Life is short, shoot more
jenxi.com Vision alchemist crafting strategic innovation & AI adoption. Bridging startups to China’s ecosystem advantage. Building a cyberbrain. Registered pharmacist × Brand strategist × Storyteller
Why waste time taking photos of things that aren’t meaningful?
I see photographers who take photos of insects, birds or others things. It is their prerogative what they chose to photograph. They make use of shallow depth of field to isolate the subjects. These photos might be meaningful to them. Perhaps it replicated a photo they have seen before. Or it freezes a memory in their lives.
However, I consider these photos lacking meaning to me, hence I rarely take such photos. I take photos of people because that’s what matters, especially people who matter.
Take more photos
When you see a good scene, take more photos. Having a family event? Out on a date? Or just chilling at home with the dog? Any time is a good time to take more photos to capture the moment.
Edit old photos
It pays to revisit old photos. Photos that you edited out previously might actually be good photos that you overlooked, or discarded due to your thoughts, emotions and bias at that moment.
When you edited the photos, you might not have appreciated it then, but your growth as a photographer teaches you how to better appreciate photos and lets you see your old photos in a new light.
Avoid distractions
Don’t read gear news, rumours or reviews. Focus on making the most out of your current gear. Spend your time creating photos.
Avoid analysing too much
Paralysis by analysis is all too common. You spend so much time studying photography that you have little or no time to shoot. Go forth and shoot. It is only through taking photos that you can actually gain experience that will help you grow as a photographer.
Go out of your comfort zone
Shoot outside your comfort zone. If you stay within your comfort zone you will only get the same types of photos that you got previously. Push yourself to do something challenging or difficult. What is challenging or difficult? Easy. What makes you feel uncomfortable. Discomfort is your mind’s way of telling you that it is doing something that it isn’t used to.
Remember, life is short. Just do it.
