Have you ever lost yourself in the act of artistic creation? When I am out shooting in the city, sometimes the hours flow like minutes. Street photography can be so engrossing that it is a shame to snap out of it—to come back to regular life—after being ‘one with the street’ for hours on end. For me, in the beginning, I couldn’t always count on entering this mindful state. At times it happened, and at others I could not get myself there. It was like slipping into a dream, and just at the moment of lucidness I would wake up. This was disappointing, because I find that I do my best work in this mental state, not to mention that it is blissful and refreshing. So, what exactly is happening, and how to cultivate this mode of working in the streets?
Read MoreLearning How to See
When we get better at photography, particularly street photography, what is the core skill that we are actually building? Certainly, we need to learn how to use the photographer’s tools: the camera, the lens, lighting, the usage of film or application of digital editing, and so on. And of course, the exact tools of the trade vary. What is crucial for one photographer is useless for another. However, I would argue there is one universal skill that comprises the foundation of photography: perception. The fundamental aspect of what we do is simply put as seeing. It is this ability which we need to learn, to improve, and to sharpen in order to get better at photography.
Read MoreThe Content Diet for Creativity
Astronauts work in a vacuum. Most artists don’t. We are always surrounded and influenced by the media and feedback from our peers. Of course, it is possible to exist as a hermit, pursuing a singular creative journey that springs purely from within. But even then, is such creativity truly without influence? Surely, the hermit in the woods is influenced by the very woods in which he finds himself. Anyway, the point is moot—most of us are fully entrenched in society and so we are constantly bombarded by the creative output of others.
Read More10 Photographic Fallacies
Over the years, I’ve encountered some ideas about photography—call them ‘beliefs’—that I find hold little truth. In some cases, it might be too strong to call them outright fallacies, as they come from a place of good intentions. However, they can lead to misunderstanding of the details because these fallacious beliefs lack nuance. They are traps for newbie and experienced photographers alike because they limit critical thinking and sound decision-making. And so, I would like to explore these fallacies one by one, and present alternative lines of reasoning to help you avoid the traps!
Read MoreElements of Street Photography
To be honest, I don’t think it’s so important to classify and quantify what is or isn’t Street Photography with a capital S and a capital P. All that really matters is that you’re out there photographing—exploring the world through your camera’s lens and through your own inner perception. In the past, I’ve spent too much effort making sure my photos are ‘street’ enough. Do I really care if someone else can ‘smell the street’?
But, unfortunately, my mind can’t let it go. I give into the human compulsion of classifying and categorizing things. The taxonomy of photographs is no exception. I can’t help but put my photos into neat little mental boxes, one box for each type.
Read MoreYou Don’t Need a Camera to be a Photographer at Heart
Of course, you need a camera… right?! It’s right there in the name: from the Greek roots φωτός (phōtos) meaning "light" and γραφή (graphé) "drawing" together meaning "drawing with light." You must have some tool to do this. You cannot do it with your hands alone. This is obvious, so why the provocative title?
As I write these words, I know it sounds like an English major over-analyzing something so basic and obvious (I happened to have majored in English, so I spent a few years doing this). But I believe acknowledging this idea is an important element—a mantra—which helps me maintain sight of what actually matters in my creative pursuit in the realm of photography. It’s not about the camera. The camera is just a tool—completely arbitrary—a necessary evil that exists only as a means to get what I am really after: honest perception, truth in an image, self-discovery.
Read MorePhoto contests are Basically Gambling
Think about it: you pay some money, you enter your photos, and some time later you get an answer whether you won or not. Compare this to the lottery: you pay some money, select some numbers, and some time later you find out if you won or not. See the similarity?
What’s missing from most of these photo contests? It’s feedback. It would be nice if you received some feedback that explained why your photo was not selected, was deemed not good enough. At least then there would be some value for the entry fee.
Read MoreA Quest for Authenticity
So, what is my dilemma? With such a wealth of amazing work out there… I wonder, why do I bother? To be honest, I’ve often felt a tinge of jealousy. Those other works are so good, that maybe I wish I took them. I overcame this negative line of thinking with a simple mantra: don’t be jealous; be inspired. When this came to me years ago, whether I read it somewhere or it was a personal realization, it was like a salve on a wound. It soothed the pain caused by that dilemma—the ubiquity of great work.
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