I have a point of view

I know what I want to say when I photograph people. I may not yet know exactly what I want to say with a specific person, but in general I know what my stance/position is when I photograph a person.

When I photograph still lifes and abstract scenes, I don’t know what I’m trying to say. I don’t think I have a philosophy for those photographs. No agenda.

I will admit to having an agenda with portraits. I won’t tell you what it is, partly because it’s private and partly because I’m not really sure how to articulate it. But it doesn’t mean I know it any less in my gut.

Knowing my agenda and point of view is an important part of thinking about what I want to photograph. Having a clear sense of what I want to say makes me want to take those kinds of photos. Photos that don’t make me tick, at some level, just aren’t as compelling to take (though they may bring me unexpected insights).