What To Shoot When There's Nothing Worth Photographing
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 พ.ค. 2024
- If I were teaching someone to see the world, and create amazing photographs from seemingly nothing, as the great photographers do, this is the system I would encourage them to use.
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It's important to note that fair use allows for the limited use of copyrighted material without obtaining explicit permission from the copyright holder. In this context, I have utilized select images from famous photographers to analyze, critique, and educate, ultimately adding value and providing a unique perspective to my viewers.
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Chapters:
00:00 Nothing To Shoot?
00:07 What Can You Shoot?
03:03 Awareness Of What's There To Be Photographed
08:05 Keep Taking Photos
11:31 Experiment With Ideas
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Visionary Photography: Cultivating Your Unique Creative Eye
Course Objective: Unlock your creative vision, bridge the gap between vision and reality, and develop a distinctive photographic style.
Module 1: The Art of Seeing
Develop keen observational skills and cultivate a visionary mindset.
Lesson 1.1: Introduction to Visionary Photography
Lesson 1.2: The Power of Observation: Training Your Eye
Lesson 1.3: Embracing Curiosity: Finding Beauty in the Mundane
Lesson 1.4: The Photographer's Mindset: Beyond the Lens
Module 2: Cultivating Creativity
Foster creativity, draw inspiration, and establish daily creative habits.
Lesson 2.1: Stealing Like An Artist: Embracing Influence
Lesson 2.2: Breaking Creative Blocks: Reigniting Passion
Lesson 2.3: Daily Habits to Foster Creativity
Lesson 2.4: The Role of Experimentation in Photography
Module 3: Emotional Connection in Photography
Create compelling narratives and infuse emotion into your work.
Lesson 3.1: The Vision to Reality Gap: Bridging the Disconnect
Lesson 3.2: Telling a Story Through Your Lens
Lesson 3.3: Infusing Emotion into Your Work
Lesson 3.4: The Power of Intuition in Photography
Module 4: Developing Your Distinctive Style
Discover, refine, and establish your unique photographic voice.
Lesson 4.1: The Journey to Finding Your Voice
Lesson 4.2: Elements of a Recognizable Style
Lesson 4.3: Consistency vs. Evolution: Balancing Growth and Signature
Lesson 4.4: Portfolio Review: Analyzing Your Work for Style Patterns
Module 5: The Visionary Photographer's Toolkit
Equip yourself with resources, collaboration techniques, and motivation strategies.
Lesson 5.1: Inspirational Resources for the Modern Photographer
Lesson 5.2: Collaborating with Other Artists: Expanding Your Vision
Lesson 5.3: The Role of Feedback in Shaping Your Style
Lesson 5.4: Staying Motivated and Committed to Your Craft
I discovered this when I was about 15 in the 1980s. Bored went around the garden and took a photo of a padlock on the gate. Still to this day one of my favourite photos. Just the colours and texture of the metal and rust against a dark wood. My Mrs thinks I’m weird because it doesn’t have someone in it smiling at the camera in front of Big Ben, but I enjoy the photo.
I looked at this video, got off my ass and went out for a 45 min walk here around my home where Iv'e taken the same pictures over and over again. Just came home with some of my favourite pics in a long while. Thank you so much! ❤
That’s awesome, thanks for watching
In April 2023 I was, after a blood test, as pre type 2 diabetic. It was a shock, but it was the shock I needed to change my life before it was too late. I did act on the advice and changed to a healthier, more balanced diet. And, I began to walk more because I knew that exercise was so important. I'm nearly 70 so vigorous exercise was out, and walking was in. My health is slowly improving, but so is my photography. My thoughts about what I photograph and where and when have also changed. Through walking and looking more I'm seeing things that I hadn't noticed before. I'm stopping more and just looking. My photography is changing and it is becoming more personal. For many years I used to take photographs that I felt would be acceptable to others and it got harder and harder to find subjects. I love landscape, always have, but there were days when I would come home from the countryside with nothing to show for it. It was awful because I had lost my direction and forgotten what it was about photography that I loved. I've slowed down now and I'm looking more and listening to my own thoughts and I feel my photography is changing. It is a good feeling.
What a beautiful story ❤
What a inspiring story! Wish you all the best and thank you for sharing
I sat with Richard Avedon once, showing him my work. He said he liked the photos, BUT he wants to see proof sheets (The old days when you put the film on an 8x10 paper and copied the entire roll before deciding what to print.) He wanted to see how you worked up to that ‘great’ photo-the thought process involved. Even digital can be done this way - the idea is the same.
I think that's truly the lesson, everyone wants to take great photos but not every photo we take will be "great" (at least how we first envisioned it) but taking many photos of everything will take us soon to that one great photo
@@guilleskitz And sometimes we took the great photograph but don't realize it at the time. I usually snap my pictures and keep them all and occasionally go through them later and when I do I often times find ones that I enjoy now but didn't enjoy earlier.
A quote to help with awareness. I'm always mentally photographing everything as practice. - Minor White
This video opened my eyes to a world that I've never seen before. After watching this, I would look anywhere for a scene that I could photograph, doesn't matter how small or mundane that scenery is.
I have rocks with full blown apocalyptic scenes on them. Dozens of them. A mountain spewing lava. Mind-blowing
I love using the alphabet challenge when teaching young people, I tend to explain the looking for literal letters but leave it open for them and every single time they develop it in to letters for actions (J for Jump), directions (U for Under) and even emotions (S for Scared). The more limited the location, the more the young photographers look beyond the literal.
Always liked photography but I'm a carer, caring for my dad. I don't go to fantastic places so what's the point. Then I saw this video. Yes that's it, the weird quirky picture I took when out walking my dog. I took a picture of a tree because it was old and looked like it was reaching out to me. It doesn't have to be in Bali or the south of France. It's all about awareness and perspective. Thank you. 💕
This is perhaps the best photography video I have seen on TH-cam.
This exercise is awesome. And I am now using it in daily life observations.
My challenge is “Seeing”. Ben Longs techniques have helped tremendously. As a Cybersecurity tech, my world is fast pace and chaotic. My photography and my drawing slow me down to better see. And therefore be better at my job.
Really enjoying your presentation style and your method of storytelling.
I never attended Phtography Classes or Schools in which that was the core, but I have used these techniques for just over 59 years. This has been the reason that I have never "ever" been bored with photography or ever sat at home thinking that there is "nothing" left to take photographs of. Even your own office or living room, kitchen, front or back yard is a massive place to take photos that make you happy and a better photographer. Even at my age, I find that I must learn something new every day and using everything around me to take photos of accomplishes that. Great video, and great advice for every photographer.
Thanks for your share and advice!
Thanks for watching
I have too! It’s fun shooting the ordinary and turn it into a new perspective
I'm sure you have a great and substantial body of work.
I am so glad that I bumped into this gold channel. It has taught and convinced me to hone the skill and love the hobby as opposed to be attached to a better gear etc. This also convinced me that a basic sony ZV 1 and iPhone that I have are enough to take great photos. Not for anyone, but to the roots of why I fall in love with photography - it's taking pictures of moments just for myself.
I've always used the Wayne Dyer approach: "if you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." With that approach you can make the banal, mundane and prosaic beautiful. I did a series of photographs of cemetaries and cemetary art, but used unusual and unexpected angles and compositions. People were delighted, enthralled and disturbed at the same time, yet they didn't quite understand why. Most important, I shot what I liked without worrying about what the viewer would think.
I want to see your portfolio! 😮
Where can we see these photographs?
ive always approached photography this way -- shooting the mundane and presenting it interesting, entertaining my viewer with and amusing or clever take on something youve seen your whole life, not categorizing my role as a photographer into professional/ameteur, streel/wildlife, worthy/not worth the shot -- and ive become astounded recently at the number of people that don't think this way at all. Im glad there are videos about this out here so more people can learn the fun way to shoot.
Holy cow - you are one of a kind. Photographer? - Well, you choose it as your topic. Philosopher - way too practical-minded to go into academic dreamland with no practical outcome. You are - what I call - a highly intelligent, way above the rest - person, who is driven by curiosity, looking for the details, fascinated by anything that relates to forms, lines, textures, and shapes, and enjoy your ability to use light in a way that it increases the value of these object by moving and searching for the angle at which this happens.
Bravo - if you were a singer, the audience would say - he is one of those who brings the house down. Thank you!
One thing I like to do, go out with my camera and only one prime lens. You'll have to work more to get an intresting shot, move around, and by accident, find the right spot you didn't see before ! It's an intresting way to approach photography !
When I was hiking the Narrows at Zion National Park in Utah, I'm hiking through water and I'm surrounded by stunning scenery. I pulled out my phone and took a vertical picture of the landscape in front of me very quickly. I didn't want to hold up the people behind me. Later when I went back to look at the picture, it's the best picture I have ever taken. Now I'm finding myself getting into niche forms of photography interests and by no means do I consider myself a photographer.
I think the most important advice that no one seems to talk about is that not every genre of photography is for everyone, I have tried city photography but it's just not something I care for, macro is something I love but that doesn't mean it's for everyone, I encourage everyone to try every type but it's okay to not care for a specific type and to put less time in it
More people (including yours truly), need to hear this on a regular basis.
Thank you for your advice! I just got this problem a few weeks ago shooting street around my home town. I become seeing less details and less inspired to shooting something. Recently I just shot an abstract image just because I wanted to experiment with different focal lengths to change some aspects of my photograph and it turned out well and I love it.
I like provocative conversation, because it is easy to forget these things. Thanks for the tips.
This is a great and informative post! Each day, I take a half-hour walk during my lunch break, bringing with my my 20D, 7D, or even my old 300D. I have only a finite number of routes I can walk in a half-hour, and this has forced me to look for different ways to shoot the same things. It's great practice.
I've never been at a loss for things to shoot and like you, am often fascinated by what most people would find boring (or more likely not even notice). Finding the interesting in the mundane is one of the keys to producing art. If it interests you, then it's "photoworthy" and unless you're 100% sure that there's no way you'd ever consider doing anything with it, record the image and don't look back. Something about the scene caught your attention so roll with it (and don't overthink). When you view it later on a large screen, then you can determine if it's worth editing and printing (or posting if you insist), but you rarely get a second chance to get that image (memory's cheap and time spent curating/editing is time well-spent).
Absolutely love this. I love your take on parking decks and Eggleston. I love the view of the seemingly mundane. To me it's hypnotic and immersive.
I always bring a camera. Some days I just bring a shitty old digicam but the stuff that comes out just sort of fills me with joy. There's always something to shoot.
I once heard this notion that if you are a writer and don't know what to write about, you just make a frame (director style) and point it at anything and write what is happening within that frame, even if there is nothing to write about. Zoom in, zoom out, turn it upside down, maybe stand on your head, etc. Anything to get anything. This is why I love my twin-eye reflex camera (Yashica). It mirrors what you are looking at, which sort of allows you to focus on the composition more.
I've already photographed many of the places around Edinburgh you've used to illustrate this video, usually while taking the long way home after work with my camera in tow. Having seen your work, I think it's time for me to go and look at things with fresh eyes - and at a different time of day!
I am a beginner and have been looking for a good photography video for beginners. This video is by far the best I've found. It's given me new found inspiration to continue with my goal of becoming a real photographer. Thank you! Subscribed.
Great teaching in profound and life-changing way
I found myself taking many more photos and getting better photographs since I switched to digital back in 2006. With no thought of monetary expense I became much more free. Love your channel Alex.
Thanks for watching
Is there not a converse to the economy argument, which is, with a film camera you might think “I really want to see how some of these come out, so I’ll have to try and use up the roll so I can get it developed” ?
I’ve only just made a brief foray into film, and would like it if this was not the case so it doesn’t lead to pointless photos, but found myself thinking it already.
Best video about Photography for begginers and every level. This is so deep in many wonderful ways that is not related only for photos.
Thank you for this. I know all of this in my heart and mind, but it is good to be reminded. Much obliged.
Thank you. I have told myself this for more than a decade and have finally redirected my vision photographically. Your reinforcement is appreciated.
Thank you
Impromptu unofficial TED talk. This is a really good listen. I've only recently gotten into photography as a hobby but I gained quite a bit of inspiration from this. If that was your intention you have definitely hit the mark 🎯 ✌️.
Great to hear!
Excellent video Sir! I have been doing this exact thing for years. I can always find something to shoot anywhere, even though I am not poking!
I like the " look behind you" photo. Sometimes the "wonders of the World" are great but it seems they photographed by the world and his dog, so I turn 180 and photo what's behind everyone else.
Jeremy Parr this video has inspired me to go out and take more photos thank you for showing this it your truly Jeremy 😁📸
light and shadow that is some idea ! great !
I did the Alphabet exercise a few years ago and loved it. it makes you look at the world differently.
As for Q, it was easy. A bass Drum with the foot peddle did the trick
I've been a photographer for the better part of 20 years now and have hit a slump to figure out what to shoot for myself, I'm gonna take this advice and run with it. I'm also going to pass it on to the younger photographers that I work with. Thank you for this, it's greatly appreciated.
Thanks for watching
Thank you for this video. I'm glad TH-cam recommended this channel to me
What a great video! love this topic and these tips✨
I love Eggleston, I'm glad you brought him up!
My pleasure, I've got a few videos abour Eggleston on the channel
Best ever lesson that I have watched
The advice is super duper helpful
I want to watch and learn more from this channel
Thank you
Thanks! 😃
Exactly. I have told people, get your camera and sit down somewhere- anywhere, and look about you for subjects and patterns to shoot. You will find something.
Many is the time that I've been asked or even asked myself "why are you taking a picture of THAT?"
This video explains why better than I ever could.
Thank you as always.
Glad it was helpful!
I've never had a problem finding things to photograph. But this is a fun and useful list!
As a newbie to photography, what a fantastic video, this is going in my saved folder.
Great to hear!
Thanks for this. Inspired to take my camera with me today.
There is ALWAYS something worthy of shooting. Whatever catches your imagination.
Great video. Got me off my chair and outside with the camera. Worth a subscription.
Awesome, thank you!
This video was quite profound, and not just for photography, I think this is an amazing exercise in general awareness and mindfulness
I find your videos very inspiring. Just recently i have challenged myself to shoot in my local village, whilst walking the dog. An example-my neighbor has some interesting notices on his garage door and has caught my eye for several months and decided to take a few shots one early morning. Very mundane, but it has kept me busy shooting and in the darkroom. When i shoot something nice, i`ll print it up and give it to my neighbors for free . So not only does it keep you aware of your surroundings, you also get your work seen. Win win.
All good advice, but I think that the most important one is the one to stop thinking "this frame won't be interesting" (I was doing that all the time). To grow as a photographer one needs to take those dull/poor photos to learn how to capture the great ones.
I never leave positive comments, but I really enjoyed and completely agree with your video. Brilliant. Thankyou!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I retired from commercial photography in 1980, aged 30, because I was killing myself with work. Some years later I did the same in another creative line of business, but this time I picked up a camera again and went to spend six months in the Australian outback to get my sanity back. I came back from that with my visual world distilled into four simple ingredients: light, colour, form and texture, and I’ve been putting those four elements into pictures ever since. Some of these images sell, some don’t, but I get immense satisfaction from making them all.
Thank you for the inspiration!
Fantastic approach to the topic. Thank you.
Beautiful video one of my new favorites
In my artist's statement I always say that I love to find 'the marvelous in the mundane'!
A very motivating and relaxing vid...Thank u good sir
My pleasure
Something random that I photographed looked good to me, but I don't know why and thanks to you I understood why... it was shaped like a letter... I hadn't even stopped to think that it was shaped like a letter, much less looked for it, it was just instinctive
Through the covid lockdowns I got inspired by the photo art of Maarten Rots. I would walk around the house and take photos of corners of the ceiling or door frames etc, trying to capture the visual impact that he could present from the most unlikely places. Sometimes I thought of repainting the house, just so I could get some of his colour palette. If you don't know his work I recommend chasing him up.
Omg Every time I watch your videos I want to run out and take photos !!!
Awesome
Thank you! This is the content that i needed to watch 😊 Your words really inspired me to take pictures since i am purely a green horn, i mean i have close to zero knowledge about photography but i will try and try, do mu best to improve. The content really helps, thank you😊
I'm so glad!
If there's nothing else to shoot, I always shoot the messenger :D
Great tutorial, thank you!
Thank you for making this video, it helps me so much 🙏🏻
I'm so glad!
Never knew how many things actually come in the shape of alphabets. I knew about some geometrical shapes, but this discovery is mindblowing
Oh, what a wonderful insight!
👍👍👍👍
The art of seeing the unseen.
Just what I needed Alex. I am going to use these ideas right away. You always hit the right spot. Thanks so much. ❤❤❤❤
Thanks for watching
Great upbeat helpful video. Thank you😊
You are so welcome!
Fantastic video Alex. Keep them rolling
Thank you
I needed to see one of those videos again. Exactly when i needed it
Thanks for watching
Highly enjoyable and going deep, as ever. It is a kind of interesting dilemma, though: on the one hand the advice to "react" (I'd prefer calling it "finding a photo out there"), and, on the other hand, the advice to compose an image with the final photo in mind, i.e. including post. Which is kind of the opposite of spontaneous. Sometimes, it is tricky to find the right way on that intersection.
I needed this. I often find myself wanting to photograph something, but I'm stuck at work. I need to just photograph something while I'm there.
Great ideas. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful video. I take my camera with me everyday even when going to the supermarket. But lately I was in a slump and it depressed me. But this video gives me new perspective. Cheers friend!!
Glad it helped. Thanks for watching
I never complained. I just waited for the right moment.
Im just picking up photography again afters years from not taken and pictures. Im still learning and finding idea and adive. Thank you and I love the videos
Thank you
Since becoming totally engrossed in photography I see images everywhere I look! Maybe it’s because I’m always searching for my next creation. My camera is almost always with me…if not, I use my phone! Great video! Thanks for sharing your thought!
Thanks for watching
amazing WAKE tips! seeing something in a different perspective
I am very inspired by your focus on encouraging people to find an image which resonates initally ONLY with the photographer. Not every viewer will 'get' the purpose of an image or video, but they all at least 'get' the opportunity to try and find out. In the most basic sense, a photographer is simply a person who records images, a topic you covered expertly in the Vivian Maier story. There need not exist a viewer of said image. Also, had that picture NOT been taken, there is nothing to see or feel at all, by ANYONE. I have only ever found the process inwardly rewarding. Were I to give somewone the opprtunity to see what I saw in that specific window ot time, space and light, and they tend not to enjoy... Why would I care? I enjoyed the process of finding an image in that place in time, space and light.
Inspirational. Thank you.
Thank you for this video. Lately I felt like everything that I used to like somehow lost meaning, like I lost myself in 9-5 work and constantly thinking about doing stuff for my self instead of actually doing it. This 12 minutes were truly motivating.
Wow this is enlightment
Took me 1:30min to give thumbs up. I’ll try it this weekend to find letters around me!
I needed inspiration and this helped. Thank you.
I'm so glad!
Great points Alex ! I have used all of them except the Alphabet thing. If a letter is situated is such a way with another subject and I like it, then I'll Photograph it. Like a shot I took just the other day, a bird ( Eastern Bluebird) flew from a tree to a square Red sign that said "not an authorized swim area" in big bold white letters. The picture came out with the bird and sign pin sharp and the background was a soft green.
Finally! "What to shoot?" was always my biggest problem. I'm really glad I found your channel. 👍🏻
That’s awesome. Thanks for watching
Thank you. I needed this to get out of a rut.
Excellent advice!
Than you for this Video. For me it was very inspiring. The next time I went out, I would try out. 😊
Thank you for watching
This was really insightful. Thank You 🙏🏾
You are so welcome
I saw a painting of a underground car park in the window of a gallery in Manchester a few weeks ago. I thought it was interesting that this piece of artwork would take valuable space and it got thinking for a while. Then I watch your video and you say go take a photo of a car park.
8:38 is freaking awesome
Brilliant, well said, and well done.
Thank you
very enlightening 🙏
What great advice! I’m retiring in a few weeks, and intend that “alphabet exercise” to be one of the first things I try. Thanks!
(And, those pepper photographs were amazing.)
Awesome, thanks for watching
Great video about photography and not only about gear!