4 Questions ALL Photographers Should Ponder (VIDEO)
We’re going to wrap up the week with an insightful discussion from the Yorkshire Photo Walks Tube channel with four transformative questions that all photographers need to ask themselves whether they’re experienced or just getting started.
By reflecting upon the answers you’ll discover how to break free from the mundane, and craft creative images that reflect your unique vision. British pro Tom Marsh, AKA the Flat-Capped Photographer, is also a respected tutor whose popular YouTube channel has a unique emphasis full of inspiration and takes a philosophical approach to the making of photographs.
Tom explains why his quartet of questions is so illuminating, while sharing his personal answers and insights. The goal is to reflect upon your own thoughtful responses that he promises will represent “a great opportunity to redefine your creative journey and capture photographs that truly stand out.”
We all reflect upon what Tom Says are “generic” questions like What camera should I buy?” How should I compose this scene? Which settings are appropriate? Am I getting this right? His point is that these types of queries are of little value because “if you ask generic questions you’re going to get generic answers” that don’t really help expand your skills and creativity.
Tom says a more valuable approach begins by reflecting upon the type of photography you enjoy most. This may seem superficial, or even a bit obvious, “but what we’re going by asking this is really honing in on what is that interests us and why we pick up a camera in the first place.”
This could be a particular genre, a spectacular location, or a specific technique that always gets your creative juices flowing—even when you find yourself in an artistic rut. Once you identify a clear direction, the inspiration that follows will result in “photographs that are unique to you.”
This 10 minutes of introspection also involves pondering exactly who it is that you want to impress with your photos, whether it’s family and friends, Instagram followers, gallery owners, or potential customers at local events. Tom explains why the best possible answer may be “I want to impress myself.”
At this point you’re halfway through this interesting episode that can make photography more fun and enjoyable while significantly enhancing the quality of your work. It can be a very rewarding exercise. There are more thought-provoking videos on Tom’s instructional YouTube channel, so make it a point to visit soon.
We also recommend watching a tutorial we featured with another accomplished pro who demonstrates seven straightforward techniques for capturing perfectly exposed available-light portrait photographs indoors or outside.