You are a PHOTO BEAST– hungry to make images.

Take your street photography to the next level with MASTERS EDITION I, published hot off the presses by HAPTIC.

I. Would you rather be a (hungry) eagle, or a (timid) lamb?

Would you rather be an eagle or bird of prey, or would you rather be a timid lamb?

Would you rather be a lion, or would you rather be a (delicious) gazelle?

Let us not forget, as human beings– are still animals. We are still beasts, with a little more sense.

I think as artists and photographers, we are VISUAL BEASTS. If you like to take pictures, you are a PHOTO BEAST.

You are hungry to explore. To wander. To hunt pictures. To move your legs. To sprint when you see a good photo-opportunity. To crouch down. To have courage, to take risks, to get closer, and to be agile, quick, and nimble.

This is why I love street photography— it unleashes my inner photo-beast.

When I shoot, I am quite aggressive. I get close. I use a wide-angle 28mm lens, and make street pictures at around 1 meter (around 2-arm lengths away). I use a flash. I get in people’s way.

A lot of people who watch me shoot don’t like it. Why? I am aggressive. It doesn’t look ‘nice.’

But to be frank, if you want to make edgy and dynamic street pictures, you cannot be meek. You must be strong, aggressive, and you have to learn to NOT hesitate.

II. Don’t shoot like me (unless you want to)

Of course, there is a billion ways to make pictures and street pictures. My school of street photography (NEO STREET PHOTOGRAPHY) encourages us to be more aggressive, get closer, use a flash, and also interact and engage our subjects when we want to.

You DON’T NEED TO shoot street photography the way I do, or the way I encourage. You gotta find your own technique or voice.

But still — if you are an aggressive artist, don’t let society try to tame you, or put you inside a golden cage, feed you 3 square meals a day, and dutifully save up your 401k, to hopefully one day retire and ‘travel the world’ at age 65. Fuck that. Make your pictures and visual feast today!

III. How to be a photo beast

1. Learn how to be aggressive.

For example, in street photography when I ask for ‘street portraits‘ — I don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. I’m quite pushy. But I do it in a nice way, with a smile, with flattery, and telling people why I want to make a picture with them.

If people say ‘no’ to being photographed– I keep trying to push to get a ‘yes.’ If they say ‘no’ at least 3 times, then I back down, and say, ‘Thank you for your time– have a great day!’ And then leave with a smile.

Lesson: you can be friendly-aggressive, without being an asshole.

2. Get physically fit

The more physically fit I am (with more muscles and less body fat), the more nimble I am. The quicker I can move. The longer I can walk, without fatigue.

The more you build your bodily muscles, the more you will build your visual muscles.

3. Caffeine x intermittent fasting

My theory: HUNGER is what MOTIVATES US TO MOVE.

For example, if you are a hungry lion you will go hunting, because you are hungry.

If you are a lion, and you just ate a huge breakfast of pancakes, granola bars, and blueberries– and you are full, what motivation would you have to go hunt a gazelle?

My theory: breakfast makes you lazy, sleepy, slow, and no motivation to move.

This is why I don’t eat breakfast or lunch– I like being hungry all day. If you ‘fast’ during the day, your sense are heightened. You smell foods more vividly. And food tastes better (at dinner) after you fast during the day. And trust me, it isn’t that hard– Muslims fast for Ramadan (and they aren’t even allowed to drink water). I fast during the day by drinking black coffee (no cream/sugar), green tea, water, and 100% cocoa hot-chocolate.

I noticed this during my workshops: in the morning (before lunch) the students are always the most excited, sharp, and keen to make pictures. After having a carbohydrate-heavy lunch, the students get ‘food coma’ for around 2 hours, and it takes them a while to start shooting again.

4. Eat less during the day, to be a sharper photo beast

If it is hard for you to fast during the day (not eating breakfast or lunch), just have really small meals during the day. Also another tip– no carbohydrates, no sugars, no starches during the day before dinner. No bread, no bagels, no cereal, no granola bars (regardless of how ‘healthy’ experts tell you it is), no fruit or fruit juices (too much sugar), no brownies, cookies, sodas, and no sugar in your coffee or tea. Also no starches (no potatoes, no rice, etc).

If you’re hungry during the day, eat some eggs (boiled, fried, whatever) — eat BOTH the yolk and the whites. Eat an avocado with a little bit of salt and paprika. Go to the grocery store and just eat a piece of meat. If you are white and can stomach lactose, eat a piece of fatty cheese. Almonds are pretty good too.

Conclusion: THERE ARE NO RULES IN PHOTOGRAPHY! (Only tips/suggestions)

You can easily ignore all the information in this essay. These are just tips I wish I could have told myself in the past– to become a sharper, more aggressive, more keen, more energetic, less tired, and more motivated photographer (and PHOTO BEAST).

None of these are ‘rules’ you gotta follow. Modify them, hack them, or ignore them as you please. They work for me, it probably won’t work for you — but it might.

Remember friend, in photography, there are no rules. Only tips and suggestions.

So consider me, ERIC KIM, as your guide. When I am no longer useful to you, please ignore me and move on, and pave your own path.

BE STRONG,
ERIC

CONQUER YOUR FEARS AND MEET NEW PEERS >