Portrait of Cindy behind red curtain. Program mode, ISO 1600. RICOH GR II

Photograph Your Own Happiness!

Eric Kim Cindy Red Kyoto Curtain
Cindy and red curtain. Kyoto, 2017

Photography should give you happiness, joy, and excitement in life!

Red cowboy, 2012 by ERIC KIM.
Red cowboy, 2012 by ERIC KIM.

In life, we have too many nay-sayers, pessimists, and people who throw their toxic waste at you.

Ignore them. Rather, venture to photograph your own happiness, optimism, and joy in life.

Kyoto selfie with Cindy. Reflection, 2017
Shot through the reflection of an aluminum espresso machine. Kyoto selfie with Cindy. Reflection, 2017

Many of us are trying to find our own voice, our own style, and what makes our photos unique.

I think that is confusing.

Easier solution: Photograph your own happiness! Photograph what makes you happy. Photograph what brings a smile to your own face :)

Cindy journaling by Kyoto River, 2017.
Cindy journaling by Kyoto River, 2017.
Cindy and a bottle of coffee.
Cindy and a bottle of coffee.

There is too much stupid crap out there that artists are supposed to be sad, depressed, and miserable.

No.

The real artist is positive, optimistic, and LOVES LIFE AND LIVING! A true artist would never commit suicide. A true artist would rather endeavor to make pictures that brings him/herself even MORE joy– and to showcase and share that joy of living with others.

Cindy in Yukata and cup of tea in Ryokan. Uji, Kyoto 2017
Cindy in Yukata and cup of tea in Ryokan. Uji, Kyoto 2017
Cindy picture of ERIC sleeping in Ryokan. Uji, Kyoto 2017
Cindy takes a picture of ERIC sleeping in Ryokan. Uji, Kyoto 2017

Uji sunset. 2017
Uji sunset. 2017
Coin Laundry. Uji, Kyoto 2017
Coin Laundry. Uji, Kyoto 2017

Eric Kim selfie. Uji, Kyoto 2017 mirror.

Cindy with spoon and matcha tea. Uji, Kyoto 2017
Cindy with spoon and matcha tea. Uji, Kyoto 2017
Uji, Kyoto Urban landscape. 2017
Uji, Kyoto Urban landscape. 2017

Abstract green shadow. Uji, Kyoto 2017

Cindy in Ryokan. Uji, Kyoto 2017
Cindy in Ryokan. Uji, Kyoto 2017

River in Uji. Kyoto, 2017.


Life is short, cruel, and uncertain. Why even waste a drop of this sweet honey and nectar of life– on worrying about shit? About feeling miserable and depressed? Why not endeavor to feel MORE GRATITUDE, and MORE BLESSEDNESS in life?

To me, photograph helps me remember:

Damn, it is fucking great to be alive.

Cindy in bed. Ryokan. Uji, Kyoto 2017
Cindy in bed. Ryokan. Uji, Kyoto 2017

Uji, 2017. Note the edge of the top right frame and bottom left frame and top left frame... all connect quite well.
Uji, 2017.
Reflection of Cindy in Ukata in our Ryokan in Uji, Kyoto 2017
Reflection of Cindy in Ukata in our Ryokan in Uji, Kyoto 2017
Cindy in Yukata. Uji, Kyoto 2017
Cindy in Yukata. Uji, Kyoto 2017

Colorful Japanese text. UJI, KYOTO 2017

Diagonal composition.
Diagonal composition.

Cindy in massage chair. Uji, Kyoto 2017

Cindy stretching and self portrait of ERIC in Uji Ryokan. 2017
Cindy stretching and self portrait of ERIC in Uji Ryokan. 2017
Picture shot from inside cab. Kyoto, 2017.
Picture shot from inside cab. Kyoto, 2017.

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

For me, photography is the best drug. Free, cheap, and allows you to EXPLORE MORE. To feel more joy, and excitement. To make instant art. To assert control over your life.

Selfie in kyoto. Eric Kim.

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Processed with VSCO with preset
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Processed with VSCO with preset

HAPTIC EYE by ANNETTE KIM
HAPTIC EYE by ANNETTE KIM
HAPTIC EYE CAMERA by ANNETTE KIM
HAPTIC EYE CAMERA by ANNETTE KIM
Creative Everyday by HAPTIC
Creative Everyday by HAPTIC

The world is a marvel. A visual playground. It is our duty as photographic children, to keep our innocent eye. To keep making art. To experiment visually– with our compositions, with how we see the world, and to share our unique perspective with others.

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

Three yellow Dots on black background

Man at the shore. Marseille, 2013
Man at the shore. Marseille, 2013
Family selfie in Kyoto. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Family selfie in Kyoto. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

DOUBLE CINDY - on grey

Cindy with kiss

Cindy creator. Hands, reflection, flash, elevator, Saigon.
Cindy holding up her srms. Photo of a flash in front of elevator, Saigon 2017

Saigon silhouette, hotel room selfie. 2017
Saigon silhouette, hotel room selfie. 2017

Cindy color halo. Saigon, 2017.
Cindy color halo. Saigon, 2017.

Photograph by Cindy Nguyen

HONOR THY SELFIE.

Why do we talk down on ourselves? We are all born artists. We lose our innocent and childlike sense of play as we get older– as we get it beaten out of us. We are told to ‘grow up’ and to become more ‘serious.’

I say fuck that– let us return to being kids again. Let us play and be creative every day!

Annette.

anna annette kim kyoto vampire lips green background

Contact sheet. Girl laughing with blue sunglasss. Kyoto, 2017.

Contact sheet. Kyoto man mask.

Man with face mask and billboard, shot with flash on RICOH GR II. Kyoto, 2017.
Man with face mask and billboard, shot with flash on RICOH GR II. Kyoto, 2017.
Girl laughing with blue sunglasss. Kyoto, 2017.
Girl laughing with blue sunglasss. Kyoto, 2017.
COLOR THEORY WHEEL by ANNETTE KIM
COLOR THEORY WHEEL by ANNETTE KIM
ANNETTE KIM 1 LINE DRAWING for CREATIVE EVERYDAY
ANNETTE KIM 1 LINE DRAWING for CREATIVE EVERYDAY
PHOTOCUBIST ERIC KIM by ERIC KIM x JOSH WHITE
PHOTOCUBIST ERIC KIM by ERIC KIM x JOSH WHITE
Photocubist JENNIFER NGUYEN by ERIC KIM
Photocubist JENNIFER NGUYEN by ERIC KIM
Photocubist ANNETTE KIM by ERIC KIM
Photocubist ANNETTE KIM by ERIC KIM
Nexus 6P. Kyoto, 2017. Bald man head, shot from a high angle. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Nexus 6P. Kyoto, 2017. Bald man head, shot from a high angle. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Kyoto selfie. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Kyoto selfie. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
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Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Kyoto, 2017. Shot from high angle, looking down on phone. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Kyoto, 2017. Shot from high angle, looking down on phone. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
ANNETTE KIM BLACK VAMPIRE LIPS. Kyoto, 2017.
ANNETTE KIM BLACK VAMPIRE LIPS. Kyoto, 2017.
Pokémon adventure. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Selfie in Kyoto with Necus 6P and HDR+. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Selfie in Kyoto with Necus 6P and HDR+. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

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Slice of red light at sunset. Kyoto, 2017, from the balcony of our AirBnB. Nexus 6P. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Slice of red light at sunset. Kyoto, 2017, from the balcony of our AirBnB. Nexus 6P. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Jennifer grey hair. Nexus 6P. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Jennifer hair. Nexus 6P. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Fluorescent light. Kyoto, 2017. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Fluorescent light. Kyoto, 2017. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
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Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
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Night time picture of Kyoto Bridge. HDR+ on Google Nexus 6P. Processed with VSCO with f2 preset
Kyoto wood. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Kyoto wood. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Shot on OnePlus 5. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Processed with VSCO with preset
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
My sister Annette. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset. Shot on Google Nexus 6P
My sister Annette. Processed with VSCO with a6 preset. Shot on Google Nexus 6P

To conclude, shoot your own happiness. Shoot what makes you happy. Make art, and have fun :)

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