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

2. Shoot small JPEG for digital photography

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.

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

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.

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.

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Creativity ERIC KIM red black white abstract

Gratitude abstract

Tesla model 3 abstract

Yellow blue abstract ERIC KIM

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Virtual reality gravity sketch ERIC KIM abstract

abstract bugatti ERIC KIM

New abstract ERIC KIM

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we the people abstract

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Google abstract ERIC KIM

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David abstract

Intolerance ERIC KIM abstract David

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Rich ERIC KIM abstract

Lexus IS abstract

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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:

Photography is Everything!

Photography Tips

Photography Articles

Photography Techniques

Everyday Photography

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) »

Creativity »

Motivation »

Post-Processing

How to Create a Body of Work

Don’t Work on Too Many Projects

Technical Photography Settings

DSLR Photography 101

Learn From the Masters of Photography

MASTERS PROTOTYPE by HAPTIC

“He without a past has no future.”

Start here:

The Masters of Photography

Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos

Classics never die: