I frequently struggle with finding a purpose to my photography. Like you pointed out, I had a most the physical part of it down. I love photography, I love the act of it and the idea of it. I love looking at other great photographers like Sherman, Stephen Shore, Jeff Wall, and Eggleston. Their photos inspire me but I feel such a disconnect with their work and mine. When I tried doing something I thought was thoughtful and shared it, it usually fell flat, sitting there online with no likes or reaction. Was it boring I ask my self. Then I post a photo of a sea lion, people love it, my family and co-workers talk about it to me. But I feel bored with the photo of the sea lion. Anyone could do that I tell them. Your article nicely distinguishes between what I can do vs what I want to do. I struggle hard at articutulating the intellectual in my photos in way that is meaningful. I frequently believe that if my photo doesn’t elicit much response then it was a bad or failed idea. It seems hard to find an audience, even among friends and family, that knows how to see beyond the physical aspect of a photo and look at the idea and discuss that with me.