{"id":39402,"date":"2017-02-17T17:40:43","date_gmt":"2017-02-18T01:40:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?page_id=39402"},"modified":"2017-02-17T18:10:05","modified_gmt":"2017-02-18T02:10:05","slug":"rick-rubin","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/rick-rubin\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Creative Lessons Rick Rubin Can Teach You About Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"paris
Paris, 2015 #trix1600<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I always like cross-pollinating creative ideas. For example, I am inspired by the zen-like philosophy of Rick Rubin, who sees himself (not) as a music producer, but a music reducer<\/em>:<\/p>\n

Some inspirational ideas from the music producer Rick Rubin:<\/p>\n

1.\u00c2\u00a0Reduce<\/h2>\n
\"stockholm
Stockholm, 2015 #trix1600<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Rick Rubin was collaborating with Kanye West<\/a> to make his ‘Yeezus’ album, he told the story of taking songs away from the album:<\/p>\n

“There was so much material we could really pick which direction it was going to go. The idea of making it edgy and minimal and hard was Kanye\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d say, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This song is not so good. Should I start messing with it? Can I make it better?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d And he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d say, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes, but instead of adding stuff, try taking stuff away.<\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d – Rick Rubin<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The lesson I learned is this: learn how to cut away the superfluous. Learn how to reduce<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

When we’re making\u00c2\u00a0photos in the streets, learn how to reduce from the scene. To reduce a scene to the essence.<\/p>\n

With composition, reduce to the essential forms.<\/p>\n

When you’re working on a photo project, reduce the number of photos.<\/p>\n

Reduce<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2. On minimalism<\/h2>\n
\"eric
Portugal, 2015 #trix1600<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n “We talked a lot about minimalism. My house is basically an empty white box. When he walked in, he was like, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153My house is an empty white box, too!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d” – Rick Rubin\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The more empty our homes, our minds, and our souls — the more we can let in creativity, ideas, and innovation.<\/p>\n

Let us spend less time on social media, and looking at less ‘junk images.’ Let us empty ourselves, day after day. Like the Zen Buddhists<\/a>, or the Taoists<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Reduce, reduce, reduce, subtract, subtract, subtract — let us seek stillness, and emptiness. Then let us start to fill our creative cores.<\/p>\n

3. 10 songs<\/h2>\n
\"eric
London, 2015 #trix1600<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n “Initially, he thought there were going to be 16 songs on the album. But that first day, before he even asked me to work on it, I said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maybe you should make it more concise. Maybe this is two albums. Maybe this is just the first half.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d That was one of the first breakthroughs. Kanye was like, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what I came here today to hear! It could be 10 songs!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d” – Rick Rubin\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I feel we can do the same in our photography and art– make our photo projects more concise. Rather than 16 photos in a project, let us aim for less — 10 photos.<\/p>\n

Or we can also think: “Maybe this project is two projects.” You can release it in two ‘albums.’<\/p>\n

How else can you limit yourself to 10 photos in your photography? If you could sum up your entire life as a photographer in 10 images, which images would they be?<\/p>\n

For example, here are my favorite 10 photos<\/a>.<\/p>\n