With photography, shoot spontaneously. Shoot from the gut. Don’t think too much before shooting.
Harness your inner-child. A child doesn’t hesitate before drawing, making a photo (on a phone), or before playing.
For myself, my hardest thing when I started photography was asking myself：
What should I photograph? What would make an interesting image?
This is the wrong way to think. Why?
Because, this type of thinking is concerned with how others would think about your photos, rather than what you think about your own photos.
Spontaneity is crushed out of us in modern society.
For example, we are told to make schedules, appointments, and to “optimize” meetings.
That way of thinking is ANTI-SPONTANEITY
Homework assignment：For a week, don’t make any appointments, or schedules. Allow spontaneity harness your daily life. Don’t schedule a dinner before with a friend. Only call a friend (on the day of), and ask if they want to grab dinner tonight.
Assignment in photography
Okay, for an entire day, just shoot with your phone, in fully automatic mode.
The rule：
Even if you have a 1% feeling to photograph something, JUST SHOOT IT.
Then shoot all day, and go home and review your favorite images and share the ones you like.
How do you know what photos you like? Don’t over think it. Just follow your gut.
If I like the photo, that is enough.
Purpose：to override any hesitation, and to harness more spontaneity and following your gut in photography.
Things to shoot
- Strangers (street photography with or without permission).
- Textures (Assignment is to TOUCH A TEXTURE before you shoot it, to remember the haptic feeling).
- Selfies: Analyze the shape of your own face. HONOR THY SELFIE.
Conclusion
Listen to your gut, intuition, and soul more than your brain or “rational side”. Your gut is more intelligent than your brain.
Spontaneity is where all creative insight, explosiveness, and innovation comes from.
Lastly, it is more fun.
BE STRONG and JUST SHOOT IT.
ERIC