Photography as Life: Transcend the Camera
One of the most important things I want to share with you today about photography is this: it’s endless, and it demands time. When you’re just starting out, don’t get discouraged. Keep shooting, keep exploring, and over time, you’ll find your voice. Everyone has a unique perspective, and every perspective matters. There is no such thing as a “good” or “bad” photograph—everything is photographable, and practice is key.
Get out there every day. Become obsessed with life, and in that obsession, you’ll transcend what it means to be a photographer. You won’t just be a camera operator anymore—you’ll be someone truly living. You’ll experience life in its rawest form, and the camera? It becomes your passport, an excuse to go out and see the world in a way you never have before.
Take your camera everywhere. I suggest one that fits in your pocket, like the Ricoh. It doesn’t matter what model it is. I’ve made some of my best images with the GR II, and now I’m using the GR III and GR IIIx. Lately, I’ve been shooting high-contrast black-and-white with small JPEG files because I want to be prolific. The simplicity allows me to focus on the essentials—light, shadow, and form.
I’m not interested in the “old-school” equipment. You know, the rangefinder systems or bulky gear like a Leica or Fuji. It’s not about the gear. I’m looking to transcend what it means to even be a photographer. And I urge you to do the same: go outside, live life, travel if you can, but most importantly, document where you are right now. That’s where you’ll find something real.
We all need to realize, as a collective of like-minded people who love making candid images, that it’s not about immediate gratification. Don’t dwell on what you’ve shot now—it’s going to take years, decades even, to see the true value of your work. Let time pass. Let life fill your frames.
Talk to your neighbors. Learn about your local church. Pray with the people. Sleep on floors. Volunteer at farms. Learn about fish farming. Speak other languages. Immerse yourself in life, and when you return to your hometown, take that lived experience and see what you can create. Explore the medium with the depth it deserves.
That’s the path I’m on. Find yours.
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