Eric Kimâs Key Concepts and Philosophies in Street Photography & Creative Life
Eric Kim is a renowned street photographer, educator, and blogger known for sharing not just techniques but a philosophy of photography that centers on democratizing the art and empowering creatives. Across his blog, workshops, books, and videos, Kim emphasizes a set of core ideas â from embracing minimalism and Stoic resilience to building a supportive âstreettogsâ community. He advocates focusing on creativity and personal growth over gear obsession or external validation. Each of these themes reflects Kimâs mission to make photography accessible to everyone and to help others develop their own voice in art . Below is a structured overview of Eric Kimâs major philosophies and why he promotes them, with references to his writings and teachings.
Minimalism: âLess, But Betterâ in Gear and Life
One of Kimâs most persistent themes is minimalism â simplifying oneâs equipment and life to focus on what really matters. He often recounts his frustration with accumulating âmaterial crap⌠and negativityâ and his journey toward living with fewer, better things . Importantly, Kim explains that minimalism âisnât about having no possessions â but having fewer possessions, and better possessions.â For example, rather than hoarding many mediocre items, he suggests investing in a few high-quality ones. This approach applies directly to photography: âInstead of owning 5 cameras, perhaps stick to one camera and one lens (which is of high-quality, fits your lifestyle, and is âaffordableââŚ). When it comes to photography, share and publish your work â but only share your best work. Publish less photos, but better photos.â By curating both our gear and our output, we reduce distraction and emphasize quality over quantity.
- One Camera, One Lens: Kim famously practices and preaches the â1 camera, 1 lensâ philosophy. Using a single compact camera (often a Ricoh GR) with one focal length not only frees a photographer from âparalysis by analysisâ in choosing gear, but also forces creativity within constraints . He notes that many photographers with closets full of Leicas, Canons, and Nikons end up overthinking and shooting less, whereas limiting gear helped him overcome âphotographerâs blockâ by simplifying decisions . This minimal setup makes photography more about the moment and vision than about equipment â lowering the barrier to entry for anyone with a simple camera.
- Quality Over Quantity: In line with the mantra âless is more in street photography (and life)â, Kim urges photographers to be selective and intentional . He advises sharing only oneâs strongest photos (instead of flooding social media with dozens of shots) and even curating oneâs influences (owning a handful of cherished photography books to study deeply, rather than a shelf full of barely-read titles) . This discipline of reduction leads to higher-quality work and personal satisfaction.
Kim promotes minimalism because it makes the creative life more efficient, focused, and accessible. âMinimalism is more convenient, productive, and generative,â he writes, arguing that simplifying your tools and environment frees up time and mental energy for meaningful pursuits . Crucially, he dispels the idea that minimalism is about buying trendy âminimalistâ products â he calls that âminimalism as consumerism 2.0â â instead encouraging people to reject consumerism entirely and value experiences over things . In his view, âtrue luxury is lessâ â the true wealth is having the freedom to live simply and creatively without the burden of excess possessions . This ethos aligns with Kimâs mission to democratize photography: if aspiring photographers realize they donât need expensive gear or a room full of gadgets to make great images, the art form becomes open to everyone. By reducing gear lust and material distractions, Kim empowers creatives to focus on developing their vision and skills. Less equipment and baggage truly becomes more creativity and freedom .
Stoicism: Applying Ancient Philosophy to Creativity
Another pillar of Eric Kimâs philosophy is his enthusiastic adoption of Stoicism â the ancient Greco-Roman philosophy â as a guide for photography and life. Kim gravitated toward Stoic teachings because of their practical usefulness: âI donât care about theorizing â I want to learn how to be less stressed, less anxious, and happier in life,â he explains . He discovered that Stoicism provided exactly that pragmatic mental framework. âStoicism has been (one of the) best cures for me so far,â helping him face uncertainty, let go of regrets, and focus on what truly matters . In fact, reflecting on Stoic lessons like the brevity of life helps Kim âfocus on what is truly important to me â helping empower others.â This reveals why he embraces these ideas: they not only improve his well-being, but also reinforce his core purpose of empowering people through photography.
In his writings and workshops, Kim translates Stoic principles into advice for creatives. A key theme is the Stoic âdichotomy of controlâ â focusing on effort over outcome. âOne of the first lessons I learned in Stoicism is to not worry about the results â just to focus on the effort,â Kim writes . We can control our own actions, decisions, and mindset, but not how others will react or what fate will bring . Applied to street photography, this means a photographer should concentrate on going out, shooting with intention, and improving their craft, rather than obsessing over whether every outing yields a âkeeperâ photo . âYou can try your best to make the best photos⌠but whether you get a good shot or not is outside of your control,â he notes, due to factors like the weather or subjectsâ behavior . Accepting this unpredictability is liberating â it frees photographers from the pressure of always getting a great shot. Kim counsels not to be upset if you have dry spells with no portfolio-worthy images: âDonât be disappointed⌠when you donât make any good photos⌠That is fine. Let it go,â he writes, âStreet photography isnât just about capturing the decisive moment; itâs a chance for you to go on a walk, appreciate nature and people, and explore the world.â In other words, find joy in the process itself. This Stoic mindset of pursuing excellence in effort but gracefully accepting the outcome helps keep photographers motivated and happy in the long run.
Another major Stoic-inspired topic Kim emphasizes is overcoming fear. He often remarks that â99% of [street photography] is conquering your fearsâ . The biggest obstacle for budding street photographers is usually the fear of upsetting people or facing confrontation when photographing strangers . Kim directly tackles this through both philosophy and training: he even designed his flagship workshop around âConquering Your Fears in Street Photography,â which he has taught for over a decade . Stoicism provides a template for this courage. One classic Stoic exercise Kim recommends is imagining the worst-case scenario â ask yourself whatâs the worst that could realistically happen if you approach someone for a photo. Usually, the âworst caseâ is just a polite refusal or at most an annoyed remark, not the dire disaster our anxieties conjure. By rationally accepting possible outcomes, photographers can fear less and act more. Kim also encourages an attitude of boldness in shooting: âTo be honest, you cannot control whether you make a good photo or not. However, you can control your ability to take risks, and be brazen!â . This echoes Stoic thinking (focusing on what you can control) and empowers photographers to push past trepidation. Kim himself practices what he preaches â he is known for getting very close to his subjects and even using flash in the streets, approaches that require confidence. âShooting street photography is scary â very scary!â he acknowledges, but the Stoic mindset trains one to act despite the fear, treating it like a muscle to build with repeated exposure .
By promoting Stoicism, Kim is essentially teaching mental resilience and perspective to creatives. Photography, like any creative pursuit, will involve challenges, failures, and things outside oneâs control â but Stoic philosophy helps one persist through these with equanimity. It dovetails with his democratic ethos: if people learn not to be paralyzed by fear or external validation, more of them will feel free to experiment and express themselves through art. Kimâs Stoic teachings encourage photographers to define success internally (Did I put in the effort? Did I learn something or enjoy creating?) rather than by external rewards. This builds confidence and independence, empowering creatives to continue making art on their own terms. Ultimately, as Kimâs own experience shows, Stoicism not only makes one a better photographer, but a happier, more purpose-driven person â which in his case means someone devoted to lifting others up .
The #streettogs Community: Collaboration Over Competition
Kim is a firm believer in building an open, inclusive community of photographers â often referred to by the nickname â#streettogs.â (He affectionately uses âstreettogâ to mean a fellow street photographer.) From early on, Kim sought to bring people together to learn and share their passion. As a student at UCLA he co-founded a photography club, writing in its manifesto that the club should âbe open to photographers from all backgrounds and skill levelsâ and serve as âan open community and forumâ where members help each other without ego . The manifesto explicitly rejected elitism and gear-snobbery: âAbove all, we will NOT be a club that values gear-obsession⌠over photography itself. Furthermore, members do not need a âfancyâ camera to join â or even have a camera.â This welcoming spirit â anyone who loves photography can participate, regardless of experience or equipment â has carried through to Kimâs worldwide community of readers and workshop attendees.
On his popular blog, Kim often addresses his audience as âDear friend,â or âDear streettogs,â cultivating a warm peer-to-peer tone . He invites discussion and encourages others to share their own insights. One of his major community initiatives was launching the Streettogs Academy, a free online challenge series to get people shooting and collaborating. âWe always push for people to keep on practicing and developing your skills and your eye. We also believe in having a passionate group of people helping each other⌠With that in mind, we are launching a new initiative: Streettogs Academy,â Kimâs team announced . The Academy presented bi-weekly themes and asked participants to go out, make new street photos, and upload 1-3 images to a common Facebook group album . It was explicitly âopen to anyone who wants to further develop skills in street photographyâ, whether they were in a creative rut or just looking for inspiration . Such projects fostered a sense of global camaraderie â photographers from different countries could take on the same assignments and give each other feedback. Kim also moderates discussions on his site and has created platforms (like a photography critique forum called ARS Beta) to facilitate peer learning. By championing community over competition, he has effectively created a support network where knowledge is freely exchanged. As one profile noted, Kimâs educational resources, workshops and blog have âhelped to demystify street photography and empower photographers to develop their own unique styles and perspectivesâ â a direct result of his community-driven, open-source approach.
Why is this sense of community so important to Kim? He believes photography should not be an ivory-tower pursuit or a cutthroat contest of egos, but rather a shared journey where people inspire and teach each other. An open community âinvites photographers from all skill levels⌠to enjoy the art of photographyâ, as his club manifesto stated . Kim knows from his own growth that feedback, mentorship, and friendship in photography can dramatically accelerate oneâs learning and keep one motivated. By making his blog a âgo-to resourceâ hub and organizing meet-ups and group projects, he aims to democratize knowledge â anyone with an internet connection can learn street photography techniques, see examples, and even get personal critiques, without needing to attend art school or assist a famous photographer. The #streettogs community also provides encouragement in what can be a challenging genre; members celebrate each otherâs successes and help push past each otherâs struggles. This collaborative ethos directly empowers creatives: instead of feeling isolated or intimidated, newcomers find a welcoming tribe. Kimâs emphasis on community stems from his genuine passion for âconnecting people all across the globeâ (as he once described his stint as an online community manager ) and from his conviction that art grows best when nurtured in a collective. In short, photography is for everyone â and Kim works hard to ensure the door is open to all who want to enter.
Creativity and Everyday Inspiration
At the heart of all Kimâs teachings is a celebration of creativity as a way of life. He constantly reinforces the idea that everyone has creative potential that can be unlocked and exercised daily. âWe are all creative,â he declares, even if modern society sometimes makes us fearful of creating . In Kimâs view, you do not have to be a so-called âartistâ to live a creative life; making art is a natural human impulse. In one essay he urges readers to affirm this: âYou were born creative (loving to create stuff), but at a certain point as an adult⌠someone beat that passion of creating out of you. So it ainât your fault; let us blame society.â . Here Kim points out that as children we all drew pictures, told stories, and experimented freely â creativity was innate â but often schooling or social pressure later instills self-doubt. He wants to reignite that original creative spark by removing the fear and cynicism that hold people back.
A major theme in Kimâs writing on creativity is that the act of creating is its own reward. He emphasizes process and play over perfection. âTo create⌠it ainât about âgoodâ creations or âbadâ creations. It is more the fun, delight and the joy of creating,â he says . In other words, one shouldnât overjudge their work or create only for praise; itâs important to find joy in the creative flow itself. Kim often advises doing some form of art every day â taking photos, writing a diary, sketching, etc. â simply to exercise oneâs creative muscles. He even delivered a talk at Google titled âEternal Return to Creative Every Day,â underlining his belief that daily creativity leads to personal fulfillment and growth. Unlike a utilitarian view that everything must have a practical use, Kim asserts that âcreativity doesnât need a purpose.â Art for artâs sake is valuable because âthe sublime joy of artwork is divorced from money-makingâ or any external utility . This philosophy encourages people to create freely without worrying if itâs immediately profitable or popular â a liberating stance in a world that often asks âBut whatâs it for?â
Kim also encourages creative cross-pollination â using any and all mediums available to express yourself. âYou can create with your phone, iPad, camera, laptop, with paint, paper, your voice⌠whatever!â he exclaims, breaking the notion that creativity is limited to one tool or field . In his own life, while photography is his primary art, he also dabbles in blogging (writing), making videos, even rap lyrics and drawings, and he sees all these outlets as complementary. This jack-of-all-trades approach reinforces that creativity is a mindset, not a narrow skill. Itâs about seizing inspiration in everyday life â something as simple as going on a walk with a camera can spark ideas. Many of Kimâs blog posts provide âcreative exercisesâ or challenges (for instance, assignments in his âStreet Notesâ workbook) to help readers see the ordinary world in new ways. He might suggest shooting a whole day from a low angle, or doing a self-portrait series, or writing a poem to accompany a photo â all ways to stay inventive and break routine. The recurrence of these topics across Kimâs workshops and books (one of his book titles is literally âCreative Every Dayâ) shows how central creative empowerment is to his mission.
Importantly, Kim addresses the fear of creating that plagues many would-be artists. In a post on becoming a fearless artist, he writes: âThe biggest deterrent to us making art is fear of being judged negatively⌠Society doesnât encourage art, because society is controlled by pretentious critics.â . He wants people to shed the stigma that you must produce a masterpiece or else be silent. His advice: create for yourself first, and ignore the naysayers. âI think society should belong to the creators, not to the self-congratulatory critics,â Kim boldly states . He even sets a personal rule: âIgnore the feedback from any sort of art or photography critic or curator â unless you look at their art or photos and actually like their work.â . In other words, value constructive input from those you respect, but never let gatekeepers or trolls discourage you from making art. This stance is incredibly empowering for creatives who might otherwise feel intimidated by âexpertsâ or online criticism. It aligns with Kimâs overall philosophy: art is not just for a talented elite; itâs for anyone willing to pick up a camera or pencil. By nurturing creativity as a daily habit and dispelling the fear of judgment, Kim helps people reclaim their right to create. This encouragement has inspired many of his followers to start their own projects and âexpress their creative spirit,â fulfilling the very goal Kim set out: to enable others to thrive artistically.
Education and Open Knowledge Sharing
Education is not just an aspect of Eric Kimâs work â it is the cornerstone of his identity as a photography mentor. He has often stated that his lifeâs purpose is to âalways strive to empower others through your photography and education.â From the beginning of his career, Kim freely shared everything he learned, turning his blog (started around 2010) into one of the most popular photography learning resources on the internet. What sets Kim apart is his âopen sourceâ ethos: he believes in breaking down the barriers of knowledge and making photographic education available to all, rather than hoarding secrets or fostering exclusivity. His blog contains thousands of posts ranging from technique guides (e.g. how to shoot street portraits, how to zone focus, composition tips) to philosophical essays â all accessible at no cost. He also releases many free e-books (in PDF format) on topics like âStreet Photography 101â, â100 Lessons from the Masters of Street Photography,â and âZen in Photography.â These comprehensive guides can be downloaded by anyone. In an industry where workshops and tutorials can be expensive, Kimâs approach is refreshingly egalitarian: much of his knowledge output is gratis. As a PetaPixel article noted, âmuch of what Kim has put out into the world⌠heâs made available in [an open] way: use, alter and share as youâd like.â . He essentially encourages photographers to remix his materials, spread the lessons, and build upon them.
Thatâs not to say Kim eschews traditional teaching â on the contrary, he also runs in-person workshops all over the world. Since 2011 he has taught street photography workshops in cities from Los Angeles and New York to London, Paris, Tokyo, and beyond. These multi-day intensive courses give students hands-on experience shooting with him, as well as lectures and critique sessions. While the workshops do have a fee, Kim has candidly addressed why he teaches them. âContrary to popular belief, I donât teach workshops to make a ton of money⌠I made more money (after expenses) working at my old 9-5 job,â he admits . The real reason he pours energy into workshops is because he loves to teach and sees the impact it can have. âBy asking the question âwhyâ [do I teach] â it helps us get to the core of our lifeâs purpose,â Kim writes, implying that his purpose is tied to educating others . He describes the joy of seeing students conquer their fears (often the workshops begin with exercises like getting close to strangers or shooting street portraits), and the satisfaction of building a fellowship among participants. In fact, Kim often continues mentoring alumni long after the class via email or online groups. Education, for him, is a two-way street â he mentions that he learns alongside his students and that teaching forces him to articulate and refine his own understanding . By nurturing others, he grows too, creating a virtuous cycle of empowerment.
Kimâs impact as an educator is widely recognized. His blog and teaching have âdemystified street photographyâ, making a genre that sometimes intimidates beginners far more approachable . He breaks complex topics into digestible advice (often peppered with personal anecdotes or inspiring quotes from masters like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Bruce Gilden). Moreover, he doesnât shy away from the emotional or philosophical side of learning photography â topics like dealing with âhateâ or staying motivated, which many tutorials ignore, are addressed head-on in his articles. All of this has empowered countless photographers around the world. They credit Kim for helping them pick up a camera for the first time, or giving them the courage to try street photography, or simply changing how they see the world around them. This educational mission aligns perfectly with his goal of democratizing the craft: by sharing knowledge freely and enthusiastically, he levels the playing field. You donât need an expensive art degree or insider connections to learn photography â you can follow Eric Kimâs blog, read his free books, join the community, and grow at your own pace.
In summary, education is the vehicle for Kimâs larger vision. Itâs how he transmits the values of minimalism (he teaches students that they donât need fancy gear), the lessons of Stoicism (he coaches them to overcome fear and failure), the importance of community (he often hosts group critiques and photowalks), and the encouragement to be creative every day. Through teaching, he not only imparts skills but also instills a mindset of curiosity and self-confidence in his audience. His legacy, as noted by observers, is that of an influential mentor who has âempowered photographers to develop their own unique styles and perspectivesâ . For Kim, that is the ultimate reward of being an educator.
Approach to Gear and Technique: Tools as Means, Not Ends
Eric Kimâs relationship to gear and technique is guided by a clear principle: the camera is just a tool to serve your vision and story. He actively discourages the gear obsession that many photographers fall into. As mentioned earlier, Kim practices minimalism in gear â favoring a small, lightweight camera setup â and this is partly to remind himself and others that creativity comes from the photographer, not the equipment. âHeavy cameras are the WORST thing for your artistic thriving as a photographer,â he bluntly states . If a camera is so bulky or expensive that you hesitate to carry it or use it spontaneously, then it becomes a barrier. Kim prefers cameras that let him be invisible and agile on the streets, such as compact 35mm film cameras or todayâs mirrorless compacts like the Ricoh GR series. He even coined fun monikers like the â#RICOHMADNESSâ or âRICOHMAFIAâ to celebrate using a small Ricoh enthusiastically instead of a big DSLR . In one anecdote, a friend traveling with both a Fuji mirrorless and a Ricoh GR ditched the heavier Fuji kit, messaging Kim: âScrew the Fuji and all these heavy lenses. Lightweight RICOH for life!â . Kim uses this to illustrate how liberating a light camera can be. Itâs not that he outright condemns high-end gear â he has used Leica digital cameras and others â but he often emphasizes that the best camera is the one you have with you and that you enjoy using. Convenience and reliability trump sheer specs. This ethos lowers the pressure on photographers to constantly upgrade; instead, they can achieve great shots with a basic camera if they hone their vision.
When it comes to technique, Kimâs approach is similarly focused on simplifying and mastering the fundamentals. One hallmark of his style is getting close to his subjects for more impactful images. He âis not afraid to get close to his subjects, embracing the idea that a photographer should be a part of the scene rather than a distant observer.â This belief leads him to use prime lenses, particularly wide-angle or 28mmâ35mm focal lengths, which force the photographer to step into the action. Kim explains that using a single prime lens encourages you to move your feet to compose, and to engage more with your subject and environment . This in turn creates photos that feel intimate and âinsideâ the moment, rather than taken voyeuristically from afar. Many of Kimâs famous photographs are candid street portraits taken from a short distance, sometimes with a flash â techniques that require both nerve (hence the importance of mindset) and skill in timing. He often shares these techniques in his workshops: for instance, teaching zone focusing (pre-focusing the lens to a certain distance so you can shoot fast without autofocus), using burst mode to catch fleeting expressions, or the âfishingâ technique of finding a good background and waiting for a subject to enter the frame. These are classic street photography methods that Kim passes on in an accessible way.
Crucially, Kimâs philosophy is that technique should serve storytelling and creativity, not be an end in itself. He often reminds readers that one can know all the technical settings and own the sharpest lens, but still make boring photos if they lack curiosity or courage. Thus, he advocates learning the rules (like composition, lighting, camera settings) only to the extent that they help you achieve your creative vision. He is quick to dismiss overly technical debates (for example, about pixel-peeping image quality or which brand is superior) as distractions from the true goals of photography. This perspective ties back to his mission of democratization: by de-emphasizing gear and technical one-upmanship, Kim ensures that anyone can feel capable of pursuing photography. You donât need a $5000 camera or encyclopedic technical knowledge to start capturing compelling images â with a humble camera and a few basic techniques, you can tell powerful stories. Kim himself is proof; some of his favorite shots were taken on film point-and-shoot cameras or smartphones. What matters more are elements like emotion, composition, and timing â things cultivated by practice and mindset, not by endlessly tweaking settings or buying new lenses.
In summary, Kimâs approach to gear and technique is all about streamlining: use just enough gear to get the job done (and ideally gear that doesnât get in your way), and learn just enough technique to give form to your creative ideas. Beyond that, he prefers to concentrate on seeing and reacting to life unfolding in front of the lens. This approach empowers photographers by taking the pressure off of equipment and technical perfectionism. It aligns perfectly with his other philosophies: a minimal kit (minimalism), an engaged way of shooting (being part of the scene), and a confidence that you make the photo, not the camera (mindset). By teaching this, Kim helps students save money, avoid frustration, and focus on the joy of photography itself. As he puts it, âgear doesnât make a photographer; your passion and ability to see do.â (This paraphrased sentiment is echoed throughout his blog, even if not a direct quote.) The takeaway is clear â learn your tools, then transcend them. Kim wants creatives to feel that technology is their servant, not their master, which is a liberating message in our gadget-obsessed era.
Mindset and Personal Philosophy: Passion, Fearlessness, and Empowerment
Underlying all of Eric Kimâs teachings is an emphasis on cultivating the right mindset. In many ways this is a synthesis of the earlier themes â minimalism, Stoicism, community, creativity, education, and technique all feed into a broader philosophy of living a âcreative lifeâ with purpose and fearlessness. Kim often says that 90% of success in street photography (or any art) is psychological. For example, he notes, âWhat I discovered about street photography, is that 99% of it is conquering your fears.â The camera settings, the composition â those can be taught â but having the courage and confidence to step outside your comfort zone is the real key. Therefore, Kim places huge importance on encouraging a positive, bold mindset in his readers.
One aspect of this mindset is embracing the identity of being an amateur in the purest sense. Kim reminds us that the word âamateurâ comes from the Latin for âloverâ . To be an amateur photographer is to shoot for love, not for external rewards. He proudly identified the UCLA photo club as âa group of amateur photographers that shoot for the pure love of it,â noting that the club would not focus on trying to make money but rather on creating an open environment to learn and fuel passion . This highlights a core tenet of Kimâs mindset: intrinsic motivation. He urges creatives to find enjoyment and personal meaning in the act of making art, rather than chasing fame, money, or social media likes. In an era of Instagram, this advice is especially poignant â Kim himself has cautioned against the dopamine chase of online validation. By downplaying those external factors, he helps photographers focus on what truly drives them and makes their work unique.
Another facet is the idea of being brazen and unapologetic in oneâs art. Kim openly admires boldness. âMy greatest strength is my brazenness, disregard for social norms, and my appetite for risk!â he writes about his own approach . This willingness to âdareâ in photography â whether that means approaching a stranger for a portrait, trying an unconventional composition, or publishing a photo that might provoke â is something he tries to instill in others. By setting an example (Kim has done things like street photography with a flash in crowds, which can invite confrontation, or starting ambitious projects like traveling to 30+ cities to shoot), he shows that taking risks can lead to creative breakthroughs. Even if one occasionally gets a negative reaction or fails, itâs all part of the process. His Stoic leanings reinforce this: donât take rejection personally, learn from it and move on. In workshops, after a day of shooting, Kim often asks students, âDid anyone get yelled at today?â and if not, âMaybe you didnât push far enough out of your comfort zone.â This is said somewhat in jest, but it underlines that a bit of conflict or challenge is a sign of growth. The goal isnât to be reckless, but to stretch your limits continually.
Kim also advocates for a mindset of continuous learning and humility. Despite his popularity, he often reminds people (and himself) that he is still a student of photography and life. He avidly reads books (philosophy, business, art) and shares lessons from them on his blog, showing that inspiration can come from anywhere. By demonstrating his own lifelong learning, he encourages others to stay curious and never feel theyâve âmasteredâ it all. This humility in turn makes the community welcoming â if the instructor himself is learning, beginners feel more comfortable admitting what they donât know. Kimâs mindset is very much anti-pretension. He dislikes gatekeeping and has little patience for what he calls âpretentious criticsâ or jargon that alienates newcomers . Instead, he values authenticity and sincerity. âShoot with your heart, not with your eyes,â heâs quoted as saying , implying one should photograph what truly moves them rather than what they think will impress others.
Finally, at the core of Eric Kimâs personal philosophy is the idea of empowering others. He has stated outright that empowering people is his metric of success â if his writing or teaching helps someone overcome a hurdle or see the world differently, then itâs worthwhile. All the mindset advice he gives, from conquering fear to ignoring haters, is about enabling creatives to realize their potential. This aligns with the Stoic virtue of focusing on what good you can do for the world. Kim often quotes his favorite philosophers or contemporary thinkers (for instance, heâs influenced by Nassim Talebâs concept of antifragility, which is about thriving through stress). These influences all feed into a resilient, growth-oriented mindset that he disseminates. By showing genuine care for his audienceâs development, Kim has fostered a loyal following that feels more like a family or movement than just fans. People feel empowered not only by his practical tips, but by the belief he places in them as artists.
In essence, Eric Kimâs mindset message is: be brave, be curious, stay humble, and create with love. If you adopt that mindset, the technical and external things will fall into place. This philosophy is the glue that holds all his other themes together, and itâs what makes his approach to photography so holistic. Itâs not just about making better pictures, itâs about living a richer life. By promoting this mindset, Kim has truly advanced his mission of democratizing photography â because when people believe in themselves and each other, there are no limits to who can become a photographer or what they can express.
Conclusion: Democratizing Photography and Empowering Creatives
Through all these interwoven philosophies â minimalism, stoicism, community, creativity, education, and a balanced approach to gear/technique â Eric Kim has built a coherent vision of photography as an accessible and meaningful pursuit for anyone who has the passion. His major themes appear repeatedly in his blog posts, workshops, books, and videos, reinforcing the same core ideas from different angles. For instance, a YouTube video of his might show him walking through a city with one small camera (minimalism), cheerfully interacting with strangers (mindset/community), discussing a quote from Seneca or Marcus Aurelius (stoicism), and encouraging viewers to try it themselves (education/empowerment). Likewise, his book âStreet Notesâ gives readers creative exercises (creativity) and motivational aphorisms (mindset) that encapsulate his philosophy on each page. This consistency across formats is intentional â Kim is essentially evangelizing a way of life where photography is the medium for personal growth and connection.
The reason Kim champions these particular ideas is that they lower the barriers to creative expression. By saying âyou donât need more gear or moneyâ (minimalism), âdonât fear failure or judgmentâ (stoic mindset), âweâre all in this togetherâ (community), âeveryone is creativeâ (creativity), and âhere, Iâll show you how I do itâ (open education), he systematically dismantles the excuses or obstacles that might stop someone from picking up a camera and pursuing their art. This is the essence of democratizing photography â making sure the art form is not just the domain of the wealthy, the ultra-talented, or the insiders, but truly open to anyone with the will to learn and try. Kimâs own background (he started as a sociology student with a love for candid photography, not as a formally trained artist) makes him relatable, and he frequently reminds people that if he could do it, so can they.
Moreover, these philosophies align with empowering creatives beyond photography. His discussions of stoicism, minimalism, and daily creativity have resonated with people in various disciplines â writers, designers, entrepreneurs â because they are broadly about living with intention and courage. Kim often uses the phrase âempower othersâ in his writings ; itâs clear that he measures his impact not in accolades or gallery shows, but in how many individuals heâs helped to realize their own creative power. As one article summarized, âKimâs commitment to education and sharing his knowledge with the community has made him an influential figure⌠[His] resources have helped to demystify street photography and empower photographers to develop their own unique styles.â This is perhaps the greatest testament to his mission: rather than creating followers who mimic him, heâs encouraging leaders and artists in their own right, each with a unique voice.
In conclusion, Eric Kimâs key concepts â from âless is moreâ to âfocus on the effort, not results,â from âshoot with your heartâ to âignore the criticsâ â form a comprehensive philosophy of creative life. Itâs a philosophy that blends practical advice with humanistic values. He teaches that photography is not just about making images, but about personal growth, community building, and finding meaning. By promoting minimalism, he frees creatives from material burdens. By invoking Stoicism, he arms them against fear and adversity. By nurturing the streettogs community, he gives them support and belonging. By insisting we are all creative, he shatters self-doubt. By openly educating, he gives everyone the tools to succeed. And by downplaying gear and up-playing vision, he recenters the art on imagination and story. All of these ideas work in concert to fulfill Kimâs unwavering mission: to democratize photography and to empower each person to embrace their creative potential . As readers of his blog often remark, his influence goes well beyond photography â it encourages a mindset of bold, generous living. In the end, that may be Eric Kimâs biggest contribution: inspiring a generation of photographers to not only shoot better, but to live more creatively and fearlessly.
Sources:
- Eric Kim, âLess, But Better.â EricKimPhotography.com (2016) â Reflections on minimalist living and âfewer but betterâ approach .
- Eric Kim, âWhy Minimalism?â EricKimPhotography.com (2020) â Pragmatic reasons for minimalism (âmore convenient, productive, and generativeâ) .
- Eric Kim, âNew Minimalism.â EricKimPhotography.com (2024) â Quotes highlighting minimalism as focusing on experiences over things (âTrue luxury is lessâ) .
- Eric Kim, âWhy I Shoot With One Camera and One Lens.â EricKimPhotography.com (n.d.) â How limiting gear reduces âparalysis by analysisâ and fuels creativity .
- Eric Kim, âHow to Be a Stoic Street Photographer.â EricKimPhotography.com (n.d.) â Essay applying Stoic philosophy to photography (focus on effort, not outcome) .
- Eric Kim, âEmotions?â EricKimPhotography.com (2024) â Personal reflections on Stoicism and fear (â99% of [street photography] is conquering your fearsâ) .
- Eric Kim, âBe Brazen in Street Photography (#streettogs).â EricKimPhotography.com (2018) â On risk-taking and boldness in shooting (âyou can control your ability to take risks, and be brazenâ) .
- Eric Kim, âConquer Creativity.â EricKimPhotography.com (2020) â Thoughts on overcoming fear to create, affirming that everyone is born creative .
- Eric Kim, âHow to Become a Fearless Artist.â EricKimPhotography.com (2017) â Advice to ignore critics and create for yourself (âThe biggest deterrent⌠is fear of being judged⌠Ignore the feedback from [critics] unless you like their work.â) .
- About Photography Blog â âEric Kim: Street Photography, Education, and Empowermentâ by Martin Kaninsky (2020) â Profile of Kimâs impact (âcommitment to education⌠helped to demystify street photography and empower photographersâ) .
- Eric Kim, âWhy I Teach Street Photography Workshops.â EricKimPhotography.com (2014) â Kimâs motivations for teaching (not for money but purpose) and excerpt of UCLA photo club manifesto emphasizing openness and no gear elitism .
- Martin Kaninsky, AboutPhotography.blog â Quote of Eric Kimâs motto (âAlways strive to empower others through your photography and education.â) .
- Eric Kim, Instagram/Facebook posts and various blog entries â Various oft-cited sayings (e.g. âShoot with your heart, not your eyesâ) .
- PetaPixel, âEric Kim Allowing High-Res Downloads of His Work for FreeâŚâ â Comment on Kimâs open-source approach to sharing work .