so i've been thinking lately *really, just the past hour or so* about my growth and development as a *(n) amateur* photographer.

i find that a lot of my pictures that i enjoy the most took minimal setting up and minimal thought....mutated victims of a snap-happy photographer dangerously approaching 'crazy tourist' status with a camera. this situation worsened, indeed, probably really got its start when i got my grubby paws on a digital camera. at last, i could take pictures like nobody's business, without thought and not have to worry about wasting film *though that was a minor concern even when i was working more often with film*. i find that revelation not a little distressing, but if i get results that i am satisfied with, why change a good thing...? but then, maybe i'll get better results when i actually put in more effort than the token 'this angle looks better than that angle.'

and what's more, as time passes, i become ever more critical of my own work. of the photographs *which i took* that i really enjoyed, or were quite proud of, i now view with an extremely critical eye and see mostly how i could improve on them, either by changing the exposure, or the setup *as i actually set up most of my still shots when i was still working in film*, or the angle at which the shot is taken. this leads me to wonder, is this a natural process all artists go through?