Use your camera as a tool to live life to the fullest
If you ever needed a trigger, a reason or an excuse to explore strange hidden places, weird and/or friendly people or do crazy things, then become a photographer. Having a camera as your tool can bring you experiences and insights you would not have thought of before—both the world around you and inside yourself. It’s a bit like having a dog that drags you into the curbside’s thicket. The camera can have an equally strong pull—and it just needs to be fed with your curiosity.
Get absorbed in the moment
I believe, when visiting unknown places and foreign countries, it is foremost about seeing and experiencing, not about photographing; especially in times where more and more people seem to only live the moment to post it around the world in order to prove that they have lived it. Do the opposite. Take your time, linger, absorb your surroundings—the people, the buildings, streets and sounds, the smells.
Push yourself to the edge of your comfort zone
Respect everything, even your own hesitation and possible concerns. Push yourself a bit without forcing it. Feel at ease with getting lost. Get closer. Retreat in case you feel uncomfortable. Visit the same places again and again if you have the time. Hang out with the people there, make friends. Forget everything you know about photography and photographers. Enjoy taking photos.
Find your own source of inspiration
At some point you will probably ask yourself, why put photos into a world that is already flooded with millions of images ? While getting inspiration from other photographers and all fields of art is excellent, ultimately the answer cannot be found in photo books, the Internet or exhibitions. If creating images wants to be more than just a pleasant handicraft, you have to explore yourself as much as you explore the world around you with your camera. If you honestly listen to your longings, motivations, failures and fears, your work will definitely communicate to the viewer on a profound level. It is never about the gear in the first place, but all about unpretentious expression.
Bring the right equipment
The right equipment depends on how you travel, where to and what you are willing to carry around. What I would recommend though, pack two simple cameras, a digital and an analogue one. Once you feel, you are just shooting too much, take out your analogue camera, relax and click when you really feel it. Surprise yourself when you pick up the prints after you return home. Maybe take along two fixed lenses; leave all the zoom stuff at home. Restrict yourself in the beginning, it will guide you and will most likely be liberating in the end.
Check out more of Philipp’s shots on his website and Facebook page.
