Why We Love Photography

There is something so special about having a photograph in our possession. But why is that exactly? Photography is one of the most popular hobbies of photo fans young and old. Photographs are memories that can be kept and looked at again and again to remind us of things that have happened in our lifetime. They bring back good memories of special times that took place in our lives. And sometimes show us how far we have come. There are a variety of photographic classifications, and each one has a special reason that we love the photos in that category.

Vacation Photography

I chose vacation photography as my first section of photographs to focus on because I love the picture I took on our trip to Nassau, Bahamas and every time I look at it, I see everything that is right, not only with the Bahamas but wit that vacation my husband and I took to the Bahamas, which was actually our honeymoon. Every time I look at this picture, memories come flooding back of the day our cruise ship pulled into port in Nassau. I remember how excited I was to see the Bahamas for the first time. As I took this picture, I remember the beautiful hue of the water, and how amazed I was at the color, and that the Bahamas must be a land of enchantment because the water was so "picture perfect"...literally. There are other vacation pictures too that just bring back such a special memory of a very happy and relaxed time. Sometimes people will use a vacation photo as a screen saver on their work computer to take them back to that time when they were so happy and relaxed. That says a lot for a photograph.

Nature Photography

Nature photography helps us to remind us of the beauty of this Earth that God has created for our enjoyment...His too maybe? When I see beautiful pictures of nature, I am always amazed at God's greatness, for, after all, the Bible says He,"Created the Heavens and the earth" and that means He is responsible for all this beauty. Sometimes when you have taken the actual picture of nature, you remember where you were exactly when you took the picture. Again, this brings back a happy memory, or a memory of a moment you were in awe, or at peace with the world and one with nature.

Special Celebration Photography

Whether it's a wedding, a birthday party, a graduation, or a holiday, photos of us and our loved ones on a special day that we celebrated, can keep those memories with us for years to come. And each time we look at those pictures from that special day, whether it be a week later, a month later, or years later, the memories of the happiness and warmth flood over us again and again. It's the ability to look at the photo repeatedly that repeatedly brings back those happy moments and keep pictures close to our hearts.

People Photography

We love photos of people who are close to us for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's because it was a photograph of our child when he/she was little, and looking at it when they are all grown up brings back nostalgic memories of a special time. Sometimes, a special photograph is one of a family member who has since passed on, and we are grateful to have the photograph to see that person again...anytime we want. And it brings back a renewed sense of love, and memories of why we loved them so much, or of what they meant to us. Sometimes a photograph of a person we used to know and love in a relationship brings back memories as well. Although those memories may be sad, they may also be a bit nostalgic in that we realize at a later point in time that the person was not a good match for us, but being in a relationship with that person did help us to grow emotionally, and prepare us for someone later in life who is a better match for us.

Everyday Experience Photography

This is related not so much to a holiday or birthday photograph but of a special memory of an everyday occurrence. It could be your 2-year-old son helping you in the garden with his toy hoe and wheelbarrow. Or your daughter's first trip to the ocean. It could be a memory of your child waiting to get on the school bus for the first time. And you remember the pride, and the trepidation you might have felt on that first day. It could be a photo of your dog as a puppy, and how sweet and cute and cuddly it was when it first arrived at your house. Maybe it's a picture of your toddler playing dress up, or having a tea party with her stuffed animals. It's nice to have these photos to look back on and remember how life was during the period the photo was taken.

Photos are special because of the memories they hold. May you have plenty of photographs to remember all the special moments in your life!

Although any camera will do, if you are just starting out with photography and looking for a point and shoot type of camera, I highly recommend the Nikon Coolpix 3300. This was my first digital camera, and it's slim and compact and takes great pictures. It has a 6X zoom, and although it has a great variety of settings, you can leave it on automatic for most pictures, and it will do fine.

I had this camera for three years and then decided I needed one with a better zoom lens so moved on to the Nikon Coolpix 7000 which has fewer settings, but I can zoom in much closer without the photo becoming blurry.