The link: Karate!

How do you learn photography?

Follow the path; Photography-do!

Do you have actually thought about that only even once?

I think a lot of you haven’t, don’t you?

Maybe you know why I’ve chose the suffix –do to follow photography?

If you don’t, if chosen it because it means something like “way of life” or “way of life development”.

And maybe you know where it comes from?

Karate-do, Judo, etc.

All of these Japanese sports have at least three things in common:

1.    They are martial arts

2.    They are also developing the mind and spirit

3.    They have the suffix do or -do in their names

Got it, that's where I've got the suffix -do from.

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Previous year I've got two new hobbies:

1.    Karate-do

Another art to combine: Bonsai(-do)!

2.    Photography

You might think why I tell you this.

I tell you this because they have something in common.

They are both arts!

Although Karate isn't an ordinary art, but it's a form of art.

Now, you can combine most forms of art:

• You can paint some nice abstract, feeling related art while listening to music.
• You can be inspired by a photo or video to compose music

And many more to list! (You can write some examples in the comments.)

So, what's the way to combine Karate and photography, you might think.

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Most modern Karate dojos will teach you Karate in three parts:

• Kihon: "the techniques"
• Kata: "the form"
• Kumité: "the fighting"

I think that this is something to remember in photography:

Kihon!

You can't get any further in any art unless you know the basics.

This is the goal of kihon, to know and master the basics.

Only if you know the basics very, very well than you can go on to the advanced techniques.

While this seems logical, many people seem to forget it.

They just want to make that one beautiful portrait, without knowing how aperture works.

Or they want to make that one great landscape, without even knowing how shutter speeds affect this.

Actually this sounds like me, in my first months. 

Some may think kihon is boring, but when you see the use it becomes fun!

So even learning how the aperture numbers work and affect other technical stuff is useful.

You can do this every free second!

For example by:

• learning the numbers of aperture, for example from a written note
• learning how aperture affects other things
• looking at great pictures and thinking about how these were made
• looking at even greater pictures and thinking about how these were mad
• searching for great compositions in everyday things and situations
• learning about different styles as a beginner
• etc.

When you've mastered the techniques, you want to apply them:

Kata!

Kata are forms which are already set.

It's just like dancing (another combination of arts) with your techniques as dance steps.

I think this is a great way to see progress, without other influences.

The way this Karatepart applies in photography is simple:

Just chose a beautiful photo or painting of something you have near you.

Then, try to replicate that by applying the techniques learned with kihon.

If you are, after several attempts, satisfied with the result(s).

Than you chose another photo to replicate or to make an even better photo.

The thing is, you learn your techniques very good this way.

And you will look different at photos, so you will learn something every time you look at a photo.

Some may think that this too is boring and not creative.

But it is creative in the way that you are solving the problem of getting the settings right.

And making a composition and so on.

It's just as creative as painting (trying to replicate something in the real world on a canvas).

So practice this, when you think you are ready for it.

It can also be done with a series of examples instead of with a single example photo:

Kihon!

Kihon is fighting, applying the techniques in (almost) real world situations.

Practicing with an opponent.

It's hard to see how to apply this in photography, or just very simple.

Just go out there and take some photos.

Your  whole second stage of  your "do",  rolled up for you!

Not a pair of photos, but like 100 photos or even more.

The thing with this is that many people are going to take lots of photos.

This isn't a bad thing at itself, but the bad thing is that they take 99 bad and only 1 good.

They just shoot, they don't think about the photo.

You can't fight, without knowing how to punch (or kick)!

Don't forget your techniques and you kata experience.

Think about technical part of photography before even going out the door!

Think about the lighting of the photo.

Think about the colour of the light.

Think about the weather, the distance to the location and everything else.

When you arrive, find a great subject.

I know, when you go close everything looks nice.

But you want to take a photo of something that's telling a story.

Or is just so beautiful that it MUST be on a photo.

Than visualize the picture you want to take.

Think about how to take it.

By the way, all of this can be done in a second or so.

But only if you know you Kihon and Kata well.

Than focus, and take your photo.

Repeat this at least 100 times, and you will be a better photographer.

This way you have 99 great pictures and 1 bad.

The only bad picture is the one taken before you started thinking!

I guarantee you, when you train this way.

You will be ten times better in no time!

Take a look "in" my website and you'll discover the secrets of photography.

But:

"You can't fight without knowing how to punch or kick. So learn how to punch well and you will be the next Rocky."

Mel

PS

This is the first of “the link” series, more will come about Karate and many other arts like music and painting. So let me please know what you think about it. Ossu?(Okay)