{"id":72159,"date":"2017-12-06T06:44:35","date_gmt":"2017-12-06T14:44:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=72159"},"modified":"2017-12-06T06:44:35","modified_gmt":"2017-12-06T14:44:35","slug":"5-tips-how-to-be-a-more-creative-photographer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/12\/06\/5-tips-how-to-be-a-more-creative-photographer\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips How to Be a More Creative Photographer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Practical tips on how to become a more creative photographer.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1. Cross pollinate your interests<\/h2>\n
\"Kurosawa
Kurosawa x ERIC KIM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not just a photographer. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re probably also interested in other forms of art, like theater, dance, sculpture, painting, architecture, or even computer code.<\/p>\n

Cross pollinate<\/a> your interests.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

For example, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been studying cinematography (Akira Kurosawa<\/a> is my favorite director)\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and figuring out how to make better compositions in my photography, by adding layers, triangle compositions<\/a> and depth.<\/p>\n

\"Kurosawa
Kurosawa Rashomon triangle composition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Abstracted.
Abstracted. Kurosawa Rashomon triangle composition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n Learn composition from Rashomon from Kurosawa<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you want to make better portraits, study the portrait paintings from the Renaissance. Study Leonardo da Vinci<\/a> and Raphael<\/a>, and observe how their subjects position their bodies. Where does the subject look? Is the eye of the subject centered? What direction is their shoulders? Do they tilt their heads?<\/p>\n

\"Rashomon
Rashomon composition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Rashomon
Rashomon composition Abstract<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Combine all your interests, and use that to find a novel approach in your photography.<\/p>\n

2. Shoot like a child<\/h2>\n
\"Scary
Scary ERIC KIM. Shot by a 3 year old kid named Danny. Saigon, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Children are the most creative, because they have no rules, boundaries, or dogma which holds them back. They treat art like playing.<\/p>\n

\"Danny
Danny and teeth. Saigon, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To be more creative in your photography, throw out any \u00e2\u20ac\u0153rules\u00e2\u20ac\u009d you might have learned over the years. Treat photography like playing, and shoot like a child.<\/p>\n

\"Danny
Kid with teeth. Saigon, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3. Shoot from weird angles<\/h2>\n
\"Teeth
Teeth nyc contact sheet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tilt your camera (Dutch angle<\/a>) and shoot from unusual angles and perspectives.<\/p>\n

\"Korean
Korean War veteran. NYC, 2017. Low angle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Street
Street portrait. Woman with chain necklace. NYC, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pretend like you were an ant \u00e2\u20ac\u201d shoot with your camera on the ground.<\/p>\n

\"Nyc,
Nyc, 2015. Teeth, supreme store.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pretend like you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re an eagle, soaring high, looking down. Shoot from high perspectives looking down.<\/p>\n

\"Grace
Grace building. NYC, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Skyscrapers.
On top of a skyscraper, looking down. High Perspective, looking down. NYC, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4. Add depth to your photos<\/h2>\n
\"Depth
Depth New York street photo, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Add a figure in the foreground, middle ground, and background. Shoot at f8-f16, and focus on whatever is furthest away in the background.<\/p>\n

\"eric
Downtown LA, 2014 (shot on film Leica, 35mm, at f\/8, ISO 400 on Kodak Portra 400, with 1\/500th shutter speed)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More depth will tell more of a visual story in your photos, and be more interesting for the viewer to look at.<\/p>\n

\"Citizen
Citizen Kane depth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Citizen
Citizen Kane depth composition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Love the layers and depth. I ask myself, I wonder what lens he used? Kurosawa, Seven Samurai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Street
Street photography technique of depth: focusing on the parents in the background, with the guests in the foreground. Feels very much like a street photograph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

5. Make photos that surprise and excite you<\/h2>\n
\"Ricoh
Ricoh GR II, in P MODE. Focus in background, to add more depth. I like the woman\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s face out of focus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To be a more creative photographer, the most important person is to impress yourself.<\/p>\n

\"Prague
Prague urban landscape. 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Make photos that you like to look at. Experiment shooting with a flash, using slow shutter speeds and using blur, and make out of focus images.<\/p>\n

\"THE
THE MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To be a creative photographer is to go against the grain \u00e2\u20ac\u201d do things that other photographers aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t doing.<\/p>\n

\"Rain.
Rain. Tokyo, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Digital
Digital waterfall. Tokyo, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Above all, entertain yourself, and enjoy the process of making pictures. The more fun you have in your photographic process, the more joy and fun will also be communicated to your viewer.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n
\"Blue
Blue tarp. Tokyo, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The secret, be creative every day!<\/p>\n

Make photos every day. Regardless of where you live, who you are, make photos. Make photos because you must.<\/p>\n

To get feedback on your photos, post them to ERIC KIM FORUM<\/a>.<\/p>\n

HAVE FUN :)
\nERIC<\/p>\n

\n

NEW ERIC KIM EXPERIENCES<\/a><\/h2>\n

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

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t miss your chance to invest in an unforgettable experience:<\/p>\n

2018<\/h2>\n