It is so refreshing to watch a video which is not talking about om1 or any other gear. Well done Peter let’s see more like this. Cheers.

Thank you for getting back to photography, not just photo gear. Excellent topic on the Why.

Fantastic video. Loved all the B&W. Funny for years now I limit my photo walks and shoots to 50 images. Even at my daughters cheer events. I just shoot 50. Keeps me sharp. Every shot it the one I wanted. Sure I miss focus sometimes and have to try again. But just 50. I posted on the FB page a shoot from this morning. I called 15 mins at one tree. I captured 11 quality images of birds with my OM-1 and the 100-400 f/5-6.3IS in that 15 mins. So worth the effort this am.

Top notch information. “Before you click the shutter ask yourself why.” I had no idea. Thankyou so much for sharing, I can hardly wait to go out and take some photos tomorrow and ask Why before pressing the shutter button !

Why? The best way forward. Great insights Peter, thank you for sharing.

Peter … Thank you for your insights ! Yes .. We all become gear heads as Joel states . I use Nikon for DSLR , but elected Olympus. Olympus ( used ) for price point to establish a Mirrorless system v Sony , Nikon , Canon gear prices . I use older Olympus gear M 10 , M 5 E 1 , first generation . I force myself to learn w/ the above . Love to see more from you on how do you get the best from the equipment you have ! Once control factor to keep cost down v urge to buy . I am not a professional thus my equipment needs was for my own pleasure and learning ! Thank you again and I welcome anything you share with us !!!!! Be well !

Thanks Peter, it helped me a lot about my photography thinking, because I have really simple camera and was thinking to buy a new one, but now I will wait till I have more experience.

Thoroughly enjoyed hearing this Peter...you are so right and the "why" is something I will start focusing on more 😀

Thank you Peter. Exactly what I needed to hear!

👌👍👍🙏 Greetings 👋🙋

Thanks, Peter !

Excelent reflexion and amazing black and white photography! Thanks for this video.

Thanks Peter, you just saved me a couple of Grand!. The OM1 can wait.

Nice video, thanks. Favorites: Elliot Erwitt, Henri Cartier Bresson, Fan Ho.

Thank you very much for this reminder!

Peter - thanks a lot for your open video about your philosophy, motivation and inspiration for making photos. I also think that photographing is a inner dialog and the best images hit your actual perception and feeling.

Thank you for this video. This is one of the best photography videos on KZfaq.

Yep Peter, thats it, photograph for yourself. the why is so important for me. its in the idea of the golden circle (simon sinek) too. this matches perfectly ...

Another great video, Peter! 🙂 You are a wise man, as well as a gifted photographer. Rainer Sclegelmilch's photo book about sportscar racing during the 1960s and 1970s had a major influence on me. His candour and intimacy left a lasting impression. Plus there are some beautiful photos of gorgeous cars (I am a huge car fanatic) but often with a twist that intrigued me. He would take photos of just some detail of a car, rather than the whole car. Plus photographing people, with the cars as bit-part players, really opened my eyes. 😁 Keep up the great work! 🙂 Paul 😎

Excellent video. This morning I went on a photo walk and took my old original Olympus em10 MK1 and the 9mm fisheye bodycap. Was a great experience and very liberating leaving my newer gear at home. . Was only thinking a card with 36 or 24 shots would be great to have.

I hope there will be more videos about such photography topics, going beyond gear talk to hone our craftmanship

Photography wisdom personified. Often we forget "why" we photograph. Thanks for the kick in the rear.

FANTASTIC VIDEO Peter! Daido is one of my personal photography heroes! Asking why is something I struggle with and it's so funny you came out with this video because I've lately been feeling down about my own work and it's simply because I could not figure out the "Why"

Incredible ! I ask myself exactly this question these days. I wondered if I was still in tune with my « why » from the beginning because I feel I have evolved towards other expectations. But also, I realized that I gradually locked myself into the surgical technique and the 400% zooms of the post-processing with ever more powerful software. My pleasure shifted slowly behind these. I also asked myself this question about what drives me to spend so much money to expand or renew my equipment. With these questions, I realized that i have to raise my head, see the whole and not block on mastering a detail that no one will notice. A few answers seemed obvious to me. Yes, my « why » from the beginning is still there intact. It's just that my eye has been enriched, the techniques I need acquired and that my work has become more mechanical. Somewhere I'm a little bored in the routine, I need renewal, to find pleasure no matter if the photo is successful or not as long as it brings me something special to me. On the change of equipment side, it is to continue to evolve, to explore areas, to struggle less on certain shoot, TO TAKE PLEASURE!!!!! (even if only to do good to the ego I admit, after all I am no longer a beginner. Besides, I am still waiting to receive my OM-1) Really fun to have the same question in mind from miles away between us Thank you for this video which reassures me, I am not alone

Peter you put that so well and it was something I had to learn the hard way when I was a student . Once I learned the truth , I became free and rediscovered that curiosity that drew me to yearn to take pictures . Everyday I look for images everywhere . Now , today , I am lucky as I have a 28 mm 1.8 lens on my phone and it is my wide angle lens . So, who needs a camera ? I like how a camera feels and I like the tactile and mental approach to image taking and for the most part it happens as I envisage it. My phone comes close and occasional out performs my camera ; which is why I use it as my backup camera . Good glass is the priority and a cap a capable body is all that is required to get the most out of gear. Light and being able to read it and bend it to my imagination is the fun part. I don’t want to spend ages post processing . But, sometimes I want to create images that look more realistic than reality and which have a dreamy unrealistic look that is beyond photography and is art . But , I was an artist before I was a photographer . Just enjoy your image making - whatever medium you use .

Great video. All photos are for me and self enjoyment and challenge myself to search for and create my next great and favourite image. And thanks for a non gear video. I’d like to hear more about your book collection and collecting books.

I always look forward to your videos Peter, you are a pleasure to listen to and an inspiration who just happens to dig Olympus gear, thank you

Effective speech! Came straight from heart, I believe. Same opinion, but a long way ahead.

In my opinion, one of the problems in the digital era is the possibility to take too many images. We often photograph one subject from every angle, we don’t really concentrate, we don’t ask „why“ enough, we just go home with 100 almost same images of the subject in the hope to pick one in the post processing. But then the best one is lost in the ocean of images and we are overwhelmed by the choice and by doubts, frustration. Of course, in case of dynamic subjects that’s a different thing and actually an advantage, having a series of images, but in case of a static composition - few images, slowing down, well composed, taking time and thinking - that’s the way to do it. Both the depth of feeling and the technical execution would benefit of it. Greetings, Peter, very refreshing video.

My love for photography started in my teenage years. My personal behavior and understanding of photography is to use the camera to record or discover what I see and think. Good or bad photos taken, these represent everything I've been through in my life. The scene in each photo will become the only historical moment, and the photos of these historical moments also represent the time of my life that will never return... I carry a camera with me and record various images everywhere in my life. Not for sacred art, but to leave some memorable records in my own memory. Ordinary expectations, through the shutter under his fingertips, solidify that eternal moment.

Thanks Peter! It was very encouraging to watch this video. I occasionally use a 6x9 camera with a sharp lens. I have to cock the shutter, set the distance, measure the light, wind the film, etc. Only 8 shots per roll. So no impulsive snapshots, I have to be motivated to take this particular photo. I often have my 256 GB camera with me, and when I force myself to see what I took, i can usually delete most. But this does not mean that I think old is better. Just that it forces you to be more critical.

Some feelings can't be answered by logical questions like why. My motto is feel click and check how others feel. The art is from heart to heart.

Great reminder about what it is I really all about. Thanks.

Thank you Peter. I can definitely relate to your thoughts, also enjoy taking square photos and was born in Helsinki. Some of your photos bring back pleasant memories. I also agree with you regarding the gear as sometimes you may get the best photo with the phone as it’s always with you.

Peter ... a very refreshing video - thanks! Cheers, Doug

Loved this one! I have a few whys, but I do think I need to niche down my why, thanks so much

One of your best videos in quite some time, the kind of thing that will truly “make you a better photographer.” I intend to give what you said here a lot of thought, even as I wait for my new OM-1 to arrive. More of this, please.

Thanks Peter. Why for me is the motivation to get out and open my eyes to see what exists around me. A great photo is a bonus but the experience is 99% of my aim. Meeting new people and engaging with them is great. Also, finding new locations and, perhaps seeing them in different lights feels great for the head and soul. Just my own personal opinion. Of course, living in Ireland makes it a lot easier 🙏

Thank you Peter for 2 very inspirational videos - the other one is the 5 lightning fingers one (Thoughts on Photography). They are so far my favourites that you have produced. The last few months I've been thinking a lot about my film photography days and the challenges I faced when being limited by the film and processing I could afford. I clearly remember viewing the scene and analysing it to determine the best light, angle, focal length, aperture, shutter speed, etc. that it would take to capture what I saw in my mind's eye. I also remember the anguish of taking images of family and friends using flash (which was almost always mandatory given the fact that most of the time I was using 100 ISO film; one thing I don't miss is using flash and now being able to use higher ISO to get images that would have been impossible during that time if using only available light). I often marveled at human reaction times when one considers the how slow sound travels and the fact that subjects could blink the instant they heard the mirror slap before the flash fired. So many wasted frames! But that was the key. You could calculate cost in every frame and it was significant (especially to a very poor high school student like myself) and the desire to make EVERY. FRAME. COUNT. Although not an amazing photo, but still memorable, was an image that I took when I visited Bath, England with my cousin. I remember looking at all the wonderful architecture and focusing on what was glamorous and then focusing on what the Romans actually built. The photo I took only included what was only Roman and it is still a very memorable image for me. It's hard to think of digital images I've taken that have had that impact. You might be onto something with limited capacity memory cards. Maybe in the future we might see 24 or 36 image memory cards that only contain JPEG images, forcing photographers to evaluate the light and every other factor before exposing a frame (make them non-erasable) because like with film, there is a greater need to get it right in-camera. Maybe even cards that force the camera to only use a certain ISO, colour profile and other predefined settings that recreate some memorable films? It certainly would be interesting and would force us to make a lot of decisions before making an image rather than making them afterwards.

Thats an important topic and you have put it so well. Its very nice to see videos about these topics.

Daido Moriyama - Wow! You Inspire, thank you.

Fantastic presentation. Very informative. Thanks and greetings from Sri Lanka.

Excellent video Peter. I really enjoyed it.

Peter, excellent video! Really loved this thought provoking viewpoint. Not so sure I would love to go back to 24 image limitation but certainly says a lot about the way many photographers approach their work today. Be safe!

Thank you, truly eye opening

Thank you Peter for this interesting video. I have long chosen to limit the number of photos, like when working with films. This is a good reason for me to think before taking the photo. It also allows me to easily choose which photo to print after a photo shoot.

I loved this video

Great advice Peter, thanks.

Useful video clip Peter. Why I take photos of wildlife? To capture the moment. But I always have to ask myself how can I capture that moment which depends on what I wish to try and capture. Taking a photograph of a wild orchid is radically different from a bird in flight. And it is all about getting out and having fun

I enjoyed this video Peter ;it has the feel of a wake up call about it.Just one thing however ;I think that you can perhaps only move to the Why when you have a reasonable grasp of the How .

I like the method of thinking here. Of course, as a techie there's no shame in being a little excited over new gear but I try to follow the rule of "What extra pizazz will this bring for me." If the answer is only something like a few extra megapixels or faster x then I don't consider that an upgrade worth going for. Of course sometimes you just have to treat yourself and there's no shame in that either.

I'm a photographer since my 7th birthday and after some decades still don't know why... But often, when I think about whether to take a photo or how, I ask myself what I want to tell with it. No answer--no photo.

Peter, I can't agree more. Well said. In addition to thinking "why", I think there's two more things that make you get away from gear obsession: - Defining a reason/theme to go out, like your 52 assignments. As soon as you really start to think about what a given subject means to you, you can also come to realize that you can tell a story with just about any gear. - Simply using your gear. :-) For example, I've been thinking about upgrading myself from E-M5III, but then again today I went out with a particular theme in mind and I once more realized how great this camera actually is. No need for an upgrade anytime soon. I am really thinking about implementing a hard photo limit for myself. You can even do it with big cards - just prefill them with other data so that only little space is left. :-). One simple way to get there is to use one of those tools that test SD cards - they will fill the card completely with files having random content. Just delete one or two of those dummy files and there you are. Back to film era on digital. :-)

Thank you. Yes, I did enjoy this, as I do most of your non-gear videos. As I am in no position to buy any gear, these kind of videos are more relevant to me. I will try to discipline myself to taking fewer and more thoughtful images. Yesterday, I snapped away even though I knew the images would be bland. Instead of feeling excited about photography when i got home and downloaded the images, I felt disappointed.

I also visit the local museum or art gallery to see other photographers work.

I think when someone is brand new to photography, the how is an obsession. How do I use my gear? What lens is best? Where do I stand? What is meant by composition? What do you mean follow the light? Remembering that it all began with a why is so important. To tell a story. To share my perspective. To get lost in my surroundings. To share beauty that others may not get to see. To document. To capture memories. None of those things requires perfection. The how can be a fun part of the journey. But the why is should definitely be the main driver. Thanks for such an important reminder!

Understanding your gear and learning to use it to it's fullest is an essential part of becoming a better photographer. This includes everything you use at that time, be it a professional camera or just a phone. Knowing HOW to use your gear is absolutely necessary, but it doesn't define WHY you do photography. Both aspects together are what creates "a good image". Being able to see a scene fully through and finding the point of interest that will make a great image is a skill absolutely worth learning, but it will quickly stop you in your tracks if you cannot produce what you have in mind. Learning is about action and feedback and the better the feedback is and the easier the action is to achieve, the faster the learning will take place. But keep in mind, photography is no race! Take your time and start with gear that limits you if it means that you can still achieve your vision. Learning when your gear limits you and when you limit yourself is a big part of the journey. There will be moments where we doubt ourselves because we feel the need for better gear. Those are the moments we will learn about ourselves and improve: Can we do without or do we really need something else to learn HOW to do it? Both aspects, tools and vision, are deeply intertwined and shouldn't be confused for the other. What is unhealthy, is mistaking one for the other when looking at your work. When missing skill and vision is tried to be compensated by better gear, you'll feel that you won't improve except for things outside of your control. If bad gear is limiting your vision or learning, then you'll feel like not improving and being fed up with frustration rather than joy, which often reflects back on the creativity. Choosing the right tool and grade of tool for the job is hard and needs to be learned. Comfort while using (enough buttons for all necessary functions, detailed tutorials and manuals, the right focal length for your job, etc.) and feedback (seeing the final image and having a vision) go hand in hand. So HOW to do photography is important to your craft, but never without the WHY. And a very important part is learning how to differentiate between thoee two. In addition, learning HOW to use YOUR gear is different from learning HOW to use any gear. So even if you have to ask yourself HOW to do photography, maybe start thinking about HOW to use your current tools rather than the ones you don't have (yet). But never confuse it with the WHY, because else you'll be in the same place as before. --- All in all, that's my view. I had plenty of people being demotivated because they had 'bad' gear (going into the menus to change ISO because of a lack of buttons... Ouch). Gear matters, but only until it stops limiting you. So I love your message from this video and the explanations you give. One of your better videos on this channel and definitely very insightful into the thought process and behind the scenes. Keep it up!

Well Peter I must admit I have grown tired of the M43 OM1 glorification videos, I was there when Nikon and Canon were going down the same road and then Sony hit the ball out of the park, I was a birder for many years, way before recognition software fast AF and tracking with limitless buffers, so I've had my fill of hours trawling through countless frames to pick just the right one. KZfaq viewers are a fickle lot and the M43 community is small and the old saying is don't put all your eggs in one basket, people get tired of seeing the same subject matter no matter who it's from and they vote with their feet. I'm pleased to see at least a few KZfaqrs using common sense.

Dear Mr Forsgård, I must ask HOW did you take the night photo shown at 0:30 ? (Bicycle in foreground photo.) Please tell me! (But I did listen carefully about WHY.) Thank you very much.

When not shooting a particular job, I have some main drivers for the "why". . Did *the scene* make me look twice? . Did something happen that makes a story? What do you think ❓

Why not ask yourself "why" before you pick up the camera? I pity those who take their camera everywhere. It seems they've committed themselves to using it. Why do you need a small memory card? Why not be disciplined? Remind yourself that taking a lot of pictures doesn't improve your photography. I agree the world has too many pictures, and people who think they are photographers just because they've bought a camera.