ABSTRACT
So why take photographs? What roles do photographs play in our life and relative to other
forms of expression or communication? Does a photographer have responsibilities? What is
actually involved? And what makes a result successful anyway? We will explore these issues and
some of photography’s possibilities over the course of this book, with the understanding that
photography is a combination of subjective thought, creative imagination, visual design, technical
skills, and practical organizing ability. Begin by taking a broad look at what making photographs is
about, to put in to context and perspective your thoughts. On the one hand there is the machinery
and the techniques themselves, although try not to become obsessed with the latest bit of equipment
or absorbed in the craft detail too soon (Figure 1.1). On the other you have the variety of approaches
to picture making – aiming for results ranging from documenting an event, or communicating ideas
to a particular audience, to work which is self-expressive, socially or politically or commercially
informed for the family album or perhaps more ambiguous and open to interpretation.
