Take More Bad Photos
If you want to make strong photographs, you have to take a lot of bad ones. There’s a lesson in each poorly framed shot, every cliché composition, and every mundane moment that others might ignore. By photographing everything—even the unremarkable—you’re training your eye, sharpening your instincts, and getting closer to creating something memorable.
“The more bad photos you make, the closer you’ll get to making something strong.”
Embrace the Boring and the Cliché
We often skip over things that seem ordinary or uninspiring, assuming they aren’t worth capturing. But what if the mundane is precisely where the magic lies? Those clichés and everyday scenes—the ones you’d usually pass up—can surprise you when you approach them with curiosity. Sometimes, the most overlooked details reveal a story or an interesting composition when revisited over and over again.
- Photograph the Mundane: Capture the things you’d usually ignore, from empty sidewalks to plain storefronts.
- Find Beauty in Repetition: Through the act of photographing the ordinary, you’ll begin to notice patterns, textures, and subtleties that only emerge over time.
“Any clichés or boring, mundane things you’d otherwise deem unphotographable—shoot that.”
Curiosity and Persistence Lead to Discovery
Every shot is a small experiment. By exploring and photographing everything without discrimination, you push yourself past the obvious and into uncharted territory. Allow your curiosity to guide you, photographing scenes not for their immediate beauty but for the potential they hold over time. By repeating this process, you’ll gradually uncover elements that are unique to your perspective, strengthening your vision.
“You’d be surprised at what you will find through repetition and curiosity.”
Fail Forward: The Path to Strong Work
Each “bad” photo is a step toward creating something meaningful. The path to strong photography isn’t paved with perfection; it’s a process of trial and error, of embracing flaws and capturing everything—even the mistakes. When you look back at your collection of seemingly unremarkable photos, you’ll begin to see a story that’s uniquely yours, one built on persistence, curiosity, and a willingness to embrace the imperfect.
So take more bad photos. Embrace the flaws, the boring scenes, and the awkward frames. They’re all part of the journey, leading you closer to creating something powerful.
“Remember: every bad photo brings you one step closer to the strong ones. Keep shooting, stay curious, and let the process reveal what’s possible.”