This is a question that recently popped in my head and I started to think longer about that.
Here on hive I am mostly known as a (landscape)photographer and a blogger of outdoor adventures that I take on.
I looked at my 2025 folder and started to think that how much less photos I would be having if I didnt't blog on HIVE.
I take photos as long as phones have had a camera. In 2017 I bought my first real camera and 3 years ago I bought a proffessional tier camera(Nikon Z6II). I don't work as a phtoographer but I would sure take photos of outdoors because I simply love it. The thing is, I wouldn't take nearly as much photos as I do right now. When I go out, on a trail or seaside or wherever. Almost always I carry my camera with me because I never know if I see something worth photographing and I have a HIVE blog post always in mind if I take photos.
To be honest many of the photos I have in my folders are shit. Is this a fault of photographing for HIVE posts? Well, yes😄. I have a feeling that if I didn't take photos for HIVE and only for myself, I would choose a lot more of what I take photos of and think a lot more about composition. Not that I don't think about it right now, I sure do and I really like some photos I take but a lot of it is also low effort.
This for example, taken in the summer. Honestly, it's shit. A photo I definitely would not be having if I didn't do HIVE.
But there is a reason for the existance of this poor ass useless looking photo. I like to document my outdoor journey of my adventure here on HIVE. This useless shot has pretty much only one purpose. To show you where im walking and whats the scenery. In this case the starting point of my hike in the beach. It's not really meant to be wowed at. I did have some really nice photos in this post but also stuff like that. When the post on HIVE is done, this photo has no more value in my eyes and belongs to the bin.
Thing is, that I never delete the photos im not proud about, so my folders get very crowded with shots like that and in total those useless photos too, take a lot of space.
So to answer the original question. Do I take photos for myself or for HIVE nowdays. It's both. I take photos for myself but the good ones only, among the good ones I shoot quite a lot of trash too which is meant for a visual to drive the story in my post.
I am interested to know about you, who also do posts revolving around photography.
DO YOU PHOTOGRAPH FOR YOURSELF OR GO OUT TO TAKE PHOTOS FOR HIVE?
I understand what you're saying perfectly. There's only one difference for me. I'd still take tons of photos to document things, but they'd just sit there untouched. And having the opportunity to publish them, like I do here, gives me the motivation to process most of my photos. Since I started with Hive, I've revisited several old photo folders I haven't touched in a while.
I have a ton sitting on my memory card. Usually when I start to make a post, I'm copying these out of there, process and publish. Have to keep unblogged photos separate, otherwise I don't remember which I have already published
The best solution would be to publish them right after making them :D But this is often unrealistic.
That rarely happens in my case. I only post photos I just captured when the topic is time critical or I really want the shots processed fast, to see what I got when Im extremely interested.
I understand. Often, the excitement is too strong to leave the photos for later. It happens to me that after a photoshoot, I don't like at all, or I have no idea what to do with them. And sometimes, even after 2-3 years, I come back and suddenly know how to edit, and they turn out great! :D
I think I do both although if it wasn't for Hive I may not take as many photos. Like you I seldom delete any of my photos. Even the really poor ones. I have found as I go back through my archives sometimes I see photos I didn't think too much of originally that are now more appealing to me. I am no great photographer but I think I have an unconscious eye for composition and such. I just go out and take many shots that I sort through later and see if there are any gems. ;)
Same, I'm no professional but I can find nicely composed scenarios. I would love to have a drone though, I want to take photos of wetlands from above.
A drone is next on my list also. Get a few more sweeping views from above. :)
I just recently got a small action camera so I can strap it on aand record my hikes, drives in the mountains and some underwater scenarios.