{"id":26554,"date":"2016-01-18T15:47:58","date_gmt":"2016-01-18T23:47:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=26554"},"modified":"2016-01-18T15:47:58","modified_gmt":"2016-01-18T23:47:58","slug":"have-creative-confidence-in-yourself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/18\/have-creative-confidence-in-yourself\/","title":{"rendered":"Have Creative Confidence in Yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"SF,
SF, 2016 #ricohgrii<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dear friend,<\/p>\n

I wanted to write you this letter on having creative confidence.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The sad thing in today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s world (and I guess always) is that artists (especially photographers) don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have creative confidence in themselves.<\/p>\n

It makes sense, after all. To show your art with the world is an act of vulnerability. You open yourself to criticism, haters, and words that can put you down.<\/p>\n

But friend, have confidence in your work and photography. Know that whenever you take a photograph, you find something interesting and unique about that moment. It is a special moment to you<\/em> (who cares what other people think about your photos anyway?)<\/p>\n

Why do we lack creative confidence?<\/h2>\n

I wanted to write why<\/em> I think a lot of photographers lack creative confidence (using myself as an example):<\/p>\n

1. We want to be liked by others<\/h3>\n

For me, I want everyone to like me. Now I know this isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t possible, but it is an ideal I hope to achieve.<\/p>\n

The biggest mistake I make is when someone says that they don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like my photos, I think that they don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like me (as a human being).<\/p>\n

However in reality, just because someone doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like your photos doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mean they don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like you as a person. Not only that, but if someone doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like your photos\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you are not a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153bad\u00e2\u20ac\u009d person.<\/p>\n

I know that a lot of photographers who take negative criticism personally.<\/p>\n

The secret is to detach yourself emotionally from your photos. You are not your photos.<\/p>\n

2. We spend too much time on social media<\/h3>\n

We all know this moment: we have a long day of work, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re tired and exhausted, we go home, microwave some dinner, sit at our dinner table (alone), take out our smartphone, and inhale our food while checking our Facebook or Instagram feed.<\/p>\n

Inevitably we see that everyone else is living a fantastic and amazing life. They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re in the Caribbean\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s, at Vegas, or having a cappuccino while shooting with their Leica in Paris. You are there in your apartment, alone, miserable (hating your job), and wishing you were more creative.<\/p>\n

The problem I have found with social media is that we create these unrealistic expectations for ourselves (because we are constantly comparing ourselves with others).<\/p>\n

This also happens with photography. We are constantly comparing the amazing photos we see online to the boring photos we shoot.<\/p>\n

The reality is that we have a false view of reality. Most (good) photographers only share their best work. And the photos they share might have \u00e2\u20ac\u0153marinated\u00e2\u20ac\u009d for months or even years before they decided to share them. So they are only sharing their \u00e2\u20ac\u0153creme de la crop\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (best of the best).<\/p>\n

However it is rare we make a good photo. If you can make 1 decent photo a month, and 1 great photo a year\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing a fantastic job. There is this (probably untrue) story of Josef Koudelka asking Henri Cartier-Bresson how many good photos he made a year. Apparently HCB says, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If I am lucky, maybe 1-2 a month.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Josef Koudelka then exclaims: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Me too! I thought it was only me.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Remember friend, photography is like chess\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you can learn how to play in a minute, but it takes a lifetime to master.<\/p>\n

If you want to be less miserable and less confident in your work, spend less<\/em> time online. Still find inspiration in other photographers, but see them as your guides\u00e2\u20ac\u201d rather than comparing yourself to them.<\/p>\n

3. We don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know why<\/em> we take photos<\/h3>\n

This is a big one\u00e2\u20ac\u201d people will ask me whether I think their photos are good or not. But honestly\u00e2\u20ac\u201d why should anybody care what I think\u00e2\u20ac\u201d or what anybody thinks?<\/p>\n

The more important thing: ask yourself why<\/em> you take photos. If you take family snapshots to preserve memories and share them with your loved ones\u00e2\u20ac\u201d why do you need to make \u00e2\u20ac\u0153good\u00e2\u20ac\u009d photos? You need to make personally meaningful<\/em> photos.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, if you shoot street photography as a way to get out of the office, release stress, and just relax, do you really need to make \u00e2\u20ac\u0153good\u00e2\u20ac\u009d photos?<\/p>\n

If you do indeed want to improve your photos, ask yourself: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why<\/em> do I want to improve my photography?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Do you want to improve your photography to get your work exhibited? Do you want to improve your photography because self-improvement brings you happiness? Do you want to improve your photography to get more followers on Instagram, or more likes? This is a question only you can answer.<\/p>\n

Everybody lacks confidence<\/h2>\n

I am very insecure about my photography. I never want to share any \u00e2\u20ac\u0153bad\u00e2\u20ac\u009d photos because I am in a precarious situation\u00e2\u20ac\u201d if I share bad work, then people will think I am a poor photographer, and therefore nobody will ever attend my workshops (because I suck), I will become homeless, I will lose Cindy, and I will die on some gutter somewhere.<\/p>\n

Okay this is a very extreme example\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but remember, you are not alone in lacking confidence.<\/p>\n

Even some of the most accomplished Magnum photographers are insecure about their work, and envious of one another. I hear all these stories of Magnum photographers talking shit about one another all the time. And it all comes from jealousy. Even when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re on top of the game, the taller up you go, the higher you can fall.<\/p>\n

So what are some practical ways how you can have more<\/em> creative confidence?<\/p>\n

How to have more creative confidence<\/h2>\n

1. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t share your photos<\/h3>\n

To start off, gauge yourself: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do I really take photos to please myself, or do I do it to please others?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

As a test, start off by taking a break from sharing photos online (or offline). Take a week, a month, a year, however long you want.<\/p>\n

The first week of not sharing photos online is like having a severe nicotine or caffeine withdraw. It sucks. You feel sick, alone, and you get nervous tics. Then after the second week, you no longer have any \u00e2\u20ac\u0153cravings\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and I can guarantee you; you will have a lot more peace of mind.<\/p>\n

Personally, I uninstalled all social media apps from my smartphone and man\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I have a lot less anxiety whether my photos get a lot of likes\/comments.<\/p>\n

I am keeping most of my photos for myself, synced on my laptop over Dropbox. And for the photos I happen to like, I share them on this blog. And ever since I removed comments, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel any anxiety whether anyone likes the photos or not. After all, if I like the photos, why do I care whether others like the shots?<\/p>\n

I think as a practical tip\u00e2\u20ac\u201d it is better to make photos that you like and wait until you find others who like you work. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t make photos that you think others will like. That is like artistic prostitution.<\/p>\n

2. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t put any pressure on yourself<\/h3>\n

Life is stressful; why add additional pressure on your artistic work?<\/p>\n

We all have shitty jobs, shitty commutes, shitty bosses, not enough money in the bank, worries about finances and healthcare, concerns about our kids, our spouses, and whether our friends are talking shit behind our backs.<\/p>\n

Photography should be self-therapy\u00e2\u20ac\u201d a chance for us to be creative, happy, and a chance for us to express ourselves.<\/p>\n

If you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t enjoy photography, and if photography is adding stress to your life, why do it?<\/p>\n

I know a lot of photographers who put too much pressure and stress on themselves. They think that every photo they make has to be a great shot, and every photo they upload online needs at least 100 likes\/favorites. If they don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have external validation from their photos, they feel depressed, and feel like they failed.<\/p>\n

But fuck it\u00e2\u20ac\u201d don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t \u00e2\u20ac\u0153try\u00e2\u20ac\u009d so hard.<\/p>\n

There is a Taoist philosophy called \u00e2\u20ac\u0153wu-wei\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (passive achievement). The concept is that if you want to create great art, you shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t force yourself. Rather, you remove distractions from your life, and you let your intuition and subconscious create art.<\/p>\n

So even when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re out taking photos, let your guts and intuition follow you. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think too much when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re shooting.<\/p>\n

One thing that Anders Petersen says is that when he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s out shooting, he shoots from the gut, and when he goes home and edits (selects) his best work, then he uses his brain.<\/p>\n

You need to take a lot of shitty photos to make a few good ones. For me, I know that every 100 rolls of film I shoot I will end up making around 10 photos that I like (at least that is my \u00e2\u20ac\u0153hit rate\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in my last batch of film that I processed). So that is 1 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153decent\u00e2\u20ac\u009d photo per 10 rolls of film. With digital times that by 10.<\/p>\n

So to reiterate; when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re out shooting, follow your gut and don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t discriminate. Take a lot of photos, and give yourself permission to take \u00e2\u20ac\u0153bad\u00e2\u20ac\u009d photos.<\/p>\n

However when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re selecting your best photos, try to be brutally hard on yourself and choose what you think is your \u00e2\u20ac\u0153personal best<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n

3. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t play it safe<\/h3>\n

To have creative confidence, you need to take risks. In-fact, you need to learn how to love risk.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest reasons why I love street photography is that it is risky. It is scary. There is nothing that gets my blood pumping more than the chance that a stranger might get upset of me of taking their photo. Not to say that I take photos to piss people off, but I am attracted to taking photos that are difficult.<\/p>\n

I still have a fear of shooting street photography. However, it is a lot less than it was several years ago. But I have a personal rule: if I see a scene that I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m afraid to photograph, I must photograph it<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

I sometimes walk all day and don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see any good photo opportunities. But if I see a scene that gets my heart pumping, sweat pouring down my back\u00e2\u20ac\u201d it means that it might be a potentially good photo. So in these circumstances, I usually go up to the person and just ask for permission (if I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m afraid).<\/p>\n

The worst is having regrets. The regret of not<\/em> having taken the photo. Personally, I feel a lot more happy if I asked someone to take their photo (and getting rejected) rather than never asking at all.<\/p>\n

Sometimes when I get too nervous and I chicken out, I lie in bed in the evening, and kick myself in the face for not even \u00e2\u20ac\u0153trying\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to take that photo.<\/p>\n

No regrets friend. Have creative confidence. Take chances, take risks.<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll end this letter from a quote from a wise ancient:<\/p>\n

\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The braver one is, the happier one is.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Farewell, and be strong.<\/p>\n

Always,
\nEric<\/p>\n

3:30pm, Monday, Jan 18, 2016 \u00e2\u20ac\u201d with a lovely almond-milk cappuccino @ \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ink & Bean\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in Anaheim listening to Pusha T\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Darkest before Dawn\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/em>.<\/p>\n

New batch of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Henri\u00e2\u20ac\u009d neck straps available soon!<\/h2>\n
\"Packaging
Packaging for the “Henri” neck strap (credit Josh White<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cindy and I\u00c2\u00a0are pretty excited to share the news that we have a new batch of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Henri\u00e2\u20ac\u009d neck straps<\/a>. This is version 2, the color is slightly darker (like a lovely walnut-brown), is more refined, and sexier. This limited run is for 100 units. We will sell US orders on Amazon. Furthermore, we will start shipping internationally as well via Paypal.<\/p>\n

If you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to miss out on the new “Henri” neck strap (Mark II), register your intent via this Google form<\/strong><\/a>. If you want to learn more about the “Henri” neck strap, my good friend Josh White wrote a “first impressions review<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

If you don’t like neck straps, and you prefer a more minimalist strap, pick up a “Henri” wrist-strap on Amazon<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Conquer your fear of shooting street photography<\/h2>\n
\"Student
Student photo by Luis Donoso. SF Composition Workshop, 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you want to gain more creative confidence in your photography, join me at my last American workshops (before I move to Vietnam for a year). And join me in Asia (if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve never been), make a lovely trip out of it (bring your loved one), and join me in an adventure you will never forget:<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Jan 9-10:\u00c2\u00a0SF\u00c2\u00a0\/ Introduction to Composition<\/del>
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Feb 5-12:\u00c2\u00a0Dubai\u00c2\u00a0\/\u00c2\u00a0Gulf Photo Plus 2016<\/a>
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Mar 19-20:\u00c2\u00a0NYC\u00c2\u00a0\/\u00c2\u00a0Introduction to\u00c2\u00a0Composition<\/a>
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Mar 26-27:\u00c2\u00a0NYC\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\/\u00c2\u00a0Conquer Your Fears<\/a>
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u201c April 16-17:\u00c2\u00a0SF\u00c2\u00a0\/\u00c2\u00a0Conquer Your Fears<\/a>
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u201c April 23-24:\u00c2\u00a0SF\u00c2\u00a0\/\u00c2\u00a0Discover Your Unique Voice<\/a>
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Oct 1-2:\u00c2\u00a0Melbourne\u00c2\u00a0\/\u00c2\u00a0Conquer Your Fears<\/a>
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Oct 8-9:\u00c2\u00a0Sydney\u00c2\u00a0\/\u00c2\u00a0Conquer Your Fears<\/a>
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Nov 5-6:\u00c2\u00a0Singapore\u00c2\u00a0\/\u00c2\u00a0Conquer Your Fears<\/a>
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Nov 12-13:\u00c2\u00a0Tokyo\u00c2\u00a0\/\u00c2\u00a0Discover Your Unique Voice<\/a>
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Nov 19-20:\u00c2\u00a0Kyoto\u00c2\u00a0\/\u00c2\u00a0Introduction to Composition<\/a><\/p>\n

2017 Street Photography Workshops<\/h2>\n
\"Student
Student photo by Jay Rendon. From the SF Composition Workshop 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n
  • Feb 8-12:\u00c2\u00a0Hanoi to Sapa\u00c2\u00a0\/ Travel<\/li>\n
  • Mar 11-12:\u00c2\u00a0Saigon\u00c2\u00a0\/ Conquer Your Fears<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    For\u00c2\u00a0any questions regarding upcoming workshops, contact\u00c2\u00a0neil.ta@erickimphotography.com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Dear friend, I wanted to write you this letter on having creative confidence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26557,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_ek_photo_artist_note":"","_ek_photo_thesis":"","_ek_photo_camera":"","_ek_photo_place":"","_ek_photo_human_moment":"","_ek_photo_sequence":"","_ek_photo_question":"","_ek_photo_canonical_claim":"","_ek_photo_ai_summary":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-posts"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/img_0749.jpeg?fit=4032%2C3024&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26554","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26554"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26554\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26554"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26554"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26554"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}