After looking through my older photos, and thinking when I was the most productive as a photographer– it is when I was living the most!

Inspiration while living nomadically

I generally find myself most inspired in my photography while living nomadically — spending certain periods of time living abroad in foreign places.

For example, when Cindy and I lived 8 months in Hanoi, and 3 months in Saigon. I was incredibly productive in my photography during this period, because it was chock-full of learning. Learning about a new culture, a new city, new language, and meeting new people:

The truth is no matter how interesting the place you live in, sooner or later you will acclimate and ‘get used to it’ (hedonic adaptation).

But the thing that was interesting while living in Vietnam was that we just spent more time living out of the house.

For example, when living in Saigon, we spent around 3 months living in a small hotel. This is when I was the most intellectually and creatively productive, because I spent almost no time inside the room (only for sleeping) — and this freed up a lot of mental energy for me. No worrying about cleaning the room, no worrying about cooking food (we ate out), and most of our time was spent at coffee shops, wandering around, exploring new places, meeting friends for dinner, and always eating out every night.

To me, this was ‘living’ more– which exposed me to more situations which provided me more photo opportunities.

But this is the important thing:

Living is more important than photography.

Furthermore,

If you want to be more productive as a photographer, LIVE MORE!

What does it mean to ‘live more’?

To me, living more means:

1. Spending more time outside of your house/home
2. Spending more time in public places
3. Walking around more
4. Spending more time living in foreign places (a nomadic life, and traveling much)
5. Meeting new people, and also spending much time meeting with old and dear friends
6. Going to coffee shops, restaurants, or places that are quasi-new (sometimes it is good to keep visiting the same places over and over again, but sometimes it is good to visit new places). Or another idea: have a handful of favorite places, and just cycle between them.
7. Living life more randomly– not always planning your life.

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Whenever you have the option, always choose adventure.

For example, if you have the option of staying home or the option of checking out a new place, going to a party– always choose the less boring option!

Exposure to new places

I also encourage you to expose yourself to new places to shoot photos (mall street photography), or walking in new neighborhoods to see random and interesting things to shoot.

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Travel more with family

I have a lot of wonderful memories traveling with my family — especially traveling with my (two) moms– my biological mom, and Cindy’s mom.

Traveling and both under-rated and over-rated

Traveling is this funny thing.

1. In some ways, travel is overrated (people think that it will solve all their life problems, and bring them eternal happiness and bliss).
2. But also, travel is under-rated. Travel does shake things up (which is good), makes you more uncomfortable, which often sparks new creative ideas and visions.

While I don’t believe we should become dependent upon travel to be inspired to shoot photos, it certainly helps, and is a positive stimulus to inspiring our photography.

Curate your photos and look at your older work when you’re not traveling

The truth is we cannot always travel. There are periods of time when we will be ‘settled’ for certain periods of time.

And this is an idea that has helped me:

When perhaps you’re living a more ‘settled’ life, and you don’t find that many interesting things to photograph– spend more time looking at your older photos!

Even the most adventurous individuals aren’t ALWAYS traveling or at sea. Sailors will spend time docked at a pier. Military people spend time stationed at certain camps for periods of time. Even nomadic tribes spend some time settled in certain places for certain periods of time.

Enjoy shooting photos while you’re settled

I also enjoy the photos that I shot while Cindy and I was more settled (for example, when we lived in Berkeley from 2014-2015):

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We shouldn’t be dependent on traveling to find inspiration to shoot photos. We can also enjoy suburban living and photography. For myself, I’ve decided as a photographer:

Make the best photos out of any given situation you currently have in life.

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Conclusion

Life, living and photography is a delicate dance. Let your life channel into your photography, and also channel your photography into living your life.

Takeaways:

1. To find more inspiration to shoot more epic photos, don’t just buy a new camera. Instead, seek to put yourself into more interesting situations which will naturally inspire you to shoot more photos.
2. Whenever you have the option, take the less boring option (don’t stay at home– go out more!)
3. Never delay your photography. Use any and every opportunity to make photos. Avoid genre in photography; it is all photography.

LIVE ON!