Your Biggest Advantage as an Amateur
For a professional photographer, the photograph is a product. For an amateur photographer, the photograph is a byproduct of a life well lived.
Don’t Have a Goal, Have a Direction
One of the many wonderful things about art is the lack of rules. No goal is needed, unless it’s created by the artist. But, honestly, we tend to let others (camera makers, bloggers, authors, professional photographers) make the rules we follow. It’s a recipe for homogeny. Even if
Photography Mistakes That Aren’t
A quick scan of headlines from the most popular photography blogs reveals a very common topic: * “10 Common Mistakes Made by New Photographers” * “5 Business Mistakes Photographers Make All the Time” * “10 common camera mistakes every photographer makes” * “9 Mistakes In Landscape Photography And How To Avoid Them” * “10 Most
Unlearn Photography
I imagine you’ve taken some photography classes, perhaps even workshops. At the very least you’ve devoured the blog posts. You may have spent a lot of money, but I’m betting you’ve definitely spent a lot time reading about photography. Today, I have no grand solutions for
The Least Photographer
If you’ve been a photographer long enough, there comes a time when realize how little you really know. Or, at least, there should be. I’ll be the first to speak up. I am not just a lesser photographer. I am the least photographer. I don’t know what
Stop Making Photos for Photographers
The majority of photos I see every day (on Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, blogs, you name it) are made to impress other photographers. Perfect composition! How did you do that with an iPhone?! That ISO range is INSANE! How boring we must seem to everyone else. You have a gift.
Which Photo Best Represents You?
My college photography professor, Monte Gerlach [https://www.facebook.com/monte.gerlach.7], emailed me last month to say he was retiring and wanted to put together a gallery showing of his favorite students’ work. He asked if I would contribute a print. I was honored by request but it
Stare at Your Phone More
A few weeks ago I was at a family party. I’d been wrangling a 3-year old all day and I was exhausted. As he went into a room full of other kids, I took a seat for the first time in hours. Knowing I had about 5 minutes left
Beware of Formulas
Everyone wants simple, useful steps for becoming a better photographer. We go to the same books and blogs trying to learn techniques to enhance our photos. We want a formula. Publishers are happy to provide the formula. And it seems like a great exchange. We give them time, attention and