{"id":224248,"date":"2026-01-09T02:07:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T02:07:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/224248\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T02:07:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T02:07:17","slug":"the-photographers-guide-to-breaking-your-own-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/224248\/","title":{"rendered":"The Photographer&#8217;s Guide to Breaking Your Own Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-perfmatters-preload=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Jerred-Z-OM-SYSTEM-Featured-Image.png.jpg\" alt=\"Left: A wall decorated with cowboy hat shapes, a window, and a row of chairs. Right: An abandoned, weathered U.S. Air Force jet resting on the ground under a blue sky with wispy clouds.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"840\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833774\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>After 25 years behind the camera, <a href=\"https:\/\/explore.omsystem.com\/?olycmp=aff-main-online_magazine-Peta_Pixel-link_shop-break-rules\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">OM SYSTEM<\/a> photographer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jerredz.com\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">Jerred Zegelis<\/a> thought he knew the rules of photography. Shoot RAW. Stay neutral. Fix it in post. Art Filters are for amateurs. These weren\u2019t suggestions. For Zegelis, they were law, absorbed from forums, tutorials, and years of professional habit.<\/p>\n<p>Then he invented a fictional town, shot an entire trip using a filter he once dismissed as cheesy, and intentionally started to break the rules. The Nebraska native calls the results the best work of his career. <\/p>\n<p>Full disclosure: This article was brought to you by <a href=\"https:\/\/explore.omsystem.com\/?olycmp=aff-main-online_magazine-Peta_Pixel-link_shop-break-rules\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">OM SYSTEM<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The photography world is full of rules that become invisible constraints. But what happens when those rules stop serving your creativity? <a href=\"https:\/\/explore.omsystem.com\/?olycmp=aff-main-online_magazine-Peta_Pixel-link_shop-break-rules\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">OM SYSTEM<\/a> photographer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jerredz.com\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">Jerred Zegelis<\/a> decided to challenge his own rules and he gives PetaPixel a look into his new creative mindset and the results that it has produced. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis has been the best year of photography I\u2019ve ever had,\u201d Zegelis says. \u201cI finally stopped separating my emotions from my work and let them become part of what I create.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-2.jpg\" alt=\"A large tree stands in a field with sunlight streaming through its branches at sunset, creating a warm, glowing effect. The sky is clear with a soft gradient from light to purple.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833775\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Zegelis spent nearly 20 years teaching high school photography in Nebraska before burnout led to transitioning to full-time creative work. At that pivotal moment, he thought he understood what made a good photograph. Then he started questioning everything he\u2019d learned.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-1.jpg\" alt=\"An old, weathered U.S. Air Force jet sits abandoned on a dirt field under a bright blue sky with wispy clouds. The aircraft shows signs of rust and faded paint, surrounded by sparse grass and distant trees.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833776\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI used to shoot everything in RAW with the standard profile, planning to get creative in the edit later,\u201d Zegelis explains. \u201cHowever, I began to notice that there would be large batches of photos that I would never even look at to edit. I realized that my creativity was strongest in the moment, in the field. The creative editing started to feel like work. Then I started using the Creative Dial on the <a href=\"https:\/\/explore.omsystem.com\/us\/en\/om-3-body?olycmp=aff-main-online_magazine-Peta_Pixel-link_shop-break-rules\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">OM SYSTEM OM-3<\/a> and my creative approach feels different now. Seeing creative effects while I\u2019m shooting changes what I notice in a scene, and it makes photography feel creative again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Jerred-Z-OM-SYSTEM-4.png\" alt=\"Side-by-side images of a vintage OM-3 film camera: the left shows a close-up of its body and dial, while the right provides an angled top view of the whole camera against a bright orange background.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"676\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833777\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Zegelis says these seven tips aren\u2019t about gear or technique. \u201cThey\u2019re about giving yourself permission to create differently. They work regardless of whether you are photographing with an OM-3 or an iPhone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> Tip 1: Dive Into a Project, Even a Fictional One <\/p>\n<p>\u201cProjects create containers for experimentation,\u201d Zegelis begins. \u201cWhen individual images serve a larger concept, I stop worrying about whether each shot \u201cworks\u201d on its own. The project gives me permission to explore.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Zegelis took this idea to an extreme: he invented a fictional town called North Hawk, Nebraska.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-14.jpg\" alt=\"A tall white water tower rises above trees and rooftops under a cloudy sky, with a grassy field and a wire fence in the foreground.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1600\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833778\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cNorth Hawk is a place that doesn\u2019t actually exist,\u201d he explains. \u201cI photograph real locations, abandoned buildings, dirt roads, rural churches, and assign them invented histories. Mysterious incidents. Redacted reports. Cult rituals. I then use the Creative Dial on my camera or edit the photo on my computer to apply a creative style that adds to the story.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/P5310389.jpg\" alt=\"A dark, cloudy sky looms over a rural road at dusk. In the distance, a small, brightly lit building\u2014possibly a church\u2014stands surrounded by trees, creating a striking contrast against the dramatic sky.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833779\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Zegelis\u2019 portfolio on <a href=\"https:\/\/glass.photo\/jerredz\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">Glass<\/a>, the photography platform, consists of sights from North Hawk and reads like field reports from a classified investigation. The end goal is a gallery show called \u201cInvestigations into North Hawk, Nebraska,\u201d with photographs displayed alongside what he calls \u201cartifacts of power.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/P6170123.jpg\" alt=\"A bright red neon &quot;HOTEL&quot; sign glows at night above a building entrance. A sidewalk sign below reads &quot;office open,&quot; and a lit window with the number 601 and an arrow is visible on the building.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833780\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cOld rusty wrenches still covered in dirt, faded photographs with unidentified subjects, and yellowed documents with redacted text. These objects suggest something strange happened in this place,\u201d Zegelis describes. \u201cIt has a sci-fi element, a mystery element. The whole thing becomes much more than a photography project: it\u2019s a universe people can explore.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe creativity that my North Hawk project unlocked was unexpected,\u201d he continues. \u201cEvery dirt road is a potential connection to another mystery. Every abandoned building has a story, one that I get to invent by utilizing my creativity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/P5310395.jpg\" alt=\"A white, two-story house with a porch stands alone on a hill under a dark, cloudy sky, creating a moody and eerie atmosphere.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833781\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis project connects with my 15-year-old self playing Dungeons and Dragons in the basement,\u201d Zegelis reflects. \u201cBack then, creativity was unbridled and unlimited. We didn\u2019t know the rules. We just made it up as we went.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t need to invent a fictional town. But you do need a container for your experiments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPick something that fascinates you and build a project around it,\u201d Zegelis encourages. \u201cIt could be a color, a mood, a decade, a feeling. The specifics don\u2019t matter. What matters is that you\u2019re no longer just taking pictures. You\u2019re building something. That shift changes everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/P5310369.jpg\" alt=\"A grassy field under a large tree with dark, dramatic storm clouds and a hint of sunset light on the horizon.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833782\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>This approach requires one thing: a camera you\u2019ll actually have with you. For Zegelis, the OM-3\u2019s compact size means he is always ready when a project opportunity appears, whether that\u2019s a planned shoot or an unexpected discovery on a back road.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSteal this idea,\u201d he adds. \u201cCreate your own town, your own universe. Just start. The project will teach you what it needs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> Tip 2: Commit to a Look Before You Shoot <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I lock in an aesthetic before pressing the shutter, I start seeing differently,\u201d Zegelis describes. \u201cThe \u2018fix it later\u2019 safety net disappears, which forces me to compose for my chosen look. Commitment changes perception.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"A rusty, vintage white car with flat tires is parked in front of a one-story white building under a metal canopy on a sunny day. The sky is clear and blue.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833783\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Zegelis learned this during a work trip to Marfa, Texas. He was struggling emotionally. His mother had recently been diagnosed with cancer, and he found himself unable to push the darkness aside the way he normally would on assignment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI shot all of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jerredz.com\/blog\/marfa-the-weird-and-wonderful\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">my trip to Marfa<\/a> on the OM-3\u2019s Art Filter 16 with a border,\u201d he recalls. \u201cI was in a dark place, and that look just connected with me at that time, when normally, I might not have given that filter a second thought. Instead of fighting that darkness, I let it define my creative approach.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Jerred-Z-OM-SYSTEM-1.png\" alt=\"Left: Painted cowboy hats on a wall above a &quot;MARFA&quot; sign. Right: Four wooden chairs beside a potted plant in front of a wall with the bold text &quot;SEE MYSTERY LIGHTS.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"757\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833784\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>That single decision changed everything. \u201cI stopped trying to make \u2018beautiful Texas photos\u2019 and started photographing the strangeness: the surreal light, the isolation, the weird energy of the desert,\u201d Zegelis shares. \u201cI was able to connect with things I normally wouldn\u2019t have, simply by seeing it through a different filter.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Jerred-Z-OM-SYSTEM-5.png\" alt=\"The image is split in two: on the left, a rustic sign reading &quot;Oasis Caf\u00e9 1\/2 mile on right&quot; stands in a dry, grassy landscape; on the right, four stacked vintage TVs display static and distorted images against a purple wall.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"758\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833926\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat commitment to that filter defined my entire vision of Marfa,\u201d he states. \u201cI have all these JPEGs I fell in love with that tied the whole trip together without any editing. I don\u2019t care if anybody thinks it\u2019s cheesy. It was an awesome experience for me, and that\u2019s what matters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-2-1.jpg\" alt=\"A blue truck parked in front of a white building.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833785\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat is why I love the OM-3\u2019s Creative Dial,\u201d he continues. \u201cIt makes this kind of commitment physical. Twist to your look before you even frame the shot. Color profiles, monochrome modes, Art Filters: they\u2019re all one dial away. It\u2019s harder to second-guess a decision I\u2019ve already made with my hands.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-4.jpg\" alt=\"Two empty chairs, one yellow and one metal, cast long shadows against a pink wall next to a weathered wooden door partially in shadow. The scene is bathed in dramatic sunlight.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833786\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cTry it on your next shoot,\u201d Zegelis suggests. \u201cPick one look, one profile, one filter, and commit to it for the entire session. Don\u2019t give yourself an escape hatch. When you can\u2019t fix it later, you start seeing with intention. The constraint becomes creative fuel.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> Tip 3: Embrace the \u201cGimmicks\u201d You Once Dismissed <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe tools \u2018serious\u2019 photographers dismiss as gimmicks, such as filters, borders, grain, and heavy color grades, might be exactly what unlocks your creativity,\u201d Zegelis says. \u201cYour audience isn\u2019t other photographers. It\u2019s everyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-3.jpg\" alt=\"A colorful building with a faded &quot;Beer Garden&quot; sign on the wall, partially obscured by a dry, leafless bush under a purple-tinted sky.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833795\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI used to be the guy who thought Art Filters and borders were gimmicks,\u201d he admits. \u201cI\u2019d look at those features and think only an amateur would use that stuff. I shot everything neutral, planning to fix it in post. That was the \u2018professional\u2019 approach, right?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Then came Marfa.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Jerred-Z-OM-SYSTEM-7.png\" alt=\"Split image: Left side shows a mural of a serious-faced person in a dark hat with angular shadows; right side shows a yellow-handled public payphone mounted on a grey wall with some grass at the base.\" width=\"1165\" height=\"758\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833932\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThose gimmicks became my creative breakthrough,\u201d Zegelis acknowledges. \u201cAnd I pushed even further. I twisted the Creative Dial to Color Creator and pushed it to 100% red. It saturated everything with this ethereal tone, like something from another planet or a movie. I would never have thought to edit them that way in post. The in-camera look revealed possibilities I couldn\u2019t have imagined if I didn\u2019t see the result right there in front of me in real time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/P3180196.jpg\" alt=\"A tall, weathered roadside sign shaped like a star-topped rocket reads &quot;STARDUST.&quot; The lower part is faded and illegible. The sign stands by an empty road in a desert landscape under a pinkish sky.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833796\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy audience is not other photographers,\u201d Zegelis insists. \u201cShow my Marfa photos to 99% of people on the planet and they\u2019ll say \u2018that\u2019s pretty cool.\u2019 Only photographers ask \u2018is that an in-camera filter?\u2019 There are so many gatekeepers in this world. I\u2019ve stopped trying to impress them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Jerred-Z-OM-SYSTEM-6.png\" alt=\"A split image: on the left, a cross atop a building silhouetted against a glowing sky; on the right, an old, weathered building with a boarded-up door, barred window, dry grass, and leafless shrubs.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"758\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833930\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s what I love about the OM-3\u2019s Creative Dial,\u201d Zegelis explains. \u201cIt\u2019s right on the front of the camera with four positions: MONO for monochrome profiles, COLOR for film-inspired color profiles, ART for filters and borders, and CRT for Color Creator. I can see the creative effect before I press the shutter. When I twist to Color Creator and push the saturation toward red, I\u2019m not guessing what it might look like later. I\u2019m seeing it. And that changes how I compose and what I notice around me that I might have missed otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-4-1.jpg\" alt=\"A large, blank white billboard with red letters reading &quot;TRUCKLAND MARFA&quot; stands on a dirt lot at sunset. In front, there\u2019s a metal chair, a sign for &quot;Let's Truck,&quot; and a metal trough with yellow cacti.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833798\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>The RAW file stays untouched, so the safety net is still there if you need it. But Zegelis says the goal is to stop needing it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMake a list of the features or tools you\u2019ve dismissed as gimmicks,\u201d Zegelis suggests. \u201cThen spend a day using nothing but those tools. Shoot for the 99% who just want to feel something when they see your work. You might surprise yourself. When you stop \u2018following the rules\u2019, you start feeling creative again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> Tip 4: Shoot From Meaning, Not Just Moment <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I started to connect photography to personal memory, emotion, or significance, flat scenes became portals,\u201d Zegelis recalls. \u201cI stopped trying to capture \u2018pretty\u2019 and started photographing what I was remembering and feeling at that moment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-1-2.jpg\" alt=\"A snowy yard decorated with glowing angel and candelabra figures, a golden arch, and colorful string lights, creating a festive holiday scene at night in front of a house.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"641\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833799\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Zegelis learned this the hard way. When OM SYSTEM assigned him to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.megapixelroad.com\/p\/how-i-found-inspiration-photographing\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">shoot creative holiday scenes<\/a>, he panicked.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-11.jpg\" alt=\"Three windows show glowing lamps with fringed shades and decorative bases, surrounded by string lights and cozy seating. One window also features a bright neon \u201cOPEN\u201d sign. The scenes are warmly lit and inviting.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"705\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833800\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019d never photographed Christmas lights before,\u201d he admits. \u201cI looked through my entire library and realized I had nothing. So I went out, and every shot felt flat. I was finding pretty scenes, taking technically correct photos, and feeling nothing. Just snapshots of things in front of me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Then, almost unconsciously, he drove to his childhood neighborhood.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/PC090320.jpg\" alt=\"A house decorated with colorful string lights for the holidays, featuring a bright red front door with a wreath, a small dog statue in a red scarf on the porch, and a flag and shrubs nearby.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833801\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs soon as I found spots that connected to my inner child, to being a kid riding a bike around those streets, everything changed,\u201d Zegelis recalls. \u201cI have vivid memories of the street I grew up on. The photos I took that night might mean more to me than to anyone else, but that\u2019s the point. I\u2019m shooting for myself now. And I have found that taking photos that invoke distant memories is both creative and soothing for my soul.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-10.jpg\" alt=\"Four images side by side show shop windows at night decorated with colorful holiday string lights, a neon \u201cOPEN\u201d sign, a small Christmas tree, and glowing festive reflections.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"527\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833802\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>The breakthrough wasn\u2019t technical. It was emotional. Connection to meaning transformed generic Christmas lights into something personal and resonant.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-9.jpg\" alt=\"A blue-lit Christmas tree stands in the center, surrounded by blurred colorful holiday lights and glowing decorations, creating a festive night scene with bokeh effects.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"706\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833803\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI added more saturation using the Creative Dial to capture how those lights looked to me as a child,\u201d he explains. \u201cWhen everything was brighter, and felt more magical than it actually was. The camera let me shoot how I remembered, not just how things looked.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-13.jpg\" alt=\"A brightly lit shop window displays plush toys, including Hello Kitty, with string lights forming a web pattern across the glass. Soft, colorful stuffed animals fill the scene, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833804\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cBefore your next shoot, ask yourself: what memories does this place hold?\u201d Zegelis suggests. \u201cMaybe it\u2019s where you learned to ride a bike, where you had your first date, where you spent holidays as a kid. If there\u2019s no memory, put on a song that takes you back. Music unlocks memory faster than anything. Then go shoot whatever\u2019s in front of you while you\u2019re in that headspace. The location doesn\u2019t matter. The feeling does. When you photograph from memory instead of just moment, the emotion shows up in the work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> Tip 5: Let Chaos Into Your Frame <\/p>\n<p>Zegelis says that technical perfection is a trap. \u201cIntentional blur, camera movement, and \u2018mistakes\u2019 can express things sharp photos never will, especially memory, emotion, uncertainty, and the passage of time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One of Zegelis\u2019s favorite images from his holiday project is pure chaos: nearly a one-second exposure while twisting the camera, creating swirling Christmas lights against a blurred tree. His wife wasn\u2019t a fan.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-3-1.jpg\" alt=\"A swirl of colorful, blurred lights including red, blue, yellow, and white, creating a vibrant, abstract spiral pattern that suggests movement and energy.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833805\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe didn\u2019t love it,\u201d he laughs. \u201cIt\u2019s pure chaos. A Christmas tree swirling in the middle, hard to see, surrounded by spinning lights. But I can see it. And that\u2019s how memory works for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The image became a breakthrough precisely because it broke the rules.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can\u2019t picture my childhood Christmas trees clearly,\u201d Zegelis reflects. \u201cMemory doesn\u2019t have to be sharp. Sometimes, it\u2019s a lot of confusion and chaos. But we still find bits of brightness and coolness in there. That\u2019s what this image captures: the blurriness, the uncertainty, the way the past feels when you try to hold onto it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-2-2.jpg\" alt=\"A decorated Christmas tree with ornaments and lights stands indoors, surrounded by warm yellow bokeh lights that create a festive, dreamy atmosphere. A patterned lamp glows nearby.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833806\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>He calls these intentionally blurred images \u201cmemory portals.\u201d The technical imperfection expresses something a sharp photo, or a sharp memory, never could.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFeatures like the OM-3\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/learnandsupport.getolympus.com\/learn-center\/photography-tips\/browse-tips-by-camera-feature\/live-nd-mode?olycmp=aff-main-online_magazine-Peta_Pixel-link_shop-break-rules\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">Live ND<\/a> make this kind of experimentation accessible, no matter the light conditions,\u201d Zegelis describes. \u201cI can shoot half-second exposures without carrying a filter kit, opening up creative blur anywhere, anytime. And with up to 7.5 stops of image stabilization, I can keep some elements sharp while letting others ghost through the frame.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1c9d89f1-2a29-44ef-b209-3ded3ca21da0_4000x3000-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A city street at night with brick pavement, buildings decorated with holiday lights, illuminated trees, and streaks of car lights creating a sense of motion.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833807\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cNext time you\u2019re shooting, deliberately make a \u2018mistake,\u2019\u201d Zegelis suggests. \u201cTwist the camera. Move during the exposure. Shoot at a shutter speed you know is \u2018wrong.\u2019 Then look at the result not as a technical failure, but as an expression. What does the blur say that sharpness couldn\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n<p> Tip 6: Use RAW+JPEG as a Permission Slip <\/p>\n<p>Shooting both formats lets you experiment wildly with in-camera looks while keeping a safe version. The RAW is your safety net. The JPEG is your playground.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI used to be a RAW-only shooter,\u201d Zegelis admits. \u201cNow I shoot both formats on everything, and that has changed how I approach creative risk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-3-2.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of a vibrant red and yellow flower, showcasing its petals and stamens in soft focus, with warm sunlight highlighting the delicate textures and colors.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833809\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cShooting RAW+JPEG is a permission slip to get really crazy and creative,\u201d he explains. \u201cYour RAW is always there, unchanged, keeping the best quality. But when you experiment with the JPEG that your camera processes, you engage your creative juices in the moment. You might be surprised by what looks inspire you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The OM-3\u2019s JPEG edits, especially when using the Creative Dial, are strong enough that Zegelis often prefers the creative version over processing the RAW. He even shares how to create his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jerredz.com\/for-photographers\/om-3-jpeg-recipes10#\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">favorite recipes<\/a> with other OM-3 photographers.  And if he needs to recreate settings later, <a href=\"https:\/\/download.omsystem.com\/pages\/owdownload\/en\/?olycmp=aff-main-online_magazine-Peta_Pixel-link_shop-break-rules\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">OM Workspace<\/a> can pull the recipe data from any JPEG.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-2-3.jpg\" alt=\"A dirt path runs through a field of tall, golden grass under a pastel pink and purple sky at dusk, with the moon visible near the horizon.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833810\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m actually selling some of my Creative Dial-produced JPEGs now,\u201d he says. \u201cThe creative experiments became the final work. That never would have happened if I stayed RAW-only.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTurn on RAW+JPEG,\u201d Zegelis suggests. \u201cThen let yourself do something ridiculous with the Creative Dial or the photo profile. Push too far. The RAW file means you haven\u2019t lost anything. But you might gain something you never expected.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> Tip 7: Stop Shooting for Other Photographers <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you make work to impress gatekeepers, you filter out everything that makes you unique,\u201d Zegelis advises. \u201cThe path to originality runs through yourself, not through algorithms or approval.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-7.jpg\" alt=\"A cable-stayed bridge illuminated with vibrant pink and purple lights, shrouded in mist, with a snow-dusted pathway and railings leading toward the central tower at dusk or dawn.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833811\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI used to shoot for Instagram likes,\u201d Zegelis admits. \u201cI got known as an abandoned photographer, and my following was growing. But I caught myself thinking: what am I actually doing? I was creating for the algorithm, not for myself. The work felt hollow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So he stopped. No more optimizing for strangers on the internet.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-4-2.jpg\" alt=\"A combine harvester is silhouetted against a vibrant sunset sky filled with shades of orange, red, and purple over a flat landscape.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833812\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of fakeness in the photography world,\u201d he says. \u201cWe present ourselves as something we\u2019re not, caught up in some kind of performance to get noticed. I don\u2019t want to be fake anymore. I want to make work that\u2019s actually created by my feelings and memories. Photos that are uniquely mine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-6.jpg\" alt=\"Sunlight shines through a cluster of yellow and orange autumn maple leaves, with a blurred background of pink and blue sky and tree branches.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833813\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>He points to Rick Rubin\u2019s philosophy from his book <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Creative-Act-Way-Being\/dp\/0593652886?\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">The Creative Act: A Way of Being<\/a>: signal, not noise.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe only way to be truly original is to go inside yourself,\u201d Zegelis stresses. \u201cThat\u2019s always been true, and it\u2019s even more important now. With advances in technology, we are starting to lose our human stories. Nobody else can tell my story. Nobody else can tell your story. So it\u2019s our responsibility to explore new ways to do that to keep our creativity firing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-5.jpg\" alt=\"A rural landscape at sunset with soft pink sky, silhouettes of grain silos, a crane, and farm buildings, with a dusty road leading into the distance.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833814\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cBefore you post your next photo, ask yourself: am I sharing this because I love it, or because I think others will?\u201d Zegelis suggests. \u201cIf it\u2019s the second one, dig deeper. Find the work that scares you a little to share. That\u2019s usually the good stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> Give Yourself Permission <\/p>\n<p>In one year, Zegelis went from shooting safe, saleable work to inventing fictional towns, embracing filters he once dismissed, and creating images that look like his memories feel. \u201cThe rules I learned over 25 years weren\u2019t wrong,\u201d he acknowledges. \u201cThey just weren\u2019t the only way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-1-3.jpg\" alt=\"A deserted road stretches into the distance beneath a dramatic sky filled with pink, purple, and blue hues at sunset or sunrise. Dark silhouettes of hills line the horizon.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833815\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201c2025 was my favorite year of photography I\u2019ve ever had,\u201d he reflects. \u201cNot because my technical skills improved. Because I finally gave myself permission to break my own rules.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou don\u2019t need a specific camera to start,\u201d he continues. \u201cYou need willingness. Invent a project. Commit to a look. Shoot from meaning. Let chaos in. Stop performing for gatekeepers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have to tell human stories,\u201d Zegelis says. \u201cAnd the only way to tell yours is to go inside yourself and find it. The most creative act might be the simplest one: allowing yourself to try something different.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OM-SYSTEM-OM-3-Jerred-Z-4-3.jpg\" alt=\"A wide field of tall grass is illuminated by a dramatic sunset, with dark clouds overhead and sunlight glowing near the horizon, casting warm tones across the landscape.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-833816\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>More from Jerred Zegelis can be found on his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jerredz.com\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">website<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.megapixelroad.com\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">Substack<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/jerredz\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">YouTube<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jerredz\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Full disclosure: This article was brought to you by <a href=\"https:\/\/explore.omsystem.com\/?olycmp=aff-main-online_magazine-Peta_Pixel-link_shop-break-rules\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow external noopener nofollow\">OM SYSTEM<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Image credits: All photos by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jerredz.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jerred Zegelis<\/a><\/p>\n<p> <script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After 25 years behind the camera, OM SYSTEM photographer Jerred Zegelis thought he knew the rules of photography.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":224249,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[442,498,499,500,18399,134259,33118,134260,501,156,17366,2380,111,139,134261,69,39921,75692,134262,46532,14920],"class_list":{"0":"post-224248","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-arts-and-design","10":"tag-artsanddesign","11":"tag-artsdesign","12":"tag-christmas","13":"tag-christmas-lights","14":"tag-creative","15":"tag-creative-dial","16":"tag-design","17":"tag-entertainment","18":"tag-marfa","19":"tag-nebraska","20":"tag-new-zealand","21":"tag-newzealand","22":"tag-north-hawk","23":"tag-nz","24":"tag-olympus","25":"tag-om-system","26":"tag-om-3","27":"tag-presets","28":"tag-texas"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/224248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=224248"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/224248\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/224249"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=224248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=224248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=224248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}