January 2016

  • 28 Lessons I’ve Learned From Life

    Dear friend, Today (Jan 31st) I turn 28 years old. I wanted to use this opportunity to reflect on the past, and also share some life lessons I’ve learned (so far) in my short, yet loving, and fulfilling life:

    Read More

  • Make More Atoms, Fewer Bits

    Dear friend, I’ve been thinking a lot of “physicality” in photography— how physical objects bring us a lot more happiness and joy than the invisible, intangible, and digital.

    Read More

  • Enjoy the Process

    Dear friend, I wanted to write you this letter on how to enjoy the process of photography, rather than worrying about the results.

    Read More

  • 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography

    Dropbox PDF Download >>> Dear streettogs, in order to make access to information about street photography more open and easily accessible, I put together my book “100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography” together in this (epic) blog post. This is a distillation of all the lessons I’ve learned from the masters of street…

    Read More

  • Photography 2,000 Years From Now

    It is the year 4016 AD. Life hasn’t changed much. People are still stressed about finances, their families, their positions at their jobs, and whether they will get more “followers” or “likes” on their social media channel.

    Read More

  • Find out What to Photograph, Not How

    “Find out what to write, not how.” – Seneca (Letters to Lucilius) Dear friend, I wanted to write you this letter on the importance of knowing what to photograph, rather than how to photograph.

    Read More

  • Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself

    Why put so much pressure on yourself? Why make things harder than they need to be? Do you take photos because you genuinely enjoy it, or do you want some sort of external recognition? Who cares if you don’t create the next Picasso or be the next Henri Cartier-Bresson? Just be you. After all, there…

    Read More

  • Photograph What Makes You Happy

    This guest article is by Nick Smith. Someone who I’ve followed for sometime is Trey Ratcliff. For those who aren’t familiar, he’s known for his HDR style images.

    Read More

  • Street Photography Quick Links: December 2015

    Street Photography Quick Links is a compilation of Links, Projects, News, Videos, Events, or anything that is related to street photography or photography in particular that I have personally consumed. Perhaps these might interest you or make you think. If you want to send some links my way, details will be at the bottom of the…

    Read More

  • A Photographer’s Search For Meaning

    My friend Aaron Offord sent me Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning” which has been one of the most inspirational and uplifting books I’ve read in a while. The story outlines Frankl’s story of surviving the Holocaust; he was a Jewish psychologist from Vienna. He writes about his struggles, and how men were able to…

    Read More

  • Why Do You Backup Your Photos?

    I have lost hundreds and thousands of photographs over the years, due to hard drive failures, forgetting to backup my images, or by accidentally deleting photos (before transferring them).

    Read More

  • Why Do You Take Photos?

    Dear friend, I wanted to share an idea I had with you in regards to philosophy, life, photography, physics, and Elon Musk from Tesla.

    Read More

  • Reduce

    Dear friend, I wanted to share some thoughts with you on “reducing”, “subtraction”, “less is more” — whatever along those lines.

    Read More

  • Staying True: Interview with Jonathan Higbee

    Interview by A.g. De Mesa, Photos by Jonathan Higbee A.G.: Any creative pursuit, especially photography comes with anxiety and a whole lot of uncertainty. We all have our ways of dealing with them but for Jonathan Higbee, it is the impetus that is driving his work forward. Together with his keen eye on color and…

    Read More

  • The Joy of Friendship

    I just went to a friend’s wedding the other day— and man, it was so much fun. Singing, dancing, drinking, eating— the air full of merriment and joy.

    Read More

  • New Year’s (Not to Do) Resolutions

    Happy 2016; goodbye 2015. Every year, we are told what to do for a new year’s resolution. I propose something opposite this year— let us try to propose things not to do this year. It is kind of like a Lenten promise— for 40 days deciding something not to do anymore. I have tried Lenten…

    Read More