Ryokan with Cindy. Uji, Kyoto 2017

The Spirit of Becoming a Photographer

Ryokan with Cindy. Uji, Kyoto 2017
Ryokan with Cindy. Uji, Kyoto 2017

The spirit of becoming is
to know that your art and photography doesn’t have an ultimate destination.
It is to know, that everyday, and with each picture you make… you are in a “state of becoming.”

Let’s be real.

Cindy in massage chair. Uji, Kyoto 2017
Cindy in massage chair. Uji, Kyoto 2017

The universe doesn’t give a shit about you or your art or pictures. But, you give a big fuck about how you live your life, how you make art, and how you assert control over your own personal world and reality.

The spirit of becoming as a photographer and artist is this:

To have joy in the process of making pictures, and to have joy in seeing steady improvement, and forward motion in your photography and art.

How does the spirit of becoming feel like?

Cindy stretching and self portrait of ERIC in Uji Ryokan. 2017
Cindy stretching and self portrait of ERIC in Uji Ryokan. 2017

The spirit of becoming is to feel that you have control and autonomy over your life and art. To have the spirit of curiosity, the innocent eye of a child… to explore the visual world around you. To improve your compositions by tilting the camera (Dutch angles), by making more dynamic and free-flowing, energetic pictures. To satiate your visual appetite for order, and chaos.

The spirit of becoming a photographer is…

Picture shot from inside cab. Kyoto, 2017.
Picture shot from inside cab. Kyoto, 2017.

The spirit of becoming as a photographer is this:

  1. Never seek to make a 100% defined or definite “style”. To know that your style is always in a state of change and flux. To NOT DESIRE to “master” photography, and to stick to the same style for the rest of your life.
  2. To cultivate an “innocent eye” of a child or beginner. To only see opportunities, fun, and excitement. To ignore anyone who tries to superimpose their rules upon you.
  3. To have fun, and be joyful in the picture making process. To me, I am happiest when in THE MOMENT and the process of making pictures. I derive joy when looking at my pictures and editing and arranging them, but it is a lesser joy than the primary joy of making pictures. I think children prefer to make pictures, and derive less pleasure from looking at their pictures (although they like both taking and looking at their pictures).

Practical Assignments

Selfie. Kyoto, 2017.
Selfie. Kyoto, 2017.
  1. Disregard all the pictures you made in the past. If you started photography all over again today, and you were 8 years old, how would you make pictures? Probably with a phone or a point and shoot camera… in automatic mode.
  2. What would you want to take pictures of if you were a kid or child?
  3. Look back at your first pictures when you started as a beginner. Do you still like those pictures? What drove you to make them?

Go forth and make fun pictures for yourself!

Cindy laughing at red shrine. Kyoto, 2017.
Cindy laughing at red shrine. Kyoto, 2017.

Never stop learning, never stop exploring, and never stop having fun.

Share your favorite pictures to ERIC KIM FORUM.

For more fun, join ERIC KIM EXPERIENCE.

MEMENTO MORI ARTWEAR by ANNETTE KIM.
MEMENTO MORI ARTWEAR by ANNETTE KIM.

BE CREATIVE EVERYDAY,
ERIC


PHOTOGRAPHY 101

Seoul, 2009

Dear friend,

If you’re new to photography, start here:

  1. Free Photography Bootcamp
  2. The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Photography
  3. 100 Photography Tips for Beginners

Photography Inspiration

The Fundamentals of Photography


Photography Equipment »

How to Take Better Photos »

Composition Lessons »

Photography Assignments »

Contact Sheets »

laughing lady contact sheet NYC eric kim

Editing (Image Selection) »

eric kim laughing lady nyc

Creativity »

eric kim Cindy project reflection flash

Motivation »

eric kim portrait by Cindy nguyen

Post-Processing

dark skies over Tokyo eric kim

How to Create a Body of Work

AMERICA - ERIC KIM16 eric kim woman popsicle

Technical Photography Settings

eric kim mom glasses


Learn From the Masters of Photography

MASTERS PROTOTYPE by HAPTIC

“He without a past has no future.”

Start here:

  1. Why Study the Masters of Photography?
  2. Great Female Master Photographers
  3. Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography
  4. 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
  5. Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography
  6. Download All Articles >

The Masters of Photography

Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos
Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos

Classics never die: