Dear friend,

If you want to improve your photography, I recommend studying painting! Study their composition, their philosophy, and the emotion in their work! And of course, there’s no right or wrong way to interpret their work; it all depends on you!

This was my realization: after a while, I kind of got bored studying photographers. Why? Their work seemed a bit repetitive. I was hungry for more inspiration, wisdom, and knowledge. I sought and found the work of painters!

For example, really interested in the work of Matisse, who was a friend of Henri Cartier Bresson, who I consider was a Surrealist painter who used the camera as his paintbrush.

The dance by Matisse

The dance by Matisse, circular composition outlined by red arrows

The dance, Matisse remix by ERIC KIM

Matisse cutout

MATISSE X ERICKIM

Drawing by Matisse, woman with folded arms.

Triangle composition by Matisse outlined in red.

Blue abstract by ERIC KIM. Drawing by Matisse, woman with folded arms

Triangle composition. Three subjects abstracted by Matisse, into red, blue, yellow.

Three subjects abstracted by Matisse.

Triangle composition. Three subjects abstracted by Matisse.

Triangle composition. Three subjects abstracted by Matisse, into red, blue, yellow.

Triangle composition in white. Three subjects abstracted by Matisse, into red, blue, yellow.

I’ve been looking at compositions from painters, and using the iPad Pro 10.5 inch, and the Procreate app to deconstruct their compositions, to figure out for myself — why does is their work so effective?

Untitled Basquiat

ERIC KIM X BASQUIAT

This led me down a rabbit hole, studying artists like Monet, Piet Mondrian, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, etc. And the more I studied the work of painters, the more inspired I actually got in my photography! I started to get more inspired with composition, framing, composing my subjects, etc.

Of course with photography, we are under the tyranny of the lens and “reality”; but with fun techniques in photography, we can create our own reality! For example, shooting through reflections, glass, shifting our perspective, and making more surreal photos.

Willem de Kooning

For example, I’m studying the work of Willem de Kooning, and am SO inspired by his work, his sketches, and his compositions. Because he knew how to paint and draw “properly”— yet he decided to paint the human form to depict what he really saw ; the beautiful orgy of shapes, forms, emotion, and sexual energy in humans!

Piet Mondrian

Piet Mondrian has been another muse; his minimalism in shapes, forms, and colors is phenomenal. To study composition, he’s the man.

Piet Mondrian sketches of his diamond compositions.

Piet Mondrian studies

Piet Mondrian Vibes

PIET MONDRIAN x ERIC KIM

Piet Mondrian red lighthouse by ERIC KIM

PIET MONDRIAN x ERIC KIM

PIET MONDRIAN x ERIC KIM

PIET MONDRIAN x ERIC KIM

PIET MONDRIAN x ERIC KIM

PIET MONDRIAN x ERIC KIM

PIET MONDRIAN x ERIC KIM

A red “cloud” against a mostly “cool” colored background. Piet Mondrian.

PIET MONDRIAN x ERIC KIM

© Estate of André Kertész

PIET MONDRIAN x ERIC KIM

PIET MONDRIAN x ERIC KIM

Michelangelo

Super inspired by Michelangelo; his use of curves, the arabesque, and the balance and elegance to his compositions:

Study painting to become a better photographer

To sum up, the reason why study painting as a photographer:

1. Discover new color combinations and palettes from painters, which are epic.
2. Learn how to create balanced yet dynamic compositions, which you can apply to your own photography.
3. If you shoot portraits, look at how people pose in paintings from the past, or how the body poses in sculptures.
4. Study the philosophy of master artists from the past. Try to understand why they made their own art, and then reflect, why you make your own art.

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NEVER STOP MAKING ART!
ERIC