What do you call an interest that goes beyond “hobby?” When it becomes something that seems essential to your expression? When it’s a part of who you are? I’m trying to find the right word to use for my love of photography. The word I want is definitely not “hobby.” To me, that implies a side interest, something you do to fill your time. OK, I do that, but it’s become more to me than that.
Yesterday I met up with friend who was interested in learning more about my prints and how I was doing them. As we sat and chatted about what we were both up to, she used the word “hobby” for what I was doing and then kind of looked at me askance, as if she knew that didn’t fit either. I chuckled and tried to come up with a word for it, and I couldn’t.
I don’t have a word for what it is I’m doing with photography, and why. It’s as if it’s become an essential form of expression. I could stop teaching, if I had to. I could stop blogging, if you made me. But I don’t think I can stop photographing. Even if I had no one to share them with, I would still create photographs. It’s how I see and experience the world. It’s how I learn about myself. It feeds me energy and brings me joy. No matter what I try to do differently, even this whole mobile photography/digital painting thing I’ve got going on, it comes back to the essential element of the photograph.
Maybe I’m really just learning what it means to be an artist. I remember last year, listening to an artist talk about his journey and how, in his younger days, he was desperate to paint. Even when he had no money for materials, he found ways to paint. He had to, he said. He couldn’t stop it. I remember thinking, “Wow, that’s intense. I don’t feel that way.” But now I wonder if I’m starting to. If I already do.
Maybe being an artist, deep down in our soul, means not just that we do create, but that we need to create. That we can’t help it, can’t stop ourselves. There is something about photography that’s put it’s hooks into my heart and soul, and I can’t get away from it. Regardless of what else I explore, it always comes back to this for me.
So can you help me out? What’s the word I’m looking for, for this thing I’m experiencing? Because it’s way beyond “hobby” and I would like to put a word to it, if one exists.
There are several things going on I don’t want you to miss:
- Today is the last day to enter for the Spark & Inspire eBook giveaway. You can enter by leaving a comment on this blog post.
- Today is also the last day to link in to Exploring with a Camera: Chiaroscuro. Have you seen the gorgeous work that has been shared this month? Wow! Be sure to visit the links to see what your fellow photographers are creating with dramatic light.
- The November Photo-Heart Connection link up opens tomorrow! What does your heart have to say this month? It’s time to find out. See you tomorrow!
How about ‘passion’, Kat? That is the word I use these days for photography!
Photography is also an art form, but I can’t define that with a single word either!
I agree that the word ‘hobby’ sounds very lame… and makes me think of stamp collecting!!!
Everyone agrees with you Sandra! Passion it is. 🙂
I agree with Sandra. It’s your passion Kat. That’s what I call it for myself. Sooo much better than “hobby.”
Thanks Judy! Now I’m wondering, when did “hobby” become such an annoying word to us all?
Passion
That must be it!!
Wow! how timely your newsletter is, Kat. I’m reading an article in the latest Shambhala Sun magazine; a teaching regarding “dharma art” by Chogyam Trungpa. A few quotes: “Being an artist is not an occupation, it is your life…”, “By training ourselves in the understanding of art as a fundamental and basic discipline, we could learn to synchronize our mind and body completely.”
Well, this is another take on this whole issue of identification, isn’t it? I myself, have found the word “creative” to fit most comfortably for my ongoing exploration of expression. I believe we are all “creatives”.
Chogyam was an avid photographer and Miksang (Tibetan for good eye), a form of contemplative photography, was borne out of his teachings.
From what I have seen and read of your work Kat, you’re doing a beautiful job of exploring your own landscape of creativity. Perhaps the word hobby needs to be removed from the dictionary!?!
Mary
Thank you so much for your comment Mary! I appreciate the quotes and I love the phrase “landscape of creativity.” Wow! What wonderful words.
I have found that being an artist has become a part of who I am in a way that my occupation as an engineer never has. “Creative” is a good way to put it – it’s open and free and describes a state of being rather than an activity.
Of course, the word has to be passion! I think it’s the perfect word. I’ve used it to describe my own love of photography — at first it felt awkward to say, now I’m totally comfortable with it I think hobby is demeaning in this case.
Maybe I just need to get comfortable calling it a passion too, Gina!
Passion. It’s what drives you.
Thanks Robin – that seems to be the consensus!
Hi Kat, not been here for awhile I have had a spiritual detour of late but nice to see your latest images, not dissimilar to some of my own I might add!
I cringe at the word hobby, feeling that people don’t understand the depths of my love affair with photography, actually I don’t even like being labelled as a photographer because what I am is an artist, I told my tutor at art school that I have always been an artist it is in my blood, it is what I do! I have used many mediums including paint but I always come back to my beloved camera, which is now ten years old, I badly need a new one but am so attached to the one I have it is almost an appendage!
Sue, it is soooo good to have you pop back in here! I think there is a movement afoot, shifting things in new directions for our art for many of us. It’s interesting you are finding the same.
And a good camera is like a good friend. Not something you can easily replace…
My suggestion: Don’t get hung up on labels. You do what you do :). But, the one word that fits is “artist” as it encompasses all creativity that we dabble in, immerse ourselves in, obsess over and thoroughly enjoy :).
Stay inspired!
Very good advice Michelle. If I get hung up on labels, I may find myself limited by them in the future. “Artist” encompasses it all! That’s actually one reason why I decided to call my business “Kat Eye Studio” instead of “Kat Eye Photography.” I didn’t want to be limit the directions I could go with this creative journey. “Artist” feels open too!
“landscape of creativity”, ooh I like that Mary.
Me too!!
I was going to jump in and say “passion” , but others have beat me to it! That’s the only word I’ve found to describe my obsession! When I first started this journey, I never realized how much it would becine a deep part of me. While I”m here, let me thank you for the Digital Photography eBook. I have downloaded my copy and passed the information to my sister who is just beginning in the digital world. Even though I’ve taken the class, after the first of the year I’m going back through the book. I know there is something more to learn as things don’t always stick the first time!!
It’s so good to hear on the eBook, Cathy! Everytime I read a new photography book I learn something new. I imagine you will get more out of it the second time through, because you’ll integrate some new things you missed the first time around.
Trust me on this one…
no word needed.
Just keep doing.
The doing is what matters.
The word will confine the work.
That is not what you want.
Just saying…
Woohoo! We’re all passionate creative beings! Sounds good to me! Even though labels can be confining – I don’t think that the word ‘passion’, that many of us feel, is a confining word – it’s the fire behind the creative energy whose flames push us beyond our limits out into the sphere of inspiration and new discovery!
Have a great weekend Kat, living your passion and creative energy!
My husband used to refer to what I do as my ‘hobby’ and I cringed every time. It’s a word that trivialises things and suggests something you take up when you retire to pass the time away as painlessly as possible. It’s true that we shouldn’t really get hung up on labels, but words do carry certain connotations with them – just think of the many non-pc ways of referring to women for instance (to refer to women as ‘girls’ or ‘babes’ really does demean them). There are good reasons why certain words are frowned on – words are powerful things.
I’m with everyone else on the passion front; I’ve never really found another word for it. The difference in degree of intensity implied by passion as opposed to hobby is huge. Either way, I hope you continue to enjoy it, Kat, and I really love the image you’ve used in the post.
I’ve come to this late, and the consensus seems to be passion! That was in my head too, but alongside it another word. Maybe not one that fits us all, but I wonder if it would for you: vocation.
No matter what you call it, at the heart of this you have acknowledged the importance of photography as a central part of your life, your being. Hobby might be where it begun but it’s clear you’ve taken it to a whole new level.
You are right, Indigo. I like the word “vocation” and the deeper meaning that comes with it. And it did start as a hobby, so I can’t dismiss the importance of that. Thanks for your thoughts!