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0 pointsprobably_wrong5y ago0 comments

I think the key to understanding the allure is by extending your line of reasoning even further.

Why play piano? There are plenty of recordings of people who play better than I ever will.

Why play chess? I will never be able to beat my computer anyway.

Why paint portraits? I will never be as good as Rembrandt, and my camera is infinitely better anyway.

I think the point of the activity is not "I will take the best picture of this plane/the moon that anyone has ever taken". Rather, it's "I will take the best picture that I ever took".

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CarVac5y ago

My issue with the moon, in particular, is that:

a) it's not hard, it just requires a long focal length. b) it's not a creative act. The moon drowns out anything else, so it ends up being just a picture of an orb surrounded by black.

Piano is extremely challenging, and playing something well gives you that feeling of having overcome a worthwhile challenge.

Chess is likewise a battle of self-improvement.

Same with painting.

Moon photography? There's zero creativity involved, it's just about whether you've gone out and bought that 150-600 zoom you've been eyeing.

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