Great Reads in Photography: April 4, 2021
Every Sunday, we bring together a collection of easy-reading articles from analytical to how-to to photo-features in no particular order that did not make our regular daily coverage. Enjoy!
8 Invaluable Marketing Lessons that Photographers Should Implement
Why do photographers need to market themselves? In a phrase: so that you don't starve to death. No, but seriously. Otherwise, you risk ending up like Vincent van Gogh who (in the words of Steven Pressfield) “produced masterpiece after masterpiece and never found a buyer in his whole life.”
Eric Kim Proves the Value (and Fallacy) of SEO for Photographers
In nearly every industry, the Web has enabled a cadre of Internet-famous individuals, who on the merits of their marketing prowess have gained massive followings without necessarily acquiring the skills that has traditionally defined an “expert.”
How I Earn $200,000+ a Year from Photography
It's kind of a crazy thing: I believe you can stay true to your roots, values, and ethics, and also get rich. In this post, I'll share some of the secrets of how I earn over $200,000 a year as a "photographer."
Why Sharpness is Overrated
"Sharpness is a bourgeois concept." – Henri Cartier-Bresson
How to Shoot Street Photography with a 28mm Lens
As of early 2017, my only camera is the Ricoh GR II, which has a fixed-focal 28mm lens. I wanted to share my personal experiences shooting with a 28mm lens, after shooting with a 35mm lens for almost 6 years.
How to Be a Spartan Photographer
I’ve been really into Spartan culture lately. I’m impressed with their physical fortitude, their obedience and duty to the state and their frugal lifestyle, and I find myself wondering what kind of Spartan attributes we could apply to photography.
Traveling Won’t Make You a Better Photographer
When I was 20, I was dissatisfied with my photography. I felt like I was being limited by where I lived. I thought if I wanted to become a better street photographer, I needed to live in Europe—to photograph the romantic streets of Paris, the back-alleys of Prague, and the bustling streets of London.
How to Shoot Street Photography While Traveling
One of my passions in life is travel. I love to travel, experience new cultures, try new foods, meet new people and, of course, take photos while I’m traveling.
40 Practical Photography Assignments to Reinspire You
One of the most difficult things in photography is to stay motivated and inspired. I know that I've personally hit “photographer’s block” many times in my career.
7 Lessons Learned On My First Fashion Photography Shoot
I recently had the great pleasure of shooting fashion photography for the first time with Suede Brooks (model), fellow photographer Bil Brown (he arranged it all), as well with stylists and makeup professionals, and Cindy (creative director, and lighting assistant).
7 Tips for Staying Inspired in Your Photography
If you’re like me, you might have a hard time staying inspired in your photography. Here are 7 tips that have personally helped me.
15 Street Photography Techniques and Tips
Hey streettogs, if you want to learn some practical tips and techniques when shooting on the streets, check out the video above, or read more to see all 15 tips.
8 Reasons Why You Should Shoot in JPEG
I’ve pretty much shot RAW all my life. There are so many benefits of shooting RAW in terms of how much flexibility you have with the files, as well as the raw data in the files. However, as time goes on, I’m starting to lean more towards shooting JPEG and realize the benefits of doing so.
Why Envy Any Other Photographer?
One of the most toxic feelings that a photographer (or human being) is to feel envy. Apparently envy is a trait that is deeply embedded in us, even as babies. But why is it that we feel envy, what are we envious about, and what can we do about it?
The Importance of Social Skills in Street Photography
I teach a lot of street photography workshops for a living. I’m always wondering, “How can I best empower my students, help them build their confidence, and ultimately make better images?” Honestly, the most important way for a photographer to make better images is to build their social skills.
You Have Access to All the Means of Production, Don’t Be Afraid
I just finished reading Karl Marx’s “Capital” and “The Communist Manifesto”—and I was so amazed to see how modern a lot of his ideas are.
I think one of the biggest things I took away from his book is the idea that we are being estranged from our labor—that we no longer have the control of the “means of production”, and what that means is that we no longer have the ability to have control over what we produce.
Lean Photography: Cutting the ‘Fat’ Out of Your Creative Life
To me, creativity is all about cross-pollination of ideas in novel ways.
In Favor of ‘P’ (Program mode) in Photography
Many of us started photography quite innocently— with small compact point-and-shoots, a smartphone, or a disposable film camera. The main advantage was that we didn’t need to think about all the technical settings when we made images—rather, we focused on capturing the “decisive moment”, the framing and composition as well as the emotional content within the frame.
Photography for Photography’s Sake
Often we feel like we need reasons why we take photos. We need a purpose; a sense of direction. But my tip for today is this: photograph for photography’s sake.