Photography is expensive. Depending on the chosen photography genre(s) an enthusiast might spend some good hundreds or even thousands of dollars on the gear. And this is only a small part compared to a professional’s expenses. It is also very time consuming, especially at editing.
In fact working in Photoshop or Lightroom can take so much time that sometimes I feel I’d rather not have photos edited at all but instead go more in the field. It’s much more relaxing! But as mentioned in previous post I’m aware that editing is “a necessary evil”. It not only makes pictures look better but it is also a good “excuse” for “unleashing” creativity.
Currently I don’t make money out of photography. Many asked me: why did you buy this expensive equipment if you don’t get any financial return? My answer is simple: it’s not all about money, it’s not all about business! It’s more about doing something pleasant and relaxing. It’s about developing new skills like attention to details and even improving the lateral sight (especially when using wide shooting angles). Last but not least, it’s about the satisfaction that I get when seeing the final result and this satisfaction becomes even greater when my pictures are also viewed by other folks. The satisfaction remains even if a part of the viewers criticize the photos. In fact it is good that they are criticized because it’s one of the best ways to find improvement opportunities (which I must admit I am constantly seeking).
So to make my passion visible I created this blog and on this occasion I would like to bring a big “thank you” to all my visitors!
PS. Check this too: https://callofnatureblog.wordpress.com/2016/11/29/what-photography-means-to-me/
Call of Nature 
Beautiful images for sure! Thanks also for sharing your thoughts on why we (photographers) invest so much time and money. For me this simple: because it brings joy to my life. You don’t need fancy gear to be a great photographer (a smartphone is enough), but if accumulating nice lenses and you can afford brings you satisfaction, why not do it? And if spending lots of time in front of Lightroom or Photoshop brings you joy and lets you feel creative then that’s fine as well. The good thing for us aspiring shooters that don’t need our photography to pay our bills, we’re free to dive into this hobby as much as we want (and our loved one’s around us can tolerate)…
Thank you for the comment! I couldn’t agree more. The most important is passion and the equipment is just a tool that helps fulfil it. Of course a more sophisticated tool helps things run easier and smoother. But the most important thing above all is to go out as often as possible and shoot as much as one can. This brings experience, joy and a good relaxing time.