A photographer may 'hide' behind his camera; but it's his vision, his view of the world in general and how he sees life in particular which may determine the content of his images.
Photo by Kevin Eddy
He may pretend he's doing it for the money, or claim that he's aiming to perfect his craft; or if he's more into the aesthetic side, he may say that he's searching for truth, or that 'elusive' beauty in everyday things.
Photo by taylorkoa22.
But the greatest goal of a photographer, whether amateur or pro, is the admiration of his peers.
Photo by jonnyphoto.
So here in Flickr, be profuse in your praises, and tread softly on his dreams. He may well help make this world a more beautiful place for all of us someday.