matthieu valle / blog

I am often asked by photographers just starting out what advice I can offer.  Here are some tips which might be a good start :

• Insatiable Curiosity. Being curious about life and things around you is an essential part of being a good photographer ;
• Hard work. Any endeavor, any profession requires a serious commitment and effort and hard work. Unless you are willing to commit to that, it’s best not to begin the journey ;
• Leave home. Leave home or leave your comfort zone. Being a good photographer doesn’t necessarily mean you travel to distant places, but you do need to get out of your comfort zone and explore,  wander and observe ;
• Fortitude and Determination. At times, there’s a lot of pick and shovel work to photography or any other profession, and you have to be ready to work your way through these tedious times ;
• Dig Deep. The process of learning never stops, but at a point it’s all kind of automatic in a way. If you look at the photographers whose work is widely admired you’ll see that  they’ve found a particular place or a subject, dug deep into it, and carved out something that’s become special ;
• Evolve, reinvent yourself, grow. You need to keep your heart and mind open. Life is  flowing in front of your eyes and you need to be open to respond and allow yourself to be touched by things which are extraordinary and let it change you ;
• Don’t wait for the phone to ring. Regardless of how successful you are, it’s important for you to spend your time photographing things that matter to you.  You need to understand the things that have meaning to you, and not what others think is important for you. Make things happen; don’t wait for others to offer opportunities.   Follow up.  Don’t wait for the phone to ring.  Pick up the phone and call.

Aller à la source de cet article : STEVE MCCURRY’S BLOG