100 PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FOR BEGINNERS BY ERIC KIM

100 PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

100 Photography Tips For Beginners

When in doubt, click.
Be selective about what you decide to photograph; but once you find
something good, shoot the hell out of it
Big cameras are overrated
Dont take photos, make photos
Focus less on technical settings; focus more on composition and framing
Set it and forget it
What you subtract from a frame is more important than what you add to a
frame
The most important question to ask yourself in photography: Why do I make
photos?
Buy books, not gear
Photography workshops are a better bang-for-the-buck experience than
attending photography schools
Aim to make 1 good photo a month, and 1 great photo a year
More megapixels, more problems
Some useful compositional tips
The best investment for a photographer is a good pair of shoes
Photograph what youre afraid of
Creativity is about constraints, not about having unlimited options
It is hard to make a good body of work in exotic countries
Seek to make connections, not photos
Shoot from the gut, edit with your brain
The point of photography isnt to become a great photographer, but to live a
great life
Every photo you make is a self-portrait of yourself
Have a strong visual anchor in your photo
The 3 things that make a great photograph
How to capture emotions
Dont crop your photos
Share fewer photos on social media
You can never get enough likes on social media
Seek to unlearn photographic myths

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 Do you like your own photos?
Would a master photographer from the past shoot with an iPhone today?
Dont just take 12 photos of a scene (work the scene)
Never compare yourself with others
Aim to improve your photography by 1% everyday
Aim to make complex photos, not complicated photos
Distrust social media
Print your work
The journey is the reward
Photograph everyday for 5 minutes, rather than photographing for 5 hours
once a week
The best camera is the most invisible camera
Seek to have fewer people like your work
Cross-pollinate your photography to be more creative
If nobody else existed, would you still make photos?
The photos you decide not to make are more important than the photos you
do make.
Photography is 90% editing your work (choosing your best photos) and 10%
actually making photos.
Aim to make one memorable photograph before you die
Photograph like a child
Aim to reduce the size of your camera
Creepiness is proportional to focal length.
The best zoom is foot-zoom
When in doubt, drink more coffee
A good way to judge your compositions: flip your photos upside down
Be a flaneur
The more time you spend on social media, the less satisfied you will be with
your photography
You are only as good as your last photo
Aim for longevity in photography
If you arent busy being born, youre busy dying. - Bob Dylan
Seek to know a few photographers very well, rather than many
photographers superficially
Apply the 80/20 rule in your photography
Print your work as small 4x6s to select your best photos
There are no good or bad photos, but there are certainly interesting and
boring photos

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 Purge your photos once a year
Aim to get one good photo from a thousand photos
Make your own website portfolio
Dont be suckered by nostalgia from the past
Train your eyes daily like a bodybuilder trains his body daily
Be a lazy photographer
Dont chimp
How to kill envy in photography
Only take photos when you feel like it
A question to ask yourself: Is photography adding stress to my life, or
removing stress from my life?
Shoot both horizontal and vertical photos
Use minus-exposure compensation in harsh light
A photographers best tool is his/her smile
Shoot with your flash more often
For portraits, put your subjects eye in the direct center of the frame
If someone criticizes your photo; remember, they arent criticizing you as a
human being
If you travel, always try to pack as light as possible
Kill your babies
Sequence your photos like a movie
How can you turn your obstacles into an opportunity?
Make interesting photos out of boring things
Shoot RAW+JPEG
Dont buy a photography book you dont plan on re-reading
Bokeh is overrated
Dont just study photographers
Dont define your photography
The more you give, the more you receive in return
When shooting, look down, and look up
Assume other photographers know better than you do
Dont trust photography editors who dont know how to make photos
themselves
When conflicted between buying two cameras, buy neither
Why do we take photos of strangers with cameras worth thousands of
dollars, whereas we photograph our loved ones just with our iPhones?
Dont take photos of everything; know when to just enjoy the moment
Start off shooting black and white, then transition into color later

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 Post-processing, filters, and presets are not cheating
Dont think years, think decades
Shoot everyday as if it were your last
Give away your old gear
Start your own photography blog
Create your own list of 100 tips

Dear friend,

If youre new to photography, it can be quite daunting. There is so much information

on the internet about photography, but a lot of mis-information as well.

Through my personal journey of photography, Ive learned a lot of lessons. This list
is a distillation of all the lessons Ive learned so far. None of these are right or
wrong they are just opinions of mine that can hopefully spark some new ideas
in you. Feel free to pick and choose what resonate with you, and throw away the
rest.

However if I started photography all over again, I wish someone told me these tips:

1. When in doubt, click.

One of the biggest regrets I often have in my photography is not clicking the
shutter.

For example, I might see a good scene, but I might hesitate. I let fear get the best
of me.

For example, I get worried if the subject might get angry at me. I get worried if the
photo I am taking is a cliche photo. I worry about my technical settings, focusing,
and the light.

However my suggestion is whenever your heart tells you, Take that photograph!
listen to that voice.

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Dont let your brain and rational mind dictate your shooting style. Let your gut,
intuition, and emotions control your shooting process.

2. Be selective about what you decide to photograph; but once

you find something good, shoot the hell out of it

One of the biggest lessons I wish I knew if I started photography all over again is
this to be more selective about the scenes that I find interesting. But once I find
a scene that is interesting, take as many photos of that scene as humanly possible.

For example, when I started photography, I took 12 photos of everything I saw in a

day (around 300 photos). However often none of these photos were interesting.

However I recommend doing the opposite only look for 12 interesting situations
or scenes or photo opportunities in a day. Once you find that situation, then take
300 photos of each of those scenes/situations.

Why is this a better tactic?

In photography, it is rare that we find a good scene which makes us excited, and
our hearts beat. Once that moment is gone, it is gone forever.

So once you find that scene that really speaks to your heart, work the scene and
take as many photos of the scene as possible. That can be 3 photos, 5 photos, 10
photos, 30 photos, 50 photos, or even 300 photos.

The difference between beginner photographers and master photographers is this

the beginner photographer is satisfied with good enough. The master
photographer seeks perfection.

3. Big cameras are overrated

One of the big myths in photography is that the bigger your camera, the more
professional you are, and the better photos you will take.

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I take the opposite approach I say that big cameras are overrated, and small
cameras are underrated.

I am a huge fan of small and compact cameras, because the smaller your camera,
the more likely you are to take it with you everywhere you go, and the more likely
you are to make photos.

In my personal photography journey, I started off with a small Canon digital point-
and-shoot camera. It fit in my front pocket, and was easy for me to take it with me
everywhere I went.

However as time went on, I wanted to make more professional photos that I saw
online. I saw people shooting with photos with shallow depth-of-field (later figure
out this was bokeh) and I was enamored. I invested all of my meager savings into
buying a Canon 350D (Rebel XT), and soon got suckered into buying a full-frame
camera (Canon 5D) or else I wouldnt be taken as a serious photographer by
others.

The problem was as I acquired more gear, the bigger my camera got (and the lighter
my wallet got). And the bigger my camera became, the less likely I was to carry it
with me everywhere I went.

I used to carry my point-and-shoot camera with me constantly in my front pocket,

and and it brought me so much joy because I was making photos constantly.
Once my camera got too big, it started to collect dust on my shelf. I would never
take it with me, because it was too much of a bother.

If anything, the ideal camera to shoot with is a smartphone. Why? It is small,

invisible, and always with you. Sure the image quality isnt as good as a high-end
digital camera, but I feel the trade-off is worth it.

If anything, photographers focus too much on the quality of a photograph in terms

of sharpness. They never focus on the quality of a photograph in terms of emotion
and composition.

So when in doubt when buying a new camera remember: the smaller the better.

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 4. Dont take photos, make photos

Probably the biggest breakthrough I made in my photography is when I learned the

difference between America and Europe Americans usually say take photos,
while Europeans tend to say make photos.

What is the difference?

For me, taking a photo implies you are stealing something from someone. It
sounds forceful, aggressive, and unfriendly.

Whereas making a photo implies you are collaborating with your subject, that you
are making art, and you are doing something altruistic.

Even as a tip, whenever I approach strangers that I want to photograph, I will ask
them, Excuse me sir, do you mind if I made your photograph? (instead of asking
them to take their photograph).

Generally this question gets a lot better response. Why? Because it implies that I
want to work with my subject to make something artful.

A small change in terminology can drastically change how you approach

photography, creativity, and collaboration as a photographer.

5. Focus less on technical settings; focus more on composition

and framing

One of the regrets I have in my photography is worrying too much about technical
settings, trying to master manual mode, and trying to brag how all my photos
were shot fully-manual.

I do believe that having some technical knowledge of photography is important it

can help you make the photos that you want to make.

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However knowing technical settings for the sake of knowing it is a bit of a waste of
time. Furthermore, if you can use an easier camera setting that creates the photos
you desire, go for the easier route.

If you have an exhibition, nobody will care whether your photo was shot fully-
manual or in a more automatic mode. What matters more than technical settings is
emotion, soul, and creativity.

6. Set it and forget it

Im a big fan of using P (program) mode in photography.

Why?

99% of the time when I am shooting in P mode, I get the photos I want.

To take it a step further, I try to simplify my technical settings as much as possible

in my camera. For my ISO I set it relatively high (ISO 8001600) which prevents me
from getting blurry photos. As for autofocus, I just use the center point, which
tends to be the quickest and most accurate.

While these arent the best settings for every situation, they work for 99% of the
situations for me (especially when shooting street photography).

I think that the less you have to worry about your technical settings, the more
mental energy you will have to focus on composition, framing, and capturing
emotions in your photographs.

Furthermore, if your camera can make your life a little easier why dont you let it?
Insisting on shooting fully-manual for the sake of it on your camera is like insisting
only on sending handwritten letters (and never using email).

So once again, with technical settings think of the classic American Rotisserie
Chicken commercial: Set it and forget it.

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 7. What you subtract from a frame is more important than what
you add to a frame

Having a good composition in photography is more about what you decide to

subtract from the frame, rather than what you decide to add to the frame.

For example, many beginner photographers have the issue of making a photo that
is too cluttered. Not only that, but they are generally too far away from their
subject.

So instead of trying to add more information to your frame, seek to subtract

distractions, noise, and superfluous elements.

If you are a beginner photographer, the best composition advice I can give is to
start off with a simple background. Start off by looking for a white, grey, or neutral
background if possible. Then add in your subject.

Furthermore, focus on framing by looking at the edges of your frame. If you have
clean edges in the frame of your photograph, the less likely you are to have a poor
composition. And the less likely you will need to crop a photograph.

So the next time youre making a photograph, think to yourself: Is this element in
my frame adding or distracting to my image? When in doubt, subtract from the
frame.

8. The most important question to ask yourself in photography:

Why do I make photos?

The common questions we are asked in photography include:

What camera do you shoot with?

What lens do you have?
What do you like to take photos of?

Very rarely do people ask us, Why do you make photos?

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The why of photography is probably the most important question you will ask
yourself.

To start off, ask yourself these questions:

Why did I first pick up a camera?

Why did I first start taking photos?
Why does photography bring me joy?

By answering these questions, you will better discover who you are as a
photographer and human being.

One of the lessons Ive also learned in photography is that the point of photography
isnt to become a great photographer. The point of photography is to enjoy your life.

Photography should be a tool which enriches your day-to-day life, and your living
experiences. If photography becomes a chore or a burden to you, why do you make
photos?

And once you figure out why you make photos, you will have a better insight in
terms of what camera to shoot with, what to make photos of, and how to share your
photos.

9. Buy books, not gear

Ive spent thousands of dollars on camera equipment over the years. I regret about
90% of my purchases.

However Ive also spent thousands of dollars of photography books over the years.
I regret 0% of my purchases.

Any camera you buy today will be redundant or outdated in about 510 years.

Any photography book you buy today will probably still be relevant 510 years from
now. If anything, many of your photography books (if you buy art books) will
increase in value.

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The mistake I made in photography is that I thought my photos werent good
enough because my camera wasnt expensive enough. I thought if I bought this
new camera, this new lens, this new tripod, or whatever I would suddenly
become more creative and inspired in my photography.

The effect lasts a week, then you are back to square 1.

The only lasting effect to improve my photography was to invest in photography

books especially photography books from the masters of photography.

Think about it a master photographer will probably spend his/her entire working
life (3050 years) to create a body of work. And that photographer will invest
thousands of dollars to produce this book, market the book, and share it with
others.

A photography book is a well-curated, well-considered, and well-edited collection

of images. In todays social media society, we are drowning in cat photos and
selfies by sunsets. The more time we spend on social media, the more we are
eating visual junk food.

You are what you eat. Therefore if you look at great photography (especially in the
form of photography books), you will aspire to make great images. You will learn
what makes a great photograph, what great composition is, and how to make a
body of work that lasts through the years and decades.

Dont get me wrong, I am still suckered by G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). I

still have moments where I doubt myself, and think by investing in a new camera
system I will suddenly make better photos.

But in those situations when I have an urge to buy a new camera, I will spend $50
on a book instead. And that urge will go away, and I will be inspired to make greater
photos.

Never forget, #buybooksnotgear

10. Photography workshops are a better bang-for-the-buck

experience than attending photography schools

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I have never been to photography school, but I have many friends that did. While
they had a great experience, many of them are $200,000+ in debt.

Was it worth it? I dont think so.

Honestly, all of the information you need about photography can be easily learned
on the internet and YouTube. And if you want feedback and direction in your
photography, it is much better to attend photography workshops or hire a
photography tutor.

I attended a photography workshop by the Magnum photographers Constantine

Manos and David Alan Harvey and had nearly a decade-worth of photography
knowledge from both of them in a week. I regret not taking one of their workshops
earlier on when I started photography. I would have saved tons of time, money, and
effort.

11. Aim to make 1 good photo a month, and 1 great photo a year

One of the biggest challenges I had in my photography starting off was how easily
disappointed I was. I had the wrong idea that every time I went out, I had to make a
great photograph.

However upon studying the work of the master photographers, I discovered that
they rarely got good shots. The only difference between us and the master
photographers is that they are more selective in terms of which photos to share
(and which photos not to share).

Upon studying many master and contemporary photographers, most of them only
admit to making 1 good photo a month, and 1 great photograph a year.

And think about it if you can make 1 good photo a month, that is 12 good photos in
a year. 12 photos is good enough for a nice little coffee shop exhibition, or website
gallery.

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If you make 12 good photos in a year, then in 34 years you can easily put together
a photography book of 3648 good images. You can either self-publish your work,
or approach a publisher.

If you make 1 great photograph a year (depending on how old you are), you can
aspire to at least make 510 great photos before you die.

I feel that if a photographer is even remembered for 1 photograph, he/she has done
their job as a photographer.

And think about the master photographers from the past very few photographers
are remembered for more than 1 memorable shot.

So set your expectations low, but work hard. This way you will never be
disappointed in your photography.

12. More megapixels, more problems

This goes back to the G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) point. We think our
photos arent good enough, and we need better cameras with more megapixels,
better sensors, etc.

However what Ive discovered in my photography is this more megapixels,

more problems.

When you upgrade your camera, you often need to upgrade your lenses (lets say if
youre going from a crop-sensor to a full-frame sensor). Not only that, but you will
probably need to upgrade your computer (to handle the bigger megapixels of the
files). And not only that, but you will probably need more hard drives or invest in
more storage to house all your files.

Also consider beyond a certain point (lets say 8 megapixels) you dont need any
more. Unless you are a commercial, studio, or fashion photographer and plan on
printing your photos as big as billboards.

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An 8-megapixel photo is good enough for a quite big print (12x18 inches, or even
20x30 inches). And to be honest 99% of our photos are just going to be shown on
our mobile devices and computers. How many megapixels do you need to see an
image on a 56 screen?

So nowadays, whenever I see cameras with more megapixels, I feel leery. I like to
stick to cameras with fewer megapixels whenever possible.

Fewer megapixels = less stress = more time and energy to enjoy photography.

13. Some useful compositional tips

If you want to improve your composition in your photography, here are some good
photography tips:

Integrate more diagonals into your work: Diagonals are more dynamic than
horizontal and vertical lines. Try to shoot from different perspectives or angles
which create more diagonals. Try to look for arm-gestures that have diagonals.
You can event tilt your camera to make a stronger composition.
Start off with a clean background: The fewer distractions in the background
of your photograph, the better composition you can make of your subject. And
the more your subject will pop from the background. Furthermore, if you are
shooting street photography start off with an interesting background, and
wait for an interesting subject to walk into the frame.
Avoid overlapping figures: Overlapping subjects that are merged in the
background look messy. Try to separate your subjects in your frame with a little
bit of negative space in-between.
Look for curves: Curves are even more dynamic than diagonal lines. Honestly, I
have a hard time finding curves when Im out shooting, but whenever I do, these
images are much more dynamic than my other photos.
Composition is often discovered after you shoot: One of the biggest lessons
I learned from Henri Cartier-Bresson is that we discover many of our
compositions after weve made a photograph. He said that composition should
be used as a tool to analyze our photos after-the-fact. It is hard to see
composition while youre shooting. But know the more you study the
composition from the master photographers and your own photos, the more
intuitive it will become.

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14. The best investment for a photographer is a good pair of shoes

I got this idea from the street photographer Matt Stuart. Rather than dumping
hundreds of dollars into new lenses or gear, perhaps you should invest a
substantial amount of money into good, comfortable, walking/running shoes.

If you are a street/travel/documentary photographer you all probably spend a lot

of time on your feet. The same goes with wedding/landscape/commercial
photographers.

The more comfortable your shoes, the longer you can walk, move around, run
around, crouch, or even jump up to capture the decisive moment.

In terms of ideal shoes for street photography, I recommend a pair that doesnt
have too much foam. Rather, I recommend low-top shoes that are close to the
ground (minimalist shoes). Personally my favorite shoes are the Nike Flyknit Free
shoes which mimic barefoot walking. I can walk for miles without fatigue, crouch
easily, and jump around when Im shooting on the streets.

15. Photograph what youre afraid of

For me, photography is an inner-journey. Photography is less about capturing the

lives of others. Photography is more about discovering who I am as a person.

It is hard to make good or interesting photos. We arent sure of what to look for
when were shooting in the streets.

However we very well know what makes us afraid. Were afraid to photograph
strangers in the streets, we are afraid of hiking to high cliffs to photograph epic
sunsets, and we are afraid of making photos that others might hate.

So my suggestion: photograph what youre afraid of. Lean into your fear. Rather
than trying to avoid what youre afraid of in photography, channel that fear into
becoming more fearless and creative.

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For example when Im shooting street photography, I can go hours without seeing
anything interesting. But once I see something interesting, I feel my heart rate
increase, I feel my eyes dilate, I feel cold sweats go down my back, and I feel the
thumping in my chest. These signs of fear are like a photo opportunity reminder.

My body is telling me, Eric this might be a good photograph. But youre afraid
that the person will get upset. But you know you really want to photograph it.

So my new personal rule is this: if I see a scene, person, or situation I am afraid

to photograph I must photograph it. Therefore I take the photograph, and deal
with the consequences later. 99% of the time I have no issues, and 1% I do. But the
negative consequences are rarely as bad as I ever think it might be.

Often the fear of something bad happening is worse than the actual happening
itself. Meaning, when someone actually does get angry of you taking a photograph,
it isnt as scary as you might imagine.

16. Creativity is about constraints, not about having unlimited

options

I had dreams of owning dozens of camera, with all the exotic and expensive lenses.
I thought of being able to constantly travel the world, and have unlimited options.

But I quickly discovered that isnt the secret to being creative in photography.
Creativity breeds on constraints, not on having unlimited options.

For example, by only sticking with one camera and one lens, you are forced to make
the best photos given your constraints. You might be shooting in a crowded
alleyway, or you might be too far away. But these constraints will force you to be
more creative with your composition and framing and might allow you to make
more interesting photographs.

Furthermore, if you are working on a photography project, you dont want to

photograph everything. You want to be selective about what you photograph and
what you dont photograph.

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I also find that constraining yourself in terms of a location is helpful to a
photography project. For example, try doing a photography project where you are
only allowed to shoot 12 square blocks for an entire month. Trust me, you will find
lots of interesting things in those 12 blocks, and you will be forced to be more
resourceful to make interesting photographs.

Making interesting photographs isnt always shooting sunsets, double-rainbows,

or exotic people overseas. It is about making the best photographs given your
own situation in life.

17. It is hard to make a good body of work in exotic countries

Weve all seen the famous photographs of Steve McCurry and National Geographic
photographers in exotic countries. We desire to shoot the colorful walls of India,
walk by the temples in Kyoto, and shoot in the crowded streets of New York City.

However the problem is that it is hard to make interesting, memorable, or strong

images in foreign countries. Why? Because it is very easy to get suckered by the
exotic (as my teacher Constantine Manos once taught me).

For example, lets say you travel to Vietnam. The first thing you will find interesting
and exotic is the locals in rice-paddy hats, the motorbikes, and street vendors. You
will take tons of these photographs.

But all of these photographs are pretty boring, touristy, and not interesting to
locals. Weve all seen these photographs a million times before.

What you want to do instead is to approach photographing in a foreign country from

the perspective of a local. What would a local find interesting in his/her own
country, given that he/she has lived in that country for his/her whole life?

Not only that, but if you travel overseas, it is hard to make a strong body of work in
a foreign place. Why? You only have a week or two (or lets say a month) while
youre traveling. That isnt enough time to make a strong body of work. A strong
body of work often takes months, years, and sometimes even decades.

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My suggestion instead is try to make the best photographs in your own
neighborhood, your own city, or your own town. If you dutifully photograph any
location or place for a decade, how can you make a weak body of work?

18. Seek to make connections, not photos

I think that making connections through photography is more important,

meaningful, and personally-fulfilling than making photos.

What I mean by that is this I value the friendships Ive made through
photography and the life experiences that Ive had through photography more so
than the photos themselves.

I know at the end of my life, Im not going to care about the photos that Ive shot.
Rather, Im glad of the social connections Ive made through photography that
enriched my life.

I think one of the main reasons people love photography is that it forces them to be
more social. Even though you might shoot photos by yourself, you definitely want
to share them with someone. You might share your photos on social media, with a
local photography group or a club, or with your friends and family.

Also another thing to consider is that your personal ethics is more important than
making a good photograph.

If you are in a situation where taking a photograph might hurt your relationship or
connection with those around you, I say value the connection over making the
photograph.

Of course at the end of the day it is your own personal decision what to photograph
(and what not to photograph).

But dont forget, having a heart, ethics, and soul as a photographer is just as
important as making good photos (if not greater).

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 19. Shoot from the gut, edit with your brain

In photography, we often value logic, theory, and rationality more than our gut
reactions.

And it is true at least when we are editing or selecting our best photographs.

The best advice I got from the photographer Anders Petersen is that when were
out shooting, we should shoot from our gut. We shouldnt think too much when
were shooting. We should follow our instincts, and photograph what feels natural,
emotional, and exciting.

However when youre done shooting, and relaxing at home in front of your
computer, then use your brain and rationality to choose your best images.

Many photographers choke when they try to think too much while theyre
shooting. They fall victim to what psychologists call paralysis by analysis they
analyze a scene too much, become too self-critical, and end up making no
photographs.

As a general rule, I think it is better to take more photos (than fewer photographs).
Why? The more you click the shutter, the more likely you are to hit a homerun. If
you were a baseball player, would you rather have the pitcher throw you 12 balls,
or 100 balls?

20. The point of photography isnt to become a great

photographer, but to live a great life

Is photography adding or removing stress from your life?

When I started photography, I was just an innocent beginner. I loved just hanging
out with my friends, traveling, eating out, and taking snapshots of whatever I did.
This is when I was the happiest and most fulfilled in my photography.

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As time went on, I wanted to be taken as a serious photographer therefore I
started to take myself too seriously, and only wanted to make serious
photographs.

This actually added stress, anxiety, and frustration to my life. I stopped making
photos for myself; I started to make photos for others. And the more I started to
make photos for others, the less satisfied I was with my own photos.

Many of us enjoy the process of photography, because it exercises our creativity,

helps us explore, wander, and notice the beauty of life. But if photography is adding
undue stress to your life ask yourself, Why am I making photos? Am I making
photos to get a lot of likes on social media? Am I making photos to bring myself
joy? Am I making photos to impress others?

Our lives are stressful enough. Photography should be an art form that removes
stress from your life. Photography should add joy, purpose, and meaning to your
life.

And know you dont always need to be making photos. Sometimes it is more
important to enjoy a moment with close friends and family than take photos. I have
a personal rule nowadays not to take photos of my food, and not to take photos of
fireworks. Ive learned to just enjoy the moment without the need to obsessively
document everything.

21. Every photo you make is a self-portrait of yourself

Every photograph you make is a self-portrait of yourself which means that you
have a unique view of the world, and your photos reflect that.

Lets say you and I walk down the same block. You and I will probably see two
totally different things. You might be drawn to the architecture (which says
something about your artistic interests), while I might be drawn to the street
people.

As a photographer, you are a subject-selector. You decide what to photograph

and what not to photograph.

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In-fact, one of the best ways to discover your style in photography is to discover
what photos you dont like to photograph.

For me, I dislike taking photos of landscapes, flowers, and products. What is left?
Mostly photographs of people.

Not only that, but the best photographers are the ones who are able to imbue their
soul and emotion into their photographs.

The best photographers are the ones in which their photos correspond with their
personalities. For example, photographers like Daido Moriyama show the darkness,
sense of alienation, and loneliness of people on the streets (which also shows who
Daido is as a person). A photographer like Martin Parr makes colorful, ironic, and
critical images of others (which shows how he is a social critic, and uses his
camera as a tool to analyze society).

For me, I have a generally optimistic demeanor but my photos are quite
depressing. I studied sociology in school, and while there are a lot of things I love
about society, there are a lot of things about society which frustrate me. I use my
camera as a tool to analyze the inner-emotional states of other people, as a way to
reflect my own vision of the world.

So what do your photos tell about you? Only you know.

22. Have a strong visual anchor in your photo

A photo without a strong visual anchor will cause your viewers attention to sway.

What is a visual anchor?

A visual anchor is a subject, an element, or an object which is the most powerful in

the frame.

For example, whenever I look at a photograph I try to find the primary subject
(visual anchor). If I am not able to quickly identify this visual anchor (lets say if it
is a face, a boat, or a flower) my eyes wander.

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By having a strong visual anchor, you capture the viewers attention.

In todays society, we are so easily distracted. Most of the photographs on social

media are only seen for a split second. How do you get your viewers to stop, pause,
and really look at your photographs inspect them, introspect, and make a story
out of your photos?

Some examples of strong visual anchors:

Strong or bright light

Powerful color
Powerful gesture or emotion
Eye-contact
Interesting face
Abnormality in the frame

What are some other visual anchors you can think of? What are the elements which
cause you to linger on a photograph longer than a second, when you are a viewer?

23. The 3 things that make a great photograph

Upon studying millions of photographs, I feel the three most important elements
that make a great photograph include:

1. Composition: A great photograph needs to have a strong and dynamic

composition.
2. Emotion: A great photograph needs to have a strong emotion, gesture, or mood
which makes it memorable.
3. Personal: A great photograph says something unique about the photographer,
in terms of how he/she sees or perceives the world

Of course there are many other things which make a great photograph, but
consider these 3 elements as a visual check-list of whether your photograph is
great or not.

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 24. How to capture emotions

Many of us know how to capture a good composition (there are tons of tutorials on
the web about this).

However very few of us know how to capture strong emotion in a photograph.

To me, emotion is more important than composition in a frame. Why? Because

emotion is what hits us in the gut, and burns itself into our memory. A photograph
without emotion is dead.

Not only that, but as humans we are emotionally-driven creatures. Anything that
strikes fear, excitement, or novelty into our minds will be more memorable.

But what is the best way to capture emotion? Some suggestions:

Hand-gestures: If your subject leaning their body against their fist? Is your
subject scratching his chin? Is your subject giving you the middle-finger? Try
not to photograph your subject with their hands just by their sides. Try to engage
them to make an interesting hand-gesture by commenting on their face, hair, or
bodily accessories. Or be patient and wait until your subject makes an
interesting hand-gesture then photograph.
Body-language: Is your subject slouched over, or standing upright? Is your
subject leaning towards someone, or leaning backwards? A persons body-
language shows a lot of their emotion, and inner-thoughts. Also as a tip, if you
mimic the body language of another person, you can better empathize and feel
their emotions.
Eye contact: The saying: Eyes are the windows to the soul is very true. A
photograph with strong eye contact can strike fear, excitement, or sensuality
into our photographs. It is very difficult to make sustained eye-contact with
someone else, that is why whenever we make a photograph with strong eye-
contact, it tends to be more memorable. Experiment making photos with your
subjects looking directly into the lens and away.
Aesthetics: You can feel certain emotions in a photograph based on the
aesthetics. For example, a black and white photograph will tend to feel more
nostalgic, sad, and retrospective. A vibrant color photograph shows more
excitement, joy, and has a more contemporary flavor. There is no right or
wrong type of post-processing to use in your work but know that the

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 aesthetics of an image will affect the emotion.

25. Dont crop your photos

Cropping is a tool which has been used for decades. Photographers cropped in the
darkroom, and now we do it digitally as well.

However one of the best tips I got in photography was Henri Cartier-Bresson, who
suggested for us not to crop our images.

Why not?

Cropping your photographs (while sometimes it might make your photo slightly
better), generally makes you a lazier photographer.

I used to be a crop-a-colic in my photography. I would unnecessarily crop all of

my photographs. Therefore a lot of photographs would have unnatural aspect-
ratios (not the standard 3:2), and I would be lazier when composing my scenes.
Rather than taking a step closer to my subjects, I always told myself: I can just
crop it later.

However when I made it a practice not to crop my photographs, my compositions

got better. I knew that I was too far from my subjects, so I had to take a step closer.
Furthermore, I would experiment more with my angles, perspectives, and
compositions. This practice helped me work harder to make a good image.

Im not saying you should never crop. But if youre starting off, try to go a year
without cropping your images. I can guarantee your framing will improve. And
moving forward, I generally dont recommend cropping more than 10% of your
frame (and if you crop, keep the aspect ratio consistent).

If you need to crop more than 10% of your frame, you probably didnt get the shot
and youre just trying to salvage a so-so photograph. And by not keeping a
consistent aspect ratio, it will be harder to frame your photos down the line, and it
will be less consistent in your portfolio.

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 26. Share fewer photos on social media

I love and hate social media. I love how social media has empowered us as
photographers, and allows us to share our photos with millions of people around
the world.

I hate social media because we get suckered into constantly uploading photos,
getting addicted to likes, and not letting our photos sit and marinate for a long
time.

Generally as photographers (myself included) we share too many of our photos.

Rather than sharing more of our so-so photographs, we should aim to share fewer
photos. To share only our best work.

That means not uploading everyday. Only upload a photograph if you feel that it
really speaks to you, and sparks joy in your heart. And also consider whether if it
will spark joy into the lives of our viewer.

A good test whether you should share a photo or not: ask yourself, Would I re-
share this photo if I saw it on someone elses stream?

Also realize there are certain photos that you love and are personally-meaningful to
you, but you dont need to share these images. You can keep certain photos to
yourself, and print it just for yourself and a few friends or family.

When in doubt, share fewer photos. You are only as good as your last photo.

27. You can never get enough likes on social media

Social media is the equivalent of crack-cocaine for a photographer. We are social

beings, and we desire a need to be connected with other humans, and also receive
external affirmation.

Unfortunately, many of us photographers (myself included) get addicted to likes,

comments, favorites, and getting lots of followers on social media.

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Whenever we get a like or a new followers, we feel ecstatic. We get a shot of
dopamine which hits our brain. It feels good, and we want more.

But trust me, you can never get enough likes or followers on social media.
Whenever you think you have enough you will desire more.

When I started photography, I thought I would be able to die happy once I got 100
likes on a photograph. However once I hit that point, I started to envy my other
photography friends who had 200 likes. And those with 500 likes, 1000 likes, or
even 10,000 likes.

Dont get caught up in the social media rat-race. Too often we compare ourselves
with other photographers based on how many likes/followers they have. But only
judge your photography according to your inner-scorecard. How do you feel about
your own photos?

If someone has more followers or likes than you, it doesnt mean theyre a better
photographer. It just means they have more followers or likes than you.

And whenever you feel dissatisfied with how many likes/followers you have
always consider those who have fewer likes/followers than you do. And try to recall
how excited you were when you got even 510 likes on a photograph, or even 1 new
follower a day.

The antidote to dissatisfaction is gratitude. So be grateful for the likes/followers

you already have, and seek to please yourself before anyone else.

28. Seek to unlearn photographic myths

There is a lot of photographic mis-information out there. There are certain rules
and restrictions that other photographers try to make on you.

But realize there are no rules in photography. Only tips and suggestions. Even
everything in this article it is only my opinion. You have the freedom and power as
a photographer to accept/reject new ideas.

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When I was starting off in photography, I tried to absorb all the photographs insight
I could. I wanted to keep learning new things.

But now that I am more experienced, I want to unlearn things in photography

specifically myths I used to believe in.

For example, for every rule you find in photography there is always a counter-
rule.

I used to believe the secret to creativity was only having 1 camera and 1 lens. But
there are many creative photographers (like the Japanese photographer Araki) who
owns hundreds of cameras.

Some photographers only take 12 photos a day. Others take thousands of

photographs a day.

Some photographers travel non-stop. Others never leave their home.

Who is right? Who is wrong?

Nobody is right or wrong. Everyone is just different.

As you become more experienced in your photography, dont get trapped into
certain rules or concepts. Try to unlearn one concept in photography everyday.

At the end of the day, photography is about discovering yourself as a photographer.

Dont forget the ancient words of wisdom: Know thyself. Do you know yourself in
photography?

29. Do you like your own photos?

Before asking another photographer for their opinion on your photo, ask yourself:
Do I like my own photo? If so, why do you care what they think?

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Many of us are insecure in our photography. We care more about what others think
about our own photos, rather than how we feel about own our photos.

Seek to make photographs that bring you inner-joy and excitement. It is better to
make photos to please yourself (and let an audience naturally find you) rather than
to make photos to please an audience.

The photographers who stay true to themselves are the one who are able to stay
constantly inspired over the years. They are able to constantly evolve, because
they follow their passion and muse. Whenever something bores them in their
photography, they switch it up.

If you aim to make photos that please yourself, you will never be disappointed.
Because you have a purpose and direction in your photographic life. You are not the
slave of others opinions. You are the master of your own photography.

And what greater joy is there in life than photographic freedom?

30. Would a master photographer from the past shoot with an

iPhone today?

This is mostly a reminder to myself, never forget: the master photographers from
the past always tried to use the best technology at-hand. They werent seeking to
be hipsters by using old technology for the sake of it. They were trying to use the
best tools that worked for them.

Humans co-evolve with tools and technology. We started off hunting food with
bows and arrows. Then we traded our weapons for shovels and hoes, and started to
become farmers and till the land. Then we traded in our shovels and hoes for
smartphones and computers. Now we mostly subsist in an information and
knowledge economy.

In the past, photographers shot with large-format box cameras. Then they moved
onto more compact medium-format cameras (that allowed them to shoot 1012
photos a roll, instead of just 1 photo a sheet). Then the 35mm camera came along,
which allowed photographers 36 shots a roll (instead of just 1012). Then the digital

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camera came along, which allowed hundreds of photos. Then more advanced
digital cameras, which allowed for thousands of photos. Now we have
smartphones, where everyone is a photographer and trillions of photographs are
being uploaded all-around the world.

There is no one ideal camera or tool to use. It is about finding the right camera for
you and for your given purposes.

I have shot quite a bit of film photography in the past few years. I was enticed partly
by intrigue, curiosity, and the desire to connect with the past photographers.

I learned a lot of lessons shooting film. I learned patience, the artistry and craft of
photography, and how difficult film photography was. However nowadays I dont
feel the urge to shoot film anymore, because Ive learned the lessons from it which
I desired. I now approach digital photography with more enthusiasm than ever.

It is good to shoot with film, and try out old processes. But know why you are doing
it. Are you shooting film or using older technology because you want to learn the
traditions of the past? Or look cool and be a hipster?

Whatever it is, just be honest with yourself. And know that at the end of the day,
photography is about images not tools. In the future we might make photographs
just by blinking our eyes (with contact-lens cameras). And maybe the hipsters of
the future will shoot with old retro digital cameras.

31. Dont just take 12 photos of a scene (work the scene)

The master photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson once said, Sometimes you need
to milk the cow a lot to get a little bit of cheese.

There is this myth of the decisive moment in which photographers assume that
Cartier-Bresson only took 1 photo of a scene, and captured the decisive moment.
However Cartier-Bresson would often try to anticipate a decisive moment, and
whenever he thought he saw a potential decisive moment he would make
multiple photographs.

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When you see an interesting scene, there might be multiple

decisive-moments. Your job as a photographer, is to try to evaluate every

moment and click whenever you think something interesting or memorable is
happening.

You can work the scene by taking photographs from different perspectives. Take
a step forward, click. Take a step back, click. Take a step left, click. Take a step
right, click. Turn your camera from landscape-orientation to portrait-orientation,
click. Crouch down, click. Tippy-toe, click. Turn on your flash, click. Wait for your
subject to do an interesting hand-gesture, click.

Why limit yourself to taking just 12 photos of a scene? Whenever possible, milk the
cow as much as you can.

32. Never compare yourself with others

Never compare yourself to another photographer; only compare your photography

with your past photography.

Are you happy with your photography today, compared to your own photography
from a year ago?

The problem with competing with other photographers is that we have different life
circumstances from other photographers. Some photographers dont have
children, arent in a relationship, and can just travel all around the world without
any strings attached. We might be stuck in the suburbs, in 95 jobs we dislike, and
obligations to our family and community.

However we shouldnt be envious of other photographers. Realize all the joys you
have. Sure, another photographer might be world-famous and be constantly
touring, but they might have few friends and connections back home. A
photographer might have more followers than you, but they might be envious of
other photographers (even more famous than they are). Remember, the higher up
you go, the longer the fall.

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I think competition is a healthy drive that helps us push ourselves to the next level.
But only compete against yourself. Compare against your past self.

Seek to become a better photographer today than you were yesterday, a week ago,
a month ago, or even a few years ago.

Progress is growth. Growth is happiness, and optimism for the future.

Never stop growing as a photographer, and use your past self as a benchmark
against your current self as a photographer.

33. Aim to improve your photography by 1% everyday

It is hard to set concrete goals in our photography, because the future seems so
uncertain, and we arent sure which direction our photography is going.

My suggestion, aim for a modest 1% improvement in your photography everyday.

This 1% can be interpreted in many different ways. Below are some ideas:

Make 1% more photos everyday

Learn 1% more about photography
Edit down your portfolio by 1% everyday
Learn 1% more photography techniques and insights everyday
Learn 1% more about the masters of photography everyday
Walk 1% more everyday
Seek to improve your composition 1% everyday
Be 1% more self-critical (in a positive way) with your photos everyday
Be 1% more selective with your photos everyday

If you improve your photographic skills by 1% everyday, by the end of the year, your
returns will be massive. Compound those gains by a few years, or even a few
decades, and you will become a master in photography.

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Many of us over-estimate what we can accomplish in our photography in 1 year, but
we also under-estimate what we can accomplish in our photography in 10
years (credit Tony Robbins).

34. Aim to make complex photos, not complicated photos

Complex photos: Photographs that challenge our visual senses, that are
engaging, dynamic, and edgy.
Complicated photos: Photos that confuse,disorient, and frustrate us as
viewers.

The words complex and complicated are often confused.

We want to seek complexity in our work, not complication.

For example, you can make a photograph that is visually simple, but emotionally
complex.

A complex photo is a photograph that engages the viewer. A complex photograph

invites the viewer to come up with questions. A complex image has mystery, and
isnt easy to explain.

How can you add complexity to a frame? Think about how you can create more
dynamic angles, by integrating different lighting-situations in a scene, and by
having more complexity of emotion.

How can you remove complication from a frame? Remove distractions from the
background, look for a strong visual anchor, and edit out photos that have too
much going on in the frame.

35. Distrust social media

Social media is a great tool. But dont be suckered by social media.

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Do you remember MySpace? It was supposed to take over the world. Then
Facebook quickly took over.

Do you remember Flickr? It was once the biggest photo-sharing site on the web.
Now very few people use it; most people are on Instagram.

Apparently young people arent even using Facebook much anymore. They use
Snapchat now. They dont use email, they just text or SMS one another.

No matter how revolutionary or hyped-up a social media platform is, dont trust it
100%.

For example, a social media platform can change their policies at any moment. A
social media platform can die, and all your photos will die alongside it.

The solution is to own your own platform.

For example, host your own website and domain. Even though it might cost you
money, you will have a lot more control over the long-term.

The most stable form your photographs can take are in the form of prints. Prints can
last for centuries. Do you think your photographs will last for centuries on social
media? Do you remember putting your old digital files on floppy disks? Can you
even find a floppy disk reader anymore? What makes you think cloud storage will be
as reliable 100 years from now?

36. Print your work

Floppy-disks were replaced by CDs, CDs were replaced by DVDs, DVDs were
replaced by flash drives, flash drives were replaced by the cloud.

I remember when I was in Korea visiting my 80-year old grandmother, we sat down
in her living room and looked at old photo albums of when she was a child.

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These photographs still exist, and are easily-accessible. I also enjoy the photo-
albums my mom made of me as a child. They store easily, and we can access the
photos easily.

However I have a hard time finding old photos of me in college that were shot
digitally. And furthermore, I have no idea what happened to all of my MySpace
photos.

The joy of a print is that it is something physical, something tangible. In todays

digital world, we are so disconnected with the sense of touch.

A photographic print is beautiful. It shimmers in three-dimensions. You can see the

depth of the ink on the paper, you can feel the texture and weight of the paper, and
you can easily hang or display a print.

Furthermore, as humans we value physical objects more than digital objects. I am

very willing to spend $20 on a printed book, but less likely to spend $20 on an e-
book.

Also consider what brings you more joy if you receive a handwritten letter, or if
you receive an email? The content may be the same, but the emotion and feeling is
different.

The same goes with prints. If you give a friend a print of your photo as a gift, they
will be much happier and more excited than if you just emailed them a JPEG file of
it.

Today, more than ever, we have more freedom to print our photos. Digital
technology has made it easy for us to upload digital photos, and print for extremely
cheap.

Print your personal photos and make them small 4x6s, and make photo albums for
friends and family. Print your art photos big, and frame them in your own home, and
give them out to friends and family as gifts.

Even taking it a step further try to at least take one analog-film printing course in
your life. There is a certain magic of the darkroom that you cannot replicate with
printing off an inkjet.

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And the question between printing your work and sharing it online? Do both. Print
and share your photos digitally.

37. The journey is the reward

For me, the photographic journey Ive had is more exciting than the final result.

For example, one of my goals in life was to be a full-time photographer. Ive

realized my goal of subsisting on photography as a full-time living (by teaching
workshops).

However once I arrived at my destination of doing photography full-time, I wasnt

as happy as I was during the struggle and journey of becoming a full-time
photographer.

You might have certain goals in your photography. You might aspire to acquire a
certain camera, to print your work, have an exhibition, or make a book. But once
youve achieved your goal, you will feel listless, and just want to hit another goal.

So enjoy the process of your photography. Enjoy the journey. That is what brings
you the most satisfaction in photography.

For example, the pleasure of taking a photograph, walking the streets, and using
my visual skills to the utmost is more exciting than getting a good photograph.

If you forget to enjoy your journey in photography, your life will quickly whizz on by,
with little satisfaction towards the end of your life.

By enjoying the process of photography, you slow down time, you appreciate
photography more, and you will have more inner-satisfaction.

38. Photograph everyday for 5 minutes, rather than photographing

for 5 hours once a week

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There are many different ways to make photographs. Some people photograph
everyday, whereas some people photograph only once a week (some only once a
month!)

There is no right or wrong way to approach this it depends on your

personality.

However based on my personal experience, I think it is better to photograph

everyday for 5 minutes, rather than photographing 5 hours every weekend.

Consistency is key.

When I played tennis in high school, one of the most important things about
mastering my serve was to practice my serve everyday. If I practiced my serve
everyday, my serve would get better. If I practiced my serve every-other-day, my
serve would stay the same (wouldnt get better or worse). However if I practiced my
serve every 3 days (or only once a week), my serve would get worse.

Aim to make it a practice to try to photograph a little bit everyday. This will cut
through the resistance of making photographs.

And use the simplest tool possible. Dont feel obliged to use your expensive high-
end digital camera. You can just use your smartphone.

But make sure that you are making photos of things that are personally-meaningful
to you. Dont just photograph things around you for the sake of photographing 5
minutes a day. Take 5 minutes a day to photograph your loved ones, personally-
meaningful events in your day, and even of yourself (artistic selfies). This will help
you find more appreciation in your daily life.

Dont forget your daily practice of 1% improvement, and once again you will
never face photographers block in your life.

39. The best camera is the most invisible camera

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An idea I got from the philosopher Nassim Taleb is that technology is the best when
invisible.

I will take that concept and apply it to cameras the best camera is the most
invisible one.

For example, you want to use a camera that is attached to you. Invisible. You dont
even need to think to bring it with you everywhere you go. You dont even need to
think about it when you make photos. Your subjects dont even notice you when
you make a photograph, because once again, your camera is invisible.

This means having a small, compact, and inconspicuous camera. I prefer using
black cameras because they blend in with my black clothing. Also the smaller your
camera, the less likely you are to be noticed by others.

Also try to use the simplest technical settings where you can just point and click.

I think for 99% of photographers the best camera is a smartphone camera. It is a

part of us, always in our front pocket, and we dont need to think when clicking the
shutter.

Your ideal camera can still be a huge and massive camera, as long as it is invisible
to you and requires little thought for you to use.

40. Seek to have fewer people like your work

Another idea I got from the philosopher Nassim Taleb: It is better to have a small
group of people intensely like your work, rather than have a large group of people
moderately like your work.

Why? By having a small and devoted following they will buy your prints, they will
attend your workshops, and they will share your work with their friends.

People who are moderately interested in you wont do any of that. They might see
your work here and there, and feel indifferent about your work, and simply move on.

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There is a myth that having a big following is desirable. You can shoot photos that
are cliche, boring, yet acquire a large following. Yet you might have nobody
intensely like your work.

To have a few people intensely like your work means to alienate some people. It
means that if you try to take photos that please everybody, you will please
nobody.

Therefore it is better to have a thousand people intensely like your work, than have
a million people moderately like your work.

The futurist Kevin Kelly shares a concept of a 1,000 true fans and says that an
entrepreneur who wants to make a living from their passion only needs a thousand
people who intensely like their work.

And it doesnt need to be a thousand people. It can be a thousand, ten thousand,

five hundred, a hundred, fifty, or even just ten. Or even just one intensely loyal fan
(if you happen to have a very wealthy benefactor this is how Renaissance artists
made a living).

41. Cross-pollinate your photography to be more creative

Imagine a bee that is going from one flower to another, cross-pollinating the
flowers.

This is a great method of creativity. Try to seek creativity in your photography by

studying many different fields. Then mix these fields together with one another
and you will come up with new, novel concepts.

The photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson mixed surrealism, painting, and

photography to create his style. The photographer (once economist) Sebastiao
Salgado mixed his interest in economics, politics, working-situations, and
photography to create his own style of photography. The photographer Saul Leiter
combined his passion for colorful paintings with his photography, to create his own
style. The photographer William Klein used his extroversion and his passion of
street life and kids to become a director on the streets in his street photography.

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So how can you mix it up with all of your different interests (outside of photography,
and inside of photography) to create unique work?

42. If nobody else existed, would you still make photos?

As a thought experiment consider the question: if nobody else existed, would you
still make photos?

In the psychology of motivation, scientists use two different types of motivation:

intrinsic and extrinsic.

Intrinsic motivation is the type of inner motivation you have. For example, you
make photos for the sake of making photos, rather than seeking some external
reward.

Extrinsic motivation in photography means to make photos to please others. It

means you are inspired and motivated by the affirmation of others.

As human, we need both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to move forward.

But if you want true happiness and productivity in your photography and life, focus
on intrinsic motivation.

Making photos in itself is the reward. As a photographer, the greatest privilege you
have are your eyes, your feet, and the camera in your hand.

Nothing else is guaranteed. You cant guarantee whether you will make a good shot
or not. You cant guarantee whether you will become famous or not, or get
sponsorships or have a fancy exhibition.

So whenever you are looking for motivation in your photography, always seek from
within.

43. The photos you decide not to make are more important than
the photos you do make.

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There is a lot of visual information in the world. Your job as a photographer is to be a
filter of reality. You decide what to include in your frame, and what to exclude from
the frame.

There is no way to be a wholly objective photographer. In fact, the best way to

become a great photographer is to be as subjective as possible. Be opinionated. Be
biased. Your view of the world is unique; share your perspective as honestly as
possible.

In your quest in photography, youre going to ruffle some feathers. Not everyone is
going to love your work. In fact, youre going to have a lot of people hate your work,
call it overrated, and dismiss your work.

So what do you decide not to photograph is more important than what you decide
to photograph.

What do you not want to show in your photography? Perhaps youre frustrated by all
these photos of poverty, injustice, and death. Maybe you want your photography to
be an affirmation of life. You intentionally dont photograph the negative, you
decide to only photograph the positive.

Or maybe youre bored with pretty sunsets. You want to show the grits of the
streets. It might be a good idea to not to pursue pretty nature photography, and
might be a good idea to work on raw street photography.

Be selective, pick and choose. Do whats authentic to you, and bury everything
else.

44. Photography is 90% editing your work (choosing your best

photos) and 10% actually making photos.

The problem we make in photography is we share too many of our photos. We dont
learn how to edit our photos (select our best work).

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In fact, editing our photographs has become synonymous with post processing
our photographs. This means that there is too much emphasis on post processing
your photos, and little emphasis in selecting your best work.

Furthermore, if you have a great photograph, you dont need to post process it
much. I see post processing as seasoning food: a little salt makes food taste
better. But too much salt ruins the food.

My suggestion is to marinate your photographs and let them sit for a long time
before sharing them. Think of putting your photos into a wine cellar. As time goes
on, you will have more clarity whether your photos are good or not.

Apparent novel writers do the same. They write a novel, lock it in a cupboard, and
read it again a year later. This helps them better evaluate their work in a more
objective sense.

45. Aim to make one memorable photograph before you die

If you can make one memorable photo before you die, youve done your job as a
photographer.

One of the most difficult things about being a photographer is being patient. We
want to rush to become famous, make money through our photography, and get
millions of followers.

I personally believe to be happy in photography, we should set our expectations

pretty low (making one memorable photo before we die), and then work our asses
off.

I think that any diligent photographer, me, you, anybody can aim to make one
great photograph before we die.

So work hard your entire life for that one shot. And when you think you got that one
shot, keep hustling even harder, to get an even better shot.

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 46. Photograph like a child

There is nothing more inspirational to me than a curious child. To a child, the world
is full of possibilities. They wander, explore, and everything is a new and precious
experience to them.

When I started photography, I photographed like a child. This was before I learned
any rules in photography, and I felt truly free. I had no resistance in my body or
mind when shooting. I simply photographed what brought me personal joy,
curiosity, and happiness.

What does it mean to photograph like a child?

It means to not censor yourself while you are shooting. Photograph whatever the
hell you want.

However afterwards, learn how to select your photos like an adult.

What that means is that being adults, we want to be more objective in choosing our
best images. We want to judge our own photos based on composition, dynamism,
as well as light, emotion, color, shadows, and edginess.

Shoot like a child, edit like an adult.

47. Aim to reduce the size of your camera

The beginner photographers camera constantly gets bigger with time; the master
photographers camera constantly gets smaller with time.

It has happened to me and millions of other photographers. In trying to master our

photography, we end up acquiring more and more gear for our cameras. We
upgrade our camera bodies, they get bigger, gain more megapixels, we buy camera
grips to make our bodies look (even) bigger, we get bigger and longer lenses, until
the point that we hate dragging around our cameras.

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However whenever I see master photographers, I see that they do the opposite
they aim to have a smaller and less obtrusive camera. Many professional
photographers are trading in their bulky DSLRs for smaller bodies, that allow them
to be nimble, flexible, and creative.

Whenever it comes to deciding to buy a new camera or not, I suggest you to try to
optimize for size and handling. Try to use the smallest possible camera for your
purposes.

48. Creepiness is proportional to focal length.

This is a case against using telephoto lenses in your photography (especially street
photography). The longer your lens is, the creepier you look.

Of course this depends on what kind of photography youre trying to do. If youre
photographing birds and landscapes, that is fine. But try not to aim a bazooka into
the face of a stranger. It makes people feel uncomfortable, and creeped out.

My suggestion: when youre shooting on the streets use a wide-angle prime lens (I
recommend a 28mm for a point-and-shoot, or a 35mm full-frame equivalent). This
allows you to blend in more with the crowd, and not always have to point your lens
directly at your subjects. You can point your camera in the direction of your subject,
but place them in the left or right of your frame.

49. The best zoom is foot-zoom

I remember when I first started photography, I asked a lot of other photographers

what the best zoom lens was. They told me, Foot zoom.

Ive discovered that using a zoom lens makes you lazy. Rather than moving your
angle and perspective, you just zoom into the scene. There is a saying that a zoom
lens only has two focal lengths: the widest focal length and the furthest focal
length. In photography, we tend to always use the furthest focal length.

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By having the creative constraint of not being able to always zoom into your
scenes, you might need to get physically closer. I believe that with physical
proximity comes emotional proximity. If you get physically close to your subject,
you can feel the space in which they are. Not only that, but it might give you a
chance to interact with your subject, and elevate your experience to another level.

50. When in doubt, drink more coffee

Caffeine is a performance stimulant. I find whenever I am feeling tired and sluggish

when out making photos, a lovely shot of espresso (especially single-origin) is a
photographers best friend.

The same goes when youre editing or post-processing your photos, if youre
blogging, designing your photography books, or meeting other photographers.

Of course you can substitute your own beverages wine, tea, beer (or maybe even
red bull and vodka); it is all free game.

51. A good way to judge your compositions: flip your photos

upside down

This is a good tip that I learned from my buddy Adam Marelli, who originally learned
this technique from Henri Cartier-Bresson.

When you flip your photos upside down, you get a better sense of your
composition. Rather than getting distracted by your subject, you look at your
subject as an abstract form.

You can even make your photographs into small thumbnails, and judge your
compositions this way. This is what photographers used to do when they inspected
their contact sheets a series of small thumbnails to preview their film
photographs.

52. Be a flaneur

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The word flaneur in French means an individual who simply wanders, without
having a destination in mind. A flaneur decides his/her next step based on the
situation at hand.

Lets say youre out shooting in the streets dont have a pre-planned route. Let
spontaneity and randomness guide you.

This is what will guide you down exciting new parts of time, down romantic
alleyways, and allow you to walk at your own pace rather than just being a tourist.

So when youre out shooting, put away your smartphone and Google Maps. Let your
personal curiosity lead the way.

53. The more time you spend on social media, the less satisfied
you will be with your photography

As humans, we are constantly comparing ourselves to others. I know that

whenever I am on social media, I always compare the likes/comments I get
compared to that of my friends, peers, and colleagues.

And honestly, I get easily envious on social media. No matter how good I think Im
doing, there is always someone out there doing better than me.

Therefore as an experiment, I decided to take a break from social media. To fast

from social media for a few weeks.

Those few weeks were the most refreshing moments of my life. Rather than being
distracted by the popularity contest of social media, I really felt like I was making
images to please myself (rather than others).

Of course you can use social media in another way to let the work of others
inspire you to take your work to the next level.

But regardless, I feel it is a good practice for any photographer to take occasional
fasts or breaks from social media. It can be a few hours, a day, a week, a month, or
even a year. Or perhaps even giving it up all-together. See if you feel cleansed or

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purged in any way; and try to use social media as mindfully as you can.

54. You are only as good as your last photo

There is a saying in film director circles: youre only as good as your last film.

The same applies in writing: youre only as good as your last book.

The same in music: youre only as good as your last album.

And of course, the same concept applies in our photography. Were always being
judged based on the last photo, project, or exhibition we put on. Then it is onto the
next one.

As a practical tip, only show your best work. I know a lot of photographers who are
very good, but whenever I see so-so photos of theirs, their overall portfolio
suffers. I would rather a photographer show his/her best 5 photos, than 50 so-so
photos (with a couple of gems sprinkled in).

So the next time you decide to upload or share a photograph, ask yourself: Is this
photograph as good, worse, or better than the last photo I shared?

55. Aim for longevity in photography

The thing I admire the most in other photographers isnt skill, fame, or notoriety
it is longevity.

Longevity means to be able to stay inspired and motivated in your photography for
years, decades, and your entire life.

Even Henri Cartier-Bresson lost his motivation for making images after 30 years.
The photographer Josef Koudelka thinks it is because Henri Cartier-Bresson kept
shooting the same way (Leica, 50mm, black-and-white, decisive moments), and
never re-invented himself.

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In physical fitness, I used to aim to have big muscles and lift heavy weights. Now I
am more focused on longevity I want to stay as healthy and injury-free as long as
I can.

It is like the parable of the tortoise vs the rabbit. I would rather win the long race,
than the short race.

To live a life of passion, where you are constantly excited and interested in
photography is the best life.

To be able to achieve longevity in your photography, work on long-term

photography projects. Document your local town, your loved ones, or a local
community. Or document your own personal life. Make it something meaningful to
you, and you will never be bored to photograph it for your entire life.

56. If you arent busy being born, youre busy dying. - Bob Dylan

The movement of life on earth is that of evolution, adaptation, and progress.

Organisms are constantly evolving to become more fit; to avoid dying or becoming
redundant.

Seek the same concept in your photography. How can you keep re-inventing
yourself over several decades in your photography? Does that mean changing your
equipment, changing from shooting black and white to color, working on different
projects, traveling to different places, collaborating with different artists, or
something else?

Never let your passion for photography die.

57. Seek to know a few photographers very well, rather than many
photographers superficially

As a general tip, I think it is better to deeply know the work of 3 inspirational

photographers, rather than to generally know the work of a lot of photographers.

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Aim for depth over breadth. Find the few photographers who really speak to your
soul. Consume all their interviews, YouTube videos, books, articles, and try to
attend one of their classes or workshops. Whenever youre looking for new
inspiration, just go back to their work again, and try to see it from a new
perspective.

By getting to know the work of a few photographers very well, their images,
working methods, and technique will sink into your mind.

If you want to dye a piece of wool, you need to let it soak for a very long time, and
soak it many different times. The same is with inspiration for photography.

58. Apply the 80/20 rule in your photography

In economics, there is a concept called the 80/20 rule. The basic concept is that
certain things in our life have the biggest impacts in our life.

For example, 80% of the photos we shoot are generally on 20% of our lenses. 80%
of the happiness we have in life comes from 20% of our friends. 80% of the stress
comes from 20% of the negative people in our lives. 20% of the photographers we
know have influenced 80% of our work.

It isnt always a perfect 80/20 split. It can be 90/10. 99/1. 60/40.

But the general theory can apply in different ways in your photography.

What is the 20% of your images in your portfolio which you feel has 80% of the
value? Only show that work.

What is the 20% of your gear that you use 80% of the time? Get rid of the rest.

Who are 20% of the photographers you follow on social media who inspire 80% of
your photography. Only follow them, and unfollow everyone else.

What are some other ways you can apply this 80/20 percent concept to your work?

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 59. Print your work as small 4x6s to select your best photos

Im a slave to the computer when it comes to looking at my work. Sure it is more

efficient, but it lacks the soul of printing out your work, and selecting your best
work.

If you want a more emotional and hands-on approach to your photography, print
out your photos as small 4x6s. You can sit down with your photography friends and
ask them to separate them into two piles: a keep pile, and a ditch pile. You can
do the same yourself.

Or when you are putting together a photography book, spread all your 4x6 prints on
the floor, and let spontaneity do its job. Mix around the prints, and see how you can
pair and sequence your photos in an organic way.

60. There are no good or bad photos, but there are certainly
interesting and boring photos

It is difficult to judge your photos as good or bad. After all, what is the ruler in
which we measure how good a photo is? Do we judge it by the composition, how
others perceive it, or our own judgement?

My suggestion: it is easier to judge a photograph as interesting or boring.

For example, when you look at your own photo, does it excite you? Does it cause
you to re-live the moment? Is it a mysterious photograph that invites the viewer to
ask more questions about the scene?

Or is your photograph boring? Does it not say anything, and is just a photograph of
the scene?

If you want to make more interesting photos, think of how you can transform the
scene in which you photograph into something else. Try to elevate reality into an
abstraction. Try to make a photograph that has more mystery. Dont make the
photograph easily explainable.

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Another way you can judge your photographs: Is this photograph easily duplicable
by someone else? If the photo you just took can easily be found on Google
Images, it might not be worth you photographing it again.

No matter how epic your photo of the Eiffel tower, it wont be as interesting as all
the other Eiffel tower photos out there.

Try to make photos that only you can make. And also try to make photos that
nobody else can make.

61. Purge your photos once a year

There is scientific proof that by purging your body through fasting, you become
healthier.

Similarly, if you want to become stronger in your photography, an occasional purge

also helps.

Once a year, I always go back to my catalogue of images, and try to edit down my
photos. I try to only keep the photographs that still spark joy in my life. For the
photos that no longer tug at my heart-strings, I end up deleting them, or removing
them from my social media profiles or website.

If you feel frustrated with your photography, try to experiment with a social media
purge. For your social media profile, go back and delete all of your photos in your
stream. You can still keep your photos on your hard drive, but by purging them on
your social media channels, you will feel clean.

Then systematically go back to your archive of images and ask yourself: If I started
my social media stream all over again, which photos would I re-share? Which
photos would I not?

The problem that many of us have as photographers is that we hoard our photos.
We keep all of our photos; whereas we should only keep a select few. Instead, we
should delete the photos that no longer have personal meaning or relevance to us.

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So as a practice, go through your archives once a year and purge your meaningless
photographs. This way you wont be held back by the past, but optimistic about the
future.

62. Aim to get one good photo from a thousand photos

Everyone has a different hit rate or keeper rate in their photography. For me, if I
can get 1 photograph that I really love from 1,000 Im doing really well.

I do believe that the secret to becoming a great photographer is to make a lot of

photographs. The more photos you make, and the more you introspect on your
images, the more you will improve.

Not only that, but I think everyone can get 1 meaningful photo from 1,000. By
putting off pressure on yourself, you are more likely to perform better as a
photographer, be less disappointed in yourself, and have more inspiration in the
long-run.

63. Make your own website portfolio

A classic mistake that newbie photographers make is that they only have social
media profiles, and dont have their own website portfolio.

What separates the more serious photographers from the meddling amateurs is
their website portfolio.

I know this sounds elitist, but it is true. I always want to feature the work of other
photographers, but if they just send me a link of their portfolio by sending a link to
their social media site, I dont take them as seriously as a photographer who sends
me their portfolio on their own personal website.

There are many benefits of having your own personal website.

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First of all, you have more control over how you decide to display your images.
Social media websites constrain your creativity in a negative way. For example, in
Flickr and Instagram you cant reorder the photos in your stream. Also you cant
decide how people navigate your images; whether they scroll, swipe up, swipe
down, swipe left, or right. With your own website portfolio, you can easily
customize the viewing experience of the viewer.

Furthermore Ive found that psychologically, having your own photography website
portfolio makes you take your photography more seriously. Rather than seeking to
get lots of likes on random single images, you seek to make more meaningful
projects.

If you already have a body of work, I recommend registering your own domain name
(firstnamelastnamephoto.com) and trying to keep your portfolio constrained to your
top 3 projects. This will ensure that you will only show your best work, and you
wont water down your portfolio with your so-so images.

64. Dont be suckered by nostalgia from the past

A mistake that Ive made in my photography is to be suckered by nostalgia from the

past. Meaning, I always think the past was much more interesting than today. I
wish I was born in the 1920s because everything was interesting back then.

However in reality, in the 1920s, seeing people wear top-hats wasnt very
interesting. It was common-place, just like how everyone uses an iPhone
nowadays.

Similarly realize that 80 years from now, seeing street photographs of people with
iPhones will look very retro.

There is no better time in history for you to make great photos than now. You have
access to the best tools ever imagined for photographers. You have access to the
best forms of digital and online communication to share and publish your work. You
have easier ways of transportation, and on average we are much wealthier than
we were in the past.

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Know that today (and the future) will be the best time to make great photos.

65. Train your eyes daily like a bodybuilder trains his body daily

The most valuable asset we have as a photographer is our eyes. What differentiates
a great photographer from a mediocre photographer isnt his/her camera rather, it
is his/her vision and perspective of the world.

Great photographers can use any camera to make interesting observations about
the world. A photographer has eyes which are curious, observing, and can re-
interpret reality in novel ways.

If you want to become the strongest bodybuilder, you need to train your body daily.
One day you might focus on your chest, the other day your back, and the other day
your legs. Similarly in photography, you might train your eyes one day by shooting,
another day by looking at photo books, and another day by studying the work of the
masters.

A key to becoming a great bodybuilder is variation. If a bodybuilder trains the same

muscle everyday, he/she will not get any stronger.

Treat the same in your photography. Aim for variety in your photographic and visual
diet. Consume the work of various photographers, and dont just look at
photography look at the vast variety of visual art out there.

66. Be a lazy photographer

In America and the west we are told, No pain, no gain.

I used to believe that as well but now Im starting to believe in the benefit of
laziness in your photography.

Only do what you want to do in your photography. Never let your passion in
photography be dictated by someone else, and only photograph when you want to
photograph.

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So if you are a lazy photographer, perhaps it means that you only shoot for 30
minutes in a day. But when you shoot for those 30 minutes, you do it efficiently and
effectively. Rather than photographing for 8 hours in a day, and just half-assing it.

Being lazy in photography doesnt mean being sloth-like. Rather, it means

learning how to be efficient and effective with your energy, time, and attention.

Also there is a benefit to procrastination in your photography. I dont upload a

photograph until I feel truly ready to do so. It might take me a few weeks, or a few
months, sometimes even a few years. But once I do it, I know that it is a strong
image.

I know the idea of being a lazy photographer seems very contrarian and counter-
intuitive. But once again, interpret this idea however you see fit that works for you,
or discard it all-together.

67. Dont chimp

As digital photographers we all do this whenever we make a photograph, we

instinctively look at the LCD screen to check if the composition looks good, if the
lighting is good, and whether we caught the moment.

They call this chimping because whenever we look at our own photos on the
LCD immediately after we shot them, we point to them and start yelling out ooh-
ooh, ahh-ahh (like a bunch of chimps, or monkeys).

If you are an uber-newbie in photography, chimping will help you learn the
fundamentals of photography lighting and technical elements. However even as a
beginner, chimping too much in your photography is deleterious.

Why?

Every time you look at your LCD screen, you become distracted and no longer are
focused and in the zone of shooting.

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When youre shooting, only focus on shooting. When you go home to review your
photos, only do that. Dont review your photos while youre shooting, or else you
might miss an even better moment.

As a practical tip, turn off the LCD Confirmation time on your camera to 0. This
means every time you make a photograph, it wont appear on your LCD screen.
Therefore you are less-likely to be distracted.

But how do you know if you got the shot if you dont check your LCD screen? You
dont. That is what forces you to work harder the uncertainty of not knowing
whether you got the shot or not.

What do I know what my composition looks like? By not checking your LCD screen,
you focus on the composition while youre shooting. Then you can learn from your
mistakes afterwards.

How do I know whether my technical settings are okay? Whether the shot will be
blurry, in-focus, or the exposure looks okay? Easy set it and forget it in terms of
your technical settings (P mode, ISO 8001600, center-point autofocus) and shoot
in RAW. Even if your exposure is off, you can always adjust it in post-processing
afterwards. I feel that capturing the moment is more important than capturing a
good exposure.

68. How to kill envy in photography

I easily envy other photographers. No matter how successful I feel there always
seems to be (many) other photographers doing far better than me.

As a practical tip to kill envy in your photography, dont look at photographers

with more followers than you, look at photographers with fewer followers than you.

No matter how popular your photography is, there will always be someone who is
more popular and successful than you are.

Similarly no matter how unpopular you are, there will always be someone who is
even less popular than you.

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By looking behind us rather than looking ahead of us we become more grateful for
what we already have.

We might be dissatisfied with only having 50 followers, but there is someone out
there with only 5 followers. And with someone out there with only 5 followers, there
is someone out there with 1 (or no) followers.

The same thing goes with our photography gear. There will always be someone out
there with better gear than you, or more gear than you. But similarly, no matter how
bad your gear is, there will always be someone out there with worse gear than you.

Dont forget to count your blessings in photography, and always make the best out
of what you are given.

69. Only take photos when you feel like it

Every photographer deals with dips in terms of inspiration. When we first start in
photography, we are so passionate, curious, and marveled by photography. We
take photos everyday, of everything, and everywhere.

But somewhere along the line, we dont have that same urge to photograph. Our
cameras (rather than being by our sides all the time) end up collecting dust on the
shelf.

In order to re-spark our passion for photography, we try to embark on these 365
photo projects in which we have to (no matter what) make at least 1 photo a day.

I used to think these projects were a good idea, but I quickly discovered (through
my personal experience) that it isnt.

You dont want to make your photography feel like a chore. If you are forced
(against your will) to make photographs everyday, youre going to end up hating
photography. Just like when you were forced to play piano as a child (but hated it).
Some of my friends I know who were forced to play piano play brilliantly but hate
it.

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Only make photographs when you feel like it. Perhaps that means you only pick up
a camera once a day, once a week, or maybe even once a month. Remember, the
point of photography is to enrich your life not to be the worlds best photographer.

When you photograph when you feel like it, you will truly do it with your heart and
passion. Also sometimes the best way to re-spark our passion for photography is to
intentionally put down the camera, and pursue other forms of art. Because who
knows maybe photography isnt your calling? Photography might just be your
entry-drug to some other form of visual art.

70. A question to ask yourself: Is photography adding stress to

my life, or removing stress from my life?

When we start photography we do it because it is fun. But the more serious we

get in our photography it often becomes more stressful than fun.

So ask yourself, Is photography adding stress to my life, or removing stress from

my life?

Most of us have stressful lives. We stress about paying the bills, taking care of our
kids, our spouses, our families, work drama, and putting food on the table.

For me, photography is a zen or meditative experience. When I worked my 95

job, just walking around on the streets with my camera for 15 minutes was more
effective in relieving my stress than anything else. I love photography as a way for
me to clear my mind, and to remove stress from my life.

When I started to make photography the central focus of my life, it added stress in
many different ways. I would feel anxious if I wasnt constantly posting images
online. I worried that people would forget about me. I was worried that my
workshops wouldnt sell out, and I would become homeless. When I got to the
point that I was too critical with my own photos, I no longer had the drive or zeal to
go out and make images.

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Dont take your photography too seriously. Treat it like a holiday. A chance for you
to take a break from real life, and explore reality on your own terms. Have fun with
your photography. Treat your photography like a visual-puzzle. See how you can
dissect reality, and re-order it in your frame however you see fit.

71. Shoot both horizontal and vertical photos

There are certain scenes which work better as horizontal (landscape) photos, and
other photos that work better as vertical (portrait) photos.

When it comes to working the scene try to shoot both. Switch up the
perspective of your camera, while youre taking multiple shots of a scene. It is hard
to figure out whether a horizontal or a vertical shot will work in a scene. Try to do
both, and then when you are reviewing your photos afterwards, it is easier to
choose the best photograph.

72. Use minus-exposure compensation in harsh light

When I was a beginner photographer, what always confused me was this: when I
made photos during the middle of the day, why did my photographs turn so white
and washed-out?

I realized that I wasnt using exposure-compensation correctly. When you are

shooting in harsh light, try to use minus exposure-compensation.

For example, have your subject stand in the harsh, direct-light of the sun outside.
Have them close their eyes and look up, and then experiment taking photos at 1,
2, and 3 exposure-compensation. Then check your LCD screen and check
whether your exposure looks good (learned this tip from my friend Neil Ta).

See which exposure-compensation works best for you. You will see by minusing
your exposure-compensation in bright light, you will create deeper blacks in your
shadows, which look more dramatic. Furthermore the skin tones of your subject
should look more faithful to life, and less blown-out.

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Experiment with exposure-compensation in different ways. If youre shooting in
very dim situations, use plus exposure-compensation. Or if your subject is
standing by dramatic window lighting, try plus (and minus) exposure compensation
and choose what you think works the best.

73. A photographers best tool is his/her smile

No matter what genre of photography you shoot, a smile is always your best tool.

Why?

A smile will make your subjects feel more at ease, a smile will help you wake up at
4am to shoot the sunrise, a smile will keep you motivated and positive, and a smile
will make you look less threatening while youre shooting on the streets.

I always try to make a practice of smiling with my subjects when Im making

photographs. This puts them at ease, and they tend to smile back. And if your
subjects smile back at you, you feel good. You feel even more motivated to make
more photos.

When in doubt, smile.

74. Shoot with your flash more often

As beginner photographers, we are told not to use our flash (especially during the
day). Wrong. Try to actually use your flash more often.

99% of the time, our lighting situations arent ideal. Generally the light looks best
during golden hour sunrise or sunset. Or the light is good with natural window
lighting, or if your subject is standing in a door-way entrance (tip from Steve
McCurry).

However if your subject is outdoors in the harsh sun, try to experiment using a
flash. By using a flash, you will fill in the shadows in your subjects face, and under
their eyes.

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Furthermore, if you use a flash in the shade, you will add more contrast and pop
to your subjects.

If youre shooting in color, using a flash also allows your photographs to have more
saturated colors.

In terms of technical settings for the flash, the easiest is to just keep your camera
in P (program mode), ISO 400, and let the flash determine the settings. I also am
a big fan of using the integrated or pop-up flash (if your camera has it), because it is
a lot more convenient to use than using a huge off-camera flash.

Another tip you can experiment when using your flash in the bright light, set your
cameras exposure-compensation to minus 1 or minus 2. Then use the flash and
see the interesting effects it will make.

75. For portraits, put your subjects eye in the direct center of the
frame

Another tip I got from my friend Adam Marelli if youre shooting a portrait of a
person, have one of their eyes be directly in the center of the frame. Why? It gives
the illusion that your subject is looking directly at you from all angles. This is what
the Renaissance painters often did. Also for many portraits by Steve McCurry, he
incorporates this technique.

Furthermore, if you want to learn how to pose your subjects, study sculpture.
Generally you want the bodies of your subjects to be more dynamic, by turning and
twisting their bodies. So if you want a more engaging portrait, have your subject
stand (initially turned away from you), and then ask them to twist their body and
turn their head towards you.

Also experiment with eye-contact in different ways. Sometimes ask them to look
directly into the lens, or away, or up, or down. Shoot many different variations, and
only choose the best photograph you feel speaks to you.

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 76. If someone criticizes your photo; remember, they arent
criticizing you as a human being

If someone says your photos suck they arent saying that suck as a human being.
It doesnt mean they dont like you it just means that they dont like your photos.

The problem is as photographers, we treat our photos like our babies. Whenever
someone calls our babies ugly, we get offended. Because no matter how ugly our
babies are, we always see them as beautiful (if you have friends on Facebook who
post photos of their babies non-stop, you probably know what I mean).

This is also because we fall victim to what psychologists call the IKEA Effect if
we make or build something ourselves, we over-value it. I know that personally by
building IKEA furniture, I think it is the greatest work of art.

So when we make photos, we think it is great (just because we made it).

A tip to better judge your photos: how would you judge the photograph if you knew
that someone else photographed it? Would you still like it? Would you criticize it, or
compliment it?

Furthermore, when we hear our friends criticizing other people, it doesnt offend us.
So if someone criticizes our photos, imagine like theyre criticizing someone elses
photos. Dont become emotionally-attached to your photos, and dont attach your
own ego to your own photos.

Sure you made the photos, but once the photos are created they no longer belong
to you. They exist separately from you.

77. If you travel, always try to pack as light as possible

One of the big mistakes I did when I did my first backpacking/photography trip as a
college student: I brought too much stuff, and my camera was too big and heavy.

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For my month-long backpacking trip through Europe, I brought a DSLR (Canon 5D)
and a 35mm f/2 and 24mm f/2.8 lens. I thought that was packing light but I was
wrong. For the entire trip, I dreaded bringing such a huge camera. I wish I just had
something small (like a point-and-shoot camera or something).

In 2009, most small cameras didnt have good sensors or image quality. Now we
are blessed by all these compact cameras with fantastic sensors.

So if you plan on traveling for your photography, optimize for weight. Just pack 2
pairs of clothes (non-cotton, and quick-dry), just pack 1 lens and 1 camera (if your
camera breaks while youre traveling, you can always buy another on the road), and
the lightest laptop possible.

Also as a tip, whenever you pack take whatever you packed initially and divide it
by half. Because we all tend to over-pack, and bring more things than we truly
need.

The more crap you have to lug around while youre traveling, the more miserable
you will be. By traveling light, you will walk longer, with less fatigue, have more fun,
and make more meaningful photos.

78. Kill your babies

In writing circles, they call it kill your darlings (or kill your babies) the idea is
dont get attached to certain parts of your work.

For example, if youre not sure whether your photograph is good or not, it probably
isnt. A great photograph is obvious. A photo that you are unsure of, or feels like a
maybe photograph is generally not good.

When in doubt, ditch.

Of course you want to judge your photos by the composition. But also judge your
photos by your emotional gut. And if you are really really in doubt, ask a friend that
you trust and tell them: Be brutally honest with me, help me kill my babies.

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 79. Sequence your photos like a movie

Sequencing photos in a project is more like poetry than a science. Ive found the
best way to figure out how to tell a story through sequencing photos is through
studying film.

Generally movies have a structure which makes sense: the opening scene, the
establishing shots, the close-ups, the panning shots, the wide-shots, more detail
shots, b-roll, action shots, and then closing shots.

The cinematography for great films are also inspiring. So rather than watching junk
movies, watch the work of the masters. Look at the cinematography of the old film
noir films and contemporary masters. See how the film directors sequence their
shots, and vary the perspectives of the camera.

Then seek to incorporate similar ideas and theories into your photography.

Also another tip to sequence your photos print them as small 4x6s, and ask your
friends or family to sequence them in an order they like, and tell them to try to tell a
story. This can give you further insight into how to use your images to make a
compelling sequence.

80. How can you turn your obstacles into an opportunity?

We all have a million excuses in our photography. We dont have enough time to
shoot. Were too busy with work. We dont have enough social media followers. Our
camera or lens isnt good enough. We arent naturally-gifted. We live in a boring
place. We spend too much time commuting to make photos.

Trust me, Ive made all the excuses too. But what has helped me the most is to
think to yourself: How can I turn this obstacle into an opportunity?

By re-interpreting your constraint as a challenge, you become more creative.

For example, lets say youre stuck in a suburb. Try to make an interesting urban
landscape series of your own town.

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If you spend a lot of time stuck commuting in a car, try to shoot from your car
window when youre stuck in traffic, and use the car window as a natural frame.

If you commute via public transit, try to do a commuters street photography

project.

If you live in the countryside, do macro photos of pretty flowers and nature you see.

If you are busy with family and kids, try to take the most artistic and creative
photos of them (not just snapshots).

With every obstacle comes an opportunity. Life is how we interpret it, so always
stay on the positive side.

81. Make interesting photos out of boring things

This is a tip I learned from the photographer Martin Parr: make interesting photos
out of boring things.

Our major complaint is that most of our lives and the things that we see are
boring. But how can we use that to our advantage?

Try to make interesting photos of boring things by really looking at them, deeply.
Try to understand what makes something so boring. Inspect it closely by using a
macro lens, or even a flash. Think of yourself as a forensic scientist.

If youre traveling and you only see boring tourists, dont photograph the
landmarks photograph the tourists (something Martin Parr has also done well).

Try to document the absurdity of the world, and make it interesting through your
lens and perspective.

82. Shoot RAW+JPEG

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When I started photography, I only shot JPEG. Then once I got a DSLR, I started to
only shoot RAW.

Ive found that the middle-ground works the best; shoot RAW+JPEG.

Why?

Sometimes you want the flexibility of the RAW files in terms of post-processing. But
other times, the JPEG files look better than RAW files (even after post-processing).

In the past, most people didnt like to shoot RAW+JPEG because storage was
expensive. But nowadays, it is extremely cheap. So there isnt much downside to
shooting both.

Also for RAW photos, I recommend sticking to presets. Why? It helps you have a
consistent look in your photos, and it also helps you spend less time in post-
processing, and more time choosing your best photos, and going out to shoot.

83. Dont buy a photography book you dont plan on re-reading

I believe in buying books, not gear to improve your photography.

But I also made the mistake of buying photography books for the sake of buying
photography books. Rather than buying a few photography books (and getting to
know them very well), I bought a ton of photo books and only ended up looking at
them once or twice.

I think that it is better to own one photography book that you look at a hundred
times, rather than own a hundred photography books you only look at once.

As a practical filter, ask yourself the question before you buy a photo book: Do I
actually see myself looking through this photo-book many times?

A good way to also find inspiration in your photography is to go to the local library,
and borrow the books. This will also be a lot cheaper than constantly buying
photography books online.

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 84. Bokeh is overrated

Nowadays many of us are introduced to photography with smartphones, where

everything is in focus. We end up investing in high-end digital cameras, because
we can achieve bokeh (or photos with shallow-depth of field). Photos shot on full-
frame cameras at f/1.4, f/1.8, or f/2 look more novel than photos shot at f/5.6, f/8, or
f/11.

However bokeh is overrated. It is a distraction. We waste time trying to buy more

expensive lenses with larger apertures to achieve more novel forms of bokeh.

But if you look at all the great photos in history, very few of them are shot wide-
open. Most of them have a pretty deep depth-of-field (at f/8-f/16).

A great photo should have an interesting foreground and an interesting

background. By shooting wide-open (for everything) means that only the subject is
interesting, and we blur out everything behind it. And that is a lazy form of shooting
(not in a good way).

Shooting at f/8 is more challenging. We are more likely to have messy or distracting
backgrounds in our photographs. But then again, this is what forces us to be more
creative in our photography. We seek to simplify the background by moving our
feet, or changing our perspective, rather than just shooting everything wide-open.

Im not advocating for you to never shoot wide-open. There are many cases when
you want to shoot wide-open, like if you are shooting at night and dont want to use
a flash. Or if you want to take a dramatic photo of your wine glass or cappuccino
and want to share it with your friends.

But dont get obsessed with bokeh for the sake of bokeh. You will save a ton of
money, and also be more creative in your photography.

85. Dont just study photographers

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The greatest photographic insights Ive ever had were not from photographers, but
from other artists. I have gained much inspiration from painters, rappers,
architects, graphic designers, poets, philosophers, scientists, engineers,
psychologists, sociologists, and even baristas.

If you only pigeonhole yourself into studying photographers, you miss out on the
vast sea of creativity out there. The most creative photographers are the ones who
cross-pollinate their interests between various fields.

Art can be seen anywhere. The way an old woman sweeps the house can be seen
as art. The way that a mother takes care of her child can be seen as art. The way the
child scribbles on a piece of paper can be seen as art. The way a monk meditates
can be seen as art.

Dont constrain your definition of art; and then you will be able to draw inspiration
from anywhere, anything, and anytime.

86. Dont define your photography

For a long time Ive tried to create my own name for myself as a photographer. I
tried to brand myself as a certain type of photographer.

When I started off, I didnt even call myself a photographer. I just went out and
made photos of whatever I liked.

However as time went on, I wanted to be more focused so I started to call myself a
street photographer. It helped me a bit in the short-term, but in the long-term, it
started to hurt me. Why? Because when I moved to places where it was very
difficult to shoot street photography (like the suburbs), I no longer knew what to
photograph.

I have discovered that it is best not to define your photography. This way you can
photograph whatever you want, without having any constraints which will hold you
back.

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Sometimes you might want to shoot landscapes, your family, flowers, the streets,
or sunsets. Shoot it all; the world is a visual feast. Enjoy all the different flavors.

What I do suggest though is separating your projects into different categories. This
way you can have variety in your subject-matter, yet be consistent at the same
time.

Also a good way to find your style in photography is to figure out what photos you
dislike shooting (rather than what you enjoy shooting). Just dont photograph what
you dont like, and you will soon enough discover your own voice in photography.

87. The more you give, the more you receive in return

Ive discovered in my photography and in my life, the best investment strategy is

to be generous.

The more you give, the more you receive in return.

For example, when I was starting off in photography and wanted feedback on my
photos, I found out the more feedback I gave to other photographers, the more
feedback I received in return.

Also in terms of photography blogging, the more generous I was with my

information, the more I received in return (of people attending my workshops,
purchasing my products, or just encouraging me and sending me love).

I think the only way to be successful as a photographer is to create value for

others. To empower other photographers.

As a photography teacher, you dont want to turn your students into mini-versions
of yourself. You want to help them achieve their personal maximum, and to help
them discover their inner-voice. So be generous with your advice and insight to
those of you who you teach photography.

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Ive done a lot of generous things in my photography that others thought was crazy.
I gave away all my lecture and workshop materials online for free (videos, slides,
information). I gave away my Lightroom presets for free. I gave away my ebooks for
free. I gave away full-resolution images of mine away for free.

Yet none of this has hurt me in any way; if anything, it has helped boost my
popularity, my value, and my contribution to others. I have been helped a lot more
through this generous strategy far more than if I just hoarded everything to myself.

Im not saying you have to do everything for free. But think of ways how you can be
more generous in your photography that will both help you and help others.

88. When shooting, look down, and look up

As photographers, we generally look at the world at eye-level. We generally look

ahead. However, a tip I learned from David Gibson is to look down, and to look up.

We miss a lot of what is on the ground, and a lot of what is in the sky.

By expanding your perspective of the world, the more likely you are to see great
photo opportunities.

What discarded trash do you find on the streets which can make an interesting
photo? If you look up, can you see interesting architecture in buildings, or even
planes soaring above you?

89. Assume other photographers know better than you do

A strategy to always keep learning in photography: assume other photographers

know better than you do.

When we are beginners, our eyes and ears are open to everyone else. Everyone
else is our teacher, and our rate of learning rapidly increases.

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However as we become more experienced, we assume we know better than others.
We become more stubborn, less flexible, and more set in our ways. And this is what
prevents us from learning, growing, and evolving.

It is hard to think that others know better than us, because naturally we put
ourselves in the center of the world. It is hard to imagine that others are smarter
than us.

But always have your eyes and ears open to everyone else. The most common
person can be the most profound teacher.

90. Dont trust photography editors who dont know how to make
photos themselves

This is a bit controversial, but I personally dont trust photography editors or

curators who dont know how to make photographs themselves.

Why not? Because someone who doesnt make photos (or even worse, doesnt
know how to make photos) wont understand the same nuances and artistic
sensibilities of photography.

While I appreciate the feedback and thoughts of my photography from everyone I

meet, I give a lot more credit to other photographers in the same field as me.

For example, when it comes to judging my own street photography I trust other
street photographers more than landscape photographers. Landscape
photographers (while they can offer interesting outside perspectives) will never
understand the nuances of the genre of street photography. They probably dont
know the work of the master street photographers as well as other people in the
same field.

So my general suggestion is when it comes to creating your portfolio of your work,

give more credence to other photographers in the same field of photography that
you practice.

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 91. When conflicted between buying two cameras, buy neither

I know this happens a lot we feel dissatisfied with the gear we currently own, and
we debate to buy a new camera. We compare a lot of different cameras, and read a
lot of different reviews. Yet we cannot make up our minds and we feel conflicted.

Another great idea Ive got from the philosopher Nassim Taleb is this: when youre
conflicted between buying two cameras, buy neither.

Why?

If you really need a new camera, the purchasing decision will be obvious. By
stressing over buying between two (or several) different models of cameras, youre
just trying to rationalize a purchasing decision you probably shouldnt make.

If you need a new camera (if it breaks, someone steals it, or if the technology is far
too dated) buying a new camera will be an easy decision to make.

Whenever you trying to find reasons to justify your purchase; you probably
shouldnt make it. Save your money for photography books, education, and travel
instead.

92. Why do we take photos of strangers with cameras worth

thousands of dollars, whereas we photograph our loved ones just
with our iPhones?

My good friend Josh White once posed the question to me: Why do we take
photos of strangers with cameras worth thousands of dollars, whereas we
photograph our loved ones just with our iPhones?

I feel one of the mistake that many of us make as photographers is that we seek
inspiration from the outside world, rather than our inside world.

For example, we are more interested in photographing strangers from foreign

countries, rather than photographing our family and loved ones. Why? Because we
get used to those we are constantly surrounded by. We seek for novelty, rather

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than personal meaning.

It is not to say that taking a photo of a loved one with a smartphone camera is any
less meaningful than photographing our loved ones with a high-end digital camera.
However what I mean to say is that we dont take our photography of our loved ones
as seriously as we should.

For me, I want to make the most artistic and beautiful photographs of my close
friends and family. I want to make these images because I know at the end of my
life, these photographs are going to be far more meaningful than the random
photos Ive taken of strangers.

93. Dont take photos of everything; know when to just enjoy the
moment

You know youre a master photographer once you can enjoy reality without taking
photos of it.

For example, I make it a practice to just enjoy the moment. I love nature and natural
landscapes. However I dont always feel the urge to photograph and document it.

Whenever I am watching a sunset and frantically trying to make photos, I dont

know how to sit back, and just enjoy the sunset.

The same thing goes with food. I find that when I obsess over trying to take nice
photos of my food, I end up enjoying the taste of the food less.

The same goes with fireworks. I lose the sight and beauty of fireworks when my eye
is plugged behind a viewfinder.

Know when it is better to not take photos, and when it is better to put away the
camera, and just enjoy the moment.

94. Start off shooting black and white, then transition into color
later

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If you want to improve your composition, understanding of light and contrast, and
shapes and forms I recommend starting off in black and white photography.

Why?

Monochrome tends to simplify a scene. Color adds more complexity to a scene.

For example, if you want to make a great color photograph, you need to think about
how to integrate colors (as well as the composition, framing, shapes, and forms). It
is a lot to consider when youre a beginner photographer.

So start off simple. Set your shooting mode to RAW+JPEG (and shoot the JPEGs in
black and white). This will help you visualize the world a lot easier when youre
shooting. It will also help you better understand exposure, highlights, shadows,
and composition.

When it comes to your composition in black and white, look for diagonal lines,
triangles, circles, curves, and the difference between light and shadow.

I recommend every beginner photographer to start off shooting exclusively black-

and-white for a year to develop their eye. Then after that, trying to transition into
color for another year, and focusing only on color photography.

Very few photographers are able to master both color and black and white
photography in a lifetime. You want to experiment with both, because youre not
sure which you prefer.

Experiment as much as you can in your photography when youre starting off, but
also focus with consistency. This way you will truly be able to build your artistic
vision.

95. Post-processing, filters, and presets are not cheating

On social media, we sometimes see the #nofilter hashtag, and people brag about
the fact that they dont Photoshop their photos.

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When I started off in photography, I also had the wrong understanding that using
post-processing techniques, filters, or presets was cheating.

I think of post-processing like salt. A little bit of salt makes your photos taste
better. You wouldnt call a chef a cheater for using salt in their food.

However what is also true is that no matter how much you polish a piece of turd, it
will still be a turd.

For example, sometimes I have photographs which I know arent great

photographs. But I think that by adding a lot of post-processing to a so-so photo, it
will somehow become better. I crop the photo, add a heavy vignette, add a lot of
sharpening, apply clarity or HDR, selective-color, or another cheesy post-
processing technique. But it never improves the photo, just like how adding some
salt on a rotten piece of meat wont make it tasty.

My suggestion is to experiment with different post-processing methods, presets,

or filters. Once you find a certain look that you like, try to keep it consistent. At
least within a certain project.

For example, all of your street photographs can be post-processed in a gritty black
and white aesthetic. But perhaps you want your portraits of people to be vibrant
and colorful.

Aim for aesthetic consistency.

96. Dont think years, think decades

As of writing this article, Ive photographed for a decade (from age 18 to age 28). I
feel like Im finally starting to really find my own voice, style, and vision in
photography.

The first decade of your photography is going to be full of self-doubt,

experimentation, and the need to please others. It is natural. We all need to go
through this apprenticeship phase in our photography, very much how the
Renaissance artists did with their masters.

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We are all so impatient. We want to make quick progress. We hate waiting.

But patience is probably one of the most important virtues of a photographer. Think
of your photography as a lifelong journey. In any art, you need to devote a lot of
focused time and attention to make great progress.

So dont think that within a year or two you can become a great photographer. Think
at least a decade, or several decades, to create a truly compelling body of work.

Also by having a longer-term view of your photography, you will be less stressed,
anxious, and enjoy your journey in photography more.

97. Shoot everyday as if it were your last

This is contradictory from the prior point; but another tip I have is to photograph
everyday like it were your last.

I try to take a long-term view of my photography (I aspire to become a great

photographer in several decades). However I also embrace a short-term view as
well. I try to shoot everyday like it were my last. I try to blog everyday like it were my
last. I try to communicate with my loved ones like it was my last day.

The most valuable asset that we all have in life is time. Time is the only resource
that no matter how rich we are, we can never gain more of. Dont delay on a certain
photography project if it is something that is truly meaningful to you because you
dont know what day might be your last.

98. Give away your old gear

If you have an old camera or gear that you want to get rid of, dont sell it give it to
someone in need. Give it to a family member, a loved ones, a friend you know, or
someone who could use it better than you can.

If we sell old gear, we can get a few hundred bucks for it. But I have gained a lot
more joy from giving away my old gear to those it could help empower.

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You can even give away your old gear to photography clubs in schools, or donate
them to organizations in other developing countries that teach photography to
impoverished youth.

99. Start your own photography blog

I recommend every photographer starting off to start his/her own photography

blog.

Why?

You learn as you teach, and as you share your personal journey in photography.

When I started my photography blog, my biggest deterrent was that I knew

nothing. But that was precisely what made the blog valuable. I treated the blog like
my playground I experimented, had fun, and tried new things.

Through the blog, I have interviewed other photographers, shared photography

ideas and tips, journaled my personal experiences, and helped build a community
of like-minded photographers.

The blog has brought me so much joy, happiness, and opportunities into my life. It
is seriously the thing that I am the most grateful for.

The great thing about a photography blog (compared to just traditional social
media) is that we have more freedom. We can share videos, text, as well as images.
We can mix up our media the way we want to. We can customize how we present
our photography, images, and thoughts with different themes and templates. Best
yet, we actually own the content and platform whereas when you share on social
media, you are a slave to the platform.

I personally recommend Wordpress for blogging, as it is the most stable, popular,

and has the most support on the internet. If you want a free option, you can just
use wordpress.com. However if you want to really have more power and flexibility
and customization, purchase your own domain name, and install wordpress.org. I

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recommend using bluehost.com and using the 1-click wordpress install option.
Sure it costs money, but paying for your own server and domain will help you a lot
more in the long-run.

As for blogging ideas just write whatever is on your mind. Dont take it too
seriously. It doesnt have to be perfect. Just put together blog posts which are 80%
good to you and hit publish. You can always go back and re-edit it later.

Share photos of your travels, your daily life, of your friends and family. Disable the
stats on your blog (or dont check it) which will help you stay intrinsically
motivated (doing it for the sake of it), rather than extrinsically motivated (only
blogging to increase your pageviews).

Treat your blog as a personal diary, that happens to be public. And be persistent
my blog only caught a lot of traction after blogging three times a week for close to
three years. And now after about 6 years of blogging, and close to 2,000 posts, I
find that everyday I am still learning, having fun, and sharing useful ideas with
others.

100. Create your own list of 100 tips

No matter how inexperienced you are, you can probably come up with 100 tips in
photography. In writing this epic list myself, I have helped myself. I distilled my
primary personal beliefs in photography, and I hope that some of the tips in this list
can also help you.

Lists and tips are good ways for us to organize our thoughts in a structured manner.
And once again, tips arent truth or guidelines. They are just suggestions, and auto-
biographical.

Share your soul through these tips, and dont be afraid of being negatively judged.
Share your ideas which are contrarian, and might be controversial. Dont be afraid;
put yourself out there.

In my personal journey of photography, Ive found personal meaning through

empowering other photographers. I encourage you to do the same.

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Cheers,

Eric

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