You’re feeling stuck; how do you elevate your photography and take it to the next level?
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1. Shoot more scenes that scare you
To advance your photography, censor yourself less. Which means,
If you see something you want to photograph, yet you feel nervous or afraid — lean into the fear, and shoot it anyways.
Why shoot more of what you’re afraid of?
I don’t really know what it means to take “better” photos, but I know what it means do take more challenging photos. In street photography, scenes or people who scare me are more challenging.
Assignment: For a month, whenever you see a person or a scene that scares you, you must photograph it, or ask for permission to shoot.
2. Be more experimental with your compositions
Experiment with your compositions, by trying to shoot layers, create more depth, or moving your subject around your frame.
Rather than shooting your subjects in the center of the frame, compose them off-center, to make a more dynamic picture.
Focus on what’s furthest away in the background, not what’s closest to you.
There’s only one way to elevate and grow yourself as a photographer: never stop challenging your compositions in photography. Keep experimenting.
3. Get closer
Generally the closer your photos, the better. The biggest difficulty we have in street photography is to get closer.
Why get closer? The closer you get, the more intimate and soulful your photos.
- To get closer, pre focus your lens to .7 meters, and only shoot that distance for a month.
- Or, ask for permission from your subjects.
4. Make a social statement with your photos
It’s not enough to just make pretty photos. Make a social, economic, or political statement with your photos. This is what I attempted to do in my “ONLY IN AMERICA” series, I tried to highlight racism, social inequality, and the overall misery of wealth disparity in America.
To me, photography is like visual sociology; you use your camera to judge, critique, and analyze society. This is the genius of the photographers Lars Tunbjork and Martin Parr.
As a photographer, don’t be a unpassionate, disconnected, and “objective” photographer. No— I encourage you to put your heart, soul, and to be subjective in your photography! I want to see your opinion of the world and society, manifested through your photos.
What are you trying to say with your photos? Are you an optimist or pessimist?
Assert your opinion and worldview through your photography!
5. Shoot in uncommon places

There is still so much unpaved ground in photography, especially in indoor places.
Shoot more indoors, in public places, like inside the gym, mall, restaurant, bar, grocery store.
Indoor street photography is totally ripe; a great opportunity for you to fill this gap!
Conclusion: Think long-term
Lastly, I’m amazed, it has been 10 years since I started shooting street photography. 8 years ago I made this blog. I’m still learning, growing, and evolving, as a photographer, visual artist, philosopher and teacher.
I’m amazed how quickly time has gone. Time flies.
I’m actually quite proud of looking back at my old work, and putting together a new street photography portfolio. But I still remember when I was shooting those photos, I felt like I wasn’t making quick enough progress. I still had lots of self-doubt in myself as a photographer.
Last words of encouragement:
- Focus on the long game in photography: How can you stay motivated and inspired as a photographer for decades, and to shoot until you die? Longevity is more important than short-term success in photography.
- Only seek to impress yourself through photography: This will keep you motivated.
- Have faith in yourself: You’re on the right path!
NEVER STOP SHOOTING!
ERIC
CONQUER YOUR FEARS AND MEET NEW PEERS at ERIC KIM WORKSHOP
PHOTOGRAPHY 101
Dear friend,
If you’re new to photography, start here:
- The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Photography
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Photography Articles
- You’re (Already) a Photographer!
- 7 Tips How to Shoot More Photos
- Everything is Permitted in Photography!
- 20 Dark Tips How to Shoot Shadow Photos
- How to Give a Constructive Critique in Photography
- 15 Tips How to Shoot Better Selfies
- Photography is All a Matter of Perspective
- Photography Warmup Assignments
- 5 Simple Tips How to Take Better Pictures
- 10 Tips How to Shoot Better Architecture Photography
- 7 Reasons Why I Love Digital Medium-Format Photography
- My Experience Shooting Digital Medium Format in Street Photography
- My Experience Shooting my Friend Wedding on Digital Medium Format
Photography Techniques
- Photo Technique: Look Up
- Street Photography Technique: Overlap
- The Fishing Technique in Street Photography
- The “Bookend” Technique in Street Photography
Everyday Photography

- How to Shoot Better Night Photography
- How to Shoot Better Macro Photography
- Everyday Photography
- 10 Tips How to Take Better Photos of Everyday Life
- 15 Tips How to Shoot Better Selfies
- 10 Tips How to Take Better Photos of Everyday Life
Color Photography 101
- The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Color Photography
- Opponent Process Color Theory For Photographers
- Color Theory For Photographers
Photography Philosophy
Photography Inspiration
- How to Become a Self-Confident Photographer
- The Spirit of Becoming a Photographer
- How to Make Better Pictures
- 10 Tips How to Take Better Photos of People
- How to Avoid Boredom in Photography
- How to Master Photography
- A Photographer’s Guide to Seeing
- PRETENTIOUS PHOTOGRAPHY
- Photography Energy Management
- How to Unlock Your Potential in Photography
- There Are No Good or Bad Photos
- The 5 Minute Photographer
- A-Z: PHOTOGRAPHY DICTIONARY by ERIC KIM
- Why I Want to Be a Photography Newbie Forever
- PHOTOGRAPHY FLUX.
- 10 Creative Photography Assignments to Re-Inspire You
- 50 Photography Tips by ERIC KIM
The Fundamentals of Photography
- Make Simple Pictures
- The Art of Reading a Picture
- How to Choose Your Best Photos
- GET CLOSER.
- Keep or Ditch?
- What Makes a Good Photo?
- Why Photography?
- Everyone is a Photographer
- How to take better pictures
- How to take better selfies
- How to Paint With Light
- Why Bokeh is Overrated
Photography Equipment »
- What is the Perfect Camera For You?
- What to Consider When Buying a Camera
- More Megapixels, More Problems
How to Take Better Photos »
- How to Take Better Photos
- How to Capture Emotion in Your Photos
- How to Create a “Curiosity Gap” in Your Photos
Composition Lessons »
- Composition Lesson #1: Triangles
- Composition Lesson #2: Figure-to-ground
- Composition Lesson #3: Diagonals
Photography Assignments »
- 40 Practical Photography Assignments
- 15 Street Photography Assignments
- 25 Photography New Year’s Resolutions
Contact Sheets »
- Street Photography Contact Sheets
- Street Photography Contact Sheets Volume II
- Debunking the “Myth of the Decisive Moment”
Editing (Image Selection) »
Creativity »
Motivation »
- Each Photo You Take is an “Attempt”
- How to Overcome Photographer’s Block
- Why Do You Need “Inspiration” to Shoot?
Post-Processing
- How to Edit Your Photos
- Grain is Beautiful
- Are Filters “Cheating” in Photography?
- Video: Introduction to Editing, Processing, and Workflow in Lightroom
How to Create a Body of Work
Technical Photography Settings
Learn From the Masters of Photography

“He without a past has no future.”
Start here:
- Why Study the Masters of Photography?
- Great Female Master Photographers
- Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography
- 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
- Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography
- Download All Articles >
The Masters of Photography

Classics never die:
- Alfred Stieglitz
- Alec Soth
- Alex Webb
- Alexey Brodovitch
- Anders Petersen
- Andre Kertesz
- Ansel Adams
- Araki
- Blake Andrews
- Bruce Davidson
- Bruce Gilden
- Constantine Manos
- Daido Moriyama
- Dan Winters
- David Alan Harvey
- David Hurn
- Diane Arbus
- Dorothea Lange
- Elliott Erwitt
- Eugene Atget
- Eugene Smith
- Fan Ho
- Garry Winogrand
- Gordon Parks
- Helen Levitt
- Henri Cartier-Bresson
- Irving Penn
- Jacob Aue Sobol
- Jeff Mermelstein
- Joel Meyerowitz
- Joel Sternfeld
- Josef Koudelka / Part 2
- Josh White
- Lee Friedlander
- Lisette Model
- Magnum Contact Sheets
- Magnum Photographers
- Mark Cohen
- Martin Parr
- Martine Franck
- Mary Ellen Mark
- Rene Burri
- Richard Avedon
- Richard Kalvar
- Robert Capa
- Robert Frank
- Saul Leiter
- Sergio Larrain
- Sebastião Salgado
- Shomei Tomatsu
- Stephen Shore
- The History of Street Photography
- Todd Hido
- Tony Ray-Jones
- Trent Parke
- Vivian Maier
- Walker Evans
- Weegee
- William Eggleston
- William Klein
- Zoe Strauss