Greg asks: Does anybody know of a good non-monetary reason to take photos (other than to record our own lives and the big moments in the kiddies lives? In one sense, Greg has already answered his own question. I guarantee that the more family photos you take, the richer you will become when your kids leave the house. My little girl (now 25) still comes back home and we go over the old photo albums and get excited (really excited!) about seeing the old times. But I suspect Greg is looking for a bit deeper meaning. So here is my take on non-monetary reason to take pictures: CREATIVE EXPRESSION. Mix in a bit of pride, continual learning, self-improvement and exploration into the unknown or uncertain. We all need this kind of stimulation to keep our minds alive as we get older. Once we stop trying, stop learning and stop creating, we get old. Folks who retire seem to get visibly older within a year or so when their purpose for living has been taken away. Photography is a wonderful tool that can never be fully mastered. There is always something new to learn, new ways to express one's self. We need to keep the creative aspect of our lives fertile. Actually, Greg's problem sounds a lot like burn-out. I will suggest what I found useful, and from what I read on other lists, other people also have found useful: Julia Cameron's, _The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity_. Cameron has taught classes to overcome burnout and put her knowledge and experience in this book. It is a GOOD read. peace, rand
