I’ve spent the last ten years working on my photography, traveling the world, and perfecting my craft. At the end of the day, I could never make another “good” photo in my lifetime and be satisfied at this point.
After some recent meditations on what the point of it all is, I’ve come to some very fundamental and basic conclusions.
Forget about good or bad photos
For a while I spent all of my time and effort towards making “good” pictures. At the time this was rewarding because I learned how skilled I can become with the medium. Nowadays, this does not interest me. The goal is to merely make new photos, no matter if they are good or bad. The more you get caught up with making an “impressive” photograph, the less fulfilling it becomes over time.
Remain curious
Curiosity is the goal. To keep making pictures until the day you die should be the goal. Consider our hero Henri Cartier-Bresson and how he gave up photography at the end of his life. We do not want this! Return to the child-like state every morning and keep your eyes wide open to the infinite possibilities of the streets.
Embrace the spirit of play
I believe the world would be a better place if adults would play more. But in terms of photography, this is critical to consider. The more you treat your photography as a serious pursuit in hopes of making a book or showing work in a gallery, the more vapid it will become.
So what is the goal?
I believe we should depict what reality could be, not what it is. If you find something even 1% interesting, make a photo. The ultimate goal in street photography is curiosity. Before you head out with your camera, ask yourself this simple question.
What will reality manifest to be in a photograph?