{"id":71891,"date":"2017-12-04T16:36:31","date_gmt":"2017-12-05T00:36:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=71891"},"modified":"2017-12-03T16:42:10","modified_gmt":"2017-12-04T00:42:10","slug":"learn-from-the-masters-dont-define-yourself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/12\/04\/learn-from-the-masters-dont-define-yourself\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn From the Masters: Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Define Yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Do
Do not define yourself \/. Spread from MASTERS by HAPTICPRESS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you want to stay inspired in your photography until you die, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t define yourself.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Style
Style and storytelling. Spread from MASTERS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

LEARN FROM THE MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY<\/a><\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>
LEARN FROM THE MASTERS by HAPTIC<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Timeless wisdom from the masters of street photography.<\/p>\n

Learn more about MASTERS ><\/a><\/p>\n

Buy MASTERS on Amazon ><\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Become a fine Photographer<\/h2>\n

\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153People say you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a documentary photographer. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even know what that means. People say you are a photojournalist. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m rarely published in journals. Then you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a fine art photographer. Then I say I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not. I aspire to be a fine photographer.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Bruce Davidson<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t define yourself, your style, or yourself.<\/p>\n

Just make photos.<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The danger of defining yourself: you put yourself in a small box. You want to think outside the box, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you?<\/p>\n

The problem: sometimes we let others put us in a box by defining us.<\/p>\n

Even worse \u00e2\u20ac\u201d sometimes we put ourselves in a box, and impose self-tyranny on ourselves. We don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let ourselves to innovate, try a new style, or do something new.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Personally, I defined myself as a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153street photographer<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d for a long time \u00e2\u20ac\u201d which was good when I started off, but as I became more advanced and curious \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the definition hurt me. It put myself in a Golden cage. The biggest problem:<\/p>\n

\n I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t allow myself to shoot anything that wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t \u00e2\u20ac\u0153street photography\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Sunset
Sunset in Kyoto, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now, no more definitions for myself. I just shoot, make pictures. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even see myself as a photographer. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m a VISUAL ARTIST<\/a>, or a big kid. I like to make ALL FORMS of visual art. Photography is just one of them.<\/p>\n

\"Orange
Orange woman abstract. Kyoto, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Walking
Walking woman. Kyoto, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

So friend, as practical advice \u00e2\u20ac\u201d don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t define yourself.<\/p>\n

\"Cindy
Cindy flexing in mirror.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Cindy
Cindy flexing abstract<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Of course for practical reasons, just call yourself a photographer. But I would suggest as branding advice \u00e2\u20ac\u201d call yourself a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153visual artist\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (change the biography on your social media, Instagram, whatever \u00e2\u20ac\u201d to define yourself in a more broad and open-ended way).<\/p>\n

But ultimately, you are an artist. An artist of life. An artist who loves music, dance, theater, sculpture, photography, abstract art, design \u00e2\u20ac\u201d whatever.<\/p>\n

No ceilings on your artistic limits.<\/p>\n

FLY HIGH,
\nERIC<\/p>\n

\n

LEARN FROM THE MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY<\/a><\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>
LEARN FROM THE MASTERS by HAPTIC<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Timeless wisdom from the masters of street photography.<\/p>\n

Learn more about MASTERS ><\/a><\/p>\n

Buy MASTERS on Amazon ><\/a><\/p>\n

\n

LEARN FROM THE MASTERS<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

For distilled lessons buy Learn the Masters of Photography Edition I<\/a><\/p>\n

\n “He without a past has no future.”\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Start here:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Why Study the Masters of Photography?<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Great Female Master Photographers<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Download All Articles ><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    The Masters of Photography<\/a><\/h2>\n
    \"Prague,
    Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka<\/a> \/ Magnum Photos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Classics never die:<\/p>\n