PHOTOGRAPHY GAME - ERIC KIM

Photography as the ultimate game!

We all want to go on more adventures

When I see films like Lord of the Rings, video games, Star Wars, Netflix series like The Witcher, the general idea is:

We all want more interesting, adventurous, and epic lives.

My thought — perhaps photography is one of the best ways to pursue this time of excitement in life.

Mexico City, 2020 child #streettogs

Why a game?

Photography is a game because it has arbitrary rules. We give ourselves ‘creative constraints’ such as:

Sticking with one camera, one lens (or one focal length)
We stick with a certain aesthetic
We constrain ourselves to certain types of subject-matter
We constrain ourselves with the viewfinder (we decide what to include in the viewfinder, and what NOT to include in the viewfinder).

How to make the game more fun for you

Composition as a game. To make photography more fun for you, have more fun with photographic composition.

Shoot outside of your comfort zone

Photography is only fun if it is challenging and difficult for you. If you find photography too easy for you, INCREASE THE DIFFICULTY of photography for you! Some ideas:

Shoot an aesthetic you’re not comfortable with (for example, if you’re a monochrome shooter, try shooting color!)
Shoot in new cities you’re unfamiliar with (for example, CUBA or Mexico City).
Put yourself in situations where you photograph what you’re scared of: For example, get closer to your subject, photograph people who look ‘scary’ to you, or photograph scenes which frighten you. Street photography as more fun when it is challenging and hard!