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Find your WHY!

Find your WHY
24 Sep 2016

Find your WHY!

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Do you ever stop to think about why you create the images you do? Getting to your Why isn’t as easy as it sounds. The easy answer is, ‘I do it because I love it!’ But it’s important to examine that love a bit deeper to find more specific and revealing reasons. Why do you have to make photographs? Why is creating images important to you? What does it mean to you? Understanding your true motivations behind your photography can help you to become more creative and achieve your goals.

There are lots of reasons why people make photographs. Decide what is most important to you. What makes you come alive?

Are you keen to learn new and exciting techniques?  Do you want to develop your own artistic voice? Do you want to make money with your photography, or see your images hanging in an exhibition?  The list of possibilities is endless.

Knowing your WHY reminds you why you get out of bed early to photograph a sunrise. Your WHY helps you to easily make the decisions that are right for you. Your WHY shows you exactly who your right people are, those that you should connect with or ignore.

“He who has a why can endure any how.” — Frederick Nietzsche

For me, it is about testing my skills with new challenges.  I work best when I push myself artistically and technically with new subjects or new approaches to my photography.

Your reasons may be different to mine, but identifying them can be so helpful when it comes to planning your next photoshoot or deciding what kind of workshop you need to attend to grow your skills. Remember that your WHY doesn’t have to be big.  You may simply decide that your main motivation is enjoyment.  You might just want to have fun with your camera.

Clarity is the first step to crafting photographs that you love.

If you are not feeling motivated, if your photography is not moving forward, or if you find yourself feeling “stuck”, it is most likely because your WHY is not strong enough to pull you through times when you don’t feel inspired.

Everyone has a different process for finding his or her WHY.  It’s not something you can simply learn through books or study.  It requires you to look deep inside yourself to find what moves you to create. Your “why” is something that emerges. You’ll discover it by taking action, every day. By looking at what is working and what isn’t, you can align yourself with your WHY. Clarity is the first step to crafting photographs that you love.

I’d love to know your WHY? Share in the comments below!

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4 Responses

  1. Judy Klaus

    Eva that was a great article. Thank you for sharing and challenging us again. yes there are desert times, times when I don’t feel inspired. I often turn to your web page when feeling this. and POP. I feel inspired. I am wowed and motivated to see in a new way. Creative photography for me extends my imagination and the results can really be a “wow”. That’s when I feel the joy of having achieved that and will share this with others. Another big thing for me is seeing in a different way. Seeing something through the lens I had not seen with the naked eye.