoy capturing moments and objects in an interesting and unique way. I also enjoy editing my photos and adding different filters and effects to create a particular mood or atmosphere.

In a world that can often feel overwhelming and chaotic, taking photos allows me to slow down and focus on the beauty and detail in the world around me in just one frame of a picture. It also allows me to express myself in a way that words often cannot do.

My passion for photography has been appreciated by others as well. I often upload my pictures on social media like Instagram and Facebook, I had some of my photos featured in local exhibitions and I have even sold a few of my prints. It is always a great feeling to know that others enjoy and appreciate my work. It makes me feel happy when others appreciate me and follow me for photographs I post.

In addition to being a creative outlet, photography is also a great way to document the world around us. I love taking photos of landscapes, cityscapes, and interesting architecture. Photography allows me to capture moments and places that I can look back on and remember fondly.

Photography is not just a hobby but one can make leaving out of it by just being creative and taking decent photographs. I have been paid by many brands for their product photoshoot. Good quality and unique pictures have demand in the online market where good value is provided for the art. My passion for photography has been paying for what I love to do, it's just like a cherry on the cake for me.

Overall, photography has been a deeply rewarding hobby for me, and I look forward to continuing to explore and grow in this field. Whether I am capturing a stunning landscape, a candid portrait, or a still-life composition, I am always striving to create beautiful and evocative images that tell a story and inspire emotion. I am grateful for the opportunities that photography has given me, and I am excited to see where this passion will take me in the future.

Friends, do you like to click photos? and is it your hobby to do so, do tell us in the comment section below.

This essay on my hobby photography can be used by students of class 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th. This essay can be used by students for their educational purpose.

If you need an essay on any topic in the English language then do tell us in the comment section below.

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Very nice 👍

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