Perhaps the point of photography is to make strong single images.

Why shoot photos?

The exciting thing about photography now — we have video. Almost all modern digital cameras have fantastic 4K recording abilities.

I’ve been personally experimenting a lot shooting video, and have been loving the powerful abilities of video to story-tell.

However, my big epiphany was this:

Video is superior than photography to tell stories.

With video, we can edit the footage, tell more narratives, use audio, music, etc, to make a more all-encompassing story.

Which made me wonder:

What’s the purpose of photography, if video is superior than photography to tell stories?

My simple idea:

Perhaps the future of photography is simple — to make strong single images, that will last the test of time.

Let me explain some of my thoughts.

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What lasts?

My friend Nietzsche taught me,

The worth of an artist or an artwork is simple — whether it lasts.

I agree with this sentiment.

Ultimately, time is the final judge on the power of an artwork — how strong or weak it is. Weak artworks will perish over time. However strong artworks will become better over time — like a lovely marination. Or like a nice wine, it will age better with time. Or for my fellow fermented food lovers, it will taste better with more fermentation (of course, up to a certain point— even kimchi will eventually spoil).

Anyways, when we look at the first pictures (paintings used to be called pictures)— they are mostly single paintings, which stand on their own two feet. The concept of a “series” is a modern notion — perhaps French?

The master Italian Renaissance painters (Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo) made many artworks in their life. But the ones which last are “standalone” works. The Mona Lisa (single painting, stand-alone, single subject). The Pieta (two subjects, single piece of marble). The Sistine Chapel (essentially, a really big single painting).

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The nature of photographs

Over time, all photos will eventually get removed from a series.

For example in music, most of us know “hit songs”. When we look at modern playlists, we make playlists with our favorite single songs. Very few people listen to whole albums anymore.

The same thing with photography projects — very few people look at photo projects or series as a whole.

And this is my thought:

No matter how good your photography series, there are generally only 1-3 photos from the series which will live on. The rest of the photos will probably die.

For example, Henri Cartier Bresson’s “Decisive Moment” book — the photos which have lived on include the jumping puddle man photo, and perhaps the bicycle photo.

With William Klein, the kid with gun. But nobody really remembers his whole series-book, “New York is Good For You”.

With Diane Arbus, kid with grenade.

With Josef Koudelka, the watch photo from Prague and the devil-wolf dog photos from his “Exiles” book.

Nick Ut with his “Napalm Girl” photo.

Strive to make 1 impactful photograph in your life

Essentially what I mean to say is this,

Even the greatest master photographers of history only have 1-2 memorable photos.

Thus, if you can make 1 photograph which stands the test of time, you’ve done your duty as a photographer.

So perhaps our simple goal is this:

Strive to make perfect single photographs — photographs with no visible flaws. Photos that will echo through the eons.

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What does “perfect” mean?

Of course there is no such thing as an objectively “perfect” photo.

However, you can make a photograph what you consider “perfect” in your own eyes.

For myself, I’ve probably made 3 photos which I consider perfect from 2009-2018– my umbrella lady photo in Seoul (2009), my sleeping man at the beach photo in marseille (2013), and my laughing lady photo in nyc (2015). Which means on average, I make 1 phenomenal picture every 4-5 years.

My current personal ambition is this:

To make a single photograph which lasts at least 300 years.

Perhaps this is the gift I can give to humanity.

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Reminder: Follow yourself

Of course, this is all just my personal idea, philosophy, and pursuit. You don’t need to do what I do. However, I think it’s a good idea.

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How to make a perfect photo

Honestly, you cannot know whether you have a perfect photograph or not until many years after you’ve shot the picture. The simple principle is this:

Edit (select your photos) ruthlessly.

This means,

Kill your babies.

How well will your photos age over time?

Generally there are two types of photos:

1. Photos that you like more as time goes on
2. Photos that you like less as time goes on

Keep the photos that get better over time (type 1 photos).

How to make timeless photos

A practical framework of how to strive towards making these timeless pictures:

1. Photograph anything and everything you find interesting
2. When you see something interesting, “work the scene” (shoot as many photos possibly you can of that thing. For example, aim to shoot at least 30 photos of an interesting scene).
3. When you’re working the scene of an interesting potential photo, try to perfect the composition. Compose the scene from different angles, exposures, distances and experiment shooting with a flash.
4. When you’re at home and reviewing your photos, only keep your strong photos. Ditch all your weak and “maybe” photos. (if you’re not sure whether you should keep or ditch a photo, upload it to arsbeta.com).
5. Every year, review all of your best pictures, and keep a well-curated selection of your best photographs that you’ve ever shot. I would keep this list of your photos to your personal top 5, or top 10.

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Conclusion: You’re the ultimate judge

What is your 1 favorite photograph of all time? Determine whether it is a perfect photo by judging it with your own eyes.

To “critique” a photo means to judge it (kritikos in Ancient Greek).

You’re the ultimate critic and judge of your photos. Strive to make photos you consider perfect, and strive to make these photographs immortal — more lasting than bronze (in the words of Horace).

Never stop shooting,
ERIC

If you want honest feedback on your photos, upload your pictures to arsbeta.com).