Don’t Get Bogged Down in Photography Details, Get Out and Shoot

Photography Tips

There’s nothing like getting advice from a pro photographer; they often have an interesting way of putting things into perspective. In this interview with Marc Silber, sports photographer extraordinaire Chase Jarvis gives his take on creativity and how to become a better photographer:

His major theme? Just shoot. Don’t think about it – don’t worry about your light, or your settings, or the Big Idea – just hit the shutter. A lot of people can tell you “How to Become a Better Photographer”, but in the end, your personal trial and error is the only thing that will hone your skills. And it’s important to feel good about it, too.

This doesn’t mean it’s not good to plan ahead, or to formulate ideas; it means that the most creative thinking happens on the fly. The brain works more efficiently when it’s active, and the act of taking pictures floods your mind with so much stimuli that your imagination goes into overdrive – a thrill you can’t get doing “research” in front of the computer. You can read online articles until your eyes are bloodshot, but that knowledge only helps you if you get out and use it.

“There’s no shortcut. You know, there’s no manuals to read, There’s no.. you just have to put yourself on a trajectory of learning.”