ERIC KIM

Perhaps we prefer gritty black and white photos that don’t look like reality, because we need to fill in the gaps, and engage our imagination?

The upside of gritty, blurry, and out-of-focus photos. The less ‘photo realistic’ the images look, the better?

There is no ultimate ‘truth’ — only varying degrees of “truthiness” (degrees of truth).

Perhaps it is our evolutionary advantage that we delight in visual change. Visual change in landscapes, our environment, our fashion, our cars, our objects, and the visual art works we consume and create!

Active thinking: thoughts which arise when you let your mind go empty and fallow.

Reactive thinking: you must read or expose yourself to external stimuli in order to think.

Something I’m very interested in: the intersection of photography, technology, entrepreneurship, and philosophy. I feel this is very fascinating ground which hasn’t (yet) been fully analyzed in detail.

Are You Strong Enough, or Too Weak?

A way to think about life —

Don’t be afraid of failure or hurting/injuring yourself. Instead, just focus on building your own strength and become strong enough to pursue great tasks and aims in your life.

Generally speaking, buying books will always be a better investment than buying photo gear (#buybooksnotgear).

But at times, I feel a bit conflicted about photo books. In some regards, I think photo books are over-rated. And some ways, photo books are underrated.

Let me use this essay as an opportunity to explicate some of my thoughts and personal philosophies on photo books:

The RICOH GR II is a perfect camera. But the good news– the RICOH GR III is even better.

Dear friend, if you’re hungry to take your photography to the next level, I cordially invite you to my BOSTON Discover Your Unique Voice in Photography Workshop (March 21-22, 2020).

RICOH GR III in high contrast monochrome JPEG setting is epic.

Super enjoying the RICOH GR III; which gave me a thought:

Perhaps we should only ever purchase a camera which we can imagine using forever?

Of course nothing is meant to last forever. And of course digital photography is moving so quickly, that to never buy another digital camera ever again is also a foolish idea. If I plan on shooting photos until I’m 120 years old, I want new technologies in photography to be created!

But as photographers and creators, we need to love the cameras and tools we use. Keep experimenting with your equipment until you find a few tools you love, then stick with them! If you just feel “meh” about the tools or belongings you have, ditch them.

Hasselblad: killing it with insane innovations in digital medium format, and digital backs for their old school Hasselblad V system.

Life is about growth and progress. But a question which often gnaws at the back of our head:

“Am I making progress in my photography, artistic innovation, and life?”

Life is all upside, no downside.

Based on my thoughts:

1. Longevity: Ability to continue to innovate in their photography over decades. To keep shooting until they die (Andre Kertesz).
2. Self-confidence: Making photographic art works to impress themselves, not others.
3. Refusal to allow themselves be trapped within a genre.
4. To think of photography less about capturing reality. More delight in artistic form, tones–a more artistic approach.
5. Relatively simple, direct, yet elegant compositions. No need for “visual gymnastics” to “flex” their photographic skills.

Simple tips to get you going!

How does a photographer thrive? By shooting more (new) photos!

The world is your visual oyster. Exploit reality by shooting all the new photos you can!

Testing the 21mm ultra-wide angle adapter for the new Ricoh GR III, and really enjoying it!

What if our goal and motive as photographers was to capture the fullest extent of life, while we’re still alive?

To photograph people, nature, urban landscapes, plant life, and all of life?

When I look at artwork, I like artwork which “moves” me– quite literally moves me. Which encourages me to move around, dance, and go out and make more of my own artwork!

An idea: for fun, turn your photos into animated GIFs!

Refuse yourself to become a prisoner to your past self, your past artistic style, etc.