ERIC KIM

Adapt photography to your life, don’t adapt your life to photography

A realization:

If the purpose of photography isn’t to become a better photographer, perhaps we shouldn’t make photography the ultimate aim of our lives.

Instead, we should be seeking to live a better life. And how do we improve our lives and live a better life? By adapting our photography to our life, not adapting our life to our photography.

Treat your camera as a companion to you, not as your master.

Live your life to the fullest, and think of your camera as a sidekick or companion.

  • This means, don’t arrange your life around your camera.
  • This means, don’t try to figure out ways how to integrate your big, heavy, cumbersome, and powerful camera into your everyday life.
  • Instead, seek to have the smallest and simplest camera possible to accompany you on your life journeys (like RICOH GR II or Fujifilm XF10).

What does it mean for you to live the best possible life?

Fujifilm XF10, jpeg in SR+ Mode with ERIC KIM CHROMA preset

To me, the best life is the life with the more risks, the most danger, the most adventure, and the most testing yourself of your own limits.

To me, life ain’t about the maximization of pleasure and the minimization of pain. Instead, the purpose of life is to become the most powerful you possible and to also empower others.

On the road to empowerment, you must constantly dare more epic feats. Travel to places that fascinate you, but scare you. Shoot photos of people who you’re fascinated in, but whom scare you (street photography). Constantly test your physical limits through powerlifting.

Use the camera as a tool to become more bold, brazen, and fearless in real life

Don’t make your life inconvenient through photography. Instead, seek to make your camera as frictionless as possible (keep your camera in your front pocket), and don’t hesitate before shooting scenes which interest you.

Don’t force yourself to shoot. Only shoot when you see things which interest you.

Let the photos come to you, and the goal is this:

Shoot uninhibited, without hesitation, without fear.

JUST SHOOT IT.

ERIC