Why I Will Forever Remain an Amateur Photographer
This morning I wanted to discuss what it means to be an amateur photographer—and why I will forever stay one.
When people, especially non-photographers, ask about photography, the first question is always about career:
Are you a professional? Do you make money from photography?
My response is always simple: I’m just an amateur photographer.
The Meaning of Amateur
The word amateur comes from the Latin amare — to love.
To be an amateur is to do something purely because you love to do it. It’s to create for the sake of creating, without expectation of money, validation, or fame.
I believe this is the most authentic expression an artist can give:
not working under pressure or for external outcomes, but simply because the act itself is fulfilling.
The Spirit of Play
When you create for deadlines, clients, or checklists, the spirit of play dies. And play is essential for authentic artistic expression.
That’s why I approach the streets like a child on day one, every day. Everything is new, fresh, exciting. A child looks at the world with wonder, and that’s exactly how I want to see:
- Trees swaying in the wind
- Squirrels darting up a trunk
- The subtle magic of ordinary life
That sense of awe is what keeps photography alive.
Freedom of the Amateur
The tragedy of the professional is that the work can become mediocre under the burden of expectations. External validation, rules of what’s “good” or “bad,” and commercial demands weigh the work down.
The amateur has freedom.
Freedom to create for the sake of creation.
Freedom to explore and experiment without limit.
And in that freedom, the most dynamic and interesting expressions of art are born.
Returning to Day One
The goal is simple: return to day one each day.
Never lose curiosity. Never stop exploring.
For me, the ultimate goal in life is to never miss another sunrise—to cultivate enthusiasm and love for life through photography, through childlike curiosity.
I never want to feel like I’ve mastered photography.
I never want the learning to end.
I will forever remain an amateur.