Pursuing photography as a hobby can be very fulfilling, inspiring, and relaxing. No matter what kind of equipment or camera you have, you have the potential to become a great photographer. Even a smartphone camera is enough!
Here are a few reasons why adding photography as a hobby to your list is a wonderful idea.
Reasons to Pursue Photography as a Hobby
1. Photography Can Help You Capture Memories
Knowing how to use your camera in any situation is a superpower. You can use this ability to document your life and capture beautiful pictures wherever you like.
The more you work on these abilities, the more you’ll improve. You can think of it as a constant cycle of personal development.
Make sure that you experiment with lots of genres. You can start with landscape, macro, portrait, and street photography. The more skills you develop, the more confident you’ll feel.
2. Taking Photos for Yourself Is Stress Relieving
While pursuing photography as a career has its perks, it can get stressful. If you only take photos for yourself, you’ll be able to enjoy the wonders of photography without having to worry about money.
In general, photography as a hobby can be a great source of comfort, especially if you do it on your own. For example, going for a walk to take landscape photos will expose you to fresh air and help you connect with nature.
Going out to take photos with friends will let you socialise and be creative at the same time.
When you take photos, you can’t look at your Instagram feed or answer e-mails. Your camera forces you to be present and focus on your creative side only. This is one of the best ways to refresh your mind and get rid of stress.
3. You Can Express Yourself in New Ways
Every art form has its unique advantages. Even if you’re already an artist or love working on DIY projects, you’re bound to discover something new in photography.
Photography as a hobby can be instantly gratifying, especially if you find the perfect moment to capture. It can challenge you in many ways, depending on the genre you choose.
For example, macro photography can help you notice more beauty in details.
4. You Can Connect With a Whole World of New People
The photography community is very large and diverse. There are Facebook groups, Instagram pages, and international meet-ups for photographers.
If you’re an absolute beginner, you could find it helpful to join a specific group for beginners in portraiture, for example. You can also reach out to your favourite photographers and ask for advice when you feel lost.
Being a part of a group will make you feel important, supported, and involved. It might also help you get through creative blocks and make you more comfortable with the idea of sharing your work online.
5. Taking Photos Might Inspire You to Go out More Often
Spending more time outside for yourself is rarely a bad idea.
No matter what you decide to photograph, you’ll probably have to go outside to have a photoshoot. You might have a specific location in mind you want to shoot in, a friend you’d like to have a photoshoot with or any other motivation.
Photography as a hobby can bring more excitement to your life. You’ll be more active, more creative, and more knowledgeable about photography.
You’ll also become more aware of what’s going on outside of your usual routine.
6. You’ll Be a Lifelong Photography Student
There are many experienced photographers out there, but there is always room for more improvement.
You’ll always discover more things to learn and understand in photography. This could be anything from new photography camera equipment to new shooting techniques.
Being a lifelong photography student doesn’t mean taking tests for the rest of your life. It means that no matter how much you learn, there will always be something new to inspire and motivate you.
This will inevitably make your photography journey an endless and exciting one.
7. Photography Skills Can Help You in Other Areas of Life
You’ve probably already noticed that photography is way more than just taking pictures with a camera. The more photos you take, the more open-minded and creative you’ll become.
If you work in an office, photography might improve the way you communicate with others. It can also help you get through boring days if you take a few shots with your camera in your coffee lunch break. Also, it makes you appreciate things you didn’t notice before in your office space.
If your job is somehow related to art, photography as a hobby might help you approach your work from a different perspective.
The techniques you learn can influence the way you design products, paint people, and so on.
8. Photography Will Force You to Be More Curious
There are many inspiring photographers, techniques, and ideas available, both online and offline. As soon as you become a photographer, you’ll have access to all these perks.
The more styles, documentaries, and artists you discover, the more curious you’ll be. This curiosity will drive you to pursue this form of art even more.
This can have significant long-term effects. The more curious you are, the more creative opportunities you’ll find.
9. Your Photos Might Make Someone’s Day
Even as a hobby, photography has the power to lift people’s spirits and help them look at things from a different perspective. Your photography can also inspire people to start taking photos themselves.
This doesn’t mean that you have to take conceptual or controversial photos. As long as you’re passionate about what you do, it’s likely that you’ll inspire someone out there.
You can take this further by writing short captions for your pictures. A caption could be an inspirational quote, stories about your shooting process, or a simple introduction.
This can help you connect with other photography enthusiasts on a deeper level.
10. You Can Make Some Extra Money by Selling Your Photos Online or Having Photoshoots
Hobbies need to be relaxing and fulfilling, so money isn’t every hobbyist’s top priority. However, you can earn some extra money when you have even a little photography experience.
You can sell your photos to stock photo agencies or private individuals. This might increase your chances of getting featured in magazines or on book covers.
If you’re a portrait photographer, you can take photos of couples and families for some money. If you’re a fan of wedding photography, you can work as a second shooter (or a photographer’s assistant). This will give you both experience and extra money.
With time, you might notice that this is more fulfilling than taking photos for yourself. In that case, you might want to consider becoming a professional photographer.
11. Photography Will Teach You How to See Potential in Seemingly Insignificant Things
When you take photos, you focus on compositions, details, and other technical factors. These things determine whether your images end up looking dull or outstanding.
By focusing so much on things like framing, you’re rewiring your brain. The more you do this, the easier it will be to find interesting details in places that others don’t pay attention to.
Portrait photographer Kai Böttcher is a great example of someone who sees potential in props and locations that might seem ugly at first.
Most of his props are very cheap, even though his images suggest otherwise.
12. Your Camera Will Be Your Lifelong Companion
Inspiration may come and go, and life may completely change, but your camera will always be with you. Photography as a hobby is an opportunity to document every part of your journey, no matter how small it may be.
Painting, drawing, or sculpting are also great ways to express yourself, but photography is one of the quickest ways to document something important.
As long as your camera is with you wherever you go, it will be your lifelong companion for life.
Conclusion
No matter what kind of job you have, where you live, or what camera you have, you can pursue photography as a hobby. If you’re already interested in it, you can become a photographer anytime.
Embrace your creative side and take photos of everything you love. You’ll quickly discover a whole new world of exciting possibilities out there.
For more creative tips, why not check out how to make a photo journal or shooting nighttime event photography next!
