{"id":324453,"date":"2021-08-14T14:09:51","date_gmt":"2021-08-14T18:09:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=324453"},"modified":"2021-08-14T14:26:29","modified_gmt":"2021-08-14T18:26:29","slug":"how-to-become-a-great-photographer-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2021\/08\/14\/how-to-become-a-great-photographer-2\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Become a Great Photographer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Like our friend JAY Z<\/a> says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t be good, be great.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

And something I realized:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In studying the masters (great photographers) of photography<\/a>, what we are truly seeking is our own personal greatness.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What does it mean to be ‘great<\/em>‘?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"selfie<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Great<\/a>: what we *really* mean to talk about is to be ‘magnus<\/a>‘– [meghs<\/a> in Proto-indo-european]. Same word as ‘magnum’ [the peak of greatness]. Mighty, big, and strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A great photographer as a matter of elevation?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"trees<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To become ‘greater’ is to go higher. To also go deeper (plumb the depths of photographic knowledge and artistic-aesthetic philosophy), and also to go *FURTHER*. Henri Cartier-Bresson<\/a> as only a half-great master, as he gave up on photography towards the end of his life [he saw photography as *inferior* to drawing and painting]. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aesthetic ideals <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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To become a great photographer means:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To discover a new beautiful aesthetic in photography, and to have continued motivation to take photography *FURTHER*.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"flash<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On becoming the uber-photographer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Uber means ‘above’ and ‘beyond’. To become an uber-photographer means:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To disdain what your contemporaries are doing, and rather … finding inspiration from the past masters<\/a>, and seeking to super-overcome them!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"Mexico<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How does one become great in photography?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Certainly ‘practice makes great’. We should consider photography as a practice, and a strengthening of sorts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps the best analogy for photography is like strength-building (bodybuilding<\/a>, powerlifting<\/a>):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To become stronger, to become more dominant, to have a more epic physique<\/a>, and to augment your muscles<\/a> … you must augment your resistance and difficulty.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"back<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you keep lifting a 1-pound dumbbell (even for a million reps), you won’t get stronger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mexico<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Self practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I am convinced:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only way to become ‘better’ is to use yourself as your own personal ruler, and to judge your progress as a photographer<\/a> based on your own gut, instinct, and personal self-assessment of yourself.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In this way, self-critique as a photographer<\/a> is good (not to see yourself as ‘bad’, but rather … to simply judge your progress). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus my simple answer to become a great photographer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continual self-critique and self-development and self-improvement in your photography, using yourself as the sole judge!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

ERIC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PHOTOLOSOPHY<\/h2>\n\n\n

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Discover more personal meaning in your photographic life with PHOTOLOSOPHY ><\/a><\/p>\n