To me, the best use of our human metabolism is to create art!

This is my rationale:

1. In modern society, all our basic needs are met. We have enough food, clean water, and heat to prevent us from dying. We don’t really need any more material wealth.
2. Humans are happiest when we are in the creative flow of creation — creating things beyond ourselves, and using our human consciousness in a directed and meaningful way.
3. We feel happy when we make an impact on other human beings. One of the best ways to do this is by sharing our artwork with other humans.

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Photography is art. But however you define art in your photography is up to you.

My simple suggestion is this:

Look at your own photos, and for the pictures you like, curate that into a portfolio of your “art photos”.

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Photography is interesting, because it isn’t just about art creation. Photography is a Swiss Army knife.

With photography we can:

1. Record documents and information (taking photos of your receipts for expense reports)
2. Memory recording (selfies with family during meaningful occasions)
3. Surveillance (cctv, security camera, now even integrated into your front door to make sure nobody steals your Amazon packages)
4. Self-driving cars (the camera to see the streets)
5. Make visual artwork

There’s many more applications for photography, but for my purposes — I feel that art-creation through photography is one of the best.

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To me, in the context of photography, a good photograph (art photograph) is a picture that takes your breath away, that inspires you, and which uplifts your soul.

Unfortunately in today’s world, photography isn’t as appreciated as painting or other art forms. But it’s fine; even early painters were looked down upon when compared to poets, or sculptors. No matter the society or time, there will always be pretentious folks trying to judge and look down on one another.

My simple suggestion is this:

Determine your own artistic taste in photography, and pursue your own inner-artistic truth.

For myself (at least currently), I still have the sense that my black and white photos feel more “artistic” than my color pictures. But it doesn’t matter; I’m creating photos with any device or camera. My only ambition is to never run out of inspiration, until the day that I die.

How not to run out of inspiration

I find the best inspiration in my photography and taste in art from OUTSIDE photography. I love Salvador Dali, Geometry, and get a good kick of inspiration from poetry (currently reading The Aeneid by Virgil). I also get inspiration from physics, cinema, and math.

Don’t limit yourself. Cross pollinate as widely as you can. Mix different art forms and fields. Study computer science, machine learning, Artificial Intelligence, or anything you’re curious about.

Ultimately you’re an artist-philosopher. So never stop making art, philosophizing, and creating!

BE BOLD,
ERIC