Yes, You Can Be a Photographer
As a photographer, it’s very important to develop your own philosophy. Having the best gear in the world might feel awesome but it’s not an end all, by any stretch. What you see and how you present your visual story through your lens is more important. It’s how you capture a viewer’s attention in terms of lighting and composition and how those images will interact and come across to others.
One’s philosophy is a guiding principle that every photographer should develop and use as compass to reach their own goal. There’s wisdom that comes along with the art of photography. With this wisdom, you would be able to seamlessly adapt your ideas and beautifully share your artistic expression to the world. You could also use your personal artistic philosophy as a stable point of reference. Not just in your photography, but in life itself.
Every professional photographer that I have talked with has amassed an enormous storehouse of wisdom that I love to tap into in my YouTube interviews. One of them was Camille Seaman, a remarkable landscape and nature photographer. One of her guiding principles is the importance of “knowing thyself.” She said, this is the reason why it’s so important to look at your style and beliefs. Think about how you will be able to portray who you are and what you stand for in your photographs. Once you figure that out, it becomes an integral part of your life. It’s a part of your makeup and something that you can carry with you through the rest of your life. In my case, it has been vital to follow Socrates’ mantra to “know thyself” as it has opened many doors that I wouldn’t have access to otherwise.
Article by Marc Silber