How to Become a More Creative Photographer

minimalist composition ERIC KIM

Creative photography is our pursuit. Thus the simple question:

How do we become *more* creative in our photography?

Some thoughts:

1. Create every day, and utilize all your creative muscles

CREATIVE EVERY DAY >

The first thing:

Strive to be creative every day.

From our book CREATIVE EVERY DAY:

To maximize your creative output, utilize all parts of your creative muscles (photograph, draw, writing, etc).

You may have some opportunities to make photos, and other opportunities to draw, and write. Consider that photography means ‘writing with light’. So if you want to become more artistic and creative, focusing on the creative writing arts will help you much. Same goes with drawing — it isn’t about drawing ‘good’ or ‘bad’ — it is drawing things which are fun and authentic to you.

For example, you can do it digitally like me (I prefer to create digitally). Zen Brush is fun on iPad and iPhone:

  • Less abstract ERIC KIM
  • Money dollar sign abstract ERIC KIM
  • Abstract ERIC KIM
  • Productivity abstract ERIC KIM
  • Zen natural prompting abstract
  • Hacker ethos ERIC KIM abstract zen
  • Fear hate abstract ERIC KIM
  • Abstract zen calligraphy ERIC KIM
  • Conspiracy abstract
  • Technology abstract
  • Zen zone ERIC KIM abstract
  • Economy upwards abstract ERIC KIM
  • Ignorance ERIC KIM abstract
  • Enthusiasm ERIC KIM abstract
  • Make it for yourself ERIC KIM abstract
  • ERIC KIM abstract
  • ERIC KIM abstract
  • Respect yourself abstract ERIC KIM

2. Shoot small JPEG for digital photography

  • selfie ground
  • tree snow
  • selfie triangle ERIC KIM
  • selfie building ERIC KIM
  • selfie face no glasses

A very practical tip:

Shooting small JPEG (with a filter in-camera) is far more conducive to creativity in photography.

Why? It lowers the barrier to shooting. It allows you to shoot more, and to experiment more.

3. Share your photos on your blog

Self-hosted blog is the best place to publish your photos. Experiment with new ways of sharing your photos, whether they be video slideshows, standard photo slideshow, ‘tiled galleries‘, standard galleries, and different widths (standard, wide, or super-wide).

STREET by KIM42 clear and dark
visual poetry ERIC KIM

4. Shoot video

WINTER VIBES

To become a more creative photographer, also shoot video. Even Stanley Kubrick was an adept photographer before he picked up film and cinema. And many photographers (Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson) have pursued video as well.

5. Analyze and dissect your own compositions to figure out *why* you like them.

  • Simple composition
  • Simplify compositions ERIC KIM
  • Simplest composition ERIC KIM

By analyzing my own compositions, I derive new insights which are personally helpful to me, but also personally beneficial to others.

We are not just photographers; we are visual artists. Once we can affirm this fact to ourselves, then we can truly thrive as photographers.

Black green ERIC KIM abstract
pink triangle abstract ERIC KIM
Creativity ERIC KIM red black white abstract
Gratitude abstract
Tesla model 3 abstract
Yellow blue abstract ERIC KIM
Yellow blue abstract ERIC KIM
Virtual reality gravity sketch ERIC KIM abstract
abstract bugatti ERIC KIM
New abstract ERIC KIM
Abstract woman behind ERIC KIM
we the people abstract
ERIC KIM abstract art
black white abstract explosion ERIC KIM
red black abstract
Abstract ERIC KIM
Google abstract ERIC KIM
black red abstract ERIC KIM
David abstract
Intolerance ERIC KIM abstract David
ERIC KIM selfie abstract orange blue
Rich ERIC KIM abstract
Lexus IS abstract
black red abstract
Audi abstract Eric Kim
Audi car abstract
Hercules abstract ERIC KIM

6. Having the most advantageous camera to you

Another huge thing:

The camera you use is important insofar much as the best camera is that which gets shot the most.

PHOTO JOURNEY by ERIC KIM

7. Enjoy the photographic journey

Recognize that your photography is a journey. As a good traveler knows:

It isn’t the destination which is important … is is the experiences you accumulate and the courage you exhibit *during* the journey which matters.

ERIC

PHOTOGRAPHY 101

Dear friend,

If you’re new to photography, start here:

  1. The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Photography
  2. Free Photography Bootcamp
  3. 100 Photography Tips for Beginners

Photography is Everything!

Photography Tips

Photography Articles

Mad men. NYC, 2017. Pentax 645Z

Photography Techniques

Everyday Photography

RICOH GR II selfie in mirror, double eye surreal. Prague, 2017

RICOH GR II selfie in mirror, double eye surreal. Prague, 2017

Color Photography 101

Photography Philosophy

Photography Inspiration

The Fundamentals of Photography

Photography Equipment »

How to Take Better Photos »

Composition Lessons »

Photography Assignments »

Contact Sheets »

Editing (Image Selection) »

eric kim laughing lady nyc

Creativity »

eric kim Cindy project reflection flash

Motivation »

eric kim portrait by Cindy nguyen

Post-Processing

dark skies over Tokyo eric kim

How to Create a Body of Work

AMERICA - ERIC KIM16 eric kim woman popsicle

Technical Photography Settings

eric kim mom glasses

Learn From the Masters of Photography

MASTERS PROTOTYPE by HAPTIC

“He without a past has no future.”

Start here:

  1. Why Study the Masters of Photography?
  2. Great Female Master Photographers
  3. Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography
  4. 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
  5. Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography
  6. Download All Articles >

The Masters of Photography

Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos

Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos

Classics never die: