Discussion: Why do you love photography?

I get this question often and my answer always stays the same.  When I first fell in love with photography it wasn't the art of it, it was the chance to make a living with a camera.  I had to learn the camera and lighting to understand the art part. I think the passion came later when the art bug bit me.  I was in college when I decided to be a pro photographer and it scared the crap out of me because at the time, no colleges in the state taught what I wanted to learn...studio lighting.  I figured if I could learn studio lighting I could create just about anything.

That memory wasn't very far off!  My answer today is still the same. I LOVE MY JOB.
The impact I make on people is far greater than the pay check earned. We need the money for our material lives but the gifts I have been given within photography I never saw coming in the beginning of my career.  After 2 decades I have quite the library of stories I can tell you.  What I can tell you however is enjoy the JOURNEY...it's fun, exciting, emotional and extremely hard work staying in business! 
So I ask you.

​Why Do You Love Photography?