100 Photography Tips by Eric Kim

100 Photography Tips by Eric Kim.001

100 Photography Tips by Eric Kim.001

A distillation of everything I’ve learned about photography:

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100 PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS BY ERIC KIM

1. Don’t compare your photos to anybody else (but yourself)

2. When in doubt, take a step closer.

3. Shoot 25% more photos than you think you should.

4. Shoot from the gut in the streets; edit with your brain at home.

5. Only make photos from .7 meters for a week

6. Don’t upload your photos the same day you make them

7. Don’t shoot from the hip

8. Influence the scenes you photograph

9. Don’t crop your photos for a year to improve framing

10. Focus on your edges while you’re shooting (composition)

11. Make photos to please yourself; not others

12. Start off with a black background

13. When making a portrait, tell your subject not to smile.

14. To capture emotion, photograph hand-gestures

15. Make photos in “P” (program) mode

16. Only shoot with your smartphone for a week.

17. Photograph like a child

18. Don’t shoot what it looks like; photograph how it feels like.

19. Stick with 1 camera, 1 lens for a year.

20. Photograph your morning routine for a day.

21. Don’t delete photos when you’re making photos on the street.

22. A photograph without emotion is dead.

23. I take 1,000 bad photos to make 1 good photo.

24. When in doubt, click the shutter.

25. To add depth to your photos, focus to 5 meters and add a foreground element.

26. To be stealth in the streets, don’t make eye contact.

27. The best photographers are the best liars.

28. Find inspiration from the masters, but eventually kill them.

29. Create your own rules in photography.

30. Only photograph what you’re curious about.

31. Don’t explain your photos.

32. Open-ended photos are more interesting to look at (they tell better stories).

33. Don’t call them “my” photos; call them “the” photos.

34. Photograph who you love; and love who you photograph.

35. Don’t hesitate before hitting the shutter.

36. Copy the style of a master photographer for a week.

37. Make better photos today than you did a year ago.

38. Ask for permission for a street portrait (get 5 yes, 5 no). See more assignments.

39. Photograph your subject in harsh light and -1 exposure compensation

40. Pursue 1 personal photography project this year.

41. Allow yourself to take shitty photos

42. Follow the light

43. Photograph life and death.

44. No photographs are objective; all subjective.

45. Make photos that disturb your viewer.

46. Photograph someone laughing

47. Photograph the ocean.

48. Make a nice photo of a tree.

49. Center eye composition

50. Upload 1 photo everyday for a year.

51. To make better photos; strip away the superfluous

52. Make a photo in a hotel lobby.

53. Only call yourself an ‘amateur’ photographer

54. Make a photograph lying on your back.

55. Ask your subject to look different directions with their eyes.

56. Only shoot what is personal to you.

57. Shoot street photographs that scare you.

58. Print your favorite 20 photos as 4×6 prints.

59. Take a photograph in an elevator.

60. Make an artistic photo of your breakfast.

61. Only upload your personal favorite photos.

62. Only photograph hands for a week.

63. Look up.

64. Photograph emotions in buildings.

65. Leading lines tip: Wait for your subject to enter your frame.

66. Make at least 1 photograph everyday.

67. Shoot all your photos with a flash for a week.

68. Shoot more silhouettes.

69. Living a good life is more important than photography.

70. Only shoot the color red for a day.

71. Wear your camera like a bracelet or necklace.

72. Print a photo- book with blurb.com

73. Buy 1 new photo book once a month.

74. Only shoot monochrome for a year.

75. Ask yourself: “Why do I photograph?

76. Shoot only 35mm film for 1 month.

77. Photograph someone in front of an interesting advertisement.

78. Only aim to make 1 good photo once a month.

79. More megapixels, more problems.

80. Only shoot square-format photos for a month.

81. Editing tip: When in doubt, ditch.

82. Post-process your photos like seasoning your food.

83. Don’t take photos; make photos.

84. Editing tip: Would you ‘like’ your photo if someone else shot it?

85. Photograph a shadow on your subject’s face.

86. Photograph diagonals for a day.

87. Put two photographs together (diptych)

88. Make at least 10 photos of each scene you find interesting.

89. Teach photography to students to empower them.

90. Find inspiration for photography in Renaissance painting (Leonardo da Vinci).

91. Don’t count your likes or follower numbers.

92. Think decades; not years in your photography.

93. Have your subject make your portrait.

94. Don’t share boring photos.

95. Take photos for 5 minutes everyday during your lunch break.

96. Don’t call yourself a photographer; call yourself a curious person.

97. Start your own blog via bluehost.com + wordpress.org

98. Shoot with all your heart and soul.

99. Make a photo-album for your familly.

100. Make your own list of 100 photography tips.


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100 Photography Tips by Eric Kim