Ask yourself- Am I taking enough pictures?

While looking through one of my wife's cooking magazines, I noticed an ad from the Tea Council of the U.S.A. Inc. The advertisement's headline, "Are you drinking enough tea?" caught my eye. It extolled the health benefits of drinking tea (because of the abundance of antioxidants).

The ad gave me a column idea: As a photographers, we need to ask ourselves, "Am I taking enough pictures?"

I don't have any scientific proof that taking pictures is good for one's health. But I do know, as do many photography instructors and photographers, that taking pictures is a lot of fun. And getting a good picture is very satisfying and rewarding. Seeing a photograph or a snapshot that turns out well gives the picture-taker pride of accomplishment. All those good feelings, combined with some smiles, could positively affect a person. (There is proof that smiling makes one look and feel younger, and that positive folks enjoy life more than negative people.)

Some photographers I know are so focused on what's in their viewfinder that they lose track of time, and have compared photography to meditation.

Taking many pictures is important for photographers of all ilks.

For serious photographers, it's important to take a lot of pictures. By doing so, you can learn from mistakes and see what you like and don't like about your pictures. It's sort of like learning how to jazz improvise. The only way you can get good at improvising is to practice, experiment and play. The more you do it, the more accomplished you become.

For family photographers, it's even more important, I feel, to take a lot of pictures -- of activities with your children. Not only pictures at holidays and special occasions, but ones of everyday events, such as waiting for the school bus in the morning, having a catch in the backyard or making pancakes on a Sunday morning. Years from now, snapshots such as these will rekindle fond memories.

So, from time to time -- perhaps while having an afternoon cup of tea -- ask yourself, "Do I take enough pictures?"

Rick Sammon is the author of 21 books about photography and marine conservation.