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Harris backs an unrealized capital gains tax. It won’t affect most Americans’ home sales

If your time is short.

Currently, unrealized capital gains, or unsold assets that have appreciated in value, are not subject to federal taxes.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign said she supports President Joe Biden’s 2025 budget proposal, which called for a 25% minimum tax rate on unrealized capital gains for taxpayers with more than $100 million in wealth.

Most Americans would not be subject to such a tax. There are fewer than 10,000 people in the U.S. with a net worth of at least $100 million.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign recently said she supports a proposed policy aimed at the ultrawealthy that President Joe Biden has pushed for years: a new tax on unrealized capital gains, or unsold assets that have increased in value.

But some social media users exaggerated how such a tax would affect the majority of Americans.

An Aug. 25 Facebook post read, "Home Owner Do you Realize that Harris plan to tax unrecognized Capital Gains mean(s) if your house goes up in value you will have to pay that Tax Even if you don’t sell your House!"

(Screengrab from Facebook)

Another Facebook post showed a photo of a Fox News segment about Harris’ tax plan with the words "unrealized gains tax: 25%; currently: 0%" circled. Below that, text on the photo read, "This means they will tax you for the house you own extra every year!"

Other posts on Facebook and Threads made similar claims about the proposed tax. They were flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta , which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)

Harris’ opponent, former President Donald Trump, said at an Aug. 23 campaign rally in Las Vegas that this unrealized capital gains tax "will soon be applied to small business owners and you will be forced to sell your restaurant immediately."

Harris’ official campaign account, Kamala HQ, responded on X that the tax would apply only to people with $100 million in wealth.

Harris has not released any tax policies. Harris’ campaign said she supports tax provisions in Biden’s 2025 budget proposal, including a tax on unrealized capital gains, Axios , The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal reported.

When PolitiFact contacted the Harris campaign for more information about Harris’ tax plan, the campaign declined to comment, pointing instead to reporting from Axios and Minneapolis-based news outlet KMSP-TV .

Biden’s budget proposes tax hikes for the wealthiest Americans; it would not raise taxes for people earning less than $400,000 a year.

One of Biden’s proposals is a 25% minimum tax on income, including unrealized capital gains, for taxpayers with a net worth — meaning assets minus liabilities — of more than $100 million.

If instituted, the White House said , this so-called billionaires tax would apply only to the wealthiest 0.01% of Americans — not the vast majority of the country’s taxpayers. In the U.S., there are about 9,850 centimillionaires, or people with at least $100 million in wealth, according to a March 2024 report from Henley & Partners, a wealth and migration advisory firm, and New World Wealth, a global wealth research firm.

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So, of this small ultrawealthy group, only the people who have more than 20% of their wealth in tradable assets — for example, publicly traded stock — would pay taxes on unrealized capital gains, Biden’s budget proposal states.

Taxpayers with more than 80% of their wealth in nontradable assets, such as real estate and shares in private startups, would be considered "illiquid." These taxpayers could choose to include only unrealized gain in tradable assets when determining how much they owe in taxes, according to the budget proposal. 

Currently, capital gains are taxed only after a realized event, such as when someone sells an asset. If an asset remains unrealized — never sold — it’s not subject to taxes.

Some economists said an unrealized capital gains tax would promote more equity in the tax code.

"As it is now, normal workers are taxed on their entire income, but we have a situation where the very rich can have hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars of capital gains which go altogether untaxed," said Dean Baker, co-founder and senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research.

Wealthy people can hold stocks until they die, and then pass the assets to their heirs without paying taxes as long as their gains are unrealized, Baker said.

Biden’s budget proposal argues that tax-free accumulation of wealth over generations exacerbates income-and-wealth disparities in the U.S.

Adam Michel, tax policy studies director at the libertarian Cato Institute, said an unrealized capital gains tax would  overly burden the Internal Revenue Service and would discourage investment in burgeoning businesses.

"Such a system would encourage investors to put their money in safer investments, such as government bonds, rather than new innovative industries, like new energy sources, biopharmaceuticals, or AI," Michel said.

Economic experts told PolitiFact that this proposed tax change is not certain, even if Harris wins the presidency. Any changes would require congressional approval, and control of the House and Senate will also be decided in November.

It’s also unclear whether a wealth tax, such as this one, would survive legal challenges .

Social media posts claimed Harris’ "plan to tax unrecognized Capital Gains mean(s) if your house goes up in value you will have to pay that Tax Even if you don’t sell your House."

That claim ignores several critical facts about Harris’ plan, which is derived from Biden’s 2025 budget proposal. Most crucially: Most Americans wouldn’t have to pay a tax on the appreciated value of their unsold assets and this tax would apply only to people with more than $100 million in wealth. That’s fewer than 10,000 people in the U.S.

Although this tax would affect the country’s top 0.01% of taxpayers, the claim that American homeowners, broadly, would be taxed is an overstatement. We rate this claim Mostly False.

Read About Our Process

The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter

Our Sources

Email interview with Lawrence Zelenak, law professor at Duke University who specializes in tax policy, Aug. 28, 2024

Email interview with Dean Baker, co-founder and senior economist, Center for Economic and Policy Research, Aug. 28, 2024

Email interview with Adam Michel, director of tax policy studies at the Cato Institute, Aug. 28, 2024

Email interview with Josh Bivens, chief economist at the Economic Policy Institute, Aug. 28, 2024

Email interview with Steve Rosenthal, senior fellow at the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution’s Tax Policy Center, Aug. 30, 2024

Email interview with John Buhl, communications director of the Urban Institute, Aug. 28, 2024

Email exchange with James Singer, spokesperson for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, Aug. 29, 2024

Department of the Treasury, " General Explanations of the Biden Administration's Fiscal Year 2025 Revenue Proposals ," March 11, 2024

The White House, " Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2025 ," March 2024

Axios, " The reality of Kamala Harris' plan to tax unrealized capital gains ," Aug. 23, 2024

The New York Times, " What We Know About Kamala Harris’s $5 Trillion Tax Plan So Far ," Aug. 22, 2024

The Wall Street Journal, " Kamala Harris’s Tax Increases and Cuts Take Shape ," Aug. 27, 2024

KMSP-TV, " Fact check: Unrealized capital gains tax proposal of presidential candidates ," Aug. 28, 2024

The Dispatch, " Sorting Out Claims About Taxes on Unrealized Capital Gains ," Aug. 27, 2024

Henley & Partners, " USA Wealth Report 2024 ," March 19, 2024

Tax Policy Center, " How are capital gains taxed? ," January 2024

Tax Policy Center, " Moore v. The United States: Will The Supreme Court Join The Whack-A-Tax Shelter Game? ," July 2, 2024

Cato Institute, " Harris’s Tax on Unrealized Gains is Only the Tip of a $5 Trillion Tax Iceberg ," Aug. 26, 2024

Cato Institute, " SCOTUS Upholds a Tax on Stock Ownership in Narrow Opinion ," June 20, 2024

Investopedia, " Your Unrealized Gains Are Safe From Biden/Harris Tax Proposal—Unless You Have $100M ," Aug. 28, 2024

Facebook post ( archived ), Aug. 25, 2024

Facebook post ( archived ), Aug. 24, 2024

Facebook post ( archived ), Aug. 28, 2024

Facebook post , Aug. 28, 2024

Threads post ( archived ), Aug. 26, 2024

YouTube, " Right Side Broadcasting Network - WATCH: President Trump's Full Remarks at "No Tax on Tips" Event in Las Vegas ," Aug. 23, 2024

Kamala HQ, X post , Aug. 23, 2024

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Writing a Personal Statement

Preparing to Write

Brainstorming, don't forget, sample prompts.

A personal statement is a narrative essay that connects your background, experiences, and goals to the mission, requirements, and desired outcomes of the specific opportunity you are seeking. It is a critical component in the selection process, whether the essay is for a competitive internship, a graduate fellowship, or admittance to a graduate school program. It gives the selection committee the best opportunity to get to know you, how you think and make decisions, ways in which past experiences have been significant or formative, and how you envision your future. Personal statements can be varied in form; some are given a specific prompt, while others are less structured. However, in general a personal statement should answer the following questions:

• Who are you?
• What are your goals?
• How does this specific program/opportunity help you achieve your goals?
• What is in the future?

A personal statement is not:

• A variation of your college admissions essay
• An academic/research paper
• A narrative version of your resume
• A creative writing piece (it can be creative, though)
• An essay about somebody else

Keep in mind that your statement is only a portion of the application and should be written with this in mind. Your entire application package will include some, possibly all, of the materials listed below. You will want to consider what these pieces of the application communicate about you. Your personal statement should aim to tie everything together and fill in or address any gaps. There will likely be some overlap but be sure not to be too repetitive.

• Personal Statement(s)
• Transcripts
• Letters of recommendations
• Sample of written work
• Research proposal

For a quick overview of personal statements, you might begin by watching this "5 Minute Fellowships" video!

If you are writing your first personal statement or working to improve upon an existing personal statement, the video below is a helpful, in-depth resource.

A large portion of your work towards completing a personal statement begins well before your first draft or even an outline. It is incredibly important to be sure you understand all of the rules and regulations around the statement. Things to consider before you begin writing:

• How many prompts? And what are they? It is important to know the basics so you can get your ideas in order. Some programs will require a general statement of interest and a focused supplementary or secondary statement closely aligned with the institution's goals.
• Are there formatting guidelines? Single or double spaced, margins, fonts, text sizes, etc. Our general guideline is to keep it simple.
• How do I submit my statement(s)? If uploading a document we highly suggest using a PDF as it will minimize the chances of accidental changes to formatting. Some programs may event ask you to copy and paste into a text box.
• When do I have to submit my statement(s)? Most are due at the time of application but some programs, especially medical schools, will ask for secondary statements a few months after you apply. In these instances be sure to complete them within two weeks, any longer is an indication that you aren't that interested in the institution.

Below is a second 5 Minute Fellowships video that can help you get started!

Before you start writing, take some time to reflect on your experiences and motivations as they relate to the programs to which you are applying. This will offer you a chance to organize your thoughts which will make the writing process much easier. Below are a list of questions to help you get started:

• What individuals, experiences or events have shaped your interest in this particular field?
• What has influenced your decision to apply to graduate school?
• How does this field align with your interests, strengths, and values?
• What distinguishes you from other applicants?
• What would you bring to this program/profession?
• What has prepared you for graduate study in this field? Consider your classes at Wellesley, research and work experience, including internships, summer jobs and volunteer work.
• Why are you interested in this particular institution or degree program?
• How is this program distinct from others?
• What do you hope to gain?
• What is motivating you to seek an advanced degree now?
• Where do you see yourself headed and how will this degree program help you get there?

For those applying to Medical School, if you need a committee letter for your application and are using the Medical Professions Advisory Committee you have already done a lot of heavy lifting through the 2017-2018 Applicant Information Form . Even if you aren't using MPAC the applicant information form is a great place to start.

Another great place to start is through talking out your ideas. You have a number of options both on and off campus, such as: Career Education advisors and mentors ( you can set up an appointment here ), major advisor, family, friends. If you are applying to a graduate program it is especially important to talk with a faculty member in the field. Remember to take good notes so you can refer to them later.

When you begin writing keep in mind that your essay is one of many in the application pool. This is not to say you should exaggerate your experiences to “stand out” but that you should focus on clear, concise writing. Also keep in mind that the readers are considering you not just as a potential student but a future colleague. Be sure to show them examples and experiences which demonstrate you are ready to begin their program.

It is important to remember that your personal statement will take time and energy to complete, so plan accordingly. Every application and statement should be seen as different from one another, even if they are all the same type of program. Each institution may teach you the same material but their delivery or focus will be slightly different.

In addition, remember:

• Be yourself: You aren’t good at being someone else
• Tragedy is not a requirement, reflection and depth are
• Research the institution or organization
• Proofread, proofread, proofread
• How to have your personal statement reviewed

The prompts below are from actual applications to a several types of programs. As you will notice many of them are VERY general in nature. This is why it is so important to do your research and reflect on your motivations. Although the prompts are similar in nature the resulting statements would be very different depending on the discipline and type of program, as well as your particular background and reasons for wanting to pursue this graduate degree.

• This statement should illustrate your academic background and experiences and explain why you would excel in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (UMass Amherst - M.S. in Civil Engineering).
• Describe your academic and career objectives and how the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies can help you achieve them. Include other considerations that explain why you seek admissions to the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and your interests in the environmental field (Yale - Master of Environmental Management).  
• Please discuss your academic interests and goals. Include your current professional and research interests, as well as your long-range professional objectives. Please be as specific as possible about how your objectives can be met at Clark and do not exceed 800 words (Clark University - M.A. in International Development and Social Change).
• Write a 500- to 700-word statement that describes your work or research. Discuss how you came to focus on the medium, body of work, or academic area you wish to pursue at the graduate level. Also discuss future directions or goals for your work, and describe how the Master of Fine Arts in Studio (Printmedia) is particularly suited to your professional goals (School of the Art Institute of Chicago - MFA in Studio, Printmaking).
• Your statement should explain why you want to study economics at the graduate level. The statement is particularly important if there is something unusual about your background and preparation that you would like us to know about you (University of Texas at Austin - Ph.D in Economics).
• Your personal goal statement is an important part of the review process for our faculty members as they consider your application. They want to know about your background, work experience, plans for graduate study and professional career, qualifications that make you a strong candidate for the program, and any other relevant information (Indiana University Bloomington - M.S.Ed. in Secondary Education).
• Your autobiographical essay/personal statement is a narrative that outlines significant experiences in your life, including childhood experiences, study and work, your strengths and aspirations in the field of architecture, and why you want to come to the University of Oregon (University of Oregon - Master of Architecture).
• Personal history and diversity statement, in which you describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. You may refer to any educational, familial, cultural, economic or social experiences, challenges, community service, outreach activities, residency and citizenship, first-generation college status, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how your life experiences contribute to the social, intellectual or cultural diversity within a campus community and your chosen field; or how you might serve educationally underrepresented and underserved segments of society with your graduate education (U.C. Davis - M.A. in Linguistics).
• A Personal Statement specifying your past experiences, reasons for applying, and your areas of interest. It should explain your intellectual and personal goals, why you are interested in pursuing an interdisciplinary degree rather than a more traditional disciplinary one, and how this degree fits into your intellectual and personal future (Rutgers University - Ph.D in Women’s and Gender Studies).
• Your application requires a written statement to uploaded into your application and is a critical component of your application for admission. This is your opportunity to tell us what excites you about the field of library and information science, and what problems you want to help solve in this field. Please also tell us how your prior experiences have prepared you for this next step toward your career goals and how this program will help you achieve them (University of North Carolina Chapel Hill - Master of Science in Library Science).
• After watching the video, please describe what strengths and preferences as a learner you have that will facilitate your success in this innovative curriculum. What challenges in our curriculum do you anticipate and what strategies might you use to address these challenges? (MGH Institute of Health Professions PT - They recently redesigned their curriculum)
• Your personal goal statement should briefly describe how you view the future of the field, what your goals are to be part of that future, and what brought you to pursue an advanced education degree in your chosen field. You may include any other information that you feel might be useful. (Northeastern PT)
• Personal Statement: In 500 words or less, describe a meaningful educational experience that affected your professional goals and growth and explain how it impacted you. The educational experience does not need to be related to this degree. Focus on the educational experience and not why you think you would be a good professional in this field. (Simmons PT)
• Personal Statement (500 word minimum): State your reasons for seeking admission to this program at this institution. Include your professional goals, why you want to pursue a career in this field and how admission to this program will assist you in accomplishing those goals. (Regis College Nursing)
• “Use the space provided to explain why you want to go to this type of program.” (AMCAS)
• Address the following three questions(Though there is no set limit, most statements are 1–2 pages, single-spaced.): What are your reasons for pursuing this degree? Why do you wish to pursue your degree at this institution? How do you intend to leverage your degree in a career of this field? (Boston University MPH)
• Please submit a personal statement/statement of purpose of no more than 500 words for the department/degree of choice. Professional degree essays require a clear understanding of the _______ field and how you hope to work within the field. Be sure to proofread your personal statement carefully for spelling and grammar. In your statement, be sure to address the following: what interests you in the field of _____ what interests you in a specific degree program and department at this institution and what interests you in a particular certificate (if applicable). Please also describe how you hope to use your ________ training to help you achieve your career goals. (Columbia PhD in Public Health - Epidemiology)
• Because each Home Program requires significant original research activities in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree, we are interested in obtaining as much information as possible about your previous research experiences. Those who already have such experience are in a better position to know whether they are truly interested in performing ______ research as part of a graduate program. Please include specific information about your research experience in your Statement of Purpose. You may also use the Statement to amplify your comments about your choice of Home Program(s), and how your past experiences and current interests are related to your choice. Personal Statements should not exceed two pages in length (single spaced). Make sure to set your computer to Western European or other English-language setting. We cannot guarantee the ability to access your statement if it is submitted in other fonts. (Stanford Biosciences PhD)
• Your statement of purpose should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the Department of ____ at ___ University. It would be helpful to include what you have done to prepare for this degree program. Please describe your research interests, past research experience, future career plans and other details of your background and interests that will allow us to evaluate your ability to thrive in our program. If you have interests that align with a specific faculty member, you may state this in your application. Your statement of purpose should not exceed two pages in length (single spaced). (Stanford Bioengineering PhD)
• Statement of purpose (Up to one page or 1,000 words): Rather than a research proposal, you should provide a statement of purpose. Your statement should be written in English and explain your motivation for applying for the course at this institution and your relevant experience and education. Please provide an indication of the area of your proposed research and supervisor(s) in your statement. This will be assessed for the coherence of the statement; evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study; the ability to present a reasoned case in English; and commitment to the subject. (Oxford Inorganic Chemistry - DPhil)

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Army says Arlington National Cemetery worker was 'pushed aside' by Trump aides

Quil Lawrence

Stephen Fowler

TRUMP CAMP ARLINGTON POLITICS

Graves with flags for Memorial Day are seen in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Va., on May 27. Jacquelyn Martin/AP hide caption

The U.S. Army said an employee at Arlington National Cemetery who tried to "ensure adherence" to rules that prohibit political activities at the cemetery "was abruptly pushed aside," but that the employee decided not to press charges against the Trump campaign staffers who allegedly pushed her.

The statement Thursday comes in response to NPR's reporting on former President Donald Trump's visit to Arlington and an altercation his staff had with a cemetery employee.

"Participants in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations and DoD policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds," the statement said. "An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside. Consistent with the decorum expected at ANC, this employee acted with professionalism and avoided further disruption. The incident was reported to the JBM-HH police department, but the employee subsequently decided not to press charges. Therefore, the Army considers this matter closed."

The Army, in its statement, called the incident "unfortunate," adding: "it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked."

Because federal law prohibits Army employees from being involved with any political campaign, the staff at the cemetery did not deal directly with the Trump campaign about his visit there. A source familiar with the event said the cemetery staff worked with the staff of Republican Congressman Brian Mast of Florida, who joined Trump at Arlington.

Arlington Cemetery staff dealt directly with Mast’s chief of staff, James Langenderfer, briefing him extensively on the rules, which include no campaign events at the cemetery. They also reiterated that only an official Arlington National Cemetery photographer — and no campaign photographer — could be used at Section 60, the location of the recent American war dead. The source said Langenderfer told them the Trump campaign agreed to these rules.

Fallout continues after Trump campaign incident at Arlington National Cemetary

NPR reached out to Mast’s staff and asked if Langenderfer was briefed and relayed that information to the Trump campaign. They did not address the questions but instead released a statement.

In the statement to NPR, Mast said: "President Trump conducted no politics at Arlington National Cemetery."

The statement comes a day after Trump shared a TikTok video including footage from Arlington National Cemetery that likely violates a federal law against using military cemeteries for campaigning purposes.

NPR reported that Trump campaign staffers had a physical altercation with an Arlington National Cemetery staffer on Monday over the restriction.

It's not the first time Trump has been accused of politicizing the military, but the campaign is seeking to downplay what happened in the aftermath.

Trump campaign staff had altercation with official at Arlington National Cemetery

Trump was at Arlington on Monday to commemorate the third anniversary of an attack in Afghanistan that killed 13 U.S. service members amid the disastrous withdrawal of troops. Trump and other Republicans have blamed President Biden and Vice President Harris for the chaos and loss of life.

The 21-second video posted on Trump's TikTok account shows the former president laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and several snippets of Trump joining Gold Star family members at gravesites of their loved ones in a part of the cemetery known as Section 60 .

"We lost 13 great, great people — what a horrible day it was," Trump says over somber music. “We didn't lose one person in 18 months, and then they took over the disaster, the leaving of Afghanistan.”

Trump has been making this claim about 18 months without military casualties during his administration for years, and it’s not true. The 18-month period from February 2020 to August 2021 saw no combat-related deaths in Afghanistan, with part of that when Biden was in office.

The Trump campaign was not authorized to film or photograph in Section 60, federal law prohibits the use of military cemeteries for campaign events, and two campaign staffers got in a physical and verbal altercation with the Arlington staffer who tried to prevent the filming.

In a statement after NPR's original story, family members present Monday said they invited Trump and gave approval for his photographer and videographer to document an emotional moment of remembrance.

Arlington National Cemetery’s Section 60 is a focus of controversy. What is the area?

Some of those family members also spoke at the Republican National Convention, bashing Biden and vocally endorsing Trump.

"Joe Biden may have forgotten that our children died, but we have not forgotten — Donald Trump has not forgotten," said Cheryl Juels in Milwaukee at the RNC in July. Juels is the aunt of Sgt. Nicole Gee, one of the 13 U.S. service members killed at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan in 2021.

"Joe Biden owes the men and women that served in Afghanistan a debt of gratitude and an apology. Donald Trump loves this country and will never forget the sacrifice and bravery of our service members," she added. "Join us in putting him back in the White House."

Though the loved ones said they were OK with the cameras present, the families do not have the power to suspend the rules.

The family of Master Sgt. Andrew Marckesano, a Green Beret who died by suicide after serving multiple combat tours and who is buried in Section 60, said according to their conversations with the cemetery, "the Trump campaign staffers did not adhere to the rules that were set in place for this visit."

"We hope that those visiting this sacred site understand that there were real people who sacrificed for our freedom and that they are honored and respected and treated accordingly," they said in a statement.

The Trump campaign responds

In the aftermath of the visit to Arlington, the Trump campaign's response has taken on a tone of nastiness. One spokesman said the cemetery staffer was "clearly suffering from a mental health episode" and promised to release footage of the encounter but has so far declined to do so.

On the campaign trail in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, the Republican vice presidential nominee, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, said Harris could "go to hell" over the Afghanistan withdrawal and blamed reporters for the campaign's controversy, which he called a "disagreement."

"You guys in the media, you're acting like Donald Trump filmed a TV commercial at a grave site," Vance said. "He was there providing emotional support to a lot of brave Americans who lost loved ones they never should have lost. And there happened to be a camera there, and somebody gave him permission to have that camera there.”

Trump echoed that argument Thursday, doubling down on attacks against Harris and Biden in a clip posted to his campaign's Trump Social account from a campaign event in Michigan.

"She does not respect you, ask the families of the 13 incredible servicemember heroes who died during the surrender of Afghanistan — which was surrendered by Kamala and 'Sleepy Joe' — whether or not Kamala Harris cares about our young people and our military," Trump said.

Meanwhile, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who attended the Arlington events with Trump, apologized in a social media post for sending a campaign fundraising email with a photo of him and the former president in Section 60 with the family of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover.

Cox's official gubernatorial X account posted a photo from the restricted area, and the post is still online.

This is not the first time Trump has been accused of politicizing the military for his personal gain. He has allegedly called dead soldiers " suckers" and "losers ," insulted the late Sen. John McCain for being a prisoner of war and recently stoked controversy for saying civilian Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients are much better than those who received the Medal of Honor — the highest military award in the country, often given posthumously.

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Guest Essay

Surgeon General: Parents Are at Their Wits’ End. We Can Do Better.

By Vivek H. Murthy

Dr. Murthy is the surgeon general.

One day when my daughter was a year old, she stopped moving her right leg. Tests found that she had a deep infection in her thigh that was dangerously close to her bone. She was rushed off to surgery. Thankfully, she’s now a healthy, spirited young girl, but the excruciating days we spent in the hospital were some of the hardest of my life. My wife, Alice, and I felt helpless and heartbroken. We got through it because of excellent medical care, understanding workplaces and loved ones who showed up and reminded us that we were not alone.

When I became a parent, a friend told me I was signing up for a lifetime of joy and worry. The joys are indeed abundant, but as fulfilling as parenting has been, the truth is it has also been more stressful than any job I’ve had. I’ve had many moments of feeling lost and exhausted. So many parents I encounter as I travel across America tell me they have the same experience: They feel lucky to be raising kids, but they are struggling, often in silence and alone.

The stress and mental health challenges faced by parents — just like loneliness , workplace well-being and the impact of social media on youth mental health — aren’t always visible, but they can take a steep toll. It’s time to recognize they constitute a serious public health concern for our country. Parents who feel pushed to the brink deserve more than platitudes. They need tangible support. That’s why I am issuing a surgeon general’s advisory to call attention to the stress and mental health concerns facing parents and caregivers and to lay out what we can do to address them.

A recent study by the American Psychological Association revealed that 48 percent of parents say most days their stress is completely overwhelming, compared with 26 percent of other adults who reported the same. They are navigating traditional hardships of parenting — worrying about money and safety, struggling to get enough sleep — as well as new stressors, including omnipresent screens, a youth mental health crisis and widespread fear about the future.

Stress is tougher to manage when you feel you’re on your own, which is why it’s particularly concerning that so many parents, single parents most of all, report feeling lonelier than other adults . Additionally, parents are stretched for time. Compared with just a few decades ago, mothers and fathers spend more time working and more time caring for their children , leaving them less time for rest, leisure and relationships. Stress, loneliness and exhaustion can easily affect people’s mental health and well-being. And we know that the mental health of parents has a direct impact on the mental health of children.

All of this is compounded by an intensifying culture of comparison, often amplified online, that promotes unrealistic expectations of what parents must do. Chasing these expectations while trying to wade through an endless stream of parenting advice has left many families feeling exhausted, burned out and perpetually behind.

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How do I write a personal statement? A BJP workshop could help

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An upcoming workshop in london with colin pantall and simon bainbridge will help photographers communicate their ideas through writing.

They’re often hilariously bad. And they’re notoriously hard to write. Especially about yourself. But a clear, succinct statement is an absolute necessity to identify what’s personal and particular about your photography, and if you care about giving people a way into your work. 

Which is why we’ve joined forces with our former editor, Simon Bainbridge, and Colin Pantall, a photographer, writer and lecturer, to host a one-day workshop at our East London office on  19 October 2024  where you’ll learn how to craft the perfect copy to accompany your photography. Ahead of the workshop, titled ‘Writing for Photographers’, we present a lighthearted look at the pitfalls of the personal statement.

Today’s subject: Personal Statements.

Don’t your pictures do the talking? Why do you need words? You need words to build an opaque lexicon around which essential notions of space, place, and identity can challenge established dialogues on photography. 

Excuse me? Why do you suddenly sound like a French philosopher? Because that’s how you write a statement, isn’t it? You have to show how clever you are, right?

Err, no. Try again. Tell me about your work. My work examines ideas of space and place within a non-temporal framework where identity, mortality, and geography exist on parallel strata.

Wow! That’s a bit pretentious! OK, let me start from the beginning. I first got a camera when I was seven years old. It was an old Praktica 35mm with a fixed 50mm f/1.8 lens. I began by photographing my immediate surroundings; the washing-up in the sink, my sister’s pet cat, the sweets I stole from the paper shop.

  Yawn. I’m sorry. Am I boring you?

Yes, actually. Although I am wondering about the early signs of kleptomania. Do you think I should frame my urge to ‘take’ pictures as some sort of psychodrama?

No, I was joking actually. Oh, god! Why is this so hard?

Try and get to the point. What is it all about? In Space and Place – Two Aspects of the Human-landscape Relationship, Hunziker, Buchecker and Hartig examine ideas on the sense of place and place identity. These ideas are central to my work.

Enough already! This is not a thesis introduction. Stop hiding behind the words. Can you be more engaging? I don’t even know where to begin.

Start by defining what interests you. What’s your story? My story? Um, I guess it’s about how I’ve been walking the same paths around my home for 20 years and nothing stays the same, everything changes with time. You change, the landscape changes, your connection with it changes.

That’s better, but it needs a little more work. Can you make it sound more deliberate? My project looks at the repeated walks I took in the three valleys that surround my home in Bath; valleys where the presence of the past is evident. Through these walks, repeated over two decades, different histories emerge; geological, economic, botanical, physical, and family histories… Something like that?

You’re almost there with the intro. Thanks! Where can I find out more about writing about my photography?

Funny you ask. I’m running a one-day workshop in August and October. Details below. Uncanny… I’ll see you there then…

Sign up for the in-person workshop, held at the BJP offices in London now.

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Photographers Field

Exploring the photographic field, photographers artist statement | 9 ways to write an interesting statement.

There are some specific things that you can add to a well-written photographers artist statement. It’s important that you as a photographer write it from your own perspective which helps you express the meaning and purpose behind your work.

Table of Contents

Why do you need an artist statement?

An artist statement is a stand-in for the artist when they can’t be present to talk about the work. So it is essential that it will communicate what is needed when you as an artist cannot be there to do that for yourself. Think of it as your business card, a bit longer though, but it is a tool for you to show who you are and why your work is important.

The best statements put the work in context but don’t force an interpretation on the viewer. Keep in mind to have some personality to your statement — the tone should fit really well with the work that you’re describing.

The emphasis should be on the basics of communicating something about the work.

How To Write Your Photographers Artist Statement

1. personalize it to sound like you.

An artist statement isn’t a persuasive statement. You don’t want to tell viewers how to receive your photographs. Rather, you want to provide them with details that support your images and allow them to react to those details in whatever way they see fit.

The voice that comes through in your writing can help you differentiate yourself.

Ask yourself the following:

• What is the reason I have created this work?
• What is the narrative in my work?
• What do you find to be inspiring regarding your work / what have influenced it ?

Always write your artist statement in first person (using ‘I’ and ‘my’)

2. Brainstorm Keywords

Brainstorm a list of words that best describe the mood and elements in your work.

These words will work as guidelines to form the rest of the sentences around with. Choose wording that is clear and concise , and try to take out repetition in the form of synonyms.

3. Explain Who You Are And What You Do

This requires the artist to know who they are and where do they fall into, in the field of photography. So before you start, look at your work objectively, and maybe even see how the artists who have similar themes have gone about it.

It should cover the subject of your photographs, what are the mediums you’ve used while creating them and how did you come to the conclusion of creating them ( your why ).

You can communicate whatever you feel in necessary for the background of the project or the overall work you’re presenting. If you feel your gender clarifies the reasons behind your work, add that information.

Make sure you have a sentence or two to truly emphasize the main points in your work.

4. Tell What Is Your Medium And Methodology

Provide details that express how the ideas in your statement are reflected in your work and why you chose the medium of photography to express yourself. Describe how your experiences have influenced your work.

If your method for creating the work or the materials you use are crucial to understanding the work, include that information in a statement.

If you’re shooting with analog, you can add that to the statement. The reasons for shooting analog might be to being present in the photography moment for example.

5. Keep Your Audience In Mind

Even if your audience is changing, and you find it difficult to address it to a specific audience, it will eventually narrow the way you communicate about your work.

Some artists are afraid that by writing too literally, they risk pinning down the meaning of the work. There is a risk for that, but by providing something tangible, the viewer can then make their own interpretation.

First it might seem like you want to leave it open for everyone to experience -which you of course are doing – but by expressing your standpoint in your work, you give the viewer the ground to know how they fall on the spectrum of the audience.

If for example your work is about mothers, you are also addressing an audience who want to be mothers in the future, or even the people who have grown without a mother.

But your audience will change once you change the focus of your application; you might have to rewrite a statement if you want to apply for a grant than if you would be applying for an exhibition.

6. Write Multiple Versions

As a photographer and photo artist, be aware when writing anything about your work and process, you do not write anything with haste.

Start by writing one statement with everything you can think of adding, and then start to peel it like an onion , by taking something out of it and revising it over and over again.

This way not only can you better your writing skills, but you will start to see what are the words and elements that show up again and again in different versions of your statement.

7. Take Out The Fluff

Everyone of us has probably read a statement that left you without any real information. It was a statement with some fancy wording and repetition. It might’ve even left you more confused than what you felt prior to reading the statement.

Photographers tend to be defensive in their statements , and to explain why they are making the work and why it is being made. An artist statement shouldn’t have such theoretical, specialized language in it that any reader is going to lose interest after two sentences.

You do not want to bore your viewer with something that will have them lose interest before they even get to your visual material.

A teacher once pointed out; ‘Would your mother understand it if she read it?’

8. Show Your Statement To Someone Who’s More Experienced

It’s critical that artists find people who will give them good advice about their writing.

As artists we get so stuck in it and we think that something is really clear when it isn’t, which can be a detriment to the work.

The same works with our actual imagery, we might be infatuated on a specific way of creating it, but having a fresh pair of eyes to review it will bring out details you might’ve not noticed otherwise.

9. Less Is More

A photographers artist statement doesn’t have to be lengthly. The more you add to the statement, the more it might start to repeat itself. Choose to write a compact piece that is short yet punctual, leaving the reader to instantly know what you’re about and what is your work all about.

Just make sure you’ve articulated the most important points all while keeping it interesting. It might need some practice, over and over again, but eventually you’ll get the hang of it.

Artist Statement Examples

Here’s an example where the artist personifies their pieces by comparing them to nature:

Timeless and tasteful, or modern and messy, flowers demand to be examined. I use multi-layered wax paint to create highly textured, three-dimension works on canvas and paper. I’m inspired by the color, wildness and creativity of springtime. I also recreate wedding bouquets and other meaningful arrangements to capture these focal points forever.

In this collection, I’ve focused on the wildflowers of Maine, often growing unencumbered and inconspicuously. But they still take my breath away. Forget the demure; these flowers burst with energy, life and texture, layer upon layer of evolution and growth. They challenge your expectations of the everyday.

In this example, a glass artist connects with their viewers on a more personal level:

Throughout my years as a glass artist, I’ve found that only grief is more fragile than the medium I work with. My shards strive to capture this emotion that’s so personal yet universal using a combination of refracted light, bold staining and unique sculptures. While the pieces are off-limits, I hope they encourage you to get in touch with the feelings you may have been avoiding.

What are the struggles you have when writing your own artist statement?

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16 Powerful Reasons to Choose Photography as a Hobby (in 2024)

A Post By: Stacey Hill

If you’re searching for a hobby that combines creativity, relaxation, and even a chance to make a little extra cash, then photography might just be your perfect match. In a world filled with fast-paced routines and endless distractions, taking photos offers an escape – one where you can tell stories, record key events, and share experiences.

In this article, I explore 16 compelling reasons why you should pick photography as a hobby. From the therapeutic powers of capturing stunning images to the joy of sharing visual stories with your loved ones, you’ll learn the unique benefits of photography and what makes taking photos so special.

I might be a little biased, but here’s my guarantee: By the time you’re finished reading, you’ll be itching to pick up a camera and start snapping photos!

1. Photography will help you record events and memories

Photography allows you to create images of special events, times, and places. It lets you record the specifics of an event – and it also allows you to  share  that event with friends and family, long after it’s done and gone.

By capturing a special moment in time, you can always remember it in crisp detail, even as your mental memories begin to fade. Plus, those memories will eventually become part of your history, perhaps even family lore. And they won’t just be passed down through stories; they’ll be passed down through images, too.

2. You’ll have fun

You can have  so much fun  with a camera.

You can head out with the family to the beach or on a picnic, shoot a local sports games , randomly roam your city streets photographing strangers , stalk wildlife , hike up a mountain for a stunning view, or stand under the stars at 2 AM and watch the Milky Way slowly move across the heavens.

In other words: Photography offers many opportunities to do new, interesting, and fun things with your camera – things you may not have done otherwise.

Plus, all sorts of things become interesting when they can provide you with material for photographic adventures. Cultural festivals, parades, sports events, a wander along the beach, exploring parts of your city previously undiscovered, architectural details on buildings, intricate details of flowers, people-watching, wildlife, meeting people who have different interests and hobbies, and much more; thanks to photography, it’ll be tons of fun.

3. Learning a new skill is good for your brain

Research shows that learning a new skill helps the brain and improves memory. And the more difficult the skill, the more you benefit.

Given that photography has so many elements – the science of light, the technology of the camera, the creative artistic side – there is a lot to learn.

So whatever your age, now is the perfect time to start a photography hobby.

4. Photography is a great stress-reliever

Let’s face it: Life can get pretty hectic sometimes. Whether you’re juggling a demanding job, dealing with family responsibilities, or simply navigating the ups and downs of daily life, stress seems to be a constant companion.

But photography offers a unique escape, a chance to disconnect from the chaos and reconnect with your inner self. It’s a mindful practice that encourages you to be fully present in the moment. As you frame a shot, adjusting your focus and composing the elements just right, the rest of the world fades into the background. Your attention shifts to the details, the interplay of light and shadow, and the subtle nuances that make each scene come alive.

Engaging in slower-paced forms of photography, like capturing delicate flowers up close, architectural marvels, or sweeping landscapes, can be especially soothing. These moments of stillness can become your sanctuary, and the act of creating something beautiful with your camera can become an act of self-care.

Some describe the act of photographing as if they’re in a trance, completely absorbed in the process. Whether you’re venturing into the great outdoors or photographing everyday scenes in your own backyard, photography offers a portal to serenity.

5. Photography will improve your health and fitness

Photography won’t just keep your brain in shape; it’ll keep your body in shape, too!

Getting out of the house, walking, and even hiking are common side effects of interest in photography. Do you like landscape photography ? Then you’ll need to go where the landscapes are, and that often means some form of exercise. Do you want to photograph people? Then you’ll need to walk the streets, which requires plenty of physical activity.

Of course, not all forms of photography require strenuous exercise. If you prefer a more easygoing approach, that’s okay, too; genres such as macro photography and portrait photography will get you out of the house, but won’t make you feel like a marathon runner. Make sense?

One caveat: Camera gear is heavy, so it’s important to be aware of any health or safety concerns. Carrying a camera on a strap around your neck (plus a backpack on your back) for a long time can be quite painful. Fortunately, there are many lightweight cameras available, not to mention excellent camera-carrying devices, compact tripods, and other burden-easing equipment.

6. You get to be creative

In her book, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear , Elizabeth Gilbert writes about creativity and inspiration. She says that creativity is good for us as individuals, and that the feeling you get when you finally capture an awesome sunrise photo, the feeling you get when you finally capture the image , is a wonderful thing.

But being creative is something we rarely do as adults. Enter photography, which is hugely creative and allows for endless flexibility in shooting and artistic style. That style can grow as you learn more and start to experiment with different genres.

Bottom line: Creativity is fun, and it provides a necessary counterbalance to the stressful demands of a modern lifestyle.

7. Photography will help you communicate with friends and family

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. And let’s face it, sometimes finding the time to share what’s happening in your life with friends and family can be a challenge. Whether it’s due to busy schedules, distance, or simply feeling disconnected, photography can bridge those gaps and help you communicate in a meaningful way.

When you embrace photography as a hobby, you start capturing moments that matter. From your daily routines and workplace to your home, kids, or even your garden, you can use your camera to tell the story of your life. Then, instead of struggling to find the right words, you can share those photos with your loved ones, giving them a window into your world.

With each photo you capture, you’re giving your friends and family a chance to see what’s going on in your life. They can experience the joy, the challenges, and the beauty that surrounds you. It’s a way to strengthen those connections and ensure that distance or time constraints don’t hinder your ability to stay in touch.

8. Photos make the best gifts

If you’re the kind of person who always wants to give the perfect gift, then photography will help you succeed beyond your wildest dreams! After all, who doesn’t love receiving prints and other photo products as gifts? They’re highly meaningful because they took real love and care to produce, and they’re personal because they came directly from you.

Photography offers plenty of options, too. You can give canvas prints of your favorite shots; thoughtful photo books featuring your kids, vacations, or special occasions; and even mugs and t-shirts with family photos or other captivating images.

So next time you’re wracking your brain for the perfect gift, pick up that camera. It’s a surefire way to offer presents that’ll be treasured for a lifetime!

9. Photography will get you traveling

Here’s another likely outcome of taking up photography:

You’ll travel all over the place, from different parts of your own city or country all the way to the other side of the globe. There is so much interesting stuff to photograph in other places, including landscapes, wildlife, architecture, and people from other cultures.

Now, travel broadens the mind and exposes you to new concepts and ideas, plus it’s an excellent learning opportunity. It provides so much creative variety and possibilities for personal growth.

Also, travel is just tons of fun!

So if you do take up photography, make sure you jump on the opportunity to travel, even if you only go a couple of hours away. It can provide entirely new situations and vistas! Be brave and venture forth.

10. Photography will keep you busy

Feel like you have too much time on your hands and don’t know what to do with it all? Well, photography might just be the perfect solution. Instead of spending hours mindlessly watching YouTube videos or endlessly scrolling on your phone, why not channel your energy into a fulfilling hobby?

In my experience, photography gives you a purpose, something to strive toward. Whether it’s capturing beautiful images of your grandkids, documenting the world around you, or creating breathtaking landscape shots that generate buzz on social media, photography keeps you engaged and motivated. It’s a wonderful feeling to have a creative pursuit that constantly pushes you to improve and learn new techniques.

The best part is that photography is flexible and fits into your schedule. You can grab your camera and shoot at any time of the day, allowing you to indulge in your hobby whenever you have a free moment. From the early morning golden hour to the quiet serenity of night photography , there’s always an opportunity to capture something remarkable.

Plus, you’ll never run out of subjects to photograph! From the smallest details in nature to bustling city streets, every scene holds the potential for a captivating image.

11. You’ll meet lots of new people

Looking to meet new people and make new friends? Well, meeting interesting people during your photographic adventures is pretty common. For instance, you might ask a local for advice on how to find a certain viewpoint – and they’ll end up showing you the way!

Or you might start talking with someone who is curious about your photography, which can lead to a great afternoon of conversation.

Once you get serious, you can even consider organizing a meetup with local photo enthusiasts in your area. And who knows? You might make a new adventure buddy and a new friend!

By the way, if you are friendly and courteous with your camera, many people are often happy to pose. Engaging with other people ensures you make more of a connection, and the resulting images are often powerful and emotional. So while keeping personal safety in mind, be brave and say hello.

12. You can become part of a community

The photography community – both online and in person – can be very supportive. After all, sharing your passion with other people around the world who speak your language, understand your challenges, and have had similar experiences can be very helpful.

So I highly recommend you engage with a photographic community of  some sort .

What communities are best? Well, online forums and social media platforms can be good places to find those secret local waterfall spots, where certain rare birds might be nesting, etc. People may be willing to give assistance with problems, critique your images, and provide an all-around welcoming place to hang out and chat about your hobby. (The dPS community on Facebook is a great place to start!)

Of course, you can also look at in-person options, such as camera clubs, meetup groups, photowalks, and more.

13. Photography can make you some money

If you’re looking for a way to earn a little extra cash each month, then a photography hobby can be your ticket. While it may not make you a millionaire, it can certainly help you cover small expenses or treat yourself to little indulgences.

There are various approaches you can take that fit your schedule and interests. One option is shooting stock photos and uploading them online, allowing you to earn passive income as they get purchased by others. Another option is offering portrait sessions to your family and friends, capturing their special moments and creating lasting memories. And hey, if you have a soft spot for animals, you can even offer your photography services to capture the adorable antics of your neighbors’ dogs and cats.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, why not try selling prints of your best shots at local arts and craft shows? It’s a rewarding experience that lets you showcase your work and interact with fellow art enthusiasts.

Photography as a side hustle can be a fun way to monetize your skills and passion while keeping things manageable and enjoyable. So why not start that photo hobby and turn it into a little money-making venture?

14. Photography will help you appreciate your surroundings

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the rush and miss the beauty that surrounds us every day. But photography has a way of changing that.

You see, when you pick up a camera, you start to see the world differently. You become attuned to the play of light and shadow, the intricate details that might have gone unnoticed, and the captivating moments that unfold in the blink of an eye.

Whether you’re strolling through a bustling city street or exploring the serenity of nature, photography helps you slow down and appreciate the beauty that often gets overlooked. It encourages you to pause, observe, and capture those fleeting moments that make life extraordinary.

As a photographer, you become a keen observer, finding inspiration in the simplest of things – the way sunlight filters through the trees, the laughter of children playing, or the delicate petals of a flower. Through the lens of your camera, you’ll uncover hidden gems in familiar places, finding beauty in the everyday and transforming ordinary scenes into extraordinary photographs. This newfound appreciation for your surroundings will not only enhance your photography but also bring more joy and fulfillment to your life.

15. You can do photography on a budget

You might think that photography is an expensive hobby, but it doesn’t have to be! You can capture amazing photos without breaking the bank.

First off, if you have a smartphone, you’re already armed with a powerful camera. Those little devices have come a long way and can now snap sharp and detailed images with just a tap . So don’t underestimate the camera in your pocket, especially when you’re just getting started.

If you want to dive deeper into photography and have more control over settings and subjects, you can opt for a used DSLR and an older lens . With the rise of mirrorless cameras, secondhand DSLR gear has become more affordable, yet it’s still incredibly powerful.

So if you’re thinking about delving into photography, don’t let money stop you. You can jump into this hobby without emptying your wallet. Look for deals and explore secondhand options. You don’t need the latest and greatest equipment to take captivating photos. It’s all about your eye for composition, lighting, and capturing the moment.

16. You can develop a style that is uniquely  yours

No matter your passion, you can explore it via photography in whatever creative way you want. When starting out, it pays to have an understanding of the basic guidelines for composition and light , but don’t let them limit you. Challenge them, break them, and see what happens. It might work, it might not, but either way, it will be a learning experience.

Eventually, you’ll start to approach the world in a way that is specific to you. That’s when you’ll have developed a style of your own (which is a wonderful feeling, by the way!).

There are many different types and styles of photography, and you can adapt whatever you do to your individual desires and needs. There is space for all different approaches, from the classic landscape, nature, wildlife, street, portrait, and sports styles, to all the different variations in between. So don’t feel like photography constrains you – instead, you shape it!

Reasons why photography is a great hobby: final words

Photography adds so much value to our lives – by recording special events, people, and places, while also helping us learn and grow as people. It allows us to share our lives and experiences in meaningful ways, and it allows us to engage and have fun with other people.

Choosing photography as a hobby will offer so many possibilities for creative expression and technical expertise. Age is certainly not a barrier here, and if all you have is the camera on your phone, that’s okay; you can start with that.

So here’s my challenge to you:

Head out sometime today and take your first photo.

Now let us know your thoughts:

Which of these reasons speaks to you the most? Do you plan to start a photography hobby? If so, why? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Read more from our Tips & Tutorials category

invested in her first DSLR back in 2007. While having many adventures out and about in the South Island of New Zealand, Stacey took to blogging about her experiences learning photography. Recently she discovered the fun and creative possibilities to be had with Photoshop. She can be found having an opinion all over the place here .

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• 9 reasons why photography is an important hobby

A little over 2 years ago, I was living abroad and traveling with my family when all of sudden my camera broke mid-click.

The purchase of a new camera was a turning point, where my love for capturing family moments became a real hobby. Photography has filled up my already busy life in a wonderfully fulfilling way. Here are nine reasons why I think you should make photography your hobby also!

1. You can start from any level, at any age, with any camera

Taking pictures is completely personal. You do not need a fancy camera or a creative background to start taking pictures and making improvements. I’ve seen amazing photos taken with a phone camera. There are lots of easy and fun things to learn about composition, light, exposure, and editing that will easily and quickly take anyone’s photos up to the next level.

From a personal side, I never thought of myself as a creative type. I have always loved taking pictures, but it took me a long time to really adopt it as a hobby because I believed I wasn’t artistic enough. Photography has really helped me to discover and develop a side of me I didn’t know existed.

2. It’s a healthy challenge

There are endless ways to challenge yourself with photography; you can always learn something new. There is no shortage of new techniques, genres, projects, equipment, inspiration, and workshops to take in this field. I’ve spent more than two years devouring photography information and I know there is still so much for me to learn and try.

I also see every picture as a challenge. It is like a puzzle I get to solve. How do I use what I’ve learned to capture this moment in time in a more powerful way, making my viewer linger longer and feel more?

3. It helps you notice your world and stay in the moment

Photography makes me so much more observant and aware of the wonderful little things that surround me each day. I notice things like light, shadows, patterns, frames, and colors that I can use in my pictures. More importantly, I notice meaningful things like connections, expressions, gestures, feelings, and especially the small mundane things that I want to remember. It has even gotten me to enjoy things that I didn’t really love before.

4. It motivates you to experience more

With photography as a hobby, I always want to get the family out doing something. Even if it is just taking a walk or setting up a sprinkler in the backyard, I know that us doing anything together will give me opportunities to practice and capture great memories. Sometimes I feel a little guilty about my motivations, but I know that our whole family has gotten to experience so much more together because of my photography.

5. There are no restrictions

One thing I love about being a hobbyist is that I have the freedom to create the pictures I want without any limitations. Without the worry of happy customers, I can take the time to experiment with all sorts of techniques and learn in my own time.

6. It documents your family’s life

Photography helps you capture anything you feel is important to remember. One photograph is powerful enough to not only remind you of an event or detail, but can bring you right back to the feelings, sounds, and even smells of the moment. With every picture, you are telling your family’s unwritten stories and giving them that gift to keep and pass along.

There are also so many wonderful and creative ways to make those photos tangible for your family. I personally love having my web-based digital photo frame in our kitchen. It easily allowed me to load 10,000 photos that play throughout the day. My kids will stop and watch a few here and there and I love hearing the “remember when” conversations that follow.

7. It connects you with others

Everyone loves a good picture, so photography is an easy way to connect to people. I love to be able to share our lives through my photos. It is another way to stay in contact with far away family and friends.

I also cannot say enough about how supportive and inspiring I’ve found the photography communities, such as Clickin Moms and Instagram. I’ve really enjoyed connecting with those around the world who share the same interest in learning to capture their lives better.

8. Seeing your improvement will give you motivation

Photography is a hobby that you can make improvements quickly and see your progress easily. If you line up your photos next to each other from month to month, you will see those changes. In one year, those differences will be significant. Not only will you see how much better you are, seeing some of your favorites each month will give you that extra bit of motivation to keep clicking away.

9. It will bring you joy

Because of all the things I’ve listed above, photography can bring you so much joy. In the midst of a hectic day, there is just something satisfying about slowing down and intentionally focusing on what is in front of you. I feel like I’m filling up my own gratitude journal with every click.

I’d love to know, why do you think photography is a good hobby?

Susan Grimes

Susan Grimes is a mom of three who turned her years at home with her children into a time of discovery, adventures and joys, all skillfully captured in her daily photos. Enjoying the challenge to make images more powerful with light, story, and composition, Susan can be found with her children walking through the woods in the early morning, searching for treasures amid a creek mid-day, or climbing through a jungle gym at sunset. With so many sunny days, Susan happily lives in North Carolina with her husband and her little ones.

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33 thoughts on “9 reasons why photography is an important hobby”

Thank you for sharing your thoughts 😉

I love your page! Thank bloglovin I found it 😉

Thank you so much Marianne!!!

I just love this! You said everything I’ve ever felt about my passion for photography that’s taken off in the past few years, and while I tried to go the route for awhile to make money off of it, I think I’m happiest just doing it for myself.

And may I just say, if you’ve only been pursuing photography for two years, these are some seriously incredible images! Powerful stuff, here. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you so much Torrie! I’m so glad you could relate!! I really appreciate your comments.

I so agree with you, when I started telling people I am just doing photography for myself I felt liberated. I only please myself now not other people. And not worrying about the business side,.

Oh yes, yes, yes!! Totally relate to all 9 points. I’ve found the same. For years I thought I wasn’t creative and now I know I am thanks to photography 🙂

Thank you Erin! I am so glad you could relate. It’s amazing how photography feeds my creative soul, even though I didn’t know I had one :). I really appreciate your comments.

Great article and amazing pictures!

Thank you so much Megan!!

Wonderful inspiring article Mrs G! I do love your photos!

Thank you so much Sandra! I really appreciate all your support! xx

I totally agree with all these although the most important to me is documenting our family life, especially as my sons grow up as I don’t have any photos of my family growing up so this is extremely important to me! Thanks very much for sharing.

Thank you! I agree that I love to have those family moments captured so that they can remember their childhood. Thank you for your comments!

What a great article! I particularly relate to number 4, but every one is a great reminder!

Thank you Jayne! I agree about #4. I can get buried in my to-do list and forget to experience life if I’m not careful. Photography is great at pushing me to do things. Thank you for your comments.

great article Susan!

Thank you so much Claire! xx

LOVE LOVE LOVE this post! So true, I agree that helps you to enjoy life and cherish memories.

I recently gave a talk in church about gratitude and had the same thought process as you. I really think it helped me out of depression. it forced me to get out of the house, gave me a reason for adventure. Photography helps me slow down, and as I’m trying to capture the essence of the experience that I don’t want to forget (the relationship, the light, the shape, the wind in the hair, the messiness of something), I am journaling and giving me a way to remember all the good.

I feel the same way Jacqueline! Gratitude is such a large and unexpected piece of having photography as a hobby. Thank you for your comments.

I love this, Susan! ❤

Thank you Alyssa!! 🙂

awesome article susan!!

Thank you Liza!

For me, one of the things that makes photography such a blessing is being able to bless others with captured moments and memories … whether it’s a photo session for a friend or family, or moments with strangers that I have captured, it fills me with joy to be able to bless others through photography.

That is so true Terryl! I love being able to share with my family and friends the moments I’ve captured of them. It does bring joy to my life to present those tiny gifts to them. Thank you for your comments!

So true. I have really come to not notice and appreciate my surroundings since I started shooting a few years ago. Thanks much for the article.

Thank you so much for sharing! This helped reinforce my interest.

thank you so much i needed help writing a speech for my love for photography i your words are like you took the info from my head and put it into this thank you so much!

Hi Susan. I recently went into photography and your articles helps and motivate me a lot. thank you.

Such a helpful article! Those are the reasons why photography plays an important role in our life. With my years of experience being a photographer, every photo I captured help me grow and learn to become a better person. One photo can’t be described in one word as it connects us to unknown/known people, places, stories, and even emotions.

Great post with useful tips to photography. Thanks for sharing!!!

I appreciate your insight when you said that a particular moment can be reminisced by looking at a one, great picture. My son’s graduation is coming up, and we want a great photo of our family so that we can relive this precious moment. That being said, we’ll make sure to hire the best family photographer near our area.

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• Luminosity Masks
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Why You Should Have Vision in Photography

minutes read

Being able to create a great photograph comes down to careful planning and having an eye for what you or those viewing the photo might find interesting. 

To really stand out and have the photo be memorable, you need to have a photographic vision.

This article is about the “why” you should become a visionary photographer.

Much has been written in-depth about the idea of vision in photography, so I’m not going to repeat that here.

I hope this article bridges the gap to help you understand more about why you should develop your own vision.

Table of Contents

1. First Things First

Vision in photography may not be a 'sexy' topic but it is more important than the technicality of creating a good photo.

Developing your own vision can be the single best thing that happens to you.

I think it is important to consider it if you want to pursue photography beyond the limits of producing technically sound photos and posting them on social media for the sake of vanity.

And just to clarify...

I’m not a master in visionary photography but a student just like you. I’m not an expert but what I’m sharing here is from the perspective of a student who is constantly searching for ways to improve my work.

Lastly, if you think you are only at the beginning of your journey in photography and not quite there yet to talk about vision...perhaps this article about mastering the art of photography is easier to digest.

2. I Know What You Did Last Summer

Tell me if this is you...

You are out with your camera, you know where you want to go but don’t know what you are going to shoot.

You point your camera at something that look nice, maybe you move around to find a better angle.

Back at home on your computer, you open up the images in your editing software but you have no idea what to do with it.

In the end, you play around with adjustments, filters, etc. and end up spending hours unproductively.

The result looks good and you are suddenly flooded with a sense of self-satisfaction.

But this doesn’t always happen...

It is a hit and miss...sometimes the results are mediocre.

3. It Begins With Improvisation

What I’ve described above is what I call improvisation.

Every step in the workflow is undeliberate with some occurring by chance.

The result?

Unpredictable and challenging to replicate.

One of my early work that lacks vision

How do I know?

I have been there, it is like the life cycle of a photographer, the rite of passage.

When you accumulate experience over time, you will start to recognize what you like or don’t like.

And with a few other external stimuli...you begin to draw inspiration to develop your own way of seeing the world.

4. What Is Vision in Photography?

“If I paint a wild horse, you might not see the horse... but surely you will see the wildness!” - Pablo Picasso

It is a beautiful thing - vision. Having the ability to see.

Photographers should constantly practise to perfect the gift of seeing. You should know what story or message you want to portray, and then capture it. 

The important thing to remember is not to get frustrated…

Finding a clear, artistic vision takes time. Once you develop it, the satisfaction you get out of photography amplifies.

The key is to persevere and be persistent in what you are doing. As the Helsinki Bus Station Theory tells us - Stay on the bloody bus! 

The Helsinki Bus Station Theory. Image by James Clear .

Alfred Stieglitz, a visionary photographer, explained the purpose of using vision in photography in the most reliable way. His words reveal why vision comes before the photograph and why it is where it all begins. 

To further explain, it means your vision in photography originates in your vision of life. It is how you see things. It is how you let things inspire you. 

Developing a vision doesn’t happen overnight.

As a photographer, you slowly build the habit of paying attention to the scene in front of you. 

You start to take in the sounds, smells and emotions. You think about how to blend all of this into a still frame. How can you share this moment with others through a single photo.

5. Why Is Vision So Crucial?

A vision in photography is being able to think creatively and attentively at a subject and capture it in a way that conveys meaning. 

It is abstract and expressive. It is also intentional and developing.

As a photographer, you should strive to find your own unique vision and share with the world images from your perspective. 

It is crucial to continue to train yourself in identifying and harnessing your vision. 

When doing so, focus more on developing your ability to convey meaning and find what moves you, rather than the act of photographing or perfecting the technical side of things.

The feeling of searching your vision at the beginning

Renee Phillips , an art coach, states that: ‘Artists are born with a compelling need to probe the depths of self-expression and proclaim self-liberation. The challenge that lies before them is no small task’. 

Relying on just your technical ability will leave your photos feeling lifeless, boring or having little impact. 

Anyone can learn how to use a software like Photoshop, but the real talent of photography, as an art form, comes down to timing, framing, and finding a meaning / vision for taking the shot.

As a visionary photographer, you need to continue to ask yourself why do you shoot? What about your photographs, do you find meaning in, what are you trying to capture? 

Photographers have the power to create something artistic, but it takes vision. 

Our purpose, as photographers, is to express the everyday norms in visually appealing ways. 

“I don’t photograph the world as it is. I photograph the world as I would like it to be.” – Monte Zucker

Photography, be it landscape or portrait, is a visual art form. 

It takes timing to perfect, and every frame is unique. We want to evoke a feeling when somebody encounters our photograph. 

Strengthening your vision takes experience and discipline, a real dedication to your art, but the remunerations for taking the time will be meaningful in the progress of your picture-taking. 

Vision is novel and it is what will give your art its identity...

Not your name underneath the image, not the fact that it was you who produced it. 

The photo becomes art when it carries a vision, a vision you created. 

Let your unique vision shine. 

Let it reveal. Let it be free. Let it engulf you. 

6. How to Find Your Vision

There is no quick way to do this...

Finding your own vision, your personal voice and your reason to create is a process, not a formula.

Everyone has a different journey to self-discovery…but there are certain things they do that are similar.

I’m going to share with you a few tips that I do personally.

You can do the same or use it as an inspiration to create your way.

6.1 Study the Work of Other Photographers 

This is kind of obvious. If you want to excel in anything, you need to study the people who have excelled before you.

What kind of photographs resonate with you? Find out who the photographer is and study their vision, philosophy and methods.

Information is more readily available and affordable than ever. All you need is effort.

Wikipedia has a huge list of well-known photographers . If you don’t know anyone then this place is a good start. 

I came across Jerry Uelsmann's work recently (on the right) and was inspired by this photograph.

Untitled 1982 by Jerry Uelsmann

6.2 Visit Museums and Art Galleries

These places are goldmines for inspiration.

Thinking about it…

It houses work by the grand masters, which are the source of ideas to creativity for generations of artists after them.

Broaden your inspiration to include paintings, sculptures, etc. It will influence the way you perceive the world that ultimately shapes your work.

Many national museums around the world are free, or even online. To begin with, check out the impressive Art and Culture by Google .

6.3 Emulate, Steal Like an Artist

“Good artists copy; great artists steal” - Pablo Picasso

This closely relates to the two above.

It is tempting to “copy” others because the idea/concept is so good, this is even more so when your mind is completely blank.

But most people would cringe at the idea of copying, does it equal to plagiarism?

No, unless you forge an exact copy of the original and publish, promote or sell it as your own.

Michelangelo's copy this Roman sculpture of sleeping eros kick-started his career

If you look at history, artists in the Renaissance (and beyond) copied each other before they developed their own vision. How many paintings are there of "Madonna and the Child" or "Adoration of the Magi"?

Same theme, just different artist and style. 

Steal Like an Artist is short, quirky and entertaining book I recommend on this subject. 

6.4 Collect Your Ideas

You need storage to keep all your ideas in one place. This allows you to self-reflect, understand and learn more about yourself - what kind of art is important to you, what you like or dislike, etc.

A good place to do this is Pinterest!

My Pinterest board

You can pin literally anything to a board and organize them into groups. This makes it easier when you go back to review them.

You can use anything/platform to be fair. I use Pinterest because it is free.

6.5 Practice, Practice and Practice More

I can't stress thie enough...

While you are admiring the work of others, don’t forget your camera.

No matter how many paintings and photographs you studied, it is all a moo point if you don’t manifest these.

In Bounce: The Myth of Talent and the Power of Practice , the autho r Matthew Syed mentioned that to truly master a skill, you need to have clocked approximately 10000 hours of practice.

The more you shoot, the closer you will be in finding a photographic vision.

6.6 Be a Lifelong Learner

You are never too old to learn.

More importantly, don’t feel you are too good to learn.

No matter how good you think you are, there is always room to grow.

Not only a growth mindset will help you find and refine your vision in photography, it will also help you to be successful in other aspects of your life too.

Books, webinars, courses, workshops, networking, etc. There is always something catered for you regardless of your circumstances.

7. Over to You

Mastering the technical skills to create the perfect photo isn’t enough.

Without vision, a photo is just a pretty picture with no meaning or soul. It doesn’t engage with the viewer and therefore not memorable. 

To find your photography vision, you need to find yourself first. Understand the reason you want to create and find a way to express that in your work.

Remember, stay on the bus!

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Artist Statement For Photography: Finding a Unique Voice

In the world of  photography , an  artist statement plays a crucial role  in  conveying your unique vision , aesthetic approach, and creative processes to those who may not be familiar with your  work .

As a professional photographer,  crafting a compelling artist statement  lets you  connect with your audience more deeply. It offers   insight into the meaning behind each image  you capture.

In this article, we will explore the concept of  artist statements  in photography and provide valuable tips for composing one that genuinely reflects your artistic journey. We will discuss the importance of using carefully chosen words to convey your message and capture the essence of your image.

Key Takeaways

• An artist statement in photography is crucial for conveying your unique vision, aesthetic approach, and creative processes to those who may not be familiar with your work. The statement gives words to the images you capture.
• A strong and impactful artist statement should include crucial elements such as clarity, focus,  personal vision ,  creative process ,  intention , connection, authenticity, and adaptability tailored to different contexts .
• Writing an effective artist statement involves  introducing yourself as a photographer artist ; explaining your creative process; describing your  photographic style ;  identifying and expressing your vision ; offering insight into the meaning of your work.
• Crafting an art statement that showcases a unique perspective requires using descriptive language that captures the mood of the pictures while highlighting a photographer’s approach to capturing images. 

Purpose and Importance of an Artist’s Statement In Photography

Understanding the purpose and importance of an artist statement in photography is essential for professional photographers seeking to convey their creative vision and connect with their audience.

An artist statement is a stand-in when the photographer can’t be present to talk to themselves.

At its core, an artist statement  bridges the photographer and viewers , offering insight into the creative process, personal motivations, and unique artistic perspective behind a  body of work . It tells a story that helps you express the meaning and purpose behind the work.

Key Elements Of A Great Artist Statement

A strong and impactful statement can effectively communicate a photographer’s personal vision, creative process, and the meaning behind their work. These things should be considered when creating an artist statement that stands out.

• Clarity : Ensure that your message is articulated and easy to  understand .
• Focus : Discuss your photography style, approach, and themes without deviating or digressing.
• Personal Vision : Share your unique perspective as a photographer, including how you see the world through your lens.
• Creative Process : Discuss the methods,  techniques , or inspirations that drive your photography.
• Intention : Explain the purpose behind your work and what you hope to achieve or convey through your images.
• Connection : Describe how your work connects with viewers or the broader art community.
• Authenticity : Be genuine in expressing yourself and do not exaggerate or embellish facts about yourself or your work.
• Language : Use easily understood, concise language free of jargon so professionals and laypeople can understand it.
• Adaptability : Tailor your statement to suit different contexts, such as gallery exhibitions, grant applications, or online portfolios.

Why Is It Important To Have A Photographer Artist Statement

A  well-crafted photographer-artist statement  is vital for professionals in photography to effectively communicate their vision, purpose, and creative process to curators, collectors, and potential clients.

It is an essential tool that bridges the gap between your art and those who may not have direct access to you or be privy to your thoughts.

For example, fine art photographer Lorne Resnick uses his artist statement to give viewers a glimpse into his journey of self-discovery and self-expression through exploring people, things, and the world around him.

This personal connection he establishes encapsulates the essence of his  photographs  while also sharing valuable insights behind each piece.

Writing An Effective Artist Statement

To write an effective artist statement in photography,  introduce yourself  as a photographer, explain your creative process and photographic style, identify and express your vision for your work, and offer insight into the  meaning behind each photograph .

Introduce Yourself As A Photographer Artist

As a photographer, your statement should begin by introducing yourself and providing background information  about your work. Start by sharing what inspired you to become a photographer and how you developed your artistic style.

For example, if your photography centers around street portraits of diverse people and cultures around the world like Michael Kistler’s art does, start with an anecdote about encountering fascinating new individuals during travels that sparked an interest in capturing unique human moments.

Being authentic while writing an artist statement is essential as it reflects who you are as an artist and an individual.

Explain Your Creative Process

One of the crucial elements is explaining your creative process . This section should give insight into how you approach creating the works, including your  technical skills  and  artistic choices .

For example, describe your  equipment and software preferences or highlight a specific technique that separates your imagery.

Additionally, it’s helpful to discuss how you plan and execute  shoots . Do you spend days scouting locations? How do you collaborate with models or  subjects ? What sort of  post-processing techniques  do you use to enhance your images? Sharing these  details  can help viewers understand how much effort goes into creating each photograph.

Describe Your Photographic Style

Your photographic style is unique to you and an  integral part  of your artist statement. Your style encompasses everything from your techniques to the subjects you photograph.

For example, if you specialize in  street photography , talk about how you capture  candid moments  and  interesting characters  within  urban environments . Or, if  portraiture  is more your focus, discuss how you create a comfortable atmosphere for your subjects that allows them to let their personalities shine through in the photographs.

Identifying And Expressing Your Vision

As a photographer,  identifying and expressing your vision is crucial to crafting a persuasive statement. Ideas in your statement can include themes, subjects, and messages in your work.

It’s important to reflect on what motivates you as an artist making the work and explore how you can convey those motivations through your photography.

To identify your vision more clearly, consider  brainstorming a list of words or phrases  that come to mind when thinking about what inspires you as an artist.

These could be specific scenes or subject matter that motivate you or broader philosophical  ideas  that drive your creative process.

Offering Insight On The Meaning Of Your Work

One of the most important aspects of writing a photography artist statement is  offering insight  into the  meaning behind your work . Your body of work may contain many different themes and expressions that require explanation for others to understand fully.

Your artist statement should provide  context  for your photos, explaining why you take them and what message you hope to convey through them. That can involve discussing  personal experiences or observations  that inspire or influence your work and exploring  historical or cultural perspectives that shape your approach.

Showcasing Unique Styles And Themes

Photography is about creating a unique perspective and offering insight into the world. A great artist statement can help you showcase your  style and themes  in photography by:

• Using descriptive language that captures the mood, tone, and emotions of your work.
• Highlighting your  unique approach to capturing images , including camera settings, lighting techniques, and editing processes.
• Discussing the themes or subjects that inspire you to create photographs, such as nature, people, or cultural events.
• Exploring how your work fits within the larger context of contemporary art and photography trends.
• Sharing any personal experiences that have influenced your artistic vision and creative process.
• It creates a sense of connection with viewers by making them feel part of the story or scene captured in each photograph.
• Encouraging dialogue between you and your audience by asking thought-provoking  questions or inviting feedback on specific pieces.

By showcasing your unique style and themes through an artist statement, you can give viewers a glimpse into what makes your work special. It will not only enhance their appreciation for your art but also deepen their understanding of the meaning behind each photograph.

Analyzing Effective Statements From Different Photographers

Learning from other photographers’ artist statements is a great way to understand the elements of an  effective statement  and how to incorporate them into your work.

Sally Mann , is known for her black-and-white photographs that often depict the American South. She has said about her process: “…I depend on serendipity… I pray for what might be referred to as the angel of chance.” 

Another example comes from Gregory Crewdson , who creates cinematic images that blur the line between reality and fiction. His artist statement discusses using photography to recreate memories and experiences rooted in fantasy rather than realism. 

Analyzing effective statements can help you identify key themes and techniques that you can use to create your unique artist statement.

Final Thoughts For Crafting Your Artist Statement In Photography

Crafting an effective artist statement in photography can be challenging. Still, with these final tips, you will be well on your way to creating a powerful and persuasive message that communicates the meaning behind your work.

Being  Authentic And Genuine

Photographers need to be authentic and genuine when writing their artistic statements. That means avoiding unnecessary jargon or creating a statement that feels forced or insincere.

Take the time to reflect on your creative process, personal vision, and the meaning behind your work.

Using  Clear And Concise Language

When crafting your photography artist statement, using  clear and concise language  is essential. Avoid using unnecessary jargon or fluff that can confuse your audience.

One way to ensure clear communication is by using concrete examples and anecdotes where relevant. For instance, if you specialize in street portraits, share a story about how one particular portrait session inspired or challenged your approach.

Also,  break down complex ideas  into simple terms so anyone can understand them.

Ultimately, when writing a photography artist statement using clear and concise language allows you to highlight what makes your work unique. 

Tailoring Your Statement To Your Audience

When crafting your artist statement in photography, it’s important to consider who your audience is and tailor your language accordingly. If you’re presenting your work to a group of professionals in the photography industry, you can use more technical terms and assume they have some knowledge of photographic concepts.

Remember that the purpose of an artist statement is to communicate your vision and creative process, not show off how many big words you know. Consider using examples or anecdotes that will resonate with your target audience. For instance, if you specialize in portrait photography for families , discuss the emotional connections that drew you to this work.

Highlighting Your Uniqueness

As a photographer, you must showcase your  unique style and approach in your artist statement. What sets you apart from other photographers? It could be the way you use light and shadow or the subjects you choose to photograph.

By showcasing  distinguishing factors in their statements, many photographers can  attract clients  and  gain recognition as artists with unique perspectives .

Quick Guide To Writing An Interesting Statement

If you want to create an effective artist statement that captures your vision and aesthetic approach, consider the following seven tips:

• Be Authentic and Genuine : Reflect your personality in your writing, and don’t try to be someone else. Speak from the heart and describe what motivates you as a photographer.
• Use Clear and Concise Language : Avoid flowery language or technical jargon that could alienate readers. Instead, keep it simple and straightforward so that everyone can understand what you’re trying to say.
• Tailor Your Statement to Your Audience : Consider who will read your statement. If you’re targeting curators or art critics, emphasize your work’s more intellectual aspects. If you’re speaking to a broader audience, focus on themes that people can relate to personally.
• Highlight Your Uniqueness : What makes your photography stand out from others? It could be your unique style or a particular theme or subject that you explore in-depth.
• Offer Insight into Your Creative Process : Discuss how you work as a photographer, including the methods and techniques you use to capture images.
• Identify and Express Your Vision : Share your overall artistic vision for your work and how each piece fits into that larger picture.
• Provide Details That Support Your Images : Don’t just talk about what’s in the photo; explain why it’s there and how it relates to the overall meaning or message of the piece.

Remember, an artist statement is a way for photographers to communicate their project and personal vision to others who may not be familiar with their work. By following these tips, you can craft an artist statement that accurately represents who you are as an artist while being accessible to everyone who reads it!

In conclusion, as a professional photographer, your artist statement is essential to communicating your vision and creative process to others. By writing an effective artist statement that introduces yourself and explains your photographic style, you can showcase your unique voice and offer insight into the meaning behind your work.

Remember to be authentic, use clear language, tailor your statement for different audiences, and  highlight what sets you apart from other photographers. With these tips in mind, you can create an outstanding artist statement that will capture the attention of your audience.

Watch “How to Write the perfect artist statement” for more tips:

What is an artist statement in photography.

An artist statement explains the creative process, inspiration, and intention behind a photographer’s work .

Why is it important to have an artist statement for photography?

Having an artist statement helps photographers communicate their unique perspective and vision with viewers, which can help create deeper connections and understanding of the work.

How should I structure my artist statement for photography?

A standard structure includes an introduction that provides background information about yourself and your work, followed by a description of your artistic process and influences , your goals as a photographer , and finally, a conclusion that ties everything together .

Can having strong writing skills impact how well my photography is received?

Yes! Strong writing skills can significantly enhance the presentation of your photographs by providing context or meaning to them while also allowing you to connect with audiences on a deeper level than just through visuals alone .

What is an artist statement?

An artist statement is a written statement that accompanies a body of work, explaining the ideas and creative process behind the work .

Why do photographers need to write an artist statement?

Photographers write artist statements to provide context and information about their work. It is a way to communicate why the work is important and what the photographer wants to convey through their photographs .

What should be included in an artist statement?

An artist statement should include the following:

• A brief introduction .
• A description of the creative process.
• A discussion of the ideas and concepts behind the work.
• A conclusion that ties everything together.

How can photographers come up with ideas for their artist statement?

Photographers can think about what they want to tell their viewers through their work and use that as a starting point for their artist statement. They can also explore the details in their photographs and how their viewer might react to those details and include that in their statement.

How important is the medium of photography in an artist’s statement?

A photographer should discuss the medium of photography in their artist statement as it is a fundamental aspect of the work and can influence the viewer’s interpretation.

Should an artist statement include information about the creative process?

Yes, the creative process is an integral part of the work, and discussing it in an artist statement can help the viewer understand how the work was done.

Are there any artist statement examples that photographers can refer to?

Yes, many artist statement examples are available online that photographers can refer to for inspiration. However, it is important to remember that the artist’s statement should reflect the photographer’s unique ideas and creative process.

How can photographers balance providing information and not forcing an interpretation on the viewer?

The best artist statements put the work in context but don’t force an interpretation on the viewer. Photographers should aim to provide information about their work without dictating how the viewer should interpret it .

Why is an artist’s statement important in communicating a photographer’s work?

An artist statement is important in communicating a photographer’s work because it provides information about the ideas, creative process, and context behind it. It can also help the viewer understand the work and appreciate its significance .

Is an artist statement a stand-in for the artist?

Yes, an artist statement can serve as a stand-in for the artist when they are not present to discuss their work. It allows the artist to communicate their ideas and creative process.

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Photography Is My Passion: 14 Undeniable Reasons to Love It

Last updated on July 23, 2023 by Doug Ash

It always starts as something that grabs your attention. First, it is a hobby; eventually, it increases your curiosity and leads you down a path where you become obsessed with it. In general terms, we call it ‘having a passion’ and for me, photography is my passion!

If I say that words aren’t enough to express how much I love this art form, it wouldn’t be wrong. Photography is my chosen medium of creative expression. I use it to communicate with the world and show people how I view it. From stunning landscapes to the occasional amazing family portraiture, I love capturing the world in pictures!

You may find it surprising that I had my fears when I was just starting out as a photographer, and still do in some cases. Photography for beginners is challenging, especially when you want to capture beautiful shots but don’t know how. However, if you stick to the path and let your passion guide you, I can guarantee you will fall in love with photography just like I did!

Reasons Why Photography Is My Passion

If you are a beginner looking for some motivation, this is a good place to start:

1. Infinite Possibilities

As a photographer, you will develop a keen eye to notice slight changes in the world around you. Every day will invite you to explore something new, even if the things around you do not change in dramatic or obvious ways. That’s the beauty of photography! It opens up doors with an infinite number of possibilities that you can capture with your camera. It’s all about the details.

2. Challenging, Yet Rewarding

Photography is my passion because it seems like an impossible task at first until you capture that perfect shot. As a beginner, you imagine the shot in front of you, but the camera does not capture it the way you see it. That’s when the process quickly becomes frustrating. Yet, once you figure out how to play with your composition and adjust the settings in your favor, and not let your fears overwhelm you, the same challenge becomes rewarding.

3. Memorable Moments

It’s one of the reasons most people love photographs. They can relive the same moment that made them happy once. However, for photographers, it holds a different meaning. The memory of their captured shot is more than just the scene in the photo. The experience of the captured image is what they love.

4. Interpretations

Photography for beginners is just another hobby at first. You see something worth capturing and take the shot. However, when you show it to other people, you realize not everyone interprets the photo like you did. Through the learning process, you can come to learn the different layers of meaning behind a single photograph.

5. Being in the Present

Photographers have this urge to find the next best shot, freeing their minds from past worries and being in the present. You are focused on everything around you, trying to find all those little details, making you truly live in the moment. It is a gift for me to live in the present, and it can be a gift for you too.

6. The Process

Yet another reason to love photography is that it’s not rushed. Beginners often get tangled in the technical details of capturing a photograph. While the details are essential, it’s never the reason you capture breathtaking shots.

Figuring out the kind of shot you want to take, adjusting your camera settings, and “setting the scene” is something truly investing in. The resulting shot is what makes it worth it.

7. Response from People

Your camera captures the moment you thought was worth sharing with the world. Once you share it, you can experience the most beautiful thing—an emotional response from people who understand what you want to say with the picture.

Can be on Instagram or some other form of social media, or even prints. Catching someone’s eye as they walk by one of your prints or hearing “You took that!?!”, never gets old. (…in most instances lol)

8. Self-Expression

Photography is my passion because I use it to express myself. People find different ways to share their emotions and thoughts with the world. Some express themselves as dancers, while others as writers. Photographers use images to show people how they see everything around them.

9. Mindset of a Storyteller

A picture is worth a thousand words, remember? As a photographer, you can make that happen! Photography is the kind of pursuit that will help you become a better storyteller.

When you focus on the surroundings and notice everything around you, stories will appear themselves. You will see them and gladly capture them with your camera. It’s something, as a landscape photographer, I feel I do really well. I hike and get outside a lot, and by being a good storyteller, I am able to help viewers see what I see. I can deliver an experience to them.

10. Capturing Emotions

Some photographers find happiness in the smiles and tears in the sorrow they capture with the lens. Photography is a great way to capture how they see humans and their emotions for those who love observing people in their daily lives. Photographers become intuitive above reading people when they see them through the lens.

11. Capturing Nature

When you anticipate a perfect shot and wait in silence for that moment to arrive, the whole experience becomes unforgettable. Photography holds a different meaning for everyone. If you are inspired by nature , photography can be a way to appreciate what you like and share with others how beautiful this world is.

12. Ultimate Control

Unexpected situations occur all the time. You have to deal with mood swings, weather conditions, broken stuff, etc. Misfortune can’t be avoided, but one thing you can become capable of doing is controlling how the photographs turn out.

Whether it’s the lighting, location, switching up lens, or your response to whatever misfortune happens. For some, having that ultimate control is another reason for being passionate about photography.

13. Connect with People

As a photographer, you could meet many people every day and learn their life stories. They can share the hidden gems of their local town and help you find a place that has never been captured before!

Or maybe they share a touching story that helps you take a better, more in-tuned picture. Anything is possible when you pack your camera bag and connect with people who have stories to share.

14. Travel All You Want

Wanderlust can make people realize how amazing photography can be! Whether it is people from a foreign land or the colors of the setting sun , whatever you capture becomes meaningful. It’s one of the reasons why landscape photography is my passion. You can go wherever it takes you and find beauty in everyday life.

All photographers have different reasons to love this art form. Some like to capture their family’s best moments, while others use their photographs to capture the breathtaking beauty of nature. No matter what you choose to photograph, this is one creative pursuit that will enrich you in more ways than one.

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Photography personal statement example 1.

I've always imagined a photograph to be like a jigsaw puzzle, you have to find the various pieces that fit together to create something visually spellbinding. I like to set up my scenes; plastering bubble wrap and newspapers all over my house, covering absolutely everything or dragging my living room furniture into my garden. Transforming something, to create a conceptual set of images is what my photography is about. Other art forms can enrich Photography. Visiting Art galleries has inspired me to become more experimental, combining art techniques and photography, having painted over my photographs, collaged over them and stitched into them. These techniques extended the meaning behind my photos. Alex Stoddard's photography has also opened my mind to creating conceptual messages in my work. Photography allows my individuality to be successfully asserted, and people I had never spoken to before who viewed my work in an exhibition told me how compelled they were by my quirky style. Their admiration has only stirred my love for it further and has propelled my interest. I have been chosen to present my photos to Watford Camera Club and I've recently been requested to take photographs on a Student Awards Evening and school play.

These images will be published in the school's own section of The Watford Observer. Studying subjects such as History has allowed me to improve my evaluation and interrogation skills through using sources whilst broadening my understanding of referencing and bibliographies. Philosophy has been a huge advantage as the structure of the essays has taught me to prioritise the most important information. This has complimented my analytical writing in photography to filter the most necessary aspects of a photo to discuss. English taught me how to provide alternative interpretations which is invaluable when finding a theme in a photograph. My personal photography project is 'Dreams' and I chose this theme in order to develop my Photoshop skills to create surreal and professional looking images. I am eager to build upon these skills and try something new.

Through my part time job working as a cashier, I have been given responsibilities such as dealing with large sums of money whilst engaging with customers and meeting their needs which has heightened my confidence. I've also had the opportunity to meet new people of all ages and different backgrounds thus developing my social skills. It has taught me how to use my spare time efficiently and find a correct balance with school work. I've involved myself in a community placement in a reception class whereby I worked with students to produce art work. The reception class teacher was so impressed with the results that they chose to put them on display in the school. I am a prefect at school which involves me performing a weekly duty of supervising break and lunch for the lower years. I've connected more so with the school and its community and feel a sense of pride to have contributed something to maintain its outstanding ethos.

Being awarded Photographer of the year has also made me feel firmly recognised and valued. Reading and going to the cinema preoccupy my spare time and I'm currently enjoying films and music from the eighties era. Shakespeare is another passion of mine and I have visited his Globe theatre on several occasions and these visits encouraged me to involve myself in a Shakespearean play at school. I also used to play football, working my way up to becoming captain and I would love to be involved in a team again. A new interest of mine is teaching myself to play the ukulele. Going to university would give me the opportunity to firmly establish myself within the wider field of the photography community, whilst acquiring invaluable skills. My desire is to be taken seriously, and to become a well respected photographer.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by emmaloukelly for application in 2014.

emmaloukelly's Comments

I got interviews from all of my choices - University of Brighton, Nottingham Trent, Arts University of Bournemouth, Falmouth University and University of Portsmouth. Received offers from all but Bournemouth.

This personal statement is unrated

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Essay Examples 20 Personal Statement Examples That Stand Out + Why They Work

This is your ultimate list of Personal Statement examples.

In this post, you'll learn:

• What makes a successful Personal Statement
• How to write an irresistible Personal Statement
• Ivy League personal essay examples

If you're looking to read and write Personal Statement essays, you've found the right place.

In this post, I'm going to share everything you need to go from zero to having a Personal Statement essay you can be proud of.

This guide will help you get started writing an engaging Personal Statement essay. Or if you already have one, how to make it even better.

What is a Personal Statement Essay?

A personal statement, also called a statement of purpose (SOP) or personal essay, is a piece of creative, personal writing.

The purpose of your personal statement is to express yourself and your ideas. Personal statements usually aren't piece of formal writing, but still should be thoughtful and planned out.

Many applications for colleges, graduate schools, and scholarships require you to write a personal statement.

How to Write a Personal Statement Essay

While there are no rules or guidelines for writing a personal statement, the best ones often have these in common:

Have Strong Ideas:

Having compelling and interesting ideas shows you are a strong thinker.

It isn't necessarily about having all the answers, but asking the right questions.

For personal statement essays, the quality of your ideas matters more than your writing level. Writing interestingly is more important than writing beautifully.

I’ve stopped tripping over my own feet, and it’s led to me not being afraid to connect and interact with patients and customers or present in front of large crowds. Life is just one long Carioca – you might stumble at first, but if you keep pushing, the right feet will find themselves in the right place. From an accepted essay to UNC at Chapel Hill →

Be Authentic

Writing authentic essays means writing from the heart.

The best personal statements tend to come naturally, because the writer is excited about the topic.

Choose an idea that makes you feel excited to write about and start writing.

As you begin drafting, ideas will naturally arise related to your original idea. Exploring these tangential ideas is what leads to even better reflections for your essay.

That's why it's so important to be genuinely passionate about your subject. You can't just have an interest "in the topic," but there has to be something deeper you're writing about that moves you.

Use Narratives and Story-Telling:

Humans are naturally drawn to stories.

And often the best insights and ideas come from real life experiences.

Telling a story, or many, is the basis for developing your analysis and ideas. Remember, all stories need conflict in order to work.

It can help to think about the different types of conflict.

• Character vs. Self
• Character vs. Character
• Character vs. Nature
• Character vs. Society

And so on...

Once you've written a meaningful story, getting insights is as simple as answering the question: What did your experiences teach you?

The sounds of my knife striking kale unnerves my cat asleep in the corner. He quickly runs over to examine the situation but becomes instantly uninterested when he sees green and smells bitterness. Unfortunately, my family has this same reaction every day of every week. From an accepted essay to University of Southern California →

Showcase Your Values and Identity:

The purpose of a personal statement is to tell about who you are.

Personal statements are your opportunity to showcase what your values are, and how you would contribute to the school, scholarship opportunity, etc.

Good writers are those who write authentically. Write about your unique ideas and ask interesting questions, even if you don't know the answers.

How Long Should a Personal Statement Be?

A typical personal statement can range in length from 500 to 650 words or more.

For applying to colleges, the Common Application essay personal statement has a word limit of 650 words.

For graduate school programs, the application essay will vary in length, but most schools require a personal statement essay of at least 500 words.

20 Personal Statement Essays That Worked

It can be difficult to understand what makes a great essay without seeing some for yourself.

Here's 20 of our favorite personal statement essays that we've chosen for being unique and high-quality.

There essays were all accepted into some of the most selective schools. And while it isn't the only factor in admissions that matters, having outstanding essays can help tip the scales in your favor.

Table of Contents

Prompt: Background, Identity, or Interest

• 1. Uncomfortable Truths
• 2. Romanian Heritage
• 3. Film and Theater
• 4. Person of the Woods
• 5. Beautiful Walks

Prompt: Lessons from Obstacles

• 6. My Father
• 7. Self-Determination
• 8. Game Design Music
• 9. Speech and Debate

Prompt: Questioned or Challenged a Belief

• 10. Finding Answers

Prompt: Accomplishment, Event, or Realization

• 11. Connecting with Others
• 12. Summer Confidence
• 13. First Impressions
• 14. Law Career
• 15. Growing Up Asian

Prompt: Engaging Topic, Idea, or Concept

• 16. Secrets of Riddles
• 17. Rubik's Cube
• 18. Narrative Diversity

Prompt: Any Topic of Your Choice

• 19. Search for Dreams
• 20. Recipe for Success

Personal Statement Example #1: Uncomfortable Truths

This is a personal statement that worked for Princeton . It is outstanding for many reasons, but most of all because of its ideas and the thoughtfulness put into organizing them.

Common App Prompt #1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. (250-650 words)

Why This Essay Works:

Having a unifying idea is key to successful personal statements. Find your deepest idea or realization and focus your essay around that.

Find a way to showcase your achievements while connecting to broader, more universal ideas.

Connecting your ending to your beginning is a powerful way to bring your essay full circle. A great conclusion expands on your ideas introduced earlier, while leaving some room for more to be said.

Learn the Secrets of Successful Top-20 Applications

Join 4,000+ students and parents that already receive our 5-minute free newsletter , packed with T-20 essay examples, writing tips & tricks, and step-by-step guides.

Personal Statement Example #2: Film and Theater

This student's essay was accepted to USC , among other top schools. It's topic is seemingly simple—taking walks—but the author brilliantly shows how even in the mundane there can be meaningful reflections.

This essay has lots of moments where the author's character comes across vividly. By using conversational language and interjections like "I want to—no, need—to...", the author has a clear "voice" and you can easily imagine them as if they were speaking directly to you. This student also showcases self-awareness and a sense of humor, by using slightly self-deprecating phrases like "some chubby, nerdy girl" and by recognizing how the social approval of sitting with the "popular girls" was enthralling at the time. Self-awareness is a highly valuable trait to portray, because it shows that you're able to reflect on both your strengths and weaknesses, which is a skill needed to be able to grow and develop.

This author manages to tie in their activity of producing films and reference them specifically ("Cardboard Castles") by connecting them to their main point. Instead of listing their activities or referencing them out-of-the-blue, they show how these accomplishments are perfect examples of a greater message. In this case, that message is how meaningful it is to connect with others through storytelling. To write about your activities and achievements without seeming arbitrary or boastful, make them have a specific purpose in your essay: connect to a value, idea, or use them as examples to show something.

In the intro of this essay, there are some descriptions that seem fiction-like and are ultimately unimportant to the main idea. Sentences that describe Mrs. Brewer's appearance or phrases describing how their teacher stood up after talking to them ultimately don't contribute to the story. Although these provide "context," the only context that admissions are interested in is context and details which have a purpose. Avoid writing like fiction books, which describe all the characters and settings, and instead only describe exactly what is needed to "go somewhere" in your essay.

What They Might Improve:

This essay has a strong hook which captivates the reader by making them ask a question: "What are these lunch-time horror stories?" By sparking the reader's imagination early on, you can draw them into your writing and be more engaged. However, ultimately this is somewhat of a letdown because these intriguing "lunch-time horror stories" are never described. Although it may not be completely necessary for the main point, describing one example or hinting at it more closely would be satisfying for the reader and still connect to the main idea of storytelling. One idea is to replace the conclusion with a reference to these "lunch-time horror stories" more vividly, which would be a satisfying ending that also could connect to filmmaking and storytelling. In general, anticipate what the reader will be looking for, and either use that expectation to your advantage by subverting it, or give them what they want as a satisfying, meaningful conclusion.

Although this conclusion could work as is, it could be stronger by seeming less arbitrary and less "fancy for fancy sake." Often, a good strategy is to connect your conclusion to something earlier in your essay such as your introduction or specific wording that you used throughout. In this essay, it could work much better to end by revealing one of those "lunch-time horror stories" in a way that also emphasizes their main point: how storytelling is a powerful tool to connect people.

Personal Statement Example #3: Romanian Heritage

This personal statement worked for UMichigan , among many other top schools like MIT, Rice, UNC at Chapel Hill , University of Pittsburgh, UW Madison, and more.

This author is able to vividly bring you into their world using cultural references and descriptive writing. You can practically taste and smell Buni's kitchen through her words.

This essay starts off by posing a challenge, which is typical of essays. But rather than showing how they overcame this particular challenge of speaking Romanian without an accent, this reader shows how something unexpected—baking—came to satisfy what was missing all along. By the end, this creates a conclusion that is both surprising, connected to the beginning, and makes perfect sense once you've read it. In other words, the conclusion is inevitable, but also surprising in content.

This student uses Romanian words to help exemplify the culture and language. If you're writing about a culture, using foreign language words can be a compelling way of adding depth to your essay. By including specific terms like "muni" and "cornulete," it shows a depth of knowledge which cannot be faked. Always use specific, tangible language where possible, because it is "evidence" that you know what you're talking about.

This student exhibits strong self-awareness by noting characteristics about themself, even some which may not be the most glamorous ("can be overbearing at times, stubborn in the face of offered help"). Rather than telling the reader flat out about these personal attributes, they are able to discuss them by connecting to another person—their grandmother Buni. Using another person to showcase your own character (through comparison or contrast) is a literary "foil," which can be an effective way of showing your character without stating it outright, which generally is boring and less convincing.

This student doesn't focus on surface-level ideas like "how they got better at speaking Romanian." Instead, they reflect in a creative way by connecting the Romanian language to baking. Revealing unseen connections between topics is a great way to show that you're a thoughtful and clever thinker. Ultimately, having unique ideas that are specific to you is what will create a compelling essay, and this essay is a perfect example of what that could look like.

Personal Statement Example #4: Person of the Woods

This essay was accepted into Dartmouth College . It is a brilliant example of showing how any experience, even those which originally may have been unpleasant, can be the topic of meaningful reflection.

Using visuals, like descriptions of scenarios and environments, can help bring the reader into your world. However, make sure that all of your descriptions are relevant to your main point, or else they could be distracting. For example, in this essay it would be unnecessary to describe what they're wearing or the appearance of canoes, but it makes sense to describe the nature as it relates to the main topic.

People are not isolated units. Instead, everyone depends on and is defined by those around them. By showing how you relate and connect with other people, you can provide insights into your character. In this essay, the student does a great job of delving into their strong friendships, particularly what they've learned from their friends.

Admissions officers love to see self-growth. Showing how your perspective on something has changed (in this case, how they went from disliking to loving an activity) conveys a development of your character. Ask yourself: what preconceived notions did I have before, and how did they change? This student reflects in a humble way, by first emphasizing what they've learned from others, before offering up what they might have contributed themselves. Always try to have a tone of gratitude in your essays because it makes you more likeable and shows strong character.

Personal Statement Example #5: Beautiful Walks

Personal Statement Example #6: My Father's Death

This personal statement was admitted to Michigan in recent years. It is an outstanding example of how you can write about topics that are often cliché if done poorly, such as the death of a family member.

But unlike other essays, this one works because it has a unique take and genuine approach to the topic that makes it come off as heartfelt.

Common App Prompt #2: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (250-650 words)

Writing about a tragedy like a loss of a parent is a tricky topic for college essays. Many students feel obligated to choose that topic if it applies to them, but it can be challenging to not come across as trying to garner sympathy ("sob story"). This student does a graceful job of focusing on positive elements from their father's legacy, particularly the inspiration they draw from him.

This student does a great job of connecting their educational and career aspirations to their background. Admissions officers want to understand why you're pursing what you are, and by explaining the origin of your interests, you can have compelling and genuine reasons why.

In this essay, the student writes from their hypothetical perspective as an infant. This doesn't quite work because they likely wouldn't remember these moments ("I have no conscious memories of him"), but still writes as though they do. By writing about things you haven't seen or experienced yourself, it can come across as "made up" or inauthentic.

Personal Statement Example #7: Self-Determination

Some of the best essay topics are dealing with challenges you've faced, because difficulties make it easier to reflect upon what you've learned. Admissions officers ultimately are looking for self-growth, and showing how you've handled personal challenges can demonstrate your new understandings as a result. However, avoid talking about "tragedy" or difficulty without a clear purpose. Don't write about it because you think "you should," only write about challenges if they are true to yourself and you have something meaningful and unique to say about them. Otherwise, it can come off as trying to garner sympathy (i.e. "sob stories") which admissions officers generally dislike.

More convincing than telling admissions officers, is presenting them with "evidence" and allowing them to come to the conclusion themselves. If you want to show the idea "I couldn't learn due to this condition," it is far more effective to do what this student did and say, "I'd just finished learning complex trig identities, and I now couldn't even count to ten." When drafting, it is normal and okay to start off with more "telling" as you get your ideas on paper. But as your essay progresses, you should transform those moments of "telling" into more powerful and convincing moments of "showing."

Having meaningful reflections is a critical part of having compelling essays. But make sure your takeaways are not surface-level or generic. Each admissions officer has likely read thousands of essays, so they are well aware of the common ideas and tropes. Avoid cliché ideas at all costs, because it comes across as forgettable and unoriginal. Instead, it is okay to start with surface-level ideas, but keep asking yourself probing questions like "Why" and "How" to push your ideas deeper.

This essay tells a nice story of overcoming their physical impediment, but ultimately lacks meaningful reflections in the conclusion. Too much time is spent on "the problem" and not enough on how they overcame it. Your conclusion should have your best, most compelling ideas in your entire essay. Try ending your essay by connecting to the beginning with a new perspective, expanding on your idea with a new takeaway, or connecting to broader, more universal themes. Avoid having a conclusion that "sounds nice," but ultimately is lacking in meaningful content.

Personal Statement Example #8: Game Design Music

This essay was admitted into Cornell University . It discusses a common conflict of ideology that comes with pursuing the arts. What the author does brilliantly is show how that conflict was reconciled, as well as how it changed their perspective.

My mom used to tell me this a lot. She’d always disapproved of my passion for the arts.

In this essay, the author does a fantastic job of showing how they are thoughtful in considering the perspectives of others, even though they may disagree. Showing that you can entertain ideas that you may disagree with is an admirable trait that admissions officers love to see, because intellectual discussion is all about trying to see other people's views. When writing about things that you may disagree with, try to play devil's advocate and see things from their point of view. Doing so will make you come off as thoughtful, understanding, and inquisitive, and it will strengthen your own viewpoint if you can identify arguments against it.

The best essays help admissions officers understand how you think about things. One strategy is to offer up questions to explore. These can be questions that arose during a particular moment or questions that you're reflecting upon right now. By using questions in your essay, you'll also present yourself as a thoughtful and curious thinker. Ultimately, you want to help the reader see things from your perspective by showing your thought process.

A good starting place for reflection can be in comparing and contrasting different topics. This could finding the similarities and differences in an extracurricular and an academic class, or any other number of things. By finding the similarities in things often thought of as "opposing," or finding the differences in things thought of as "similar," you can get to interesting ideas. Comparisons are useful because they force you to think from a different viewpoint. For example in this essay: How does "programming" relate to "song lyrics"?

This essay ends on a note that feels somewhat off-topic and not as interesting as their main idea. The conclusion leaves more to be wanted, as the reader ends up thinking: Are you simply seeking the approval of your parents? Or are you carving your own path in life? Or does the answer lie somewhere in between? Avoid ending your essay with a tangential idea. Instead, a strong conclusion is often closely related to the main point of your essay, but with a slight twist. By planning out your essay before writing, you can make sure that each point (from start to finish) connects the way you want it to and that your conclusion ends on a strong, well-connected note.

Personal Statement Example #9: Speech and Debate

I was still high off the competition, poring over ballots by the soft streetlights as we drove. “Are you sure you want to do this?” My Dad was worried about me. Worried about my world crashing down around me, losing friends, being crushed by hate. Scarred by controversy. I laughed it off, and we rode in silence.

Fast forward to my second or third year in the league. I wanted to have some fun. I emailed the regional coordinator, asking if there’s a rule against a speech advocating for same-sex marriage.

This essay has lots of interesting ideas about having discussions between people of different viewpoints. This student is able to reflect sincerely about what the benefit of that dialogue is ("iron sharpening iron") and able to draw meaningful conclusions ("hope lives in that laughter") that express deeper ideas. By focusing on these compelling reflections, this student shows themself as a brilliant and thoughtful thinker, while demonstrating what they value: discourse between opposing viewpoints. Rather than focusing on the literal happenings (i.e. giving a speech to their club), the student reflects on what that experience represents more broadly, which allows them to connect to deeper ideas.

This essay is full of details, without being wordy or drawn out. Even small details like naming the show "The Daily Show" or giving a number of "40,000+ theologies" makes their writing much more engaging and compelling. By avoiding broad and vague language, this student paints a fascinating picture that allows the reader to enter their world. It is always better to be specific than to be generic, but make sure that the specific details are always relevant to your point. This essay is a great example of how to do both.

This essay does a fantastic job of creating a "voice." That is, you can easily imagine the student as if they were speaking to you while reading it. To craft this voice, this student uses small moments of more informal language and interjecting remarks that show their thought process. Using parentheses can be a good way to show your voice by jumping in when you have a small remark to add. This student also demonstrates a sense of humor and lightheartedness while still discussing meaningful ideas. The sarcastic remark "because controversy has no place in a debate club!" demonstrates their values (of dialogue between differing viewpoints) as well as showing their sense of personality.

This essay's weakest point is its intro or "hook." In fact, it could work much better by excluding the introduction paragraph and starting off with the second paragraph: "Forgive the melodrama: this is a story..." That short phrase is much more captivating and immediately draws the reader in. The introduction paragraph in this essay is too much of a meandering and vague story: you don't know what they're talking about, and ultimately it doesn't matter. Rather than using a fancy story or descriptions to introduce your essay, try jumping into the "meat" of your essay immediately. Consider using a short, declarative sentence or phrase like "Forgive the melodrama" as a hook, which is more impactful and draws the reader immediately into your essay.

Personal Statement Example #10: Finding Answers

Common App Prompt #3: Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? (250-650 words)

My grandmother’s concern faded rather quickly as sirens fell distant and time passed.

After about 30 minutes, my grandfather’s friend ran toward the beach. My grandfather was not next to him. He was not there at all. At that moment, my grandma knew.

“Burt...he was with me...he slipped...he fell...I ran down the side of the mountain, off the trail, but I couldn’t find him. The park rangers are looking...” She stopped listening. She could see his lips moving, yet she heard nothing.

This essay repeats a lot of the same ideas or information, just using different words. Rather than "getting to the point," this repetition makes the essay feel meandering and like it is going nowhere ultimately. When drafting your essay, it is okay to have repetition (your drafts shouldn't be perfect, after all). But when editing, ask yourself with each sentence: does this add something new? Is this necessary to my main point? If not, you should exclude those sentences.

This essay starts off with a drawn-out story of the tragedy involving the author's grandfather. Most of this story is unnecessary, because all that really matters for this student's main idea is the fact that their grandfather passed away from a tragic accident. Details about his grandmother or his grandfather's best friend are unnecessary and distracting.

An important "rule" in college essays is to only write from your perspective. That is, don't describe things that you couldn't have seen or experienced. In this essay, the author spends a lot of time describing their grandfather's incident as if they was there to witness it. But we later learn that the author was not even alive at this point, so how could they be describing these things? On a smaller level, don't describe yourself from an outside perspective. For example, instead of, "I grimaced when I heard the news" (how did you see yourself grimace?) you could say, "I felt my stomach pang when I heard the news."

Your ideas are most valuable in your essays. Admissions officers want to see how you think, and having interesting ideas that are unique to you is how you demonstrate that you're thoughtful and insightful. Avoid surface-level ideas at all costs, as it comes off cliché. It is okay to start with more generic ideas, but you should always delve deeper. To get at deeper and more unique ideas, the key is to ask yourself questions. For example: Why is this the case? Why don't things work differently? What does this mean for other people? What does this represent? How can I apply this to other areas of life?

Personal Statement Example #11: Connecting with Others

Common App Prompt #5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. (250-650 words)

It's important to create a "voice" in your personal statement, so that admissions officers can imagine your character and personality. Try to write as you would speak, but refined and polished. In this essay, natural-sounding phrases like "...let me admit, I was awful..." humanizes the author and makes the reader feel like they're being spoken to.

This essay is a perfect example of how effective essays don't need to have a super unusual story to be compelling. What makes this essay's story compelling is not necessarily the topic itself (meeting distant relatives), but instead how the student reflects and makes interesting connections to broader ideas. Even seemingly mundane experiences can make for meaningful personal statements topics.

This conclusion works well by connecting to the main story of the essay. However, certain phrases like "As a global citizen" and "I am hoping to forge relationships" are potentially too generic. Instead, try taking your main idea (in this case forming connections with others) and broaden it or connect to more universal ideas.

Personal Statement Example #12: Summer Confidence

This essay has a heartfelt moment where the author connects deeply with a camper and feels a sense of genuine gratitude. By showing their newfound connection with a person they were mentoring, this creates a sense of humanity and also tells a lot about the author themself. By talking about other people in your life, you create a literary "foil" which in turn describes something about yourself. Showing how you interact with others can be telling into your character, such as showing your empathy, sense of humor, friendliness, or how you draw inspiration from others.

This essay does a good job of expressing vulnerability, specifically the author's fears about the future and "deteriorating friendships" after going to college. By being vulnerable, these moments feel more relatable to the reader. Showing your struggles (especially emotional ones) can also make your later "successes" feel more impactful when you show how you've overcame them or persist in face of those struggles. By recognizing your flaws or insecurities, you also show self-awareness, which is a positive trait because you need to be self-aware in order to improve the areas of yourself you want to fix.

Although this essay does reflect upon the lessons learned during their time at this camp, the takeaways are ultimately surface-level and not delved into. Rather than saying things like "I had more confidence," it would be more engaging to show how that confidence made an effect and what exactly that "confidence" meant. This essay touches upon some meaningful lessons, but ultimately they fall flat because the nuances of these lessons are glossed over. Phrases like "upon further consideration it no longer fills me with...apprehension" don't delve into the most interesting part: How and why did that fear go away? What changed about your perspective and why? Instead, these are explained away with "confidence and maturity," which are too broad of terms and feel meaningless because they are overused in essays.

In your personal statement, it is completely OK to reference people by their first name. Using names makes your essay more vivid and engaging, while showing a deeper connection that you have with others. Rather than saying "other people" or "one of the older campers," it would be more impactful to use their first name. There are some caveats, however. Don't use their name if you're showing them in a negative light (which you probably shouldn't do anyway) or if you're revealing something personal about them. If you are revealing something personal, you can substitute their name for another name, or ask them for their direct permission.

Personal Statement Example #13: First Impressions

It had a nice ring to it, but I wasn’t a fan. Unfortunately, that’s what I imagined everyone saw first, and first impressions stick.

A caveat of my surgery was that the hair would grow, then one-third would fall off. My scar will never be completely gone, but I no longer feel defined by it like I did in elementary school.

An effective hook doesn't need to be complicated. Often, the best hooks are simple, declarative sentences. By using a short sentence, you'll immediately draw the reader into your essay and create a point of emphasis. In general, avoid long and meandering sentences to start your essay, and save those for later in your essay. Clear and succinct phrasing is often the hallmark of a strong hook.

To convey your ideas more strongly, show them using concrete examples. In this essay, the author does a great job of that by not saying "classmates only saw me for my scar," but instead showing that idea through the memorable image of "I learned about my classmates through their lunchbox covers...they saw me as the boy with the scar." Using tangible imagery makes for a compelling way of expressing your ideas, as it allows the reader to come to the conclusions you want them to, without just "telling" them.

Avoid exaggerating or "fluffing up" experiences in your essays. Instead, be realistic and tell them for what they are. This essay does that perfectly by using phrases like "I didn't have a sudden epiphany about my scar." Avoid using phrases like "suddenly, I..." which are often overused and unrealistic. Most new understandings aren't acquired in one moment in particular, but are developed over time.

This essay touches on some compelling ideas, such as how people can distill down other people into their physical attributes or ailments. However, it would be even stronger to delve deeper into these reflections by asking further questions: Why do we gravitate towards "categorizing" people based on surface-level attributes? What is the impact of only be acknowledged for surface-level characteristics by others, but knowing that you have much more depth to your character? This essay has some meaningful ideas, but other ideas such as "I can be whatever I want to be" feel surface-level and somewhat generic.

Personal Statement Example #14: Law Career

One great way to have interesting ideas is to show things that you find fascinating that other people may find boring. This essay describes how a judge mandating "reprimands for speeding tickets might be dull for some," but how they find it interesting. Everything, even the seemingly mundane, has interesting aspects if you're willing to look closely enough. When brainstorming, ask yourself: what do I find fascinating that others find boring? What do I think is "fun" while others may think it is "hard" or boring? By following these threads, you can often find unique and compelling ideas that allow you to bring the reader into your world and show them how you see the world uniquely.

A common trap when writing a personal statement is to use a descriptive, fiction-like story to start your essay. Although this may sound like a good idea, it is often ineffective because it buries what is most interesting (your ideas and reflections) and can easily be long and drawn out. Short, concise stories with a focus can be effective introductions, but in general avoid overly descriptive storytelling to start your essay. Also, avoid describing things that aren't critical to your main point. There is little to no benefit in describing things like "I smoothed my skirt and rose slowly from the chair." Focus on why your stories matter, rather than telling stories in a descriptive manner.

This essay does have some reflections, particularly about how the author discovered their passion for law by joining the Youth Court. However, most of these ideas end there, and there aren't any deep, unique ideas. The closest the author comes to having a unique and compelling idea is the final sentence where they write "the value of prioritizing the common good above individual success." This could be a fascinating topic to explore, but ultimately is cut short because it is tagged onto the ending. Your focus when brainstorming and drafting should be to have specific and original ideas—ideas that are not generic, not cliché, and not surface-level. To get to those ideas, ask yourself probing questions like "Why" and "How" over and over.

Personal Statement Example #15: My Asian Experience

Personal Statement Example #16: Secrets of Riddles

Common App Prompt #6: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? (250-650 words)

As I was going to St. Ives, Upon the road I met seven wives; Every wife had seven sacks, Every sack had seven cats: Cats, sacks, and wives, How many were going to St. Ives?

The riddles of life were not as straightforward as the puzzles in my books and websites. In fact, they were not straightforward at all, like winding mazes of philosophical quandary.

One of the most thought-provoking subjects that preoccupies my mind regards the existence of aliens. Initially, my mind was settled on the possibility of intelligent life. A universe so big could not possibly be lifeless.

As for the solution to the riddle at the start:

How many were going to St. Ives?

This essay does well by having a unique central topic—riddles—which allows the author to draw out interesting ideas related to this theme. Your topic doesn't necessarily need to be profound or hugely significant, because this author shows how you can take a seemingly unimportant topic and use it to make meaningful connections. In this essay, riddles grow to represent something greater than the activity itself, which is something you can do with almost any topic.

One of the most effective ways to "show, not tell" is to use specific and tangible examples. This essay does a great job of exemplifying their ideas. Rather than just saying "I enthralled my friends with questions," the author also shows this: "Over peanut butter and sliced ham, I assumed the role of story teller..." Examples are always more convincing because they are proof, and allow the reader to interpret for themselves. Don't tell the reader what you want them to think. Instead, set up moments that guide the reader to come to those conclusions themselves.

This conclusion connects back to the beginning, which is generally a good idea as it creates a cohesive structure. However, this ending doesn't quite make sense in the context of the riddle. Rather than creating new meaning, it comes off as arbitrary and contrived. Make sure your conclusion isn't creative just for creative-sake, and instead also has significant meaning attached to it.

Personal Statement Example #17: Rubik's Cube

Personal Statement Example #18: Narrative Diversity

If your cultural background or identity is an important part of who you are, then writing about it can make for a compelling essay. Often times in college admissions, Asian-Americans in particular are advised to "hide" their ethnic background, because it can be perceived to hurt their application. This student embraces their Asian heritage by recognizing ways in which they faced societal barriers. As this essay shows, regardless of your identity, there are unique aspects you can delve into that can make for compelling topics.

This essay does a great job of reflecting upon previously held beliefs, such as "I unconsciously succumbed to the 'reserve and quiet' Asian stereotype," and challenging them. Questioning your beliefs and where they came from can often be a good starting point for interesting reflection. Showing your new perspectives over time also conveys self-growth. Ask yourself: what did I once believe (in regards to myself, an activity, other people, etc.), what do I believe now, and how has this changed?

Rather than starting off with an activity and then reflecting upon it, this student takes a different approach. By introducing an interesting idea (the representation of underrepresented groups in media) and then later connecting to their activities, it makes the incorporation of those extracurriculars seem more appropriate and natural. The last thing you want to do is list your activities plainly, but it's still important to reference them. One strategy to naturally talk about your activities and accomplishments is to attach them to interesting ideas, as this essay shows.

Personal Statement Example #19: Search for Dreams

Common App Prompt #7: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. (250-650 words)

The diamond leaves of gnarled oak trees throw spectrums of color onto mounds of frosty snow that gleam melancholily under the moonlight. The leaves chime as wind violently rustles them in a haunting melody. I splinter a leaf off its branch and inspect the shard of my illusion, eyes dancing with amusement.

As I dwell in my worries, a cold hand reaches from behind me and taps my shoulder.

I jerk away, fear bubbling in my amygdala as I look into the nonexistent eyes of my intruding visitor.

The moon illuminates a blob of pink squish as it draws back slowly, points its spindly hands towards my drink and asks: “Could I have some of that?”

The blob wipes its invisible mouth with its nonexistent sleeve. I ask: “What are you?”

The blob tells me to stop looking at it so suspiciously. “I can prove it,” It says. I tell it, please, go ahead.

Suddenly we are back in the glowing forest. “Diamonds? Pah!” The blob dismisses them. Instantly, the leaves turn solid gold, the snow melts, and the wintry world is thrown into a blistering summer.

The blob laughs heartlessly. “Your cortex is under my control,” it says smugly.

“I heard you had a question for me?” It taps its invisible ears knowingly.

The blob wriggles its invisible brows as it waits.

It smiles that wicked smile. It laughs that sinful laugh. Then that insufferable blob wakes me up.

As I sit up in the dark and rub my bleary eyes, I am vaguely aware of the deep­set unfulfillment settling itself inside me. I yawn and plop back into bed, the soft red glow of my alarm clock indicating that it is still before midnight.

One thing is for sure about this essay: it has a unique idea that has surely not been written before. Regardless of your topic, you want your essay to be unique in some way, even if it isn't as fantastical as this essay. You can use a unique structure, such as having central symbolism, metaphor, or being structured as a recipe, for example. But this can easily become "gimmicky" if it doesn't have a clear purpose. In general, the most effective way to have a unique essay is to focus on having deep and unique ideas and reflections. By focusing on interesting takeaways and connections that are ultra-specific to you and your experiences, your essay will standout regardless of the structure.

This essay uses a lot of fiction-like writing that is fantastical and "flowery." Although moments of this kind of writing can make your essay more vivid, it is quite easy to end up with dense storytelling and descriptions that ultimately don't share anything interesting about you. The purpose of your essay is ultimately to learn about you: your values, your ideas, your identity, etc. By using dense story-like writing, it can be easy to lose focus of what admissions officers are looking for. In general, avoid writing "fancy" stories like this essay, unless you have a clear and distinct purpose for doing so. Everything in your essay should have a purpose in "going somewhere" (i.e. reaching interesting ideas and takeaways).

This essay is definitely creative, but lacks meaningful takeaways and ideas. By the end of the essay, we don't know much about the author besides the fact that they have an affinity for creative writing and are "on a search." Although the content is unique, the end result comes off as quite generic and surface-level because no interesting thoughts are explored deeply. The most interesting part of this essay is "I open my mouth and ask it my most crucial question," but this is super unsatisfying because the question is never divulged. Instead, the reader is teased by this fantasy story and the essay goes nowhere meaningful, which comes off as gimmicky and "creative for creative's sake," rather than deeply personal and interesting.

This essay ends on the idea of "continuing my search," but for what exactly? It is never explained, elaborated, or even implied (besides one reference to painting earlier). That makes this conclusion comes off as somewhat surface-level and uninteresting. Admissions officers won't care about "your search" unless they have a reason to care. That is, unless it tells something specific about you. On it's own, this idea of "exploring" and "searching" is meaningless because it is too broad and unelaborated.

Personal Statement Example #20: Recipe for Success

Step 1: Collect the ingredients

Step 2: Marinate the meat

Step 3: Wrap the dumplings

Step 4: Boil or pan-fry?

Step 5: Share and enjoy!

This essay has a clearly unique format in that it is structured as a dumpling recipe. By walking the reader through each step of dumpling-making, the student is able to explore various ideas and use the dumpling process as a metaphor for their own self-discovery. Having a creative structure like this can be beneficial, so long as you also have compelling ideas and the structure isn't unique just for the sake of being unique.

This whole essay is one big metaphor: the student compares their self-growth to the process of making dumplings. In doing so, the student introduces their heritage, while also having a creative literary device that they can use to explore various topics. By having a "central theme" such as this essay does, it makes it easier to explore a variety of ideas and activities, without seeming like you're listing them.

Struggles are one of the most defining aspects of self-development, and admissions officers are interested to see how you have overcome challenges. These difficulties don't need to be extreme tragedies or insurmountable obstacles, but everyone has faced difficulties. By reflecting upon those difficulties, you can draw out interesting ideas, showcase vulnerability, and express your personality.

What You Can Learn From These Personal Statement Examples

With these 20 Personal Statement examples, you can get inspired and improve your own essays. If you want to get accepted into selective colleges this year, your essays need to make you stand out.

These 20 examples show how real students got into highly selective schools and teach us several lessons for writing your own successful Personal Statement essay:

• Write a compelling first sentence that grabs the reader
• Be specific and reference things by name
• Tell a meaningful story
• Reflect on your life and identity. Be self-aware.

If you enjoyed these personal statement examples, check out some of our top Common App Essays , which are also personal statements essays, but for the Common Application.

Which of these personal statement examples was your favorite?

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People love to ask why. Why do you wear a turban? Why do you have long hair? Why are you playing a guitar with only 3 strings and watching TV at 3 A.M.—where did you get that cat? Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist? My answer is... uncomfortable. Many truths of the world are uncomfortable...

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Photography Personal Statements Samples For Students

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Do you feel the need to check out some previously written Personal Statements on Photography before you get down to writing an own piece? In this open-access catalog of Photography Personal Statement examples, you are granted an exciting opportunity to examine meaningful topics, content structuring techniques, text flow, formatting styles, and other academically acclaimed writing practices. Applying them while composing your own Photography Personal Statement will definitely allow you to finish the piece faster.

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Why We Do It: Photographers and Photo Editors on the Passion That Drives Their Work

T he people who make up today’s thriving photographic community are our eyes to the world. Whether established artists and journalists or passionate emerging voices, they inform us, they inspire us, they amaze us, they put our world in the broader context of history.

But that community also faces great challenges — dwindling sales, increased competition and a fragile trust in photographers’ mission to inform. Too often, those factors can make those of us in that community, photographers and photo editors alike, lose sight of what drive us.

For this post, my last as editor of TIME LightBox, I asked 13 of my colleagues – some of the many photographers and photo editors who have influenced and inspired me over my last ten years in this industry – to answer these essential questions: Why do they do it? Why do they wake up every morning ready to take photographs, to edit them, to publish them? Why is photography important to them and, by extension, to all of us?

Here are their answers.

Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, the New York Times Magazine

Photographs are the universal language of our era. Everyone has hundreds, maybe thousands in their pocket. Weightless, they turn the scale when the argument is: What happened here? Images don’t age or warp. A great photographer’s strings never go out of tune.

It is for this reason that we need photographers. They are the ones who sort all the chaos of the world into images that bring clarity to the free-for-all of life. They are the witnesses and artists who can distill the mayhem and beauty that surrounds us. They call our attention to the things we miss in our everyday lives and they call our attention to events and people at a great distance from our own patch of the universe. When they direct our eyes and hearts with precision and honesty, we know what we know differently and better. Photographers teach us to look again, look harder. Look through their eyes.

Ruddy Roye, Photographer

I shoot because I see. I shoot because if I don’t, I don’t know who will. Activism is seen as a dirty word. I shoot because I find peace in being especially active, and being a vigorous advocate for a cause.

How does one define what a “cause” is? According to Webster, it is “a person or thing that acts, happens, or exists in such a way that some specific thing happens as a result; the producer of an effect.”

I wish that every image I photograph reexamines and redefines the image of the black man, the black woman, and the black child. My photography is first and foremost a catalyst or reason to motive human action. Every picture I take asks the questions, “Who am I and what is my role here on this earth?” It is my way of seeing. It is my way of saying this is another way of seeing me.

Sarah Leen, Director of Photography, National Geographic

I have spent my entire professional life creating, editing, critiquing or teaching photography and working with photographers. It has been the way that I have experienced much of the world. In a deeply personal way I feel an image is a poem about time, about “staying the moment.” Photography can defeat time. Images can keep the memory of a loved one alive, hold a moment in history for future generations, be a witness to tragedy or joy. They can also change behavior, stimulate understanding and create a sense of urgency that will move people to action. Photography is the universal language that speaks to the heart.

Photographers are the dedicated, passionate and sometimes half-crazy individuals who are willing to give their lives, too often quite literally, to show us what needs to be seen, what needs to be known. I can think of no greater honor nor privilege than to have lived a life surrounded by images and the amazing individuals who create them and share them with us.

Stacy Kranitz, Photographer

For me it began with this fear of myself as a hermit and a search for a tool that would put me in a position to have to be out engaging with the world everyday.

Then it became this portal to and catalyst for reckoning with the other and how the camera can be used to breaking down barriers between the photographer, subject and viewer.

Now that the image has become devalued as a truth-revealing mechanism, it is free to own its subjectivity and becomes an ideal medium to navigate ideas around humanity, connection, identity, memory, presence, experience and intimacy.

Stephanie Sinclair, Photographer

Why do we do it? I think we all ask ourselves this question, especially as the industry becomes ever more volatile, with colleagues losing their jobs, and even their lives, more often than many of us ever expected when we went into this profession. Not to mention the steeply declining pay for those of us who manage to eke out a living doing editorial work… But for me, it comes down to the people in my photographs.

I still believe in the power of journalism and photojournalism to spark positive change — in a world where the pursuit of self-interest is prioritized by so many, its role speaking truth to power when all other avenues fail is unparalleled. And beyond the big-picture role of journalism, it can also be a revelation at the personal level. I’ve seen that from both sides of stories. For example, not long ago I was a story’s subject when my mother lost her life to medical malpractice in Florida hospitals; and, of course, I’ve been behind the camera interviewing hundreds of girls during my 15-year Too Young to Wed project. From both vantage points, I’ve learned how personally cathartic and validating it can be to share injustices suffered with a global community.

MaryAnne Golon, Director of Photography, Washington Post

Why is photography important? Photography speaks. When I discovered and later understood photographic visual language, I saw that this language could inform, educate and move audiences worldwide without the need for a shared spoken language. A successful photo story, when well-authored and edited, is universally understood. I once presented a photo story in China in silence to a professional photography group where the audience smiled, laughed, and fell quiet in all the right places — without a word in Mandarin or English. After the last frame, we all just beamed at each other. It was so thrilling.

I believe in light. Photography is light. That light is often shined into the darkest of places by the world’s bravest and most talented photojournalists. I have been most honored to support and publish work by many of them. I intend to continue nurturing, encouraging, supporting, cajoling, helping, counseling, appreciating, celebrating, and paying for professional photojournalism for as long as I am able. I believe in its power.

Aidan Sullivan, CEO and Founder, Verbatim

Photographers will tell you it’s almost like a disease, an obsession, a condition that drives them to tell the story at any cost, suffer hardships, isolate themselves and take extraordinary risks, all in an effort to capture and convey the story they are passionate about.

I have been there, as a young photographer, and I understand that passion and drive — and now, as my career has taken me through so many levels and roles in our industry, I feel compelled to support and nurture those storytellers, to help them continue to produce important work and tell those stories, often uncomfortable ones, so that we can, sitting in the comfort of our homes, be made aware of the darker side of our world.

This art, this madness, this compulsion to convey a story we know as photojournalism will not die, storytelling will not die, it will change and evolve but it is human nature to want to learn, to be educated and to understand our world through narratives.

I think photojournalism and the skills required to become a photojournalist are an inherent trait, genetic, it’s built into the DNA, it’s a need to be first to tell a story or pass on knowledge visually, like storytellers through the ages, when storytelling was deemed to be a gift and an important way to educate, when memory was a key requirement for learning.

Early cave drawings were the beginning of the visual narrative, all that has changed really is the method to capture those images and now, with a mobile and digital world, the way we disseminate them, instead of access to a few in our inner social circles, now it’s to hundreds of millions of people within the blink of an eye.

Laura Morton, Photographer

I first became interested in photojournalism primarily out of an interest in history. One day, while studying the Industrial Revolution, I found myself very saddened by a photograph of a child in a factory. I remember realizing in that moment that both the child and photographer were likely no longer alive and I became fascinated by how the photograph could make me so upset for the hard life of someone who lived so many decades before me. In a way both of them became almost immortal through the photograph and there was something very compelling about that.

I believe it’s incredibly important for photographers to document everyday life and even sometimes the seemingly mundane, not just for a better understanding of our times, but for individuals in the future to be able to reflect on who they are and how they got there. A photograph is particularly powerful because it is accessible to most of humanity. There is no language barrier in photography. I pick stories and pursue the projects I do with the goal of documenting not only important issues of our time, but ones that will also be relevant or perhaps even more vital for our understanding of humanity in the future.

Simon Bainbridge, Editorial Director, British Journal of Photography

Twenty years ago, I took a formative road trip across the Southwestern states with my sister and my best friend. She was studying literature at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and he was a film school graduate who was just beginning to take his experiments with a still camera more seriously. We planned to cross the San Juan Skyway, then head West to Canyonlands and Monument Valley, looping through New Mexico and back across the Colorado border, but we ended up taking the circuitous route.

Every few miles my friend would point excitedly at the horizon or some mark on the map, and suddenly we’d be veering off-road, heading for some rock or mountain or strange sounding name. Soon we’d be crossing “no entry” signs into reservation land, or knocking at the door of some crazy who’d spent years on a diet of marijuana and aloe vera, building a five-story tower made from Budweiser cans, or detouring up the aptly-named Oh My Gawd Road, or into Cañon City, “Corrections Capital of the World.” At first frustrated by these diversions, my sister and I soon gave in to the adventure, and over the next two weeks let ourselves be led by our random guide, in search of Kodak Gold. I would stand next to my friend, and see what he saw. But somehow he captured something ethereal and profound that I hadn’t recognized. We came to see the world differently; not through some new point of view, but by giving in to our heightened sense of curiosity.

Two decades later, this is still the Holy Grail. The photographers I most admire go out into the world with a sense of wonder and freedom and, yes, arrogance, challenging our apathy, making us see it afresh, for better or worse. Today, I am as willing and eager as ever to wade through the endless repeated themes and subjects to find those rare works that provoke, challenge and thrill me through their brave and insightful perspectives, or their sheer visual sublime.

Alex Potter, Photographer

When I left Yemen in August 2015, the place where I learned to photograph, build a story, and really love a community, I felt very lost. For over a year I tried to seek out a new base, a new story and group of people that had meaning to me, for something I felt connected to, without success. By November I was asking myself that very question — why am I still trying to do this?

I arrived in Iraq in November 2016, looking for stories having nothing to do with Mosul, yet I felt with so many other journalists around, I needed to find meaning elsewhere. I’m a registered nurse, so I sought out a small group of foreign medics working with the Iraqi military medics to treat people wounded during the battle. Living with this tight knit group, I began photographing our surroundings, the Iraqi medics whose job was so morbid, but who were so jovial in our downtime.

By working side by side with them and photographing what we went through together, I was useful, needed, and passionate about something again: I felt the desire to photograph for the first time in over a year. For me, photography is something I’ll always come back to, having assignments or not, to process my reality, to document the world around me, and to remember small details in difficult times that may have otherwise been forgotten.

Jeffrey Furticella, Sports Photo Editor, the New York Times

A favorite childhood memory is of my father driving us to a hobby store, purchasing a few packs of trading cards and me excitedly ripping them open to see what was inside. The bulk of what I’d find were mainstream releases, but what kept me tearing apart those cellophane wrappers week after week was the hope of unearthing something unique, something beautiful, something rare.

That same rush is what propels my belief in picture editing. In a time when our global awareness is under siege by an increasingly insular perspective, the responsibility of empowering photographers whose mission is to not just capture but to investigate, to enlighten, to excite, is one of the great privileges of our time.

Today there are more photographers producing more photographs and populating more platforms than have existed at any other point in our history. With that ubiquity has come an evolution in our audiences, which are more sophisticated and demanding than ever. What a thrilling time then to be tasked with looking through the mainstream releases in the hope of unearthing something unique, something beautiful, something rare.

Peter Di Campo, Photographer

Why is it important? Look at where we are right now. The world today scares me, frankly – people, cultures refusing to understand each other, and the results are frightening, and it’s to the benefit of the people at the top to keep it that way. So I have to believe in a more diverse and inclusive media (yes, to believe it’s dangerously problematic that the world has been predominantly visualized by people who look like me), and I have to believe in the innovations that allow for people to share their own stories with a wide audience. I care deeply about both investigative journalism and user-generated forms of storytelling, and I’m naive enough to believe that those two genres can coexist.

Everyday Africa recently had a big exhibition opening in Nairobi. It was wild, a full house. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A lot of the contributing photographers came in from across the continent, and we all met for the first time. You should have seen how the African photographers were treated – like celebrities! – by the fans who have been following them on social media for years. They’re seen as role models in the African art, photography and social-media circles because they’re black people imaging black people, and that’s Power. Anything I can do to continue supporting that – that’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.

Is it odd to be a white American man saying all this? I don’t let it bother me. We all have to care about this.

Jean-François Leroy, Director, Visa pour l’Image Photojournalism Festival

I’ve been doing what I do for 40 years because I’ve always had the same gluttony to discover, among all the proposals I receive, the pure nugget, the young photographer whose photographs are a slap in the face, the young photographer that has that rare talent. Today, to see established photographers, recognized by everyone, whom I exhibited first – I’m beyond proud.

Even if it can be difficult, at times, to work with photographers, I love to reveal them, to help them edit, to build, with them, a story. After all these years, I have the same passion for this witnesses of what we’re living through. They are our eyes. They show us what’s happening. They astonish us. They move us. They make us smile, sometimes. Cry, as well.

I can’t imagine my life without all these encounters, so enriching, so surprising, so astonishing. Life!

Olivier Laurent was the editor of TIME LightBox from 2014 to 2017. He previously was a news editor at the British Journal of Photography. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @olivierclaurent

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Do You Ever Ask Yourself: 'Why Photography?'

The easiest answer to "why do photography?" would be "money." But, if that's not the case, have you ever taken the time to ask yourself if photography is the right thing for you, what you get out of it, and what your reason is for doing it in the first place?

When you look through photographers' bios on their websites or social media accounts, more often than not, you will encounter the generic "I fell into photography when I was given my first camera, and next thing, I knew it became my biggest passion in life," or a similar story with a few altered variables. Or, it might be an equally similar scenario where the photographer proclaims their desire to document beautiful moments in life, which is a statement saying everything with the right words but not actually anything of substance, which I have been partially guilt of myself! 

So, why is it important for us to ask ourselves: "why do photography?" Can't we just go through the motions of life and enjoy it for what it is — the so-called passion, perhaps a fleeting hobby for some, a statement or status, something to fill the void? Do we necessarily need to justify what we are doing and what the true reasons are?

If our one and only motivation and reason for doing photography is money, it's easy to justify why we get out of bed, pack that bag full of gear, and go do our job. If we aren't necessarily motivated by money, I believe it is beneficial to put some time aside to dig deep and ask these questions to yourself. When it comes to personal photography, analyzing your actions and motivations will help you compartmentalize what you are doing in photography, stop you from getting distracted, and retain this passion or interest for as long as possible.

As with every job in this industry and elsewhere, once we know the reason for the job, we know if it's for us, we know how to do it, and we know the end product or goal, too. The same applies to personal photography: if you know why you are doing it and if you have an end goal in mind, you will keep your focus, although the motivation may need some work from time to time, as it does in all fields of life. This will also save you money and time spent trying to perfect your photography skills in areas that don't actually give you any emotional rewards.

For example, in my personal work, I am using photography as a way to express how I feel, how I see the world, or to highlight a specific cause or topic. I used to think that photographers need to do it all and know it all, which resulted in me spreading myself too thin. Instead, I've come to terms with how I want to use photography in my personal work, and because of that, I do not try to appease everyone or to fit everyone's standards, because it is impossible and unhealthy. Instead, I focus on variously sized projects I set for myself that all fall within my reasoning for doing photography and keep me from wasting time doing it to appeal to someone else or to someone else's idea.

If you are still unsure about your reasons for doing photography, you can start by asking yourself: "am I trying to impress a certain someone or a certain group," "am I doing this to attract likes, comments, or any other public attention online," "am I doing this to please myself regardless of what anyone else thinks," "am I doing this because I enjoy the technical aspects of using a camera," "am I doing this to fit in with a certain group or individual," "do I actually get anything positive out of doing photography," and "do I think this is only a temporary interest?" The sooner you understand your true reasons for doing photography, the sooner you will be able to channel your efforts in the right direction, whichever direction that might be. 

If you go months or years without questioning yourself, it is likely that you will end up feeling unfulfilled and fail to find a purpose to keep doing it. Even if that purpose is to simply document your travel memories without going any further into the technical aspects or artistic merits of photography, you will know exactly what you are looking for when you turn that camera on. There is no shame in admitting your real reason for pursuing photography, and you do not need to pursue it a certain way just because others may expect it from you or pressure you, or you may feel obliged from seeing what kind of photographic work receives the most attention online. It is very easy to fall into this trap. 

All in all, take a moment to ask yourself what that drive is that urges you to pick up your camera every time. Take notice of it and own it your way. It's fine to learn new skills or techniques along the way, but if you have no purpose for your photography, you will not be able to apply any of them, because you will end up putting that camera down for good. Just take a minute today to think about what photography brings into your life and how it brings you to life. What would you answer?

Anete Lusina is a photographer based in West Yorkshire, UK. You'll either find her shooting weddings, documentary, or street photography across the U.K. and Europe, or perhaps doing the occasional conceptual shoot.

If I'd wanted to earn money I'd have found a proper job. I do this because I never want to have the feeling that I have to work. I get to play with cool toys, get to be creative and out of all, I get to work when I want to. Not 9 to 5.

I didn't pick photography . It picked me.

I'm going be the guy who says money. After all my other responsibilities I have maybe an hour and a half a day in which to earn a living. I can't think of many other jobs than photography where that would be possible. I don't have the passion or the time to get particularly good at it but it pays for my real passions.

That is definitely a good enough reason and it's great to be able to admit it; I find some people get sucked in and have no real idea how and why. The fact that you know this is your way of enabling your other passions is great.

Interesting article, Anete, and I've had to come to my own realisation of my focus for taking photos. I particularly like street photography and I've realised that for me, as a relatively shy person, it's a substitute way of interacting with people I find interesting. Observing other humans and getting close to them to capture something of their "essence" (how pompous does that sound!) gives me a feeling of connection to humanity that is missing in my daily life, because I work alone in my real job so there's a high degree of isolation.

Shooting street photos gets me out and moving amongst others. It's always energising. I'm less bothered by what others think of my shots - if I like them, I like them. Others are allowed their own opinion and their own opinion doesn't have to be one I accept. I can learn from those opinions, but I don't want to be swayed by them.

For that reason I would hate to be a pro photographer, having to churn out work to satisfy others.

I was about to answer with "because I'm a creative" but then I remembered that I HATE that appropriation of the word creativity... So, it is/was because I am an artist. This was not a choice. This was how my cells joined up into who I am. Over many years I've created interesting or beautiful (to me) furniture out of common or exotic woods, turned burl into bowl on a lathe, built custom Harley choppers and participated in outlaw life (oh how I loved the 80's and sex/drugs/rock'n'roll), etc. During all of that I almost always held a paintbrush to paper. But I never committed to the bohemian ethos that I should struggle and starve to make a point about how artistic I am. Ergo, always held a day job, the thing that brought income and allowed me to afford my own home instead of clustering up in a crash pad with "like-minded artists." Problem is, I got pretty good at the job thingy... and less time remained for painting (my pieces generally took about 80 hrs on average). So I thought... "Let's use photography as the creative outlet - why, it should take much less time, be much more instantly gratifying, etc., etc." HA! Most of you fellow photogs know of what I speak, right? Travel time, repeat visits to finally get the shot that was envisioned, post-production time, and so on. But I love it, it is the tool for expression that I now use. And there's MY answer...

As an amateur it is striving for a wow factor pro-level shot, despite having a lowly D7200, whether landscape, portrait or wildlife. I reckon in the last four years I can number two or three that hit the spot for me. Advances in mobile cameras make me take less and less family and holiday snaps. As you say, find your niche, and for me that is increasingly wildlife, from butterfles with a macro lens to birds in flight with a semi-expensive telephoto. My favourite is the Nikon 300mm f4 PF. It is so light I can keep it with me all the time. Here is my best effort in 2019 (ok, not pro level but I like it!).

I was applying for a photography position recently, and up to now I've only worked in education. At one point the interviewers said to me, "you've got such a teacher aura, and from your answers we can tell you enjoy your work. So... Why are you here? Why are you trying to be a photographer?" It wasn't a question I was expecting (one of many tbh), but I told them honestly, "teaching does bring me fulfillment sometimes. It's not my passion, but if i had to do it for the rest of my life, well, there are worse places to be stuck. But in teaching, my happiness depends on my students and coworkers, on other people. With photography, my happiness depends on myself." It's not the best answer, but I surprised myself even in saying it, and yeah, I'm glad I was asked that question. (No, I didn't get the job)

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HyunA, Yong Junhyung's Leaked Wedding Photo Incites Outrage From K-pop Fans: 'They Are So Shameless'

HyunA and Yong Junhyung's wedding photo made rounds on social media and online communities. Netizens have expressed their sentiments over the photo, which received backlash from many due to the couple's controversial relationship.

Ever since HyunA and Yong Junhyung simultaneously made their relationship public on Instagram, the two idols have become the subject of discussion due to Yong Junhyung's ties to the "Burning Sun" scandal.

Many fans were also disappointed with HyunA, leading to a nosedive of her reputation and image, as well as her number of followers on social media. Amid the heat, several of HyunA's shows in her "My Attitude" world tour in North America were canceled.

On July 8, AT AREA confirmed that HyunA and Yong Junhyung will get married in October, fueling the criticism.

On September 1, netizens gathered in an online thread titled, "So Yong Junhyung and HyunA Are Really Getting Married." 

The author of the post uploaded a photo showing what appears to be the couple's wedding photo. The image also tagged Yong Junhyung and HyunA's Instagram handles, and flaunted the title, "Our Wedding Day." It also captioned, " The wedding ceremony also had a photoshoot ."

Hyuna and Yong Junhyung unveil their wedding photoshoot https://t.co/Ussk1AvqLV pic.twitter.com/SFfMWrh7xE — pannchoa (@pannchoa) September 1, 2024

Netizens expressed disdain over the leaked wedding photo. They criticized the photo due to the problematic relationship and also made fun of Yong Junhyung's Instagram handle.

K-netz also filled the comments section with sarcastic remarks, as they declared their outrage and disappointment towards HyunA. Read their comments below:

"I'm embarrassed for ever liking HyunA."  "What is there to like about him?" "They suit each other in many ways." "The fact that his ID is Big Bad Boy is f**king funny, did he come up with it himself?" "Don't even bring up your husband on broadcast." "The fact that we're seeing his face like that, just wow." "She really has no eyes." "Don't ever divorce and live together for life." "HyunA, I don't want to see you on broadcast ever again."

International fans also reacted to the photo negatively. The photo also ignited reactions on platform X (Twitter). 

"Not his username being bigbadboii. Am I reading this correctly? With your charges and your age?" "Is she into the whole 'us against the world' kind of thing or what?" "They are so shameless." "It's an 'us against the world' ahh wedding." "Are we supposed to congratulate them or something? Also bigbadboii as a username is so embarrassing for a man of that age." "Trash belongs together, I hope they're together forever. I just never want to see her pretend to be for the girls again." This just ruined my day https://t.co/wIw1jvXryb — ᴋ🌈 (@Monenen131) September 1, 2024

I wish the worst for them https://t.co/CgSTPv07IU — bingo (@Bangpink_heart) September 2, 2024

😭 can't believe she's giving up her career for a rapist, even his username is embarrassing af https://t.co/uAE7hn75QH — 🌈∘₊✧─Ngozika Emmanuella⁷─✧₊∘🪐 (@reaganjaewook) September 1, 2024

girl nobody moved like.. ruining your entire career and legacy for some ugly weirdo who was involved in burning son. betraying dawn and your former bff. girl go to hell. https://t.co/GfMDbNYOLv pic.twitter.com/jPlLCLqkWU — ⋆｡‧˚ʚ rey ɞ˚‧｡⋆ (@sithberrie) September 2, 2024

both of them are ugly and equally disgusting pic.twitter.com/3MpsmalkJH https://t.co/R2psvaYlKl — 𐙚 (@Iisakawaii) September 1, 2024

omg this is seriously so disappointing...she left dawn who gave up everything for her only to end up with this trash https://t.co/5BG1p2TOy3 — 🦋🩷 (@peachpeach1002) September 2, 2024

two losers coming together to maximize their joint ugliness https://t.co/3dIyGGTPgr — 💬 (@munchymccrunchy) September 2, 2024

Nobody asked and nobody cared https://t.co/qxYdpIlDx3 — ⪩⪨✮ 𝒟𝒾𝒶𝓃𝒶 ⁷✩⪩⪨ (@joonsfavperson) September 2, 2024

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below.

For more intriguing K-pop news and exciting updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: HyunA Confirmed To Marry Yong Junhyung - See AT AREA's Official Statement  

KpopStarz owns this article

Written by Israel Monte

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