Ansel Adams once said; “there are always two people in in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.”  I often pose this as a question with models who are trying to connect with my camera. Often the answer comes back, timidly: “the model and the photographer.”

It’s not really about the subject or the camera, it’s about the space in between.  Capturing that instant of the light leaving the subject and arriving on the recording surface?  That’s photography!

Merriam Webster’s Full Definition of photography
1:  the art or process of producing images by the action of radiant energy and especially light on a sensitive surface (as film or an optical sensor)

The focus in this definition, is radiant energy.  Let that sink in for a minute, (BTW, pun intended).  Focus on the energy. It’s not just about chasing light, it’s also about capturing the *feeling* in a way that can be shared with the viewer. Ansel Adams was keenly aware of the importance of the viewer and we should be too.
 

Photographers can be technical, emotional, artistic, methodical, lackadaisical, intentional, kind, rude, happy or sad, but most importantly, he or she must be present.  To convey emotion is typically the point of creating a photograph, to evaluate how well we’ve done is why we share. How you express your interpretation of the moment with the viewer, that’s your style!