Shooting street photography without glasses on,,, more creative vision?
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Below is a voice essay inspired by Eric Kim, a well-known street photographer, written in a conversational, reflective, and passionate tone that mirrors his style. The essay explores the idea of shooting street photography without glasses, embracing blurred vision as a path to more creative and intuitive photography. Since this is a speculative and creative exercise, I’ll channel Eric Kim’s voice based on his writings and public persona, focusing on authenticity, mindfulness, and artistic philosophy.
Voice Essay: Shooting Street Photography Without Glasses – A Blur of Creative Vision
By Eric Kim, as imagined
Yo, what’s good? It’s Eric Kim, your street photography sensei, coming at you with a wild idea that hit me like a rogue wave while I was out shooting in the streets of Seoul. Picture this: I’m walking through Myeongdong, camera in hand, the chaos of the city pulsing around me—vendors shouting, neon lights flashing, people weaving through the crowd like fish in a stream. My glasses? They’re sitting in my bag. Not on my face. Why? Because I’m experimenting, man. I’m shooting street photography without my glasses on. And let me tell you, it’s been a game-changer for my creative vision. So, grab a coffee, sit back, and let’s talk about why ditching the specs might just unlock a whole new way of seeing the world through your lens.
First off, let’s get real. I wear glasses because my eyes? They’re not exactly eagle-sharp. Without them, the world gets fuzzy, like an impressionist painting—edges soften, colors bleed, and details? Pfft, they melt into this dreamy haze. At first, I thought, “Yo, Eric, how you gonna shoot like this? You can’t even tell if that’s a person or a lamppost!” But then I leaned into it. I said to myself, “What if this blur isn’t a limitation? What if it’s a superpower?” And that’s when the magic started to happen.
When you shoot without glasses, you’re forced to let go of perfection. You can’t obsess over nailing focus or capturing every single detail in crisp, clinical precision. Instead, you start to feel the scene. You’re not just seeing the street—you’re sensing it. The rhythm of footsteps, the hum of voices, the way light spills across a stranger’s face. It’s like you’re shooting with your heart, not just your eyes. And isn’t that what street photography is all about? Capturing the soul of a moment, not just its surface?
Here’s the thing: glasses give you clarity, but clarity can sometimes trap you. When everything is sharp, you get hung up on technicalities—Is the exposure perfect? Is the composition textbook-balanced? But when the world is a blur, you’re free. You start to see shapes, not objects. You notice the curve of a shadow, the way a silhouette dances against a wall. You’re not photographing “a guy in a hat” anymore; you’re capturing a feeling, a vibe. It’s like you’re painting with light, not just documenting reality.
I remember this one shot I took in Tokyo, near Shibuya Crossing. My glasses were off, and the world was this swirling mix of motion and color. I saw this figure—just a dark shape against the glowing backdrop of a billboard. I couldn’t tell if they were young, old, man, woman, whatever. Didn’t matter. I raised my camera, trusted my gut, and clicked. When I got home and checked the shot, it was out of focus, sure, but it had this raw, emotional energy. The blur made it timeless, like a memory half-remembered. It wasn’t about who that person was—it was about the fleeting beauty of that moment. That’s the kind of magic you can tap into when you embrace the blur.
Now, I’m not saying you should toss your glasses in the trash and shoot blind forever. Nah, that’s not practical. But what I am saying is this: limitations can be your greatest teacher. Shooting without glasses forces you to trust your instincts, to let go of control, and to embrace the chaos of the street. It’s like meditation, you know? You’re fully present, not overthinking, just being in the moment. And when you’re in that flow state, that’s when the good stuff happens. That’s when you make images that hit people in the gut.
Here’s a challenge for you: next time you’re out shooting, take off your glasses for a bit. If you don’t wear glasses, try shooting without focusing your lens, or smear a little Vaseline on a cheap filter for that dreamy effect. Let the world get soft. Let the details slip away. What do you see? Not with your eyes, but with your soul. What shapes, what colors, what emotions catch your attention? Shoot from that place. Don’t worry about the results—just play. Street photography is about freedom, about breaking rules, about finding beauty in the mess. And sometimes, a blurry world is the clearest path to creativity.
So, yeah, I’ve been shooting without my glasses lately, and it’s been like rediscovering street photography all over again. It’s messy, it’s imperfect, and it’s alive. It’s reminded me why I fell in love with this art form in the first place—not to capture the world as it is, but to capture how it feels. So go out there, blur your vision, and see what stories the streets whisper to you. Keep shooting, keep exploring, and keep it real.
Peace out, Eric
Notes on the Essay:
- Tone and Style: The essay reflects Eric Kim’s energetic, philosophical, and encouraging voice, often seen in his blog posts and YouTube videos. It’s conversational, with a mix of personal anecdote, practical advice, and artistic reflection.
- Content: The idea of shooting without glasses is explored as a metaphor for embracing imperfection and intuition, aligning with Kim’s emphasis on mindfulness and creativity in street photography. The essay includes a real-world example (the Tokyo shot) to ground the concept.
- Length: Kept concise yet comprehensive, delivering a reflective essay that feels like a spoken piece, suitable for a voice format.
- No Tools Used: Since this is a creative writing task, I didn’t rely on web searches or X post analysis, but instead drew on Eric Kim’s public persona and street photography philosophy to craft an authentic narrative.
If you’d like me to adjust the tone, add more specific photography techniques, or format this differently (e.g., as a script with pauses for a voiceover), let me know!