Photoshoot and Beyond
I remembered when I was sitting in my cubicle, dreaming and lusting after a digital Leica M9. I imagined after buying it, all of my life’s problems would be solved. I imagined the camera would inspire me to be more creative, brave, and inspired in my photography. I imagined how cool I would look in […]
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I wanted to write you this letter on how to liberate yourself in photography— by photographing what interests you rather than what you think other people will be interested. It means to make your photography more personal, and to make your photos a reflection of who you are as an individual. Remember; photos are always […]
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Dear friends, family, and loved ones: on June 11, 2016 I just married the love of my life, Cindy. It was (one of) my favorite days with her, and also one of the most stressful days to prepare for. It was a celebration of love, friendship, and shared ex…
One of the most toxic feelings that a photographer (or human being) is to feel envy. Apparently envy is a trait that is deeply embedded in us, even as babies. But why is it that we feel envy, what are we envious about, and what can we do about it? Evol…
I teach a lot of street photography workshops for a living. I’m always wondering, “How can I best empower my students, help them build their confidence, and ultimately make better images?” Honestly, the most important way for a photographer to make better images is to build their social skills. Why? Social skills permeate all aspects […]
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To me, creativity is all about cross-pollination of ideas in novel ways. Idea sex I don’t believe that there are any truly “original” ideas anymore. Rather, we take different ideas and let them have “idea sex”— which leads to a totally new idea. This idea is a hybrid between the two ideas prior. I’ve been […]
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After 10 years of shooting street photography, one thing I’m starting to realize is that I’m becoming a bit complacent with my work. I have a few projects behind me which I think are quite strong, and I think haven’t pushed myself hard enough to innovate in my work. I need to push my limits, […]
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Many of us started photography quite innocently— with small compact point-and-shoots, a smartphone, or a disposable film camera. The main advantage was that we didn’t need to think about all the technical settings when we made images— rather, we focused on capturing the “decisive moment”, the framing and composition as well as the emotional content […]
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Often we feel like we need reasons why we take photos. We need a purpose; a sense of direction. But my tip for today is this: photograph for photography’s sake. I feel that the most intrinsically rewarding types of activities are “autotelic” activities (activities which you do for the sake of it). “Auto” means doing […]
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You never know when a good photo opportunity will present itself to you. Always be prepared. I’m not sure if you know this— but I’m actually a Boy Scout (Eagle Scout)— and “always be prepared” was our motto. Whenever we got ready for a camping trip, we made sure we had all of our supplies, […]
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