{"id":75655,"date":"2018-01-07T09:45:22","date_gmt":"2018-01-07T17:45:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=75655"},"modified":"2018-01-07T09:45:22","modified_gmt":"2018-01-07T17:45:22","slug":"everything-is-interesting-in-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/07\/everything-is-interesting-in-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything is Interesting in Photography!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear friend,<\/p>\n

Remember — the initial joy you had in photography, when everything was so interesting?<\/p>\n

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DOWNLOAD PDF: Everything is Interesting in Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

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1. Beginner’s mind in photography<\/h2>\n
\"My
My mom’s glasses. Marseille, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is what they call ‘beginner’s mind’ — when you start off as a beginner, or as a child, everything is interesting.<\/p>\n

To me, being alive is the best possible blessing any human being could ask for.<\/p>\n

\"Cindy\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s
Cindy\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mom and Cindy holding hands. Marseille, 2018<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And for me, photography is all about expressing gratitude for being alive. Our job as photographers is for us to transmit our enthusiasm and passion for life into our images.<\/p>\n

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2. Henri Cartier-Bresson’s initial passion for photography<\/h2>\n
\"Orange
Orange transparency at night. Marseille, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The problem that happens in our photography (and life) is once we obtain ‘expert’s mind’ — and things no longer become as interesting as they once were.<\/p>\n

I came across this nice quote from Henri Cartier-Bresson<\/a>, who talks about seeing everything as interesting:<\/p>\n

\n “I think everything is interesting. If you\u00ca\u00bcre scratched but at the same time you can\u00ca\u00bct just photograph everything you see. There are some places where the pulse beats more and others.”\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

However, Henri Cartier-Bresson still admits, it is hard to find inspiration in your own country, when you’re stuck in routine:<\/p>\n

\n “The most difficult thing is on your own country. You know too much its a…when its on your own block, its such a routine, its quite difficult to get out. When I\u00ca\u00bcm going to a butcher, well….places where I am all the time…I know too much and not enough and to be lucid about is the most difficult.”\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Shot
Shot from patio, looking down. High perspective photo. Marseille, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is the solution? For us to have an open-awareness (a concept from Zen — something Henri Cartier-Bresson also studied):<\/p>\n

\n “Your mind must be open. Open, aware. Aware, like this, like having a radar, a, searchlight or like this.”\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What is the most challenging thing in photography? For us to stay inspired — to keep finding interest in the world.<\/p>\n

\"Black
Black squid ink bread. Marseille, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Henri Cartier-Bresson<\/a> admits that “…anybody has done 10 good photographs in his life.” But consistency, is what is key, as he continues:<\/p>\n

\n “What is interesting is consistency. To keep on, on, on, on. Its always re examining things, trying to be more lucid and free and to go more deeper and deeper.”\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What joy does Henri Cartier-Bresson<\/a> get from photography? He says photography is a way of self-expression:<\/p>\n

\n “[Photography is] a way of shouting the way you feel. I love life, I love human beings, I hate people also. You see the camera, it can be a machine gun. It can be a psychoanalytical couch. It can be a warm kiss. It can be a sketch book, the camera.”\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Photo
Photo of my mom on iPad. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset. Marseille, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Furthermore, Henri Cartier-Bresson sees photography as a way to AFFIRM life, and to say ‘yes’ to life:<\/p>\n

\n “Even for me, that\u00ca\u00bcs strictly my way of feeling, I enjoy shooting a picture, being present and it\u00ca\u00bcs a way of saying yes, yes, yes. It\u00ca\u00bcs like the last 3 words of Ulysses of Joyce, which is one of the tremendous works which has ever been written. Its yes, yes, yes. And photography is like that. Its yes, yes, yes. And there is no maybe. All the maybes should go to trash because it\u00ca\u00bcs very instant, it\u00ca\u00bcs the presence, it\u00ca\u00bcs a moment, its there. And it\u00ca\u00bcs a respect of it and it\u00ca\u00bcs an enjoyment it\u00ca\u00bcs a tremendous enjoyment of saying yes! Even if it\u00ca\u00bcs something you hate…yes! It\u00ca\u00bcs an affirmation…Yes!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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3. Why did Henri Cartier-Bresson give up photography?<\/h2>\n
\"Cindy
Cindy hanging clothes to dry. Marseille, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now as an interlude, the interesting thing is that Henri Cartier-Bresson<\/a> quit photography after a few decades, and retired to painting\/drawing for the rest of his life. My theory is that he lost his child-like sense of enthusiasm for photography and the world. Also perhaps his hidden desire was to always be a painter (not a photographer), and therefore had some self-confidence issues.<\/p>\n

\"ERIC
ERIC KIM Cartoon with camera \/\/ from ZEN OF ERIC<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Anyways, we should learn from Henri Cartier-Bresson<\/a> by drawing from his initial enthusiasm in photography — yet, going further<\/em> than Henri Cartier-Bresson, by staying inspired in our photography for the rest of our lives.<\/p>\n

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4. It is human nature to “get used to” everything in life (no matter how good it is)<\/h2>\n
\"Family
Family dinner. Marseille, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I know, I know — it is hard to stay inspired in our photography and life. It is human nature for us to become accustomed or normalized to everyday life. Psychologists call this the ‘hedonic adaptation’ — no matter how good we have it in life, we will always “get used to it.”<\/p>\n

For example,<\/p>\n