One principle for success as a modern photographer: realize that your artistic work will never be ‘perfect’, that you’re in a state of ‘becoming’ and don’t let perfectionism hold you back. Rather, strive to do your work ‘80% good enough’ and hit publish.

MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER: Marketing, Branding, Entrepreneurship Principles For Success

MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER is your new philosophical and practical primer to succeed as a modern photographer in today’s digital world.

Paralysis by analysis

Often we fall victim to paralysis by analysis, and end up doing nothing.

My suggestion: Seek 80% ‘good enough’, and just do it.

For example, with blogging, write a blog post 80% good enough, and hit publish.

With business and entrepreneurship, don’t seek to make your products 100% perfect, or else you will never ship your product. Like Steve Jobs said, “Real artists ship.”

With your photography, follow your gut and publish and share pictures of stuff that seems 80% good enough to you.

Innovation is always steady improvement

I am a huge fan of this Japanese concept of ‘Kaizen’— steady, continual improvement. You will never be perfect. Your products will never be perfect. Your photography or visual art will never be perfect.

So friend, always keep hustling, and putting yourself more ‘out there.’

My principle to success:

Publish more.

Whenever you publish, you gain more self-confidence. You gain more knowledge. You share more knowledge and information.

How you can apply the 80% principle to your photography and life

1. Make your own photography blog via WordPress.org (use bluehost.com or 1and1.com as your domain host) and everyday for a month, publish at least 1 blog post every day, and make each blog post 80% good. Post pictures, text, videos, or anything on your mind. Treat it as a visual diary.
2. Remove the word ‘perfect’ from your vocabulary. Focus on production. Seek to produce and make more art. Realize that Pablo Picasso made 1-2 art works (every day), until he died. Leonardo da Vinci wrote around 7,000 pages of notebooks. By producing lots of ideas and art, and publishing a lot, you will discover a few really good ideas.
3. Create one art work or piece a day. It can be a picture, a poem, or any other form of visual art. For more inspiration, pick up a copy of CREATIVE EVERY DAY.

BE BOLD, AND KEEP MAKING ART!
ERIC

MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER: Marketing, Branding, Entrepreneurship Principles For Success

MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER is your new philosophical and practical primer to succeed as a modern photographer in today’s digital world.