{"id":27258,"date":"2016-02-15T07:21:49","date_gmt":"2016-02-15T15:21:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=27258"},"modified":"2016-02-15T07:21:49","modified_gmt":"2016-02-15T15:21:49","slug":"how-to-find-your-passion-in-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2016\/02\/15\/how-to-find-your-passion-in-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Find Your Passion in Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"01\"<\/p>\n

\n pas\u00c2\u00b7sion: A strong amorous feeling or desire; love; ardor. From the Latin word \u00e2\u20ac\u0153pati\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, which means to \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcsuffer.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We are often told in society \u00e2\u20ac\u0153follow your passion\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and I do believe that concept (to an extent). Often we cannot control external factors (like whether or not we can make our passion our full-time profession), but we can control what we do with our spare time.<\/p>\n

My impetus for you in this letter is to follow your passion in photography. But of course, before you can follow your passion, you must discover what your passion is.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The difference between \u00e2\u20ac\u0153passion\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153enthusiasm\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/h2>\n

\"Gallo-2\"<\/p>\n

The idea I got for writing this letter to you is based on a lovely talk by Sara Lando, one of the most incredible portrait photographers around, and also one of the most intelligent and sweet photographers I have ever met.<\/p>\n

Sara did a talk at GPP in Dubai, and talked the difference between \u00e2\u20ac\u0153passion\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153enthusiasm\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in photography.<\/p>\n

First of all, there is a general misconception of the words \u00e2\u20ac\u0153passion\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153enthusiasm\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in the modern world. However, Sara being an ancient Latin\/Greek studies major in the past, was able to differentiate the differences.<\/p>\n

When we think of the word \u00e2\u20ac\u0153passion\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d we generally think of the modern concept of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153what you love.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d However when we talk about the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153passion of Christ\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d it is more focused on pain and misery.<\/p>\n

The first definition of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153passion\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I discovered in Google was:<\/p>\n

\n passion: strong and barely controllable emotion.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Passion is not always a positive thing\u00e2\u20ac\u201d as dictionary.com defines passion as:<\/p>\n

\n passion: any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, as love or hate.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So you can be \u00e2\u20ac\u0153passionate\u00e2\u20ac\u009d about what you do\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but in a negative way. Furthermore, you can feel \u00e2\u20ac\u0153passionately hateful\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to someone else (a negative trait).<\/p>\n

Instead of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153passion\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, technically the more accurate term is \u00e2\u20ac\u0153enthusiasm\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d which Google defines as:<\/p>\n

\n en\u00c2\u00b7thu\u00c2\u00b7si\u00c2\u00b7asm: intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

However most people in modern English interchange passion (when they really mean enthusiasm).<\/p>\n

The most interesting thing about the word \u00e2\u20ac\u0153enthusiasm\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is that it comes from the Greek word: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153enthousiasmos\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, which means \u00e2\u20ac\u0153possessed by a god, inspired\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n

But for the sake of this essay, I will just refer to the word \u00e2\u20ac\u0153passion\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel people really use the word \u00e2\u20ac\u0153enthusiasm\u00e2\u20ac\u009d as much anymore\u00e2\u20ac\u201d although we should).<\/p>\n

How to find your passion<\/h2>\n

\"06\"<\/p>\n

Do you remember when you were a child? When you did stuff for fun? You simply follow your curiosity\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t learn because you wanted to be \u00e2\u20ac\u0153smarter\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you just did it for the pure joy of it.<\/p>\n

Do you remember when you first picked up a camera? Do you remember before you learned all the technical settings, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153rules\u00e2\u20ac\u009d on composition, and other barriers to your learning? You simply photographed what you were interested in, and things that you loved.<\/p>\n

I feel the first step in finding your passion in photography is to recollect your past. Vividly remember when you first picked up a camera. Where were you? What camera did you use? How old were you? What<\/em> did you enjoy photographing?<\/p>\n

For me, I was particularly interested in documenting my personal memories. When I started photography (18 years old), I just graduated high school, went to Korea for a summer, and was about to enter college. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve always had a horrible memory, so for me photography was about documenting my life, and about keeping it for posterity\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sake.<\/p>\n

As time has gone on, however, photography has become less<\/em> about this simple joy and documentation of my life. It has become more about becoming more \u00e2\u20ac\u0153famous\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, getting more followers on social media, and somehow trying to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153prove myself\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to other photographers. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had a low-self esteem when I was younger, and I would constantly look to the affirmation of others for approval.<\/p>\n

Even now, honestly\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I am quite content with where I am with my photography (certainly a lot more in the past). Yet I am still envious of photographers who are more famous, more talented, and have more followers than me. It is a bug I know I will never be able to 100% eradicate\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but I am trying.<\/p>\n

What would you do if you won a billion dollars?<\/h2>\n

\"10\"<\/p>\n

Okay\u00e2\u20ac\u201d so let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s do this thought experiment: imagine you won the lottery tomorrow, and $1 billion dollars was transferred to your personal checking account. It would be the epitome of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153fuck you money\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d in which you would never have to do anything you didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to do for the rest of your life.<\/p>\n

Now the question isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t \u00e2\u20ac\u0153what would you do with your money?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The question is: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What would you do with your time, attention, and energy<\/em>?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

So in regards to your photography\u00e2\u20ac\u201d imagine that social media didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t exist. You couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get any \u00e2\u20ac\u0153likes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d on your photos, and you could only share your photos with a select few friends, family, and colleagues\u00e2\u20ac\u201d what would you spend your time to photograph?<\/p>\n

The first thing people say is that they want to travel the world and photograph the world. But honestly\u00e2\u20ac\u201d do you really want to do that? Are you just saying that because you want to travel and see the world, or because you want to make \u00e2\u20ac\u0153interesting\u00e2\u20ac\u009d photos abroad because you feel like you cannot make interesting photos at home?<\/p>\n

Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s take a step back\u00e2\u20ac\u201d what subject-matter<\/em> did you photograph before you were a beginner in photography, and what was your motivation and impetus that drew you into making images?<\/p>\n

I know some photographers who start off as designers, and for them photography is just an extension of them doing their art. For some others, photography is a way of having an excuse to leave their apartments, and for exploring the world.<\/p>\n

For me, I think \u00e2\u20ac\u0153street photography\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is my passion because I love humanity, society, and making connections. To even be more clear, I am less<\/em> passionate about \u00e2\u20ac\u0153street photography\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d I am more<\/em> passionate about humanity as a whole. Photography just gives me an excuse to make new connections with others. I see the camera more as a tool to build a bridge between me and a stranger<\/strong>. I see the camera less<\/em> a tool to make images.<\/p>\n

For me, I honestly care less<\/em> about images than making connections. And of course, this will be different for everybody, especially for you.<\/p>\n

Why are you passionate about street photography?<\/h2>\n

\"amsterdam-2013_14003463637_o\"<\/p>\n

Okay friend, if you are reading this, or on this blog, you are probably slightly inclined to being interested in this genre of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153street photography\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and why? Perhaps you love spontaneity, the beauty of everyday life, and the fact that street photography is \u00e2\u20ac\u0153unposed.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Not only that, but you probably have a deep current of humanity running through your veins, and you want to explore the world first-handedly, with a camera in-hand.<\/p>\n

But the problem of becoming too passionate about street photography is that it can lead to frustration. For example, when I am not<\/em> able to head into the city or a downtown area to shoot \u00e2\u20ac\u0153street photography\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I get frustrated. Furthermore, if you live in a boring suburb\u00e2\u20ac\u201d yes, there are ways you can shoot \u00e2\u20ac\u0153street photography\u00e2\u20ac\u009d out there, but it won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t give you the same adrenaline rush as shooting on 5th avenue in NYC.<\/p>\n

For me a partial solution is pursuing a concept of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153personal photography\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d in which you try to make the most beautiful and intimate photos of your own life. You are the actor of your play; you photograph your loved ones, your friends, and your simple life experiences.<\/p>\n

The biggest benefit of photographing what is personal to you is that you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do it under the dictatorship of anyone else\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s standards. You set the barometer, scale, and your own ruler. You judge and estimate your own photos by your own taste, aesthetics, and rules. You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really care about what others think about your work, because you are doing it for yourself.<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t force it<\/h2>\n

\"09\"<\/p>\n

Also when it comes to finding your passion in photography; don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t over-complicate it.<\/p>\n

What do you love to photograph, and what subject-matter are you intensely curious<\/em> about?<\/p>\n

What do you want to learn more about in photography, what do you want to explore. Do not consider what others might think a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153good photograph\u00e2\u20ac\u009d might be.<\/p>\n

Sometimes to find our passion in photography, we need to be honest with ourselves\u00e2\u20ac\u201d we need to also photograph what is personal to our own life story.<\/p>\n

For example, if you were born in a ghetto or an inner-city, photographing gangsters and other troubled kids might suit you. However if you grew up middle-class in the suburbs, please don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t join a gang and photograph them to simply \u00e2\u20ac\u0153make a name for yourself\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, or to make an interesting \u00e2\u20ac\u0153art project.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

You need to be authentic with your photography, art, and life. Brutally honest. You need to photograph who you are; not what others think who you are.<\/p>\n

For example, if you are a more contemplative and introverted person\u00e2\u20ac\u201d perhaps you should take a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153zen-like\u00e2\u20ac\u009d approach to your photography. You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t always have to photograph people, simply photograph what brings you joy and happiness in your life.<\/p>\n

Discover what not<\/em> to photograph<\/h2>\n

\"Gallo-13\"<\/p>\n

Another practical tip\u00e2\u20ac\u201d knowing what not<\/em> to photograph is also an effective way to find your passion in photography.<\/p>\n

For example, I personally started photographing landscapes and flowers, because that is what others \u00e2\u20ac\u0153expected\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of me. However over time, I got really bored of shooting landscapes all the time, as well as architecture (sooner or later, all of it started to look the same to me).<\/p>\n

But what has never ceased to bore me is the human face, and humanity. There are so many different people of different backgrounds, colors, ethnicities, life experiences, and everyone has their own story\u00e2\u20ac\u201d which is unique to them.<\/p>\n

So I know that I am no longer interested or passionate about photographing the following: landscapes, animals, food, weddings, architecture, product photos, and studio photography.<\/p>\n

So by subtracting<\/em> what you are not<\/em> interested in photography\u00e2\u20ac\u201d what does this leave you with?<\/p>\n

For me, it means that certain genres of photography interest me: street photography, personal documentary, documentary, and photo-journalism. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve always been a sucker for a good story\u00e2\u20ac\u201d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153visual storytelling\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is another genre that is starting to interest me as well, something that photographer Ed Kashi does extremely well.<\/p>\n

Avoid boredom<\/h2>\n

\"11\"<\/p>\n

Another tip\u00e2\u20ac\u201d try to avoid<\/em> boredom in your photography at all costs. I think one of the worst feelings as a human being is to be bored. I would rather feel physical pain than to feel boredom.<\/p>\n

By avoiding what you are not<\/em> interested in, you can truly pursue what naturally stimulates, excites, and interests you.<\/p>\n

The second you become bored with a photography project is the second you need to stop it. Others will argue that it is a good time to reassess your position in your photography (I agree), but to push past the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153boredom\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in your photography is to force something unnatural upon yourself.<\/p>\n

Boredom is one of the best things built into human beings. It has provided us a natural stimuli to know what not<\/em> to pursue in life.<\/p>\n

Do you remember as a kid, when you were bored in class? It wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t because you were stupid or dumb\u00e2\u20ac\u201d it was that you weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t being challenged, or stimulated by what you were interested in.<\/p>\n

I feel we all have natural talents and inclinations. Not only that, but I think the purpose of our lives is to fully develop our skills, faculties, and interests\u00e2\u20ac\u201d to benefit humanity as a whole<\/strong>. So photography is less<\/em> about trying to build your weak-points as a photographer, but to increase<\/em> what you are good at.<\/p>\n

Shoot what you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re good at<\/h2>\n

\"amsterdam_21966231822_o\"<\/p>\n

I also feel it is important to improve your strengths, rather than your weaknesses in photography.<\/p>\n

Life is short. You will never master 10 genres of photography in your short tenure on earth. Having too many types of photography to pursue is a general distraction\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I prefer the method of being like a laser-beam in your photography, and focusing all your time, attention, and energy on what you are good at.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest benefits of photographing what you are good at is this: you build a positive \u00e2\u20ac\u0153feedback loop\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in which you stay motivated.<\/p>\n

For example, if you photograph what you are good at, it will bring you happiness and joy. And that happiness and joy will continue to drive you forward to keep photographing.<\/p>\n

Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say you do the opposite\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and you try to photograph what you aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t good at. Then you deal with frustration, anger, and your progress is stalled.<\/p>\n

Nobody can become a fully-realized photographer in all different genres of photography. Just find what you are good at, what you enjoy, and keep honing in your personal diamond and skills.<\/p>\n

Your life story is unique<\/h2>\n

\"16\"<\/p>\n

To elaborate on this concept of a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153life story\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d you are a unique human being, with a series of life events that nobody else on the planet earth shares (but yourself).<\/p>\n

So what is unique to your life? Explore that. Investigate that.<\/p>\n

Humans love stories; the concept of story-telling has gone back to the beginning of humanity. What kind of story does your personal photos tell, and how are they different from others?<\/p>\n

I also think most photographers spend too much time photographing the lives of others, rather than turning the camera to themselves.<\/p>\n

What are the personal photos that only you<\/em> can make? A million photographers can visit a rural village in Africa and take photos of sad starving kids. While this work is very important, there are probably thousand of other photographers who do this work far better than you.<\/p>\n

Even when you are trying to develop your own \u00e2\u20ac\u0153style\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and vision as a photographer\u00e2\u20ac\u201d be honest with yourself: are you simply trying to imitate or mimic another photographer, or are you being true to yourself to make photos that truly exemplify who you are as a human being?<\/p>\n

There is only one of you out there. Keep telling your own stories.<\/p>\n

Find inspiration in the everyday<\/h2>\n

\"Dark<\/p>\n

The world is a fucking incredibly amazing, beautiful, and joyful place. If we ever get \u00e2\u20ac\u0153jaded\u00e2\u20ac\u009d from the amazing-ness of life, it is our problem, not the problem of the house in which we live in, the neighborhood in which we live in, and certainly not of the camera that we shoot in.<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be frank\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I get jaded easily. I succumb to the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153grass is greener on the other side\u00e2\u20ac\u009d syndrome. Often I wish I was in San Francisco, not Berkeley. Yet the irony is that I know millions of people who would love to live in Berkeley, as well as many photographers in SF who would probably prefer to live in Berkeley as well (we have 20 different varieties of kale, quinoa, and some of the best coffee here in Berkeley).<\/p>\n

For me, retraining myself to appreciate the beauty of everyday life comes from Cindy\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s niece Amelia. She is around 10 months old now, and everything she looks at the world is with wonder, excitement, and curiosity. She holds a leaf in her hand like it is the most fascinating thing in the world, she loves colors sights and simple things like pebbles on the ground. She is so amazed by nature, and has a natural \u00e2\u20ac\u0153biophilia\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d the love of living things.<\/p>\n

Just look around you. If you are reading this on a laptop or a smartphone\u00e2\u20ac\u201d think about how amazing that piece of technology is. Also consider how amazing this concept of the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153internet\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you have the whole collective knowledge of humanity that can fit into your front pocket. Yet we complain that we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get 4G signal coverage everywhere and inaccurate GPS signals (my problem as well).<\/p>\n

Even think about the concept of a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153city\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d it is amazing that it all works, without people constantly killing and robbing each other. Think about the amazing invention of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153running water\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and how we can flush toilets, instead of toil for hours just to survive.<\/p>\n

Think about how amazing the concept of a digital camera is\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and how social media has allowed you to share your photos with millions of people around the world.<\/p>\n

The world is so amazing, often words cannot even describe it.<\/p>\n

I was in a plane (15+ hour direct flight from Dubai to SFO via Emirates) and holy shit\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I was in a fucking plane at 45,000+ feet in the air, going thousands of miles an hour, and somehow not<\/em> exploding and dying in the air. I complain that the flight is too long\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but at what point in history could we circumnavigate around the world (without any stops), and yet I still complain of jet lag?<\/p>\n

To remain interested in the world, we need to start over again. We need to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153reboot\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153reinstall\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the operating systems of our mind. We need to embrace \u00e2\u20ac\u0153child\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mind\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153beginner\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mind\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d where all the beauties of the world expose themselves to us, and we are excited to document all of that excitement and joy.<\/p>\n

Do it for yourself<\/h2>\n

\"r0150527-2_21241391300_o\"<\/p>\n

Yeah yeah, I know it is cliche\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but really; you need to shoot for yourself, and disregard the opinion of the world around you.<\/p>\n

One of the things that fascinated me about Steve Jobs is how much he distrusted<\/em> \u00e2\u20ac\u0153market research\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and the opinions of the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153masses.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d There is a concept of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153crowd-sourcing\u00e2\u20ac\u009d which is noble in theory (that the collective knowledge of a random group of people is superior to the knowledge of an individual). While things like Yelp reviews work quite well\u00e2\u20ac\u201d how can you put your own personal happiness, art, and vision at the hands of a crowd of strangers?<\/p>\n

Therefore, you need to safely disregard the opinion of others\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I recommend first taking a break from social media, and not<\/em> uploading photos online.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

Treat this like your \u00e2\u20ac\u0153incubation\u00e2\u20ac\u009d phase. If you are a baby chick, you need to stay warm inside an incubator, and you need to let your ideas germinate, grow, without the outside world trying to kill it.<\/p>\n

If you have an idea for a photographic project and you share it with others too quickly; they will easily disregard it, criticize it, or try to kill it. Sometimes they have good intentions, other times envy hits them, and other times their opinion of your idea simply isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t useful to you.<\/p>\n

If you have an idea for any sort of photographic project, just pursue it. Shoot it first, do all the sequencing and editing (choosing of your images), and then<\/em> share it with others when you yourself feel that it is a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153final product.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Then you can take some criticism and constructive feedback to help you hone your vision.<\/p>\n

But once again, you need to not<\/em> be on the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153social media treadmill\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of just trying to upload one photo a day. How can you expect to create a great body of work, if you are constantly being distracted by how many likes, comments, favorites, or followers on \u00e2\u20ac\u0153teh interwebz?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Cross-pollinate<\/h2>\n

\"elegance,<\/p>\n

Another practical strategy to find your passion in photography is to cross-pollinate your ideas.<\/p>\n

Imagine you are a bee, you are pollinating two flowers. And in that mixing, you come up with something unique.<\/p>\n

Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say you are a painter, and also a photographer. How can you mix these two ideas to come up with novel ideas?<\/p>\n

Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say you are a sculptor, and a photographer. Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say you are a businessman and a photographer, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say you are a teacher and a photographer. How can you create novel new ideas out of more than 1 thing you are passionate and interested about?<\/p>\n

For example, my primary interest in life is sociology, philosophy, psychology, and the human spirit. I also love to teach, connect with others, and to travel.<\/p>\n

I have been fortunate enough to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153cross-pollinate\u00e2\u20ac\u009d between all these fields of interest to produce a blog on street photography, where I like to share knowledge, information, while also traveling the world and teaching workshops on street photography.<\/p>\n

It is a very unique niche to be in\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but none of this would have been possible if I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t cross-pollinate all of my interests, skills, and passions.<\/p>\n

There is nobody like you out there<\/h2>\n

\"R0132869\"<\/p>\n

There is nobody out there with the same unique combinations of skills, interests, and things you are enthusiastic about. Rather than trying to follow what others have done, see how you can carve your own unique niche.<\/p>\n

There is a concept of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153idea sex\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (Justine Musk explains this is how Elon Musk comes up with new ideas) \u00e2\u20ac\u201d in which you take two ideas, and let them make \u00e2\u20ac\u0153idea babies\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. For example, Elon Musk was always interested in the internet, renewable energy, and transportation. How did he combine all these interests? Well, he ended up being a co-founder for Paypal, which was to revolutionize banking via the internet. And now with his new 3 ventures: SpaceX, Tesla, and Solar City\u00e2\u20ac\u201d he is trying to revolutionize transportation, while also creating sustainable energy for the future.<\/p>\n

“Unified field theory”<\/h2>\n

\"three<\/p>\n

To continue with Elon Musk\u00e2\u20ac\u201d he pursues what physicists call a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153unified field theory\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d that all the things that you pursue in life end up intersecting, and cross-pollinating one another, and also building upon one another.<\/p>\n

Einstein tried to come up with a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153theory of everything\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (as well as Stephen Hawking), in which the universe will be \u00e2\u20ac\u0153explained\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by a few fundamental concepts in Physics.<\/p>\n

So how can you create a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153unified field theory\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in your photography? How do all your diverse interests converge into your main central idea?<\/p>\n

Make yourself naked<\/h2>\n

\"L1036770-2\"<\/p>\n

If you want to know what you are passionate about in photography\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you need to make yourself naked and bare.<\/p>\n

This takes a lot of courage. What are you afraid<\/em> to photograph? What are you afraid to expose about yourself?<\/p>\n

If you want to be truly honest with yourself in your photography, you need to be very frank. You mustn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t censor yourself. You need to show your own reality, your own version of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153truth\u00e2\u20ac\u009d through your images.<\/p>\n

Sometimes photographers will not<\/em> photograph something they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re interested in because it feels \u00e2\u20ac\u0153too personal.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d But once again\u00e2\u20ac\u201d making it personal is what makes it unique, special, and full of love and compassion.<\/p>\n

To find your passion in photography is to discover who you are as a person\u00e2\u20ac\u201d to stare at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself difficult questions about yourself such as:<\/p>\n