Tell a story
It probably goes without saying that we all aspire to tell a story on some level every time we take a picture. This is one thing that leads to a successful image – one that a viewer can find understanding,…
Know the difference between influence and copying
One thing you’ll find me preaching quite often is that, as a photographer, its important to have other photographers and artists that you look up to and try and emulate. This is how we learn – by standing on the…
Fall in love
Photographers have a special capacity in that we create images that are more or less interpretations of the real world. We don’t alter that world (per say) in making the photos, but we do create a different way of seeing….
Create your own universe
This is a bit of an odd one today, but I think perfectly valid as a tip. Consider for a moment photographers like Sally Mann, Weegee, Richard Avedon, Jerry Uelsmann or even Ansel Adams. All 5 of these photographers are…
Never think photography is easy
This is a quote from Magnum photographer Chris Steele-Perkins. I couldn’t agree more with this. Photography fundamentals are pretty easy really. A thorough understanding of how auto focus and metering work in a modern camera isn’t that difficult. There are…
Keep a Sketchbook
You don’t need to know how to draw. A sketchbook is only that if you’re an artist or an illustrator. A sketchbook is what keeps your sanity. It records your ideas. Its what makes it possible to remember things you…
Sticky: Do something difficult
In the last 15 years we have seen some amazing advances in photography – almost entirely in the digital and mobile spaces. Making images has become faster, easier and comes at a much higher quality than George Eastman ever dreamed…
Your camera isn’t important
Getting good photos really doesn’t have much to do with what kind of camera you have. Nikon and Canon spend billions of dollars every year trying to convince us that we need to buy expensive stuff to be better at…
Learn to see before you shoot
How many times do you go out looking for something to photograph? When you find something interesting you fire away from random angles, move the zoom in and out and maybe step back a few feet and do it all…