1. Before proceeding with photography, make sure that’s your thing.
2. Test your brain out by exposing it to a ton of photographs as well as real scenes.
3. Choose good friends, not for networking but for honest critique of your work.
4. Borrow from any time period and any predecessor, then build on them to create your own vision.

via B, aka Blake Andrews.

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4 Comments

  1. Could you elaborate on #1?

  2. Fun post Rob, not sure about 2. though. 1., 3., I think are right on and if you don’t get 1. maybe you shouldn’t be a photographer. 4. is open for debate. I do have to admit from my own personal experience that even though a photographer wants to have their own unique style or vision there is always an influence by other significant and not so significant artists (not limited to visual media).

  3. Interesting. Most of these are not universal rules, though they are presented as such.

    1. For some it’s only after proceeding with photography (and sometimes leaving it, then returning) that a photographer might discover it’s really their thing. This is not something everyone will know “before proceeding.” But I agree that talent is usually there or not. Good to know that.

    2. I agree with the exposure part – training ones eyes and mind to see and capture. Some photographers benefit from seeing a lot of existing photography, but a creative mind can explore all kinds of amazing photographic territory without having studied existing photography extensively. Seeing lots of photography can inform and influence a photographer’s work (for better or worse) but it is NOT a purely essential ingredient, except maybe for academics and critics, neither of whom are probably also photographers.

    3. I heartily agree with #3. And friends need to be pushed on this point. Giving honest critique goes against many cultural and social norms in most friendships.

    4. This is one approach, but borrowing from some other time period or predecessor is optional, not essential, to build a strong photographic body of work.

  4. Like the post Rob. Would you be my friend? ;)

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