Have we ever truly answered why certain things—photos, in this case—appeal to some people and not to others? What makes two individuals look at the same image and notice entirely different details?
A play of light, a shape, figures seated in isolation will catch my eye. I can barely raise my camera fast enough to compose the scene and capture that fleeting moment in time. How many times have I uploaded photos into Lightroom—often stumbling across ones I’d forgotten to process (oops)—and spent time tweaking and editing in an attempt to recapture the moment, only to realize that they hold little appeal for others? Yet somehow, the photos I took and then forgot about? Those are the ones that grab attention.
Photography appeals to me for many reasons, especially the chance to share what I see and notice. But there’s always the truth: no two people see the world in the same way—and that extends into photography. We can force perspective, isolate elements through focus and zoom, but we still can’t make something universally appealing.
And yet, someone will look at your photo and find something that speaks to them—something that shifts their perspective or stirs an emotion. And that’s the beauty of photography: it doesn’t have to speak to everyone—just someone.
