by our new Editor Kimberly
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 3rd of June 2022

'The Photographer' by Muhammad Fadhlullah

Hello, my name is Kimberley and I’m a photoholic.

Most recognize the suffix “holic “. It calls to mind something negative, an addiction, a loss of self-control, an obsession, when your life choices are out of balance, like when someone is referred to as a work-a-holic. Work-a-holic is a badge of honour for many. Now a days though, we hear a lot more about “work-life balance”.  Surely Covid has had a lot to do with influencing that social conversation.

But when it comes to photography, is being called a photoholic a bad thing?

Well, as with most things, in my opinion, the answer is, “that depends”.

Web search “definition of Photoholic” and you’ll probably find something like:
Urban Dictionary, “so and so is such a photoholic, they take their camera everywhere!” or “someone who is addicted to taking photographs”;
Wikipedia “a keen photographer.

Well now, that’s not so bad, and if I were to guess, describes a darn good many of us here on 1x. Motivation I think is the key to whether photography is an addiction or a passion.

Do you take a camera everywhere, most of us have a smartphone, so in reality the answer is probably, “yes”. But if all ones’ photos are selfies, and you’re obsessively checking your Instagram post for the number of “likes”, then I think we can probably agree that something is out of balance.

When I browse through the 1x Gallery over my morning coffee, perusing the latest, most amazing Published and Awarded images, I take time to consider each image.
* What is it about this image that works?
* Why was it chosen over the hundreds or more of other images uploaded that day?
* What do I like about it, what don’t I like about it?

Yes, you’re allowed not to like an image, but can you appreciate it on it face.
- Does it offer a window into the mind of the creator?
- What inspires them to make such an image?
- What does the image convey, how does it feel?

These questions inevitably lead me to clicking on the photographer’s name.

It’s interesting in and of itself to see what some members write about themselves and their photographic journey.
Sometimes it enhances an image to have just this little glimpse into the photographer’s world, how they describe themselves in the context of their photography.

I get an introduction, if only a brief one, to a multitude of amazing photographers from around the world. I see words describing their photography as a passion, a bright light on a grey day, that their photography has become a way of life for them. I get an ever so minor glimpse into their world. What motivates them, not just to take an image, but to take that specific image at that very moment or location. I get a feel for what photography means to them personally and I often see that feeling, that passion, in the images that are published under their profiles.

For some 1x members, photography is their profession. I think if we were able to do some analytics, I expect that would be a very low percentage of the membership. Other photographers combine passions, like birding or international travel and photography. I think for the majority of 1x members, photography describes more about who we are, as opposed to what we do.

So, is photography a form of addiction?

Maybe, frequently I see passion, sometimes to the point of an obsession; typically though, I see photographers with a dedication and commitment to a craft, and occasionally, I find the Sublime.

Here's a personal compilation of images from dedicated photographers out of the 1x gallery.  
Enjoy ...

'Camel carrier in the Sahara' by Moris Raskin

'Singing in the rain' by Pedro Jarque Krebs

'Persimmons in the Winter' by May G

'Snowy dream' by Enrique Rodríguez de Mingo

'horse pride' by Milan Malovrh

'A Good day fishing' by Peter Stahl

'HelloFriend' by Marcel Egger

'Gypsy Horse Fair' by Melissa Theil

'Over there!' by Carlo Ferrara

'a short story about the bubbles' by Cembrzynski Ignacy

'Sahara man' by Moris Raskin

'Une délicate étreinte' by Thierry Lagandré (Transgressed Light)

's.t.' by RedBenjamin Leandro de Medeiros

'Passing a sandbank' by Bernardine de Laat

'Dirt Road' by Dani BS.

'The Guardian of the Forest' by Nika Kuplenk

'Vida que segue' by Sherin.Abdou

'Mont Saint-Michel' by Cuma Cevik

'Grand Palais Ephémère' by Jens Winkler

'Sky Rider' by Jean-Marc Aloy

'A Lotus Shines...' by Puneet Verma

'Forest colors...' by Patrick Peeters

'Yellow Power' by Luc Stalmans

'Little discussion' by Roberto Marini

'Raute chief' by Asbjørn Lind

'Help each other' by Alex Zhao