My First Nikon. First Analog. Love Her.

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Chen Linong x Lin Yanjun - 180406 Idol Producer Finale

January_

Certain Woman (Kelly Reichardt, 2016)

Hey Jules, recently my schooling situation has changed and I can no longer attend school (I’m last year of high school) and I’ve just got so much time that I don’t know what to do with. I know I need to use it to write films and film them, build a portfolio etc, but I can’t seem to think of any original ideas at all and I don’t want to copy anything. Have you got any advice on coming up with original ideas and then motivating yourself to write/film/edit them without school deadlines??

Hey Anon,

I’m sorry to hear about your school situation, but it’s awesome you are continuing to create and learn on your own!

It’s great you are conscious about not copying other people’s ideas, but I also don’t want you to think your ideas can’t be similar to other works. There is a difference between copying and inspiration. Don’t think you can’t write something because the concept has been done before. Everything has been done before. As long as you make it your own, there is nothing wrong with being similar to other works  For instance, I am writing what I refer to as a modern-day Breakfast Club. I refer to it as such because it’s a bunch of high school students stuck in one location and has a similar comedic tone. But instead of exploring high school cliches, it explores family dynamics and suburban life. Similar, but different.

I’ve made some pretty extensive brainstorming posts that I think will help you come up with some ideas:

Brainstorming techniques

Finding inspiration

Character brainstorming

As for deadlines, I recommend setting a schedule for yourself. Every week, complete a certain amount of pages, create a character biography, create a scene-by-scene, or whatever works for you. Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) uses a 6-month template to write features:

Month 1: Prep

Months 2-5: Write a page a day (120 pgs)

Month 6: Rewrite

You can also apply to writing competitions that will give you a real deadline to work against. This blog also has an annual screenwriting challenge for short films. I leave the posts up even when the challenge is closed so people can use them as a template for their own self-imposed deadlines.

However, if there’s no one to answer to, it can be hard to follow through with self-imposed deadlines. I recommend grabbing a friend and asking them to hold you accountable. Once a week (or whatever timeline works best for you) have your friend check up on you and see if you have made your goal. Physically turn something in to them if that helps. They don’t have to read it or anything, but having another person who knows (and cares) about your deadline will make it easier to meet it. (I am also willing to be that person who checks up on you/holds you accountable. Just message me!)

I hope these help!

Keep writing,

Jules

Great Ways To Improve Your Photography In 2020

Are you just getting started with photography? Perhaps you’ve done it for a while but lack inspiration? Are you unhappy with the images you produce today? Whatever your goals and ambitions might be, the new year is a great time to saddle up and become a better photographer. The tips shared below are designed to give you the inspiration you need to get out there capturing the best images you can and to introduce you to the essential tool set needed to do so:

#1 Invest time, not money It’s easy to get carried away with new camera gear and gadgets but the truth is that purchasing an expensive camera isn’t going to instantly make you a better photographer. Stunning images can be created with any type of camera; be it a smartphone, entry-level DSLR or a point-and-shoot.

#2 Study the art of compositions It doesn’t matter how great the light is or how good your Lightroom skills are; an image that lacks a solid composition won’t have a big impact. Sure, it might make someone stop up for a moment or two but it’s not going to be one that’s talked about afterward. Spend time studying compositions in 2020. Pick up a book or course that dives into the topic. Look at images from your favorite photographers and try to learn what compositional guidelines they follow. How can you implement these into your images?

#3 Ask for critique Receiving honest and valuable feedback is rare in this day and age. Most comments received online goes along the line of “awesome shot”. While this is a nice ego-boost it has absolutely zero value for your creative growth. Most of these comments are given because the commenter wants you to check out their work too.

Instead, try finding a photographer or group of photographers to share your work with. A group that is honest and give you valuable feedback. You might not like everything they say but learn to listen. Constructive criticism is worth more than a million generic comments. Make sure that you get feedback from someone you consider a better photographer than yourself. Someone you can learn from. If you don’t know anyone personally, it never hurts to send an email to some of your favorite photographers.

#4 Attend a course If you are going to invest money into your photography in 2020 it should be towards something educational. Attending an online or offline course can not only teach you how to become a better photographer but it can also give you that extra motivational boost you need to grab the camera and head outside. Try to learn something new even if you’ve been doing photography for a while; study a new technique, dig deeper into the world of compositions, improve your post-processing or attend a seminar with a photographer whose work you admire.

#5 Take time to understand the fundamental settings Few things are more important to learn than the fundamental settings when you’re getting started with landscape photography. Light changes quickly and you don’t always have much time to sit down go through your settings. Understanding what the shutter speed, ISO and aperture is, and how they work together, is essential for your growth as a photographer. In fact, having this understanding can be the difference between getting a shot and not. When you understand how the settings work you should also practice how to quickly adjust them on your camera. You want to be able to change them all without even looking at the camera. 

#6 Get away from your comfort zone Comfort zones can be a dangerous place to stay in for too long. It doesn’t matter if you’re just getting started with photography or if you’ve been doing it for decades, we all have them. Stepping out of my comfort zone and spending time focusing on something new was the best creative decision I’ve made in a long time and it made photography so much more fun again.

#7 Find inspiration outside photography Inspiration is given to us in a variety of ways. Sometimes it can be found at the most unexpected places.

Source from: Christian Hoiberg

Lizard Fish Under Water Photography by hanyihelmy

hoduken having fun in my flower 🌸

“If because of your generosity nothing is left in your hands, how could God’s abundance leave you downtrodden?” -Rumi • Wazir Khan Mosque. Lahore, Pakistan. (Instagram: aabbiidd)