My goal as a photographer is to capture beautiful and interesting things that I see. The photos I make cover a broad spectrum, I'm OK with that. While I might be a bit jealous of those who classify as "nature photographers", that's not me. Nature is a big part, but there's too much beauty in this world to limit myself. Or maybe that perspective just means I'm still figuring things out.
I spend most of my days doing design and engineering work, but that doesn't quite scratch the itch anymore. I'm someone who has always needed a creative outlet—drawing, painting, writing code, designing websites, woodworking, etc. These days, photography is the choice. And most of the time it feels like the only choice, it's all I want to do.
I starting caring about photography a lot in college, maybe in ~2001. I had a small Fujifilm point-and-shoot that went with me everywhere. That eventually grew into DSLRs and an obsessed mindset for learning. Now, here I am. Still learning, still obsessed.
The way photography freezes time reassures that important memories and moments in life aren't necessarily lost after they pass, as long as you have a camera. No one photo is like another; they're all unique, and I truly love that.
I shoot Fujifilm and Leica because I've got an affinity for expertly crafted, well-designed things. This curse of mine means I own and use only cameras that align with my tastes. I completely understand that this is silly to some people.
In the end, photography affords me the ability to disconnect from my day-to-day life on a computer. I can spend time in nature, often solo, to think and enjoy the things I see around me. Sure, I could do that without a camera (and often do), but it gives me the additional drive and/or incentive to make it happen. You never know what nature will give you and capturing an epic scene is the ultimate reward.