We've heard it all before. Someone telling you they are passionate about photography. But what does that even mean and why would it matter? Do you need to be passionate about photography to make great pictures?
Ask someone what they're passionate about and you'll likely get a very passionate response: they're passionate about traveling, reading, sports, motorcycles, antique clocks, you name it. A lot of photographers will tell you they're passionate about photography as well (see for example this excellent article: Why We Do It: Photographers on the Passion That Drives Them | Time). No surprises there, right? We like our fellow photographers to be passionate. However, what do people actually mean when they say they're passionate about something?
What is Passion Anyway?
The word passion is derived from the Latin patior, meaning 'to suffer'. However, the modern-day use of the word passion does not convey suffering at all. It's quite the opposite. While passion has multiple meanings, in the context of this blog I am adopting the following definition from Merriam-Webster:
A strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept
Let's unpack this a bit further. Sticking with Merriam-Webster we're finding that liking is the feeling of being pleased with someone or something; desire is the conscious impulse toward something that promises enjoyment or satisfaction in its attainment; and devotion is the act of dedicating something to a cause, enterprise, or activity. If we bring this back together in the context of photography, we could say that:
Passion for photography is the (anticipated) pleasure and joy we're getting from the conscious act of, and our dedication to the art of taking pictures.
That works for me.
Where is Passion Coming From?
Now that we have a somewhat better understanding of what passion means, where does passion come from? Some say that it's a matter of 'putting in the time'. We've all heard about the 10,000 hours rule to master a skill, right? Supposedly, if you spend enough time taking pictures and developing your photography skills you will develop a passion for it. However, this line of thinking seems counterintuitive to me - what would motivate anyone to put in all those long hours of hard work if they're not passionate about their photography in the first place?
Others suggest that passion might be rooted in genetics. As mentioned on The Creativity Post | Where Does Passion Come From? blog post, passion '...might develop over time from a genetic advantage that gives rise to a superior physical or intellectual skill, which moreover provides an individual with a consistent source of gratification. In turn, this sense of satisfaction reinforces the individual’s willingness to continue to develop his or her skill. The combination of compulsive practice and passion leads to mastery and exceptional achievement'.
There is also a school of thought that says passion is nurtured based on environmental factors such as a person's upbringing and education. For example, kids from parents who love photography are growing up in an environment that stimulates them to pick up photography as well.
At the end of the day, it's likely a combination of factors: a genetic disposition for creative expression may be nurtured by environmental factors and further developed by putting in the time to develop and master the skill.
Is It Possible to Take Good Pictures if You’re Not Passionate About Photography?
Now, this is where things are getting interesting. Would a person be capable of consistently taking good pictures if they were not passionate about their photography? I am going out on a limb and say only up to a certain point. Let me make a disclaimer first: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What defines whether or not a photo is 'good' is extremely subjective. I'll leave that discussion for another day.
On the presumption there is some sort of benchmark or threshold for what is technically and artistically considered a 'good' photo, I suggest you need passion for photography to hit that mark consistently. If your pictures are not tack sharp when they need to be, if the horizon on those landscapes is never level, if your photos have an unnatural colour cast, these are all signs that your photos may not be as good as they could be. Fixing this is going to take a conscious effort and you need to put in the hours to master your camera, learn composition techniques, understand light and colours, and much more. This effort may get you to a level where you're consistently producing technically acceptable photos.
But in order to capture and hold the viewers eye, to evoke an emotion, to tell a story that elicits a response, you need something extra. And to me that 'something extra' is the passion for photography you bring to the table.
I rest my case.
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