How to See More Artistically as a Photographer

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Dear friends, wanted to shoot you some words of motivation and words of creative energy.

First of all, recognize that you’re not just a photographer, you’re a visual artist. This means that photography and the camera is only another means to making photos. This means that you’re not a photographer; you’re an artist.

How to See More Artistically as a Photographer Download

The art of seeing artistically

Kyoto, 2017 #cindyproject

Art literally means ‘technique’ (“tekhne” in Ancient Greek). Art isn’t some pretentious notion only for the elite few. In my eyes, if you have a passion for creating visual imagery and you have a passion to make photos, you’re an artist.

To see artistically means:

Being able to cross pollinate everything you see, do, and experience.

For example lately I’ve been studying a lot of Bauhaus design, and have found deep inspiration to apply to my photography. It motivated me to think more geometrically, abstractly and simply. As of late, the Google Arts and Culture App has been one of the best tools for new artistic insights, lessons and creativity.

Photographers as painters of light

What is a photographer? A painter of light. What this means is that instead of painting with a paint brush, you paint with light. Your camera is a technologically advanced paint brush. This means:

You create art works with your camera.

Photographs can be both practical (photographing your parking spot, receipts, and to do lists) and also artistic (you make photos as a means of artistic self expression). This means:

Have deep pride in being a photographer-artist.

Our photography and artwork is far more important than our career, than office politics and even petty arguments between family and friends. Our life is short, but our photos will last long — far longer than us. So why delay your photography, and seize your opportunity today, right now to make great photo art?

And let us never forget our simple motto:

Just shoot it.

ERIC

The art of black and white photography online workshop

If you want to take your monochrome vision and creativity to the next level, I cordially invite you to my upcoming MASTER MONOCHROME Online Photography Workshop (Saturday January 9th, 2021).

In this practical and motivational workshop, you will learn how to see more artistically in monochrome, how to most effectively post process your photos into sublime black and white, and how to hone in your creative vision.

Learn more here >

Who has been inspiring me lately?

BAUHAUS ART: Bauhaus Everywhere by Google Arts is a great introduction.
Learn from the Masters: László Moholy-Nagy as one of the most under-rated artists (one of the OG heads of the Bauhaus school)
Man Ray: The hybrid of painting and photography.