Raise your hand if you have ever said, “Put the camera down and just enjoy the moment” or something similar. Raise your hand if you have ever heard someone say that. Raise your hand if you have ever thought but resisted saying that. If your hand is down, good for you. Because photography is one of the most misunderstood art forms, and by the time you see my face at the end of this article, I want you to have your camera in that hand.

1. A photo captures a memory.

It’s not that you can’t remember events without photographs; it’s that a photograph ensures you never forget. One of my favorite things to do is flip through old Facebook albums from middle school and high school and revisit some of the best moments from those years, moments I likely would never think about without these photos.

2. Photos help share your happiness with others.

One of the worst things is telling someone about an incredible concert or a beautiful sunset and watching them pretend to be interested. Photos help to put people in a place they never were. Seeing even just a glimpse of your happy memory in a photograph is much better than trying to imagine it entirely.

3. Photography is not a difficult hobby.

I’m not saying it’s easy, but chances are, if you can understand crossing lines and press a few buttons, you’re a budding photographer as it is. All you need is a device with a camera and a close eye, and you’ll be taking beautiful photos in no time at all.

4. Photos are timeless.

Records, CDROMs, VCR tapes… They all went out of fashion. Photographs have lasted as a medium since they were first invented in the 1800s. Photos will undoubtedly survive changing technology and the changing times.

5. Photography makes you see the world in a new light.

I have recently grown to appreciate the perspective photography has given me over these past years. When I walk around with my phone or my DSLR camera, I move more slowly and seek out the small, insignificant beauties around me. A blooming flower, a squirrel jumping through the grass, a sunset over the river behind my house. Photography has trained me to appreciate the small treasures life has to offer, even beyond the camera.

You don’t need to be a professional. You don’t need an expensive camera. You don’t even need to understand most of the buttons on your phone camera. All you need to take memorable photographs is an appreciation for the moment and a willingness to pause long enough to press the shutter button. I promise those photographs will mean a lot ten, twenty, and fifty years from now.

So… do you have your camera out yet?

All photos in this article are my original photography.