A few years ago I was with a group of scrapbooking friends at the Chicago home of our friend Heather. At the time Heather was a digital scrapbook designer, and we were all on her design team. It was a diverse group made up of ladies from across the country (Utah, Chicago, Oklahoma, Tennessee). We all shared a love of photography and documenting the events of our families lives. While we were talking I said something about "making a picture," and I caught a little grin on Heather's face. She said she had noticed how I always talked about making photos on my blog. (At the time I was a much more regular personal blogger). I didn't understand what she meant. She went on to say that everyone in the north says "take photos." My fellow Tennessean Raven admitted that she used to say make until she heard others say take at college. I had no idea. In the south we say make. I really had never thought about it.
Not wanting to sound like a country bumpkin, I consciously started trying to say that I "take photos." I pretty much have myself trained now. I say take. Now if you know me, you know that I am a southern girl. I am proud to be from the south where we still pray before football games. However, no one likes to be made fun of, so I changed it to take.
Shortly after this trip, Chris and I were watching a program on tv. I don't remember now what channel it was on, but it was probably Discovery or A&E. It was about photographers. I hate to admit it but now I don't remember the name of the one who most caught my attention. I am sure I could find it with a little internet search. What got me was that he did elaborate setups very much like a movie scene. It took hours upon hours to set up. Hours to get everything perfect. All this work, and he took one still image. When they interviewed him he talked about "making" pictures. He didn't say that he took pictures. He said he made them. That really struck me. It was true. He made the picture. It was a vision in his mind first. Then he created it. He used his camera to capture it, but in the end he had made the picture that you saw.
So with all that I come to this. Was I wrong? Do I take pictures or do I make them? There is a website that I enjoy very much. Confessions of a Prop Junkie. Each week they have a different theme to inspire photographers. I am so amazed by the images that are featured. These photographers aren't taking photos. They are making them. There is no other way to say it.
A couple weeks ago one of my images was chosen for their "Western" theme. I cannot tell you how excited I was when I saw my image on their site.
I always looked to this site for inspiration from these amazing artists. Now an image of mine had been chosen to inspire others. Wow. I cannot express what that meant to me
So the more I think about it. The more I know that yes, I want to make photos. I do think there is a difference in making and taking. I want to be the category of those who make them.