Category: opinion

I argued a few weeks ago how serious image-making is similar in many ways to scientific research: photographers, like scientists, must master specialised terminology, analyse minute technical details, and engage in lengthy theoretical discussions to truly understand their craft.

I touched on the opposite argument when mentioning how images are consumed on IG and other social media platforms. But there is a larger argument to be had here: photography shouldn’t require a PhD to be appreciated.

As I mentioned when I started this newsletter, I use writing to argue with myself. And in the case of this discussion, I wasn’t entirely finished. But having the whole argument in a single post would have made it way too long and too complicated. This is essentially part 2 of the argument.

Continue reading “Photography Doesn’t Need a PhD!”

Your kitchen counter at 7 AM. Someone’s unmade bed caught in afternoon light. A stranger’s mug collection on open shelving. These images shouldn’t matter. They’re compositionally unremarkable, technically forgettable, and utterly ordinary.

If we really only cared about excellence, these should end up in the bin. Yet to me they’re among the most compelling photographs.

Continue reading “Ode to Boring Photos”

I’ve noticed something about the photography advice floating around online. Everyone talks about finding your “style” or upgrading your gear, but nobody mentions the one thing that actually separates competent photographers from exceptional ones: obsession.

Continue reading “Become a Good Photographer, Step Three: Sane Obsession”

Other people’s photos are always more interesting to me. When I look at other people’s photos, I always find them better made than mine: the technique is better, the composition is better, the tones are better, the colours or contrast are better, the artistic vision is more obvious, they’re more innovative, and the general idea is more interesting.

Continue reading “Other’s Photographs Are Always Greener”

One of the things I’ve struggled with lately is what I called to myself “the trap of meaningfulness”. I need to put names on things to think about them, even if it’s not the right one others use, don’t judge me.

Continue reading “The trap of meaningfulness”

I’ve watched, and sometimes was involved in, countless conversations about creativity that devolve into the same tired refrain: “Quality matters more than quantity”, “creativity can’t be controlled”, and my personal favourite “I prefer creating high-value work rather than churning out rubbish”.

This thinking is nonsense.

Continue reading “Become a Good Photographer, Step Two: Quantity”

I’m a technician. Not an artist. I have no doubt about that. So why do I pretend to make photos? (in the Ansel Adams sense)

Continue reading “Photographer Artist or Photographer Technician?”

There is a scene in the animated series Archer where everybody is stuck in the elevator. Krieger, the mad scientist, is holding a Thermos bottle. Someone asks him: is that soup in there? And he answers in an enigmatic way: define “soup”.

Continue reading “Become a Good Photographer, Step One: Define Soup”

I discussed wanting but failing to start a project lately. My conclusion was that if you can’t find an obvious project, one way of starting could be to choose a technology, a constraint, or a theme, then go out and take photos to see where it goes.

I was in Oslo lately (for work). So I decided to put that conclusion into practice. I decided:

• Not to shoot monochrome because it’s currently my comfort zone.
• Shoot only streets, because landscapes are a safe zone for me and I want to learn street (human activity) photography.
• Use only one camera and travel light.

Finally, I decided to experiment with a few techniques:

• Camera movements.
• Shadows.
• Patterns.

Continue reading “Applying My Own Lessons”