creativity

How to be original with your photography

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To be original, you have to stop trying to be original. Don't overthink it.

Sure, don’t chase trends, don’t go to popular locations just because they are popular. But don’t become a contrarian either, someone who avoids them just to be different, because those have also fallen in the trap. They are still comparing themselves to others, attaching a meaning to their work depending on what others do or don’t do.

We should care only about whether we are staying true to ourselves, photographing what means something to us, creating the images we enjoy looking at. If that means going to Yosemite, then so be it.

But don’t limit your photography to those trips, photograph every day no matter where you are and what you are doing, even if it doesn’t seem like there’s anything to photograph. There is, there always is.

Take advantage of that that makes you unique, and make images every single day. In the long term, that is what will make your work original, unique, and true to yourself.

Why we photograph

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Why do we go through such hardship for a few images? Why do we wake up so early? Why do we face the elements? Why are we willing to be cold, hot, wet, burnt, exhausted... all for an image? Why do we keep trying, over and over?

Why?

It's because we need it, as much as we need to breathe.

It's because it makes us feel in peace.

It's because we can see.

It's because we want to feel alive.

The world reveals itself when you pay attention. Our duty is to witness the beauty and show it to others, to become their eyes.

We are half crazy, or full crazy.

We pour our souls and hearts, we are obsessed, dedicated, passionate.

We want to show what needs to be seen, what needs to be known.

A day spent making images makes us feel. Calm, excited, exhausted and happy. Part of something much bigger than ourselves.

We wander, we are free.

When the time comes to pack and head back home, we are not the same. We are changed, every shot, every photo, every place, every subject is now part of us, they make us who we are. But the fire never goes away, AND we are excited because we know we get to do it again tomorrow.

Video was filmed at Dog Mountain, Washington.

Best books I've read lately

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  • On Writing, by Stephen King. The guy knows how to write, I couldn't put it down.
  • On the shortness of life, by Seneca. 2,000 years later and the content of these three letters is still relevant. Beautiful written, too.
  • Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius. I read it as part of my study of Stoicism. Incredibly deep and humbling thoughts from the most powerful man of his time.
  • The obstacle is the way, by Ryan Holiday. A good introduction to Stoicism, and an easy read. I'm currently reading his The daily stoic.
  • Atomic Habits, by James Clear. Tips and tricks on how to build good habits and get rid of the bad ones. His is one of the very few newsletters I subscribe to and look forward to reading.
  • Buddha: a story of enlightenment, by Deepak Chopra. A book about spiritualism written by an alternative medicine advocate is probably the last thing I'd expect myself to fall in my hands. The story of Buddha is a beautiful one and this book does a terrific job. One of my favorite reads of the last few years, hands down.
  • Goodbye, things, by Fumio Sasaki. Minimalism is all the rage nowadays and I'm all on board. This was one of the first books I've read on the topic and it's still my favorite.
  • Come comida real, by Carlos Ríos. This one is in Spanish. Nutrition is another topic I've been exploring during the last few months and this book does a great job at explaining why most of the "food" you find in a grocery store isn't real food at all. It also shows the benefits of eating healthy and why you shouldn't be ashamed of it (I struggled with this!).
  • 10% Happier, by Dan Harris. How the author got into meditation and how it's helped improving his day-to-day life. Meditation and mental health is yet another topic I'm interested in, and this book is unique in that shows a person's experience with the practice, instead of a boring manual of things you should and should not do.
  • The art of creative thinking, by Rod Junkins. Stories and lessons from famous and not so famous artists. I think one should carve their own path and not necessarily repeat what others have done in the past, but I found plenty of inspiration in this book.