Lecture #1 for PHOTOLOSOPHY: what is photolosophy and why is it important?

What is photolosophy and why is it important? Photolosophy is a word we made up which means ‘photography philosophy’. The purpose is for you to find more purpose and meaning in your photography and life.

Everything I’m sharing in this course is from my personal experience. I was once stuck in the ‘social media rat-race‘ — when I tried to take good photos, and uploaded it on social media to get as many likes as possible. Social media is a fun way to get feedback, but the problem is you get stuck into this treadmill. It becomes about accumulating likes, instead of taking photos which gives you personal meaning and purpose in your life.

So once question to ask yourself:

“If I didn’t have social media, Facebook, or Instagram to share my photos; would I still shoot photos?”

If so, what kind of photos would you shoot, who would you share your photos with, and how could you share your photos? And what ultimate meaning does photography give you?

For myself, I consider myself 90 years on my deathbed, and looking at the last few decades of my photography career. I want to fulfill myself with my photos, because (spoiler alert) we are all going to die! Knowing we are going to die, how can we focus to make photos which are meaningful to us?

I studied sociology in school, and I make photos to give social critique and commentary on society. I find street photography as ‘visual sociology‘ — I can use photography to understand others, and better understand myself!

I like to photograph my loved ones, because it reminds me that they’re going to die and I’m going to die. I want to be grateful of my life while im still living. So photography is a meditation on life and death. When you’re alive, show your gratitude to being alive! Make photos which spark joy in your heart, and share photos that can also spark joy into the heart of others!

Also, photography is a meditation on death. Eventually you’re going to die, and the people you photograph will also die.

Use photography as a tool to impress yourself; not others. Let us be like children, to have fun and joy in photography!

ERIC

Learn more: Photolosophy Course >