7 Ways To Invigorate Your Photos

Benedict Brain reveals ways to enrich the creative process of making photos

- Benedict Brain

It’s been over two years since I started writing the Art of Seeing column for Digital Camera. During this time I’ve realised that not only is that act of writing about photography an interesting creative exercise in its own right, but it’s also a good opportunity to take stock of my creative process. I’ve noticed that there are certain ways of working I use that shape the way I approach photography. So this feature is aimed at giving you a whistle-stop tour of seven ways of approaching image-making that I think will help you on your photographic journey.

This guide is less about mastering the basics of photography and learning new and fancy techniques, and is more focused on attitude and adding layers of depth, thought and creativity. It’s about working on long- and short-form projects, looking for beauty in the everyday, writing about the process, experimenting, and relishing in the sheer joy of photography, along with daring to break out of your comfort zone and learning to see like your camera.

It might seem a bit arty-farty at first – but I guarantee that if you adopt some of these ideas and feed them into your image-making, you will grow as a photographer…

1 TAKE NOTE: READ, WRITE AND RESEARCH

Get into the habit of keeping a notebook and writing about why you take photos. It will make you a better photographer – guaranteed