Flowers. Saigon, 2017 #cindyproject

No Camera, No Lens

Flowers. Saigon, 2017 #cindyproject
Flowers. Saigon, 2017 #cindyproject

A fun idea, what if you want to be ultimate zen in photography? The concept: no camera, no lens.

DOWNLOAD PDF >

This is the thought:

  1. What is the point of photography? To document personal memories, to find more personal meaning in life, and to make art to express the creative instinct in our soul.
  2. What if we could remember personal memories, without a camera, and without taking a photo of it? What would be the point of a camera?

To flesh out the idea,

  1. If you don’t need to make photos to make personal memories…why do you make photos?
  2. For me, I make photos to CREATE ART. I don’t necessarily need to make photos to record personal memories. I like to NOT shoot photos of too many personal memories. Because I find that I forget personal memories when I photograph them. Why? If I take a photo of a nice personal memory, I’m telling myself, “Ok Eric, you don’t need to remember this moment anymore, because you can go back and look at the photo one day.” There is actually some science which shows that people who photograph memories…are less likely to remember them.

Anyways, I make photos to make art.

Why make art?

Saigon, 2017 #cindyproject
Saigon, 2017 #cindyproject

To me, as humans, we all have a creative instinct and creative impulse. If we don’t fulfill this creative impulse of making photos or art…we die a little inside. We wither. We are like a tree without roots or nutrition. We want to grow, and to feel inspired. To have a reason to live.

I feel that to be human is to MAKE ART.

But am I an artist?

Saigon, 2017 #cindyproject
Saigon, 2017 #cindyproject

Yes you are.

To be an artist is to be a child. To be curious about the world. To want to explore. To want to CREATE stuff.

You can make art with photos, with paintings, drawings, theater, dance, and sculpture, and whatever that comes out of your mind… into physical or digital embodiments.

Practical recommendations

Saigon, 2017 #cindyproject
Saigon, 2017 #cindyproject

If want to feel more compelled to create more photos or art… here are some tips:

  1. Go a week without taking any photos: One of the best ways to re inspire yourself to make photos is to NOT take any photos for a while. Leave your camera at home. Intentionally miss out on “decisive moments” which might piss you off or frustrate you. Then after a week of NOT taking any photos, your enthusiasm will re-kindle for making photos.
  2. Look at great photos: Study the masters of photography and look at their great photos. Study all artists from all eras. Find inspiration and motivation from them. Study photo books and art books. Check out the free photography and art books on this site, as well as on the MET MUSEUM FREE BOOKS.
  3. Don’t take photography too seriously: Treat making photos like playing with building blocks…except you are playing with visual building blocks. Imagine yourself like a kid playing with LEGO. Take the different building blocks of visual reality, and rebuild them in your own vision. And don’t follow the instruction manual. Make your own creations.

Have fun,
Eric

Share your best photos on ERIC KIM FORUM