A Thousand Words: 10 Reasons to fall in love with photography

I had to leave the city unexpectedly this week so unfortunately I don't have a 'London' post for you. Instead, I thought I would tell you the 10 reasons I fell in love with photography and show you some photos of the very small English coastal village I grew up in, Walberswick.

The village is located in Suffolk and although I wasn't born there, I spent almost all of my childhood there and loved every minute of it! This village was also the place where I fell in love with photography, and here are the 10 reasons why.

1. It gives you time to reflect on your thoughts

When I was younger I would stroll around the village with my camera, I would enjoy the silence and time to reflect on my thoughts.

2. It is something for yourself

When I was in school and originally started taking photographs almost nothing I did was solely for myself, except photography. I worked hard in school and studied for my exams to achieve good grades/get into university and many extra curricular activities were to improve my CV, but photography was always just for my own enjoyment.

3. It feels great to be creative

I have never been good at drawing or painting but I have always wanted to be creative. For me, photography is the perfect creative outlet.

4. It's not competitive

So many aspects of life have become competitive; school grades, university rankings, salaries, job positions, etc. Photography, however, has never been a competitive aspect of my life, which I am grateful for.

5. It captures a perfect moment

Photography can capture a beautiful moment to share with others and shows people how you see the world.

6. Stress relief

For me, taking photographs is the perfect stress relief. I am able to escape the stresses of daily life for a couple of hours and it helps me gain perspective.

7. You can do it on your own

A lot of my hobbies, e.g. playing squash, can only be done with others, but when all your friends have full calendars you can always go out and do some photography on your own.

8. It gets me outside

I generally spend most of my days inside, at a desk, on a computer. Photography has always given the best excuse to get outside to get some sunlight and fresh air. In particular, starting this blog has given me the motivation to get out and about, exploring new areas.

9. A sense of achievement

When I've been taking photos and I later upload them and have a look through what I've taken, even if there is only one photo that I've taken that I like, I feel a strong sense of achievment