I wrote this a while back (while traveling in Europe) and posted it to my wordpress blog, but I thought for visibility sake I’d repost it here.
Written: 10-14-09
1. Just because someone has an expensive camera doesn’t mean that they’re a good photographer.
2. Always shoot in RAW. Always.
3. Prime lenses help you learn to be a better photographer.
4. Photo editing is an art in itself
5. The rule of thirds works 99% of the time.
6. Macro photography isn’t for everybody.
7. UV filters work just as well as lens caps.
8. Go outside and shoot photos rather than spending hours a day on photography forums.
9. Capture the beauty in the mundane and you have a winning photograph.
10. Film isn’t better than digital.
11. Digital isn’t better than film.
12. There is no “magic” camera or lens.
13. Better lenses don’t give you better photos.
14. Spend less time looking at other people’s work and more time shooting your own.
15. Don’t take your DSLR to parties.
16. Girls dig photographers.
17. Making your photos b/w doesn’t automatically make them “artsy”
18. People will always discredit your work if you tell them you “photoshop” your images. Rather, tell them that you process them in the “digital darkroom”.
19. You don’t need to take a photo of everything.
20. Have at least 2 backups of all your images. Like they say in war, two is one, one is none.
21. Ditch the neck strap and get a handstrap.
22. Get closer when taking your photos, they often turn out better.
23. Be a part of a scene while taking a photo; not a voyeur.
24. Taking a photo crouched often make your photos look more interesting.
25. Worry less about technical aspects and focus more on compositional aspects of photography.
26. Tape up any logos on your camera with black gaffers tape- it brings a lot less attention to you.
27. Always underexpose by 2/3rds of a stop when shooting in broad daylight.
28. The more photos you take, the better you get.
29. Don’t be afraid to take several photos of the same scene at different exposures, angles, or apertures.
30. Only show your best photos.
31. A point-and-shoot is still a camera.
32. Join an online photography forum.
33. Critique the works of others.
34. Think before you shoot.
35. A good photo shouldn’t require explanation (although background information often adds to an image). *
36. Alcohol and photography do not mix well.
37. Draw inspiration from other photographers but never worship them.
38. Grain is beautiful.
39. Ditch the photo backpack and get a messenger bag. It makes getting your lenses and camera a whole lot easier.
40. Simplicity is key.
41. The definition of photography is: “painting with light.” Use light in your favor.
42. Find your style of photography and stick with it.
43. Having a second monitor is the best thing ever for photo processing.
44. Silver EFEX pro is the best b/w converter.
45. Carry your camera with you everywhere. Everywhere.
46. Never let photography get in the way of enjoying life.
47. Don’t pamper your camera. Use and abuse it.
48. Take straight photos.
49. Shoot with confidence.
50. Photography and juxtaposition are best friends.
51. Print out your photos big. They will make you happy.
52. Give your photos to friends.
53. Give them to strangers.
54. Don’t forget to frame them.
55. Costco prints are cheap and look great.
56. Go out and take photos with (a) friend(s).
57. Join a photo club or start one for yourself.
58. Photos make great presents.
59. Taking photos of strangers is thrilling.
60. Candid>Posed.
61. Natural light is the best light.
62. 35mm (on full frame) is the best “walk-around” focal length.
63. Don’t be afraid to bump up your ISO when necessary.
64. You don’t need to always bring a tripod with you everywhere you go (hell, I don’t even own one).
65. It is always better to underexpose than overexpose.
66. Shooting photos of homeless people in an attempt to be “artsy” is exploitation.
67. You will find the best photo opportunities in the least likely situations.
68. Photos are always more interesting with the human element included.
69. You can’t “photoshop” bad images into good ones.
70. Nowadays everybody is a photographer.
71. You don’t need to fly to Paris to get good photos; the best photo opportunities are in your backyard.
72. People with DSLRS who shoot portraits with their grip pointed downwards look like morons.
73. Cameras as tools, not toys.
74. In terms of composition, photography and painting aren’t much different.
75. Photography isn’t a hobby- it’s a lifestyle.
76. Make photos, not excuses.
77. Be original in your photography. Don’t try to copy the style of others.
78. The best photographs tell stories that begs the viewer for more.
79. Any cameras but black ones draw too much attention.
80. The more gear you carry around with you the less you will enjoy photography.
81. Good self-portraits are harder to take than they seem.
82. Laughter always draws out peoples’ true character in a photograph.
83. Don’t look suspicious when taking photos- blend in with the environment.
84. Landscape photography can become dull after a while.
85. Have fun while taking photos.
86. Never delete any of your photos.
87. Be respectful when taking photos of people or places.
88. When taking candid photos of people in the street, it is easier to use a wide-angle than a telephoto lens.
89. Travel and photography are the perfect pair.
90. Learn how to read a histogram.
91. A noisy photo is better than a blurry one.
92. Don’t be afraid to take photos in the rain.
93. Learn how to enjoy the moment, rather than relentlessly trying to capture the perfect picture of it.
94. Never take photos on an empty stomach.
95. You will discover a lot about yourself through your photography.
96. Never hoard your photographic insight- share it with the world.
97. Never stop taking photos
98. Photography is more than simply taking photos, it is a philosophy of life
99. Capture the decisive moment
100. Write your own list.
3rd Street Promenade
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{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Well put eric… well put. But you were wrong about something…
12. There is no “magic” camera or lens.
There IS a magic camera… the camera that takes memories within the eye.
I look forward to seeing you post some good stuff man. Good luck w/ ur blog.
Thanks a ton for the comment Daniel. I will definitely make sure to produce great work
Eric
Looks great, Eric! Simple, streamlined, fresh. I’ll be a devoted reader.
Thanks Cydney! I’ll make sure to keep it fresh then
Rules to live by for street shooters.
Killer blog Eric. The Thesis theme + Wordpress make life good.
Thanks Tom– I found inspiration from you when it came to making it
. By the way… I have a blog post that I’m going to post soon that features you 
Amazing place– truly. I’m glad to work right on it
I would recommend a Canon Rebel XS and one of those cheap tripods you can find on ebay for a starter. As for a point and shoot– check out the Canon s90 (best bang for the buck). Hope this helps Purni!
Good list dude,
*SaLuATe!
Thank you Amanda! *Salutes Back*
I’ll print the list out and let it be my inspiration.
Wow Johnson, I am quite humbled! Feel free to share it with your buddies too
Yeah great list !
But i wil not go as far as ditch my backpack ^^
The backpack is a great companion in travel because you can bring more lens
Like if i want to bring my 24-70mm and another lens, in messenger bag it’s impossible
But i agree if you just go out in your city the messenger bag is a good companion !
I was just wondering what kind of camera you use when i saw your profil photo lol.
Now i know that you have put some gaff tape on ^^
But can you explain why putting gaff tape bring less attention ?
Hey Hito,
Bringing a backpack is definitely a great way to carry a lot of gear, but I like to keep my gear to a minimal when traveling. I hate carrying all that extra weight! When I backpacked through Europe last summer, all I had was my 5D, my 35mm and 24mm, which was perfect
And that is my 5D in my profile pic (with gaffers tape covering the labels
)
I say that if people don’t see the huge CANON letters screaming at them, they don’t feel as intimidated
Lookin’ forward to more of your work!
Eric
#16 is a straight lie!
I would beg to disagree
My girlfriend really was attracted that I got into photography.. then she did! You should check out her book here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3105959/Vietnam-Tradition_in_Transition.pdf
Amazing list, I agree with you on so many points.
1. Just because someone has an expensive camera doesn’t mean that they’re a good photographer.
I started my obsession with photography with Kodak disposables and then bought an advanced Fuji 3.1mp digital camera…I took some of my most amazing pictures with that Fuji, some of them are even better than the ones I take now with my Canon DSLR. People ask me for advice all of the time about what kind of camera to get. They don’t know anything about photography, they just want to take beautiful pictures and I alway tell them they don’t need a fancy camera, they just need the passion and the eye for it.
I’m not big on editing, I’m kind of obsessive about getting the shot right to begin with. At most I crop and adjust contrast, but that’s it. I need to buy something smaller, I want a Canon G11, because I need something I can shoot with all of the time and an SLR is bulky to carry every day. Lately I’ve just been using my camera phone, which is actually pretty great.
This is a great list, thanks for sharing.
Hey Roselyn,
Glad to hear that you enjoyed my points
I actually started with a Canon powershot S600, which I took fantastic photos with as well. Although cameras can help get photos with less grain, higher resolution, sharpness, etc…they definitely don’t make “better” photos in that sense.
I would try looking into the Canon S90 (same sensor as a G11, but smaller + cheaper).
Keep me posted!
Phew.. That was an exhaustive list.. But I enjoyed each one of it.. Very thought provoking and inspiring.. Makes me wanna think what I ve learnt about photography..
You should write a list too!
(Point 100)
I bookmarked this list to use as reference. Kudos.
Thanks a lot for the love Hana! BTW–your site is really “super cute”
Hi! Good list. I just have one doubt about rule #27: when it comes to film photography, and you have a lot of bright areas in your frame, the meter will tend to give you a wrong reading and underexpose your shot. In that case, shouldn’t you overexpose your picture by one stop, and not underexpose it, as you suggested? Cheers!
That is a great point Marcius. I write this speaking from a digital perspective, in bright sunlight. It does not apply to every camera (as I have soon learned). Thanks for the suggestion!
Great list Eric! I really enjoyed it, and will definitely keep it bookmarked for the future.
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Sorry, not sure how that blog post got added at the end of my last comment…
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