Add These 3 Simple Ideas To Your Photography

[@ThePhotographicEye]

I've been working on finishing touches for the next course (which will go live October 7th, and is included as part of this year's 5DayDeal fundraising as an exclusive bonus to TPE viewers). This new course won't be publically available until 2024 You can join the waitlist here: www.thephotographiceye.info/5daydeal Visionary Photography: Cultivating Your Unique Creative Eye Course Objective: Unlock your creative vision, bridge the gap between vision and reality, and develop a distinctive photographic style. Module 1: The Art of Seeing Develop keen observational skills and cultivate a visionary mindset. Lesson 1.1: Introduction to Visionary Photography Lesson 1.2: The Power of Observation: Training Your Eye Lesson 1.3: Embracing Curiosity: Finding Beauty in the Mundane Lesson 1.4: The Photographer's Mindset: Beyond the Lens Module 2: Cultivating Creativity Foster creativity, draw inspiration, and establish daily creative habits. Lesson 2.1: Stealing Like An Artist: Embracing Influence Lesson 2.2: Breaking Creative Blocks: Reigniting Passion Lesson 2.3: Daily Habits to Foster Creativity Lesson 2.4: The Role of Experimentation in Photography Module 3: Emotional Connection in Photography Create compelling narratives and infuse emotion into your work. Lesson 3.1: The Vision to Reality Gap: Bridging the Disconnect Lesson 3.2: Telling a Story Through Your Lens Lesson 3.3: Infusing Emotion into Your Work Lesson 3.4: The Power of Intuition in Photography Module 4: Developing Your Distinctive Style Discover, refine, and establish your unique photographic voice. Lesson 4.1: The Journey to Finding Your Voice Lesson 4.2: Elements of a Recognizable Style Lesson 4.3: Consistency vs. Evolution: Balancing Growth and Signature Lesson 4.4: Portfolio Review: Analyzing Your Work for Style Patterns Module 5: The Visionary Photographer's Toolkit Equip yourself with resources, collaboration techniques, and motivation strategies. Lesson 5.1: Inspirational Resources for the Modern Photographer Lesson 5.2: Collaborating with Other Artists: Expanding Your Vision Lesson 5.3: The Role of Feedback in Shaping Your Style Lesson 5.4: Staying Motivated and Committed to Your Craft

[@TomTravelling]

I like your thoughts, but even more, your direct and engaging presence. I feel like you're speaking to me, rather than a camera, or an "audience". I'd like to see you review some of your images and say why, in retrospect, what appealed to you, why you like the image you took, and the changes you made in editing.

[@jakedooom]

yeah , I agree with you about Alex having an “engaging presence”.

[@davidottman9501]

Heartfelt thank you, Alex. Many people ask, "What kind of photographer are you?" They just want a one-word answer from a small selection of choices they've got listed in their minds. Then they can put you into that box of their own construction, forget about you, and move on. It's a continuous challenge to stay independent and versatile.

[@dandann8237]

Maybe the answer should be 'a good one' covers all genres

[@porty65]

ALLOWING the INSTINCT to COME OUT - LOVE THAT👍

[@markgoostree6334]

i heard it said the way for people to think you are a good photographer is to never let them see the bad shots. I took that to heart... almost no one ever sees my pictures. easy. I always look for your videos. I always come away feeling like I just had a short class with good insights just handed to me. Thank you.

[@eyewitness4560]

What a wildly relatable statement... "Sometimes my instinct is an idiot'

[@gianni2272]

After watching your videos I always feel inspired to pick up my camera right away and shoot more!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

That’s awesome.

[@haimberman3351]

Thanks Alex for another great video. Here are my two bits on the photographic "hat" issue. At the beginning of my photographic journey, some 4 years ago, I was researching what could I do to improve my phoography, and sometimes I would get the advice to focus on one or two genres to get better. I couldn't really understand why, because I took photos of whatever grabbed my fancy at the moment, without committing to a spepecific "hat". After a while it dawned on me that whoever gave me that advice meant it in a temporary way, meaning that I should focus on a specific area just until I learned the basic "nuts and bolts" of the field, and then move on. This makes some sense since it's more comfortable when you get to a specific photographic situation not to be overwhelmed and distracted with technical details like settings but to be familiar with them and be free to focus on your vision of whatever is your subject matter for the moment. Amazingly, these photography "hats" are still in demand when you move through the photography circles, like people have to have you tagged and compartametalized to be able to talk to you. The irelevancy of this used to piss me off, but now , when asked and someone insists on an answer I just say I'm a narrative photographer, since I aim to tell stories with my photographs, and this usually does the trick and stops the pestering. I embraced Joel Mayrowitz's concepts of being observant, being curious and yielding to the seduction of the frames coming my way, no matter what they are. Have a great week all.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you for watching.

[@sjurgabriel]

To the point! It´s a journey with a lot of tempting detours, but simply treading the path as you go is gold. Love your train photos!

[@ivanosrin2126]

As you so correctly say ( and reinforced by Gary Winogrand - 'everything is photographable ') I have to say as an elderly enthusiast that I get enormous satisfaction from very simple everyday shots which just work for me - ( with essential help from Lightroom ) I cannot explain why I enjoy looking at a seemingly unremarkable photo repeatedly - and not others There are visual images which have no particular artistic or compositional merit but they strike cord and encourage possibilities to shoot extensively No one else need like them ! It is the least 'stressful' part of photography Really reinforces my 'philosophy ' Very helpful video - Thanks

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@philhodgkinson1460]

I saw this written the other day and I think I will engrave it on my heart.... "phone cameras are great BUT if you want to take a serious photograph you need a serious camera!!"

[@diogomoreira7003]

I beg to differ. While I can drone for hours on why an entry-level DSLR from 15 years ago has better overall image quality, handling, and control over the final picture than my top-of-the-line smartphone, I took the two most serious photographs with a phone camera: the births of my two daughters. Oh! And if go to manual mode on some phone cameras (especially the ones that sport a 1-inch sensor), you do get a serious camera. In a phone.

[@jasongold6751]

Serious transalating awesome in size, price, difficulty,requiring a team of mules, special interest groups.... whatever.

[@Photographyinthestreet]

Thanks for this Alex. Hearing you has just made me realise that I have started to pigeon-hole myself in where and what (street) I take photos. I used to take anything and everything - I feel want to return to this now.

[@lindacoussement507]

Ah this is so great; my humble Canon EOS 700D died on me the other day and I've been frantically researching a new camera to buy and get overwhelmed by all the shiny options where in reality, I just want to keep things as simple as possible and focus on the photo. I might just find a nice second-hand replacement :)

[@mrfuzzy2954]

That is the best option and your pockets will thank you for it

[@robscovell5951]

I was looking to get back into photography after a 25 year gap. I looked at the prices for DSLRs and I baulked at the thought of spending all that money on something that would die within 3-5 years. I decided to go for high quality analogue photography. I now have a refurbished Praktica SLR from the 1970s with an excellent lens that cost me 200 Euro, as well as a refurbished Soviet FED-2 rangefinder (poor man's Leica) for 60 EUR. I have a negative scanner and I develop my films myself. This equipment (apart from the scanner) will last for the rest of my life for a cost far lower than a new DSLR every 5 years.

[@carolwatts944]

Oh, I soooo agree with you - particularly your number 3 point. About 6 yrs ago, my photography career (small, tho it was) completely changed. I moved to a different state, lived alone for the first time in my 65 years, & began the process of figuring out the answer to: who am I now? - & who do I want to be? As a result, taking photos changed. I had no clients to please & no art shows to prepare for. I learned that I have total control over my choice of subjects, how I shoot them, what gear I use (or don’t use), how I edit/process them, & in what venues I share them. I can say that I’m a much better artist w/my photography now (that journey will never stop, I hope). I feel liberated, somehow, by listening to my own creative spirit & trusting it. As traumatic as the last many years have been, my mental health continues to improve, as does my creative health. As always, Alex - thank you so much for your honest transparency & kindred spirit with the rest of us.

[@simon359]

I’ve been doing these things for years, just never put them together in a thought process. The thing that helps me the most, is just thinking of the world as a canvas and waiting for subjects to fill it!

[@davidtaranzaphotography3324]

Excellent points, especially the last one. Shoot for yourself and don't bother with what >people< say. The pictures elevate instantly and you get much less frustrated. Way to go. Thank you for pointing out again what is really important in photography. Not cameras, lenses and stuff.

[@nate_thenotso_great]

This! This is what this channel inspires me to do. Thank you :)

[@silvestersze9968]

That’s a great tip. Thanks Alex! I’m sort of doing it, but now I’m more confident in that with your confirmation. 🎉

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Awesome

[@stuartshook3614]

Thanks Alex I couldn’t agree more. Confidence is so important.

[@eric.ko.]

I live by your technique one. Whenever I think about the actual shot and the composition its never as good as the first one I may have taken that came from pure gut and intuition.

[@GurungyNoHamuster]

I'm a longstanding musician. I know a lot, and I don't know a lot, about making music. Your videos help my thinking, about music.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

That’s awesome

[@emmanuelpower2439]

Really speaks to me. Thank you😊😊😊

[@DebiSenGupta]

Thank you. Love the way you express yourself

[@galensinkey]

Wow! Really appreciate the straight forward inspiration and bite-sized tips that I can immediately apply. So glad to see you give props to Frames -- those guys are putting out great content too.

[@desmondpainter7313]

Loved the Kroonstad - Bloemfontein road sign... great video as always. Greetings from Cape Town.

[@jasongold6751]

the long road to Cape Towm (KepDown).. stunning!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching!

[@VivekPatwardhan]

I love this video. Encourages me to take photographs and be my own.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

That’s awesome

[@davidwalker2402]

Thank you for the encouragement, great advice good job.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

You are so welcome

[@angelamaloney4871]

I love the channel and I’m especially thankful to you for drawing my attention to the work of Sebastião Salgado. But this one I don’t entirely agree with. I like overthinking. And a lot of my most successful images that have drawn the most attention have been the result of overthinking. I have one image of the Washington Monument, for example, that took me about three weeks to create. I spent that time looking at other people’s photos, planning, and thinking. By the time I picked up a camera and went down to the monument, I knew exactly what I wanted and it was mainly a matter of trying to get the perspective and depth of field exactly right. I spent about 3-4 hours down there figuring out exactly where to put my camera and waiting for the sunlight and the clouds to be exactly right. I produced ultimately one image, but it was also the image that led to my being asked to exhibit for the first time in a gallery. And other images that I’ve spent time thinking about, researching, and planning have also done well. But, most importantly, I have fun creating them. My photography is a result of my fondness for wandering around and exploring the world and this approach leads to my exploring in more detail. So it sort of fits well with my personality and my approach to photography. That’s not to say that instinctual photography is a bad thing. In fact, I do a lot of that too. But I feel like it’s the thoughtful stuff that is most satisfying and makes me grow as a photographer. But others mileage may vary, of course.

[@RichardMaguire110]

I liken photography to fishing. Like an angler I set up my phograpic "rig" go somewhere and seek phographs. Like an angler I do not know how successful I will be until the time has ended. I do like your new format for your phography videos.

[@GrenvilleMelonseedSkiff496]

KISS ... who knew! Thanks so much for this excellent video!! Ta very much! Pick up the camera and take a snap. Perfect!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

You're welcome!

[@steven3557]

You have been a blessing, thank you📸

[@ThePhotographicEye]

You are so welcome

[@trishf29]

Thank goodness, someone else is instinctive. I‘ve been told to look, to take time to study the subject. I can‘t do that. Something catches my eye, then click! Image taken, and I move on to something else, otherwise I get totally bored! Gotta keep moving on!!!

[@christinebeckett7060]

Thanks, Alex. I needed that. 🥰

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Any time!

[@hertzkot]

Alex thank you so so much for all the information you have shared with us! I'm an electronics engineer, and thanks to you I now have enough graphics and photographic skills for web design and content creation!!🎉❤❤. Kind regards, Alexis Valiakas.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@martinhommel9967]

Thanks for your thoughts. Very encouraging.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

You are so welcome

[@Rob.1340]

Thank you. All the best. 👍📷😎

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks, you too!

[@grandpascuba]

I like the B&W video format.

[@seaeagles6025]

Hi Alex, It's great to hear you talk about Simplicity in photography, less is more. I liked point number 3, DON'T FRET ABOUT OPINIONS everyone has an opinions but our opinion as photographers is the most important one. Some of my photos i didn't like and other people liked them. We can't win but the points you made Alex will make a big difference to photographers of all levels. The points you made will make us enjoy photography more, and not worry about what other people think. Great video thank you. 😃

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you for watching

[@andrewmckinney3053]

Great thoughts ... many thanks, Alex!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you

[@jasongold6751]

I am in awe! You spoke about my way! I snap everything! I love so much of all I see! I 'may' have an 'eye' as you do! I don't have time to ponder, question,think, plan grand statements! I snap! I have photo buddies ,who have a Leica-M, no less, glued to their hip! It is never released and doing exposures. It makes our photo trips very odd! The 'artist' statement about a work or show, is the one for outright hysteria. It's so funny. The way a camera can alter one's life, make you feel so good, artistic, in general sound like an idiot! 3~4 years of learning,to say and print that! Oh! sad,sad,sad. My late Mom would have said "Merde!'. I use any camera and lens. Some are easier to hold, focus, use! Qualty wise, I see no real differences! My one camera now 56 years in my service, still sufficient. I think every now and again, maybe a newer lens. Then it's why? Folks look for some secret to success.. I's called work. You keep making images! C'est tous! Bravo.

[@lphilpot01]

One guy's opinion, FWIW -- I'm a wannabe hobbyist / amateur landscape photographer. My (yet to be realized*) goal is to echo a bit of the visceral impact of being in a beautiful natural place. While certainly impressive, man-made 'stuff' doesn't have the overwhelming quality that can be found in the natural world. Not that it's always 'minor', but ultimately if / after I shoot it I end up wondering "what's the point" and just move on. I don't feel much reason for shooting non-landscapes. Of course, what has shaped my (and everyone else's) motivations and choices is a virtually infinite number of life factors dating back to birth I guess. So as they say about cars, your mileage may vary. At any rate, I enjoy hearing your considered viewpoints and look forward to each video. * I live in a less-than-viscerally-spectacular corner of the world -- to say the least -- so I'm severely limited on landscape opportunities. It's difficult to echo silence, so to speak.

[@ihknilsen]

As always, I really appreciate your insights into the world of photography. I am looking forward to what Tomasz is doing with Frames, I just did my submission for an upcoming video!!

[@jakedooom]

I’m enjoying your visit to Edinburgh in this episode.

[@peterlieberzeit3138]

The recipe is simple indeed. And: thank you again for this food for thought, but not overthinking. However: it poses a hen-egg-problem in terms of instinct and taking photos that one thinks are good.

[@ChrisHunt4497]

Thank you Alex. Great advice, as always. ❤❤❤❤❤

[@ThePhotographicEye]

You're so welcome!

[@jeffamagicmomentphotography]

Love the way you photography. You are an inspiration I love the time you told the story about collage where you had to find and capture the alphabet as you walked around. I decided to try this and I did find it a challenge. I am a baby in photography but the journey is so much fun. It is now a part of me I go no where with out a camrea. I have a Question. Is there anything in the cup you hold as I did not see you drink from it. Just find it interesting

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you so much!

[@mike747overseas]

Oooh, this picture at time 4:50!!!

[@Bethos1247-Arne]

Advice #2 is the most important. A photographer is a photographer, not a certain kind of photographer. The last days I did a lot of photos in the office I work. Is it architecture or mood photography, landscape, building, abstract? I just took photos of things which caught my eye. Sometimes the results are boring (not showing those to my colleagues) but sometimes even simple things are interesting. Sometimes the pattern of stripes. Sometimes just color contrast. Sometimes shapes. Or depths. Or low light through a window.

[@nauelymili3728]

"Sometimes my instinct is an idiot" hahahaha! Love your videos!

[@glen-draketoolworks7186]

If you had a store that stocked some of your favorite books and/or prints, including some of your own, I would be buying them.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you

[@juanadan8003]

From spain.GRACIAS por enseñar lo que es la fotografia a nivel de sentimientos y la parte humana. Yo hace tiempo que descubri que es mejor NO BUSCAR LA FOTOGRAFIA que tenemos en la cabeza es MEJOR ENCONTRAR LA FOTOGRAFIA.Un cordial saludo. Sorry por no escribirle in inglis

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you for watching

[@johnclay7644]

informative photography content.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you

[@Daniel_Zalman]

Though there weren't any ostensible "tips" in this video, someone like myself, who overthinks virtually everything in my life, needs to rewatch this video until it seeps into my unconscious! And that's what I shall do.

[@Black_Jesus3005]

Thanks Alex.

[@simonbnyc]

I don't take photographs for other people to like. If someone does express a liking for one of my images then that's wonderful but it's not the point. It's not even about a photograph being "good" or "bad", it's whether the image works or not.

[@georgedavall9449]

Well said and very profound Simon!

[@Fifthimagez]

thanks so much!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

You're welcome!

[@simonpayne7994]

I must admit that I spend most of my photographic life in "P" mode - as Alex put it: "P" for"professional" 😁😁😁. If I do anything professional at all it is probably "exposure compensation" to make sure I am well in the scope of jpeg, seeing I rarely use raw. Much of what I do is above 100mm so I am down to f/4, have a narrow DOF, and cannot do much about it anyway. Of course there are some special cases now and again that require special handling. Then I might be on raw, doing some sort of bracketing, and with my only filter attached - polarization. My experience tells me that the most important issue is almost always the lighting of the scene and less of how I manage to squeeze it into my little black box with a lens on front.

[@judgerivers7631]

Any webinar you have Im in..🤘🏼🤓☕️

[@neilt]

I'd love to use that Frames app, but where's the Android version for the largest phone system?

[@robscovell5951]

One of the biggest mysteries in life is the question of whether Alex's mug actually has a drink inside it.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

😂

[@GJSsongsmith]

Thanks again Alex another superb informative video . Just out of interest what is your go to walk about camera ?

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching. Funnily enough I answer this in todays video :D

[@GJSsongsmith]

@@ThePhotographicEye thanks Alex ! Much appreciated

[@neilmarshment2910]

If I decide to head out to specifically take photographs with my camera, I find it more difficult to connect with inspiration. However, if I go into London with just my phone I connect better with instinct and creativity.

[@magnusahlqvist]

Great advice, per usual. Thank you. Why does Alex Webbs photographs work even though they are often so complex and full of different narratives/components?

[@Oncewasgolden]

I like to think that instinct is never wrong. It was your idea of how to take the photo or edit the photo that was wrong. The best way to test this theory is to go out and retake and re-edit some of those photos, where you thought your instinct was wrong. Go on…be brave!

[@paddlespaz123]

Love the videos. The QR code leads to and apple only download.

[@Michaels_Angle]

What a shame that the Frames app is only for iphones - that leaves out the Android and computer users.

[@WolfgangToeglhofer-gm9ep]

Perfect 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@Daniel_Zalman]

Where's this outline of the course? I don't see any sort of outline in the description to this video.

[@Giles29]

But I like taking pictures of cats....

[@leirumf5476]

Same 🤭🤭🤭🤭 * emails Alex all the cat photos I'm proud of *

[@tedbrown7908]

I only have one ingredient in my photography, If it moves me, I will take a photo of it. In post if I look at it again and Something is off, it's deleted.

[@luzr6613]

And... not locking yourself within some particular silo, allows you to interact with the whole world and learn about the whole world. Photography, the way something catches your attention and demands an intensely focused moment of your time, is a wonderful vehicle for this. Edit: PS: You're wrong about shoes and cats.🤣

[@ThePhotographicEye]

😂

[@austerepotato3159]

180K 🥳

[@washingtonradio]

When I go out and shoot something, anything really, I found I more relaxed when I'm being more instinctive rather any very analytical. Good point about not pigeon holing myself as a "x' photographer that I don't see something to shoot when I'm somewhere new. People ask if I post my photos online, which I don't. My main objection is with the obnoxious idiots who believe they know photography but are in fact morons, I have desire to deal with them.

[@Daniel_Zalman]

Mr. Kilbee, I'm trying to subscribe to your newsletter but after 15 minutes I still haven't received the confirmation email. I checked my spam folder. I even tried to sign up a second time, but to no avail. If it matters, I use gmail.

[@Daniel_Zalman]

Update, for some reason, the email went immediately to my trash can. All's well.

[@Lifeofpjr]

❤❤❤

[@vinylisland6386]

I've tried to get the Saturday Selection three times and it never works.

[@brianm.9062]

P for professional! neat.

[@ladymary22]

We want people to like our photos because we still have that inner teen inside. After all you become confident or a grumpy crumudegon

[@haimberman3351]

Alex, If I may make a small suggestion, I find the background music in your videos very distracting, and I wonder if you could do without it. Your content is mesmerizing and engaging enough, and in my opinion, doesn't need the augmentation. It is particularly distracting to people who are sensitive to music and for the hearing impaired. I hope I'm not being rude.

[@SimonWillig]

... but critique helped me a lot to become a better (or perhaps a less worse) photographer. It's a thin and fuzzy line between critique and opinion. Thank you Alex for this thoughtful episode

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@pixeljammer]

If you shouldn't worry about whether or not anyone will like your photographs, then what' the point of showing them to others at all?

[@glen-draketoolworks7186]

When I look at your photographs I generally see what my Japanese-Arts teacher referred to as dominant, sub-dominant and subordinate, e.g. in a photo of the sun, the earth, and the moon, taken from half way to Mars, the sun would be dominant, the earth would be sub-dominant, and the moon would be subordinate (something that you would finally notice after being drawn in by the sun and the earth.) In other words, what your eyes go to first is dominate, further interest reveals the sub-dominant, and finally you notice the subordinate. This is expressed in other ways, e.g. more than three is too many, etc. On another note, you don't like selling. Your eyes give you away. Try working Frames into your presentation instead of as an aside. Your style sells. No question.

[@ericbosman2477]

Nothing to do with your video but it's just made public that the dutch photographer Erwin Olaf has died.

[@georgedavall9449]

That is sad. May He RIP

[@memusetoo]

I am a street photographer. But to me, everything is street.

[@CyclopsPhotog]

Too bad Frames doesn't have an Android app.

[@flightographist]

The camera is an actor...a phrase I first heard in the last century. There are many roles. The photographer lives in an altered state...if they are lucky!

[@jasongold6751]

my camera and lens never made good decisions..

[@raymeedc]

EyE shoot with a similar set of principles, that being no principles whatsoever. Whatever catches my I. Consequently, I wind up with shots of cracks in the sidewalk, pieces of passerby body parts, abstract contractions, whatever comes my weigh that calls for a play. At 73 years of age, I’m particularly drawn to the all too often over looked mundane minutia EyE somehow seem to have missed the beauty of when younger than yesterday. Tomorrow never knows, but that’s just the way it goes 🫥