Just document the life around you and you’ll be fine
I’ve never been a fan of traditional street landscapes. Classic street photography of people and an architecture that involves pointing a lens at people’s faces or iconic building facades doesn’t appeal to me, both aesthetically and formally.
It’s just not my thing.
So when I first started going out with my camera and trying my hand at street photography, I avoided those traditional frames. I tried every single trick I’ve thought would work and make my photos more appealing.
I thought the more abstract and more twist - the cooler. The more it made you wonder what’s going on in the frame - the better.
I was very wrong. In fact, those attempts at being “creative” were getting in the way of simply practicing photography and enjoying it. I quickly ran out of tricks, and the photos all started to look more or less the same.
The result? I’d come home with nothing - or a bunch of window reflections. Trendy shit that works on the gram, but it’s boring to do on the long run.
Same story with my coastal photography. I quickly realized that traditional seascapes weren’t necessarily my vibe either. So I started searching for more interesting subjects, a different approach. I tried drone and water photography in order to change perspective.
And I was this close to falling into the same trap - of trying to create a dope stuff, instead of working on the craft.
The first step to getting on the track was rediscovering what photography is really about - and it is simply documenting the reality. Things also changed when I began to better understand light and composition. And then even more - when I stopped taking myself so seriously and started approaching my work with a bit of a healthy distance.
This all together was a good starting point to re-invent myself as a photographer who documents the life around me.
That mindset shift opened up an infinite world of interesting images. I realized that anything that catches my attention, when lit and framed well, can tell a unique and intriguing story. As long I find it interesting myself.
Literally anything. My favorite photos this year are: a small cloud against a blue sky, a pile of wooden sticks, and a parasol leaning against a beach hut.
No overcomplicated stuff. Clean compositions, strong subjects, images which mirror the reality in a visually appealing way.
Read about how literally anything, even often overlooked thing, can be an interesting subject and how to develop your personal style around that.
You don’t need creative yoga to make interesting work. Just observation, an understanding of composition, light, color theory, and storytelling will do the rest.
Plus a playful attitude. Play a lot. Make it fun and practice.
And if you struggle with the basics: I created a FREE guide (well, a mini-course is a better word), which will help you make more compelling, clean pictures.
It includes a little bit of theory, example images and practical tips/exercises. Do you want to start making minimalistic, clean images that stand out? This guide is for you.
For me, this was enough to come home with cool photos that I still enjoy looking at.
And I no longer need to wonder what am I looking at ;)
All pictures in this blog are edited with my presets.
They are my current go-to’s when it comes to quick, but satisfying edit of RAW files. They all add a nostalgic, slightly gritty character by leaning into soft tones and subtle mood. One is a timeless black & white. The grain brings the feel of 35mm camera back.
They are a great starting point to edit your pictures and will help you get closer to that >filmish< look.
