Table of Contents

• 1. Analyzing My Photos
• 2. Building a Photographic Culture
• 3. Practicing!
• 4. Producing Finished Work
• 5. Choosing My Photography Equipment

1. Analyzing My Photos

I mean real analysis – not just saying “it’s good” or “it’s bad.”

When I like or dislike a photograph, I need to be able to explain why. Is the composition weak? Are the colors working? Is there enough contrast?

I know that the more precise the diagnosis is, the better my future photographs will become.

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To draw a parallel with writing: would you imagine a novelist using words like “thing”, “weird”, or vague expressions in every sentence?

No. A good writer opens a dictionary and searches for the most accurate word.

They do not stop at simplistic descriptions. This precision in vocabulary is part of what makes a text interesting from a literary perspective.

Photography, like any other art form, is not purely instinctive. It requires a minimum level of mastery and understanding of the craft.

If you do not spend time deeply analyzing your photographs, you will stagnate.

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2. Building a Photographic Culture

When people talk about photography books, many think of tutorial books promising miracle recipes for successful images.

This is something specific to photography: in most other arts, having cultural knowledge and understanding the work of other artists is considered an essential part of learning.

I have read a few technical books about film photography and composition, but most of my “reading” has consisted of studying the work of other photographers and painters in order to learn from them and gather ideas.

3. Practicing!

I would have forgotten all these analyses and lessons if I had not put them into practice.

And being a photographer means taking photographs!

Putting myself into new situations, going out, and finding new subjects is what allowed me to reach the level I am at today.

4. Producing Finished Work

Always complete the process: photographs sleeping on a roll of film or an SD card are of little interest. A successful photograph is meant to be shown.

Shooting and searching for subjects are only parts of the photographic creation process.

The next step is selecting the strongest photographs, editing them, and integrating them into a series or producing a print.

5. Choosing My Photography Equipment

I am interested in camera gear. I sometimes write articles about it. But I do not make it an obsession.

All I need to work is a camera that is comfortable to use and performs reliably.

A camera and a lens are simply tools serving my vision as a photographer. They do not do the work for me.

I did not need a Leica M or a Hasselblad to create interesting images. For me, a good photograph is above all the combination of strong composition, accurate exposure, and successful development.