Why I Make Pictures

Here are some thoughts and feelings I have about shooting. Some of them are mine, some of them are bits of wisdom I've learned from others. All of them together describe a minuscule fraction of how much making pictures means to me and how those pictures nourish my soul.

When I am shooting, I am centered and all is right in my world. The clutter and white noise of the world disappears into the background and I become one with whatever I see through my lens.

I have a story to tell. I want to share with you what happened, what I saw, and how I felt the moment I pressed the shutter.

My job is not just to take pictures, but to impart information. The longer I can captivate you and make you think about what you are seeing, the better chance I have that you will understand what I am trying to say.

I can see beauty in the midst of tragic events and I want you to see it too.

Shooting gives me an opportunity to grab a moment of history and preserve it for the future. To show you something you might not have a chance to see yourself, whether you are thousands of miles away or just down the street.

Every situation impacts me. Sometimes it brings me joy, sometimes it breaks my heart. But the cumulative effect of what I shoot makes me a better person than I was before.

It's important that I not allow myself to be molded  by shooting the way someone else wants me to. If I want to be great, I have to make my own pictures by shooting from my heart.

Whenever I photograph a person, I imagine that they sharing a part of themselves with me that they have never shared with anyone else.

I want to make something special out of the ordinary.

I need to share my humanity.

~ Jody ~