It’s odd what makes us all so different. We are all human, after all, and you would think we would have more similarities than differences.

And, of course, we do. We all eat, sleep and yearn for relationships. We all communicate with each other, pay taxes where appropriate and generally try to get on in a difficult world. Those that don’t conform are singled out for punishment.

Photography is no different. Most of us have similar views on why we take photographs and we try, where possible, to conform to the “laws” of image taking.

But if we are all so similar then why are we so different?

Whereas I enjoy action photography, my mate across the street prefers still life. I use natural light where possible but my camera club pal never sets foot out of the studio. I enjoy people but a person I know only takes landscapes.

I like digital but my father likes film.

And so it goes on. But it gets even more weird – do you know of people that use image editing programs to make images that bear very little resemblance to the out-of-camera shot? It is entirely different to what photography was all about when I first started yet the results are superb.

And the variation in approach is also superb. It helps to fill the various niches in the photographic world and keeps things “ticking over”. Moreover, it keeps the fire burning in imagery – each time we delve, however superficially, into the work of others we take something away with us which we may very well use in the future.

And, hopefully, those that share our world will also take something away for their own use.

Keep snapping.

Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com

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