Why your first 10 000 photos are your worst?

In this video we’re learning from Cartier-Bresson’s famous quote “Your first 10 000 photos are your worst” and applying whatever lessons we can take from it into our photography. To learn more about Henri Cartier-Bresson you can check the links down below, as well as, if you want to grab a print or check out my work.

Links to my work

More about Henri Cartier-Bresson

Video Breakdown
00:00 - Intro
01:14 - Bresson: Brief introduction
02:56 - Practise makes perfect
05:01 - The Importance of Experimenting
07:42 - It's okay to make mistakes
08:21 - Conclusions

Song(s) / Artist(s)
Stills by Faux Sala
Use code HOPPER20 for 20% off

Footage
Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Eye of the Century

Disclaimer
This video its was made with an educational intent and serves as an incentive to promote the work of the photographers mentioned, thus falling into the category of fair use copyright usage. No harm or disrespect intended.

“For me, the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity.”
Henri Cartier-Bresson

Copyright disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research.

Under this guidance, I’ve created content which is guided towards the education, celebration and promotion of said photographs and photographers who have contributed immensely to the art of photography.

An effort is made by the presenter, verbally and through the usage of links (in the video’s description) to encourage the audience to explore the work presented beyond the video and engage with said content through books, articles and relevant links to each photographer’s own social media.

Therefore, I believe the inclusion of said images, footage and other sources can overall add depth and appreciation for the subject of the video whilst also enriching the visuals and dynamics of the it. All within what is within the fair use scope and YouTube’s policies.

[WZ]

I remember my first rolls of film were all burnt, the negative was completely blank. I was 12, the camera was 100% manual, and my allowance was enough for 1 roll per month 😊 That was 45 years ago, and I’m still in my baby steps 👴🏽

[washingtonradio]

There is another aspect of the quote is as one matures as a person one hopefully begins to have a more nuanced understanding of the world and better understanding of one's self. Also, implied is one never arrives as the perfect photographer, one is always a work in progress.

[Juliane]

Please more of such rather philosophical videos!

[JohnDrummondPhoto]

"Practice makes perfect"? Not necessarily. I've learned from golf that practice makes permanent; so your practice has to have purpose, and you should constantly review if you're practicing the right thing.

I also believe that "gear doesn't matter, until it does". As you said, if your kit gets in your way creatively, or takes away from the joy of shooting, that's when to look for something different. Not necessarily pricier or "better" in terms of specs, but gear that allows you to do what you want to do.

[shiveshranjan]

I like when you snap, Ms. Hopper!
But your concise and precise analysis is why I always come back to watch your video. 😊
Never take an off from Internet, okay?

[louie]

thanks for another great video. im not sure who said this but " the camera you have today is better than the ones photographers of the past had " so yes gear helps but is not everything.

[Klaus-macht-Bilder_de]

A friend of mine answered: My DSLR can do 3 pictures/second - I'll spend that hour!

[richardrizzo_photography]

Great video Tatiana.
After 45 years of photography I'm still learning new things, it helps me to keep going and growing creatively.

[johngskewes]

An interesting video, thank you. I believe photography is a craft, the way tailoring, or writing, or cabinetmaking is a craft. The 10, 000 number is arbitrary, but what it says is you need to learn your craft so that you can shoot with intention, learn express yourself and to be understood. 10, 000, allows us to learn the medium and our tools, and develop the ability to act intuitively to changing situations.
There is another companion aphorism that says, "even a blind squirrel will find a nut now and then, " which would describe our early successes that lead us to believe we might have some talent.
Thank you Tatiana

[ehouli]

Pretty interesting thoughts on Cartier-Bresson, when I was studying photography I was presented with his "Decisive instant" philosophy of work and felt a bit uneasy about it. Till today I thought I was a bit lonely about this uneasiness till I found the thoughts of Alex Webb in a José Antunes article, where he brings the original french title of the book and a better translation "Images à la Sauvette— ’Images on the Sly’".

Then other details surfaced in this José Antunes article:

"Along with the term “decisive moment”, a series of other myths grew around the figure of Henri Cartier-Bresson: he never used flash, he never cropped a frame, he never retouched and he used a 50mm lens. Well, for the HCB retrospective held in Paris in 2014, the curator of photography at the Centre Pompidou, Clément Chéroux, found evidence that Cartier-Bresson did own a flash, that he did carry a number of lenses, and so on. The simplified outline that Cartier-Bresson presented to the world was not false but nor did it tell the whole truth."

So, as I respect everyone's philosophy of work, and I respect Cartier-Bresson works, then there are myths around people and questions, it's healthy to have questions and think if everything is what it seems or we've been presented with.

[L.Spencer]

I like how you discuss things, interesting, relaxing, positive.

[melvinshuster]

Great video. Thanks. Also, love the music.

[Chris-qgrz]

Wow really love your street style. Great stuff.

[ChristianPerello]

I look back to when I first started photography. I can't agree more with that saying. Back then, I thought my photos were great! After looking at the first few years of my work, I realized that everything was wrong with them. I don't think good work came out of me for about the first 5 years. That can seem like a very long time, but it shows that the only way you get good at something it repetition. And of course the love for the medium.

[WesleyVerhoevePhotography]

This is my favorite thing about photography, its a never ending education

[cristianguglielmi]

I really love this channel! Your thoughts on photography are focused, correct and delivered in a pleasant and relaxed way. It really resonates!! Keep up the good work!

[Bunnyisms]

Sometimes I think the best camera is the one you don't notice. Maybe it's the one you know so well that it doesn't get in your way of making the pictures in your creative imagination. I feel this way with my cameras

I started making photographs with film, but I remember the time when I got my first digital camera body as a huge milestone. With film I was afraid to make mistakes and afraid to experiment. I did not want to waste the materials I was using. I started making far more photos, taking classes, and testing the limits of what I could do with my photos. This is one of the things that made the biggest difference in my photography. I had to develop my film to get feedback, but now I could see the effects of the things I was experimenting with directly after shooting. I could also be more daring and try things without worrying about the cost of the media I was using. I don't think I would be where I am today without having that opportunity I had with a digital camera body. I learned how to use light and work with my exposure, try several different ways of composing things then look to see which ones I liked best, work with my depth of field, and try taking photos of things that are low yield and risky. Now I have some collections of pictures I can look at and get some inspiration for what I want to try next. I still use film, but I take what I learned from digital and apply it to my film. The rules that make a good picture do not change

[carloscosta]

Your videos are always a source of inspiration. Great work and I am looking forward to everything you do.

[paulbjorngaard]

The 10, 000 concept is explained really well in Malcolm Gladwell's book, Outliers. Essentially the same idea that practice distinguishes good from great, not innate talent.

[PaulOttavio]

Thanks Tatiana! Quite important not to regret the first 10000 photos, they contain precious moments and I vital part of your development as a photographer and what your mind's eye has learnt to see. I am going to spend the day counting the photos I have taken to date, if I have gone over then the worst is over :-). Blessings and peace!