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Forever Be an Amateur
“I am an amateur and intend to remain one my whole life long. I attribute to photography the task of recording the real nature of things, their interior, their life. The photographer’s art is a continuous discovery, which requires patience and time. A photograph draws its beauty from the truth with which it’s marked.” – Andre Kertesz
Learn From the masters
The secret of lifelong inspiration
The secret to being an inspired photographer for your entire life? Easy: forever be an amateur.
To be called an ‘amateur’ photographer is o en seen as an insult. But the truth is: ‘amateur’ comes from the word ‘amator’, latin for ‘love.’ Therefore, an ‘amateur’ photographer is someone who shoots for the love of it. You can make money from photography and still be an ‘amateur’, because photography is your love.
To shoot photography for the love it means that you are ‘intrinsically’ driven. You do not make photos for the ‘extrinsic’ rewards of fame, social media followers, or money.
When we work too hard to be ‘professional’ and ‘serious’ in our photography, we forget the playful spirit of children. I believe in this concept of ‘beginner’s mind‘ — when we are beginners, everything is new and exciting. We experiment. We play. We have fun.
Anders Petersen once said that his dream was to wander the streets, just like it was his first time. To wander the streets with the curious eye of a child. I want to do the same.
Another simple way to never lose inspiration in your photography is to avoid boredom. When you feel bored in your photography, switch things up.
Instead of shooting digital, try shooting 35mm film (FILM NOTES). Instead of always shooting in the same neighborhood, shoot in different part of town. Look at something familiar with a new fresh perspective.
And never forget to always question yourself, ‘Why do I make photos?’ Whenever I am in doubt, I ask myself ‘why‘.
For myself, I make photos to find more personal meaning in my life. To feel more connected to society. To find more appreciation in the beauty of everyday life, and to be grateful to be alive.
Nowadays, I make photos of my friends, loved ones, and family more than of strangers. Why? Because I know at the end of my life, the photos of my loved ones will matter the most.
So friend, never forget why you make photos. Never stop wondering, growing, and shooting. Be a life- long amateur photographer, and your curiosity will never die.
NEVER STOP LEARNING,
ERIC & CINDY
Excerpt from LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
Amateur isn’t a dirty word
When we start any hobby or passion in life, we talk down ourselves and say that “I’m just an amateur”.
Let’s change the culture. Instead, revel and be PROUD in the fact that you’re an amateur.
Even if you’re a professional photographer and making a living from photography. If you still love what you’re doing, you’re an amateur.
- Consider, you can be a professional photographer and NOT an amateur (like shooting baby photos at the mall, and hate your job).
- Also, you can be an amateur (have a day job) and LOVE your photography.
The secret is we all want to stay amateurs.
Beginner’s mind / Child’s mind
I love the zen concept of Beginner’s mind / Child’s mind.
Do you remember how passionate or interested you were when you started photography? Before you learned “rules”, and what to do, and what not to do?
Before you cared about fancy equipment and technical settings?
Nowadays I just shoot with my RICOH GR II and ERIC KIM STRAP, keep it in program mode, and just shoot like a beginner. This way, I have more fun. I’m always motivated to shoot now, because I’m shooting like a bigass kid. I don’t take myself or my photography too seriously, which has been advantageous to me.
This is also why I like to teach workshops — I gain the enthusiasm of my students, and feel their excitement — just like I felt when I started photography.
Expert trap
Beware the danger of becoming an “expert”. Your mind becomes rigid and brittle. You are no longer flexible and open to new ideas, techniques, and strategies. This I think is what happened to Henri Cartier-Bresson, who was too much of an expert, and set in his ways. He quit photography, perhaps because he found it boring.
Whereas Josef Koudelka kept experimenting, evolving, and trying new things, like shooting panoramic images instead of just standard 35mm. I want to be like Koudelka when I grow up.
Be like bamboo
I like the analogy of bamboo: strong yet flexible.
- Strong in your artistic vision, and not compromising.
- Flexible in the details, and how you shoot.
I think the secret to becoming a truly individual, and great artist is to balance these two.
Questions to ask yourself
To become an amateur again, ask yourself,
- “If I started photography all over again today, what camera would I shoot with?” It will probably be your phone.
- “If I were 5 years old, what would I photograph?”
- “What kind of subject matter did I photograph when I started photography?”
- “Did I have more fun when I started photography, or now?”
Assignments to respark your inner amateur
- Only shoot JPEG for a month: This will prevent you from caring too much about post processing and the stress of RAW.
- No rules, just shoot whatever you want. No inner censor.
- Don’t try to make “good” pictures, seek to make fun pictures.
HAVE FUN,
ERIC
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