Archives for July 2011

LA Street Photography Workshop: Day 1 (Street Photography Fun + Leica Orgy)

I am glad to announce that my first day of the street photography workshop was a huge success! Everything went off without a hitch, and the workshop has been great so far! We had a wonderful group of participants for the workshop and great food (courtesy of my mom and younger sister). Not only did we have a great time discussing about street photography and learning tips and techniques for the street, we were able to go out and test some Leica gear when we went shooting.

Many of the participants were able to test out Leica cameras such as the Leica M9, Leica X1, Leica D-Lux 5, and I had the great pleasure of playing with the Leica S2. All I have to say it is a beautiful camera (although a behemoth). The image-quality is unparalleled (it’s hard to tell on the web) and felt solid in my hands. It isn’t an ideal camera for street photography and was difficult to use in the streets, but it was fun.

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Also I am going to have my next Intermediate Street Photography Workshop in Los Angeles on August 27-28th. Please email me at erickimphotography@gmail.com if you’re interested or would like more details!

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Read more to check out the photos I took during the workshop with the Leica S2 and my Canon 5D with flash!

LA Street Photography Workshop: Day 0 (Getting Prepared)

Tomorrow is the day I am teaching my street photography workshop in LA and I wanted to let everyone know thanks so much for the help, support, and love you have given me. If it weren’t for you guys, I wouldn’t have been able to spread the news and made this workshop a success (at least in getting people to sign up!). I have been very fortunate that my entire family has been helping me, including my mom and sister who are making all the meals, and my girlfriend/manager Cindy who helped me with all the logistical details.

Today on the car ride to the 4th Floor Gallery to do some last-minute things, I had a very insightful conversation with my mom about being humble. She told me that regardless of what I do I should remember to stay humble and be truly grateful for the help I have been getting from everyone. It really struck me to the heart, and I thought about all that has happened within the last year. Within a year I was able to teach a street photography workshop in Lebanon, the UK, Switzerland and meet passionate street photographers like Thomas Leuthard, Charlie Kirk, Damien Rayuela, and many others. Not only that, but Leica has also flown me to Paris where I met Bruce Gilden, Elliott Erwitt, and many other influencers.

Therefore I wanted to re-iterate thank you again for everything you have given me. This quote that I got from my friend and street artist Jacob Patterson truly resonates with me:

“You don’t owe your audience your art; you owe your audience your life.” -Howard Bloom

Wish me luck for tomorrow and will keep you updated with how everything goes :)

Featured Computer Workstations from the Community

(My new home office above!)

I would argue that the editing and post-processing aspect of street photography is almost as important as the shooting part. Therefore on my Facebook fan page I asked you to upload photos of your workstations and uploaded the best ones. Read more to see the computer workstations where the magic goes down!

Vegas Day 3: Last Day Thoughts and Impressions of the Macbook Air

Today is my last day in Vegas and all I gotta say is I had a blast. Not only was I able to come here for the first time and experience debauchery, gambling, and great food– but I was also able to shoot great street photographs here. Huge thanks for everyone giving me all the advice of places to check out, and especially to Rob DeRosa for showing me around in Downtown Vegas. Watch the video above to hear more about my thoughts about Vegas, and a quick review of the Macbook Air I have been using during this trip.

Also I still have 2 spots open for my Los Angeles Street Photography Workshop this weekend (July 30-31st). Check out more information here and email me at erickimphotography@gmail.com if you are interested in joining!

Read more to check out the photos I took today (although not many!)

Download “Going Candid…” a FREE Street Photography E-Book by Thomas Leuthard

Hey guys if you haven’t heard yet, Thomas Leuthard (85mm) just released “Going Candid…” his FREE Street Photography E-Book. It is fill of great information about how to shoot strangers while getting really close to them, how to share your work, and truly tell a story through your images. It is fantastic information for anybody serious about street photography.

You can download a free copy here.

Make sure to leave a comment below and show Thomas some love for his generosity and great insights into street photography!

Vegas Day 2: Debauchery, Hangovers, and Flash Street Photography at Night

I just completed my second day in Las Vegas and wanted to share some of my experiences. First of all, it appears that for the entire time I have either been a) Drunk or b) Hungover. Not the most fun when shooting street photography, but I still get the job done. Also today I had the great opportunity of meeting up with Rob DeRosa (one of my LA Street Photography workshop attendees this Saturday-Sunday) and he showed me Downtown Vegas which was a ton of fun. It seemed more soulful than the main strip (as it had more locals and fewer tourists). Not only that, but I was able to have a ton of fun shooting flash with my camera, which was awesome.

If you are interested in my LA street photography workshop in Hollywood this weekend (July 30-31st), please shoot me an email at erickimphotography@gmail.com for more information! There are only a few spots left, and it will be a great opportunity for you to overcome your fear of shooting street photography while being able to test out a Leica M9!

Make sure to also read more to check out more of the photos I took :)

Vegas Day 1: Debauchery and Daytime Street Photography

Although I have lived in LA for many years, I have never been to Vegas before. Deciding to go to Vegas was a random idea, but suddenly it happened. I packed my bag with my street photography gear and headed out Monday morning. I just got here and was able to do some street photography. I’m still pretty inebriated and was barely able to process these images I took during the day. I was able to get a few night street photographs (but ended up going clubbing and kept my camera at home). Hope to do some more street photography with flash tomorrow night–but in the meanwhile read more to check out my photos!

10 Things Street Photographers Can Learn from Pickup Artists

Neil Strauss, author of “The Game”

I was talking to one of my buddies today about street photography and how much mental training it required for someone to feel comfortable shooting in the streets. He then saw me shooting on the streets and noticed the way I interacted with my subjects was often similar to that of “pickup artists” as described in Neil Strauss’ best-seller “The Game“. For those of you who are not familiar with the book, the author learns how to seduce women with certain techniques and strategies and documents them. Although the book may sound misogynist, it is more about psychology and a biography than anything else. Also as a note, I quoted an Amazon review of the book to come up with the ten points. Enjoy!

The Opportunity to Shoot the Past is Today

Recently from the recommendation of Daniel Schaefer I watched a film called “Midnight in Paris” which stars Owen Wilson and is directed by Woody Allen. The premise of the movie is that Owen Wilson (a writer) is hopelessly in love with the ideal of Paris in the 1920’s and is convinced that his present is not nearly as romantic or great enough. However through a strange series of events he finds himself in the 1920’s Paris where he finds out all the people living during that time-period wished that they were also in an earlier and more romantic time-period.

midnight+in+paris_m — Highly recommend everyone to watch this film

Therefore it had me thinking about street photography and the romanticism we can often attribute to the past. We think of all the great photos by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, and Robert Frank and think that we can never capture as stunning images because the present is boring. However what we need to realize that today is going to be the past one day, and the opportunity to shoot is now. Don’t let all these excuses about the present not being interesting enough get in your way of shooting.

Henri Cartier Bresson - I am sure we can still find opportunities to shoot images like this today

Also I am excited to announce that for my July 30-31st street photography workshop in LA I am going to have a Leica representative bring Leica M9’s, lenses, and compact cameras for you to shoot with. If you have ever wanted to learn more about street photography (and shoot with a Leica M9) sign up soon! I only have 3 spots available, so please shoot me an email at erickimphotography@gmail.com for more information or to sign-up.

So have you ever been guilty of romanticizing the past and dismissing the present? Share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a comment below!

The Best Street Photography Blogs on the Web

Although street photography is still very much a niche online, here are the top street photography blogs I regularly follow online.

American Suburb X

http://www.americansuburbx.com/

Although American Suburb X brands themselves as more of a “photography and culture” magazine, they consistently have photo-essays and interviews with street photographers. If you look at any of their features, they are very well-written and long-format (something that a lot of sites no longer feature). Check out this great feature about Garry Winogrand here.

I recently came upon the great flash street photography work by Dirty Harry and also found out that he curates an awesome street photography blog. On a very consistent basis, he finds the street photographs that he finds the most inspirational to him and posts it on his blog. Stay tuned for an interview with him on my blog soon :)

Leica Blog

http://blog.leica-camera.com/

Where would street photography be without Leica and rangefinders? Regardless, they feature many great interviews with street photographers on their blog and also keep us in the loop with what the masterminds at Leica are up to. Definitely keep them bookmarked.

B – Blake Andrews

http://blakeandrews.blogspot.com/

Out of all the street photography blogs I listed, “B” from Blake Andrews has definitely got to be my favorite. Sarcastic, rugged, and raw– Blake Andrews never sugarcoats anything he has to say that is on his mind. Not only that, but the man has a fantastic eye (he is in In-Public after all) and has great photo-analyses and essays. Here is one of my favorite articles on him on editing.

Seven Seven Nine – Nick Turpin

http://www.sevensevennine.com/

Nick Turpin is one of the anchors in the street photography community and has been working extremely hard in pushing street photography as a serious art in the community. He is also the founder of In-Public and has a fantastic eye when it comes to street photography. Although his blog Seven Seven Nine isn’t updated nearly as often as I’d like–it is still a treasure chest full of great information and insights.

Yanidel Street Photography

http://www.yanidel.net/

Yanidel is a passionate and extremely consistent street photographer from Paris who recently quit his job to travel the world for 80 weeks (the man has balls). I had the great pleasure of meeting with him when I was in Paris, and the guy not only loves street photography but blogging as well. Live vicariously through him and check out his blog!

JT in Seoul – Josh White

http://jtinseoul.wordpress.com/

Josh White is a street photographer that I stumbled upon a couple months back and even had an interview with him on my blog. He describes himself as a “law student on extended vacation in Korea” and is obsessed with documenting the streets of Seoul. Not only does he take great photographs, he also has a plethora of street photography gear (Leica M9, Leica X1, Fujifilm FinePix X100, Ricoh GRDIII, Ricoh GXR, etc) and gives great “real world” reviews. Peep him now!

Severin Koller

http://severinkoller.at/blog/

Severin Koller is a damn good street photographer and has been featured on the Leica blog recently. He hails from Vienna and looks like he is out and about doing street photography workshops with Chris Weeks all around the world right now. Check out his blog for his inspirational images.

Invisible Photographer Asia

http://invisiblephotographer.asia/

If you want a series of wonderfully curated fine art and street photography from Asia, Invisible Photographer Asia is the place. They have been only around for a year through the founding of Kevin WY Lee, but they have exploded in popularity and been getting a ton of great buzz lately. Oh yeah, and I’m a contributor there too ;)

Burn Magazine

http://www.burnmagazine.org/

Curated by Magnum photographer David Alan Harvey, burn is is an evolving journal
for emerging photographers. All the images included are extremely well-curated, so you know every visit you make you will see some truly great images. Highly recommended for any serious street or journalist photographers out there.

Street Hunters

streethunters.net

The guys working at street hunters are one of the newest street photography blogs on the block, offering insightful tutorials, tips, and tricks. If you need some inspiration or tips, check them out!

In-Public Blog

http://in-public.com/blog/

When I started street photography, I first came across the street photography collective in-public. They do regular interviews on their blog, and are always a great source of inspiration.

Shooter Files

http://shooterfiles.com

I came across F.D. Walker’s blog on street photography — Shooter Files totally by chance. I love how he has bridged street photography and travel photography so well, as well as his enthusiasm and passion. He has great shots and insights, make sure to check him out.

New Beginnings Day 8: Street Photography With Wireless Flash at Santa Monica

Today I hit the streets of Santa Monica and the beach armed with my new YN-560 Speedlight Flash and wireless transmitter. It is a new setup that I have been trying out, which seems to be far better than using a chord for my street photography with flash. Not only is the kit extremely cheap (only $67 for the flash and $20 for the wireless transmitter) but it works well and gives me great images! Screw buying a Canon Speedlite 580EX II for around $500. Having shot with it in Santa Monica today, I have been extremely pleased. Read more to see all the pictures I took.

Anyways I also have 4 more spots open for my July 30-31st street photography workshop in Hollywood, Los Angeles! It is going to be a ton of fun meeting other street photographers, shooting together in the streets, while also getting helpful critique and learning new techniques. Please email me at erickimphotography@gmail.com if you want more details or would like to sign up!

Conquering the Streets of Mumbai by Kaushal Parikh

Kaushal Mumbai Street Photography — Simplelives - Kaushal Parikh

Street photography grabbed my attention only about 3 years ago when I stumbled upon images made by photographers like Cartier Bresson and Joel Meyerowitz on the streets of Paris and New York.

Those images were so real. So unposed. For the first time I felt emotionally connected to still photographs. I wondered about the people in the images and what their lives must have been like and where they might be today. I marveled at how the photographer captured such a fleeting moment to tell the perfect story. Sometimes I would lose myself in an image for several minutes.

Craig Semetko: Unposed at The Phil Stern Gallery

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to meet up with street photographer Craig Semetko in Los Angeles. I met up Craig at a quaint little Coffe Bean in Los Feliz and we had a great chat about street photography and his life story as well. It was fascinating for me to hear that Craig never touched a camera until he was around 40, and that he was a comedic actor and writer for 20 years prior. However one he picked up his Leica, he got obsessed with shooting street photography and has been shooting non-stop the last decade or so. Highly inspired by Henri Cartier-Bresson, craig recently released his new collection of his street photography titled: “Unposed” which is published by teNeues. Also if you happen to be in the Los Angeles area, he is having his opening exhibition at The Phil Stern Gallery Thursday, August 4 at 7pm-11pm.

Read more to see my favorite images from him as well as more information about his gallery!

Street Photography Camera Porn

Pictured above: Ryan Cabal’s Street Photography Camera Collection

After Ryan uploaded a picture of his awesome street photography camera collection on my Facebook fan page, I asked you guys on Facebook and Twitter to send me photos of what was in your bag. Thanks to everyone who submitted photos of their awesome cameras and equipment! Keep reading to see all the street photography camera porn ;)

New Beginnings Day 7: Todd, Lighting, and Thorsten Overgaard (+ lots of caffeine)

It has officially been 7 days since I got laid off my job and decided to pursue street photography full-time. Things have been hectic with me working 15-hour days on this blog, booking participants for my workshop, managing my social media networks, and going out and networking! Today I was fortunate enough to meet with Todd over at Lighting Leica and he was able to hook it up with an awesome flash (and wireless trigger) which I plan on using for my flash street photography. Stay posted for an in-depth review later.

Tonight I was also able to meet up with avant-garde Leica photographer Thorsten Overgaard and had a ton of fun chatting with him and shooting portraits of him with my flash. The guy is super-chill, down to the earth, and did I mention–well dressed? Watch the video above to hear more about my highlights and also read more to see the fun pictures I took as well!

I also still have 3 spots open for my Los Angeles street photography workshop July 30-31st, so please shoot me an email at erickimphotography@gmail.com if you would like to hear more details! Hurry, spots are running out ;)

6 Photographers Assert Their Right to Take Photos in London (and how you can too)

This morning Fabrice Drevon told me about this video that has been getting quite a bit of buzz online about 6 photographers who stand their ground and take photos in London of private buildings from public property. Long story short, all 6 photographers get confronted by private security who assert that they have no right to do so (when in reality they can shoot from a public space). Not only that, but in 3 cases police were called as well (who fortunately were very reasonable and well-versed in the law).

The video is a bit long (16 minutes) but I advise everyone to watch it. The photographers all use common-sense and are reasonable when confronting these doubting private security officers (and have the balls to stand their ground). Here are some takeaway points I got from watching the video.

My First Photography Commission: Shooting Fixie Bike Culture in LA

I am excited to say that I got my first paid photography assignment from a digital culture magazine called Stark in covering an LA bike culture scene. Pretty much around 50 bicyclists with tricked out bikes meet up at this central location and drink, smoke, and go out and ride together for around a 20-mile circuit. I went there and captured the footage with my Canon 5D, Canon 24mm f/2.8, my Custom SLR Glidestrap, and my flash. I shot the entire thing in black and white while dragging my shutter (ISO 800, f/11, and 1/3rd of a second for most of my shots).

I had a ton fun shooting and also made some great connections and hope I have more assignments coming down the line. Every little bit will help me keep the #foodinthecupboards as Devin Palmer mentioned on Twitter. Keep reading to check out the images I shot!

Fast and Ambitious Street Photography: The Philadelphia Project by Michael Penn

“The Philadelphia Project” was born out of a necessity for a street photography series that is both fast and ambitious. I have a kind of nervous energy and walking the streets with a camera for hours everyday gives me a way to channel that energy. The ambitious part of this project is a goal of 1000 photographs in a 3 year time period. With the first year of this project almost behind me I coming close to staying on track but sometimes Philadelphia doesn’t cooperate.

Another aspect of this project is a time period. Many street photographers have their work of over a couple of decades lumped into one portfolio and my purpose is to show a very short period in time. Fashion, trends and buildings all change so fast anymore it’s hard to keep up and that is why sometimes it’s important to show something like an advertisement or billboard as a reference. I’ve learned a lot about my city since I started this project and have actually made several acquaintances along the way.

Note: Several different cameras have been used for this project so far. From digital and film slrs to point and shoot cameras again that are both film and digital.

Read more to see the rest of Michael’s inspirational images!

Street Photography POV at Venice Beach with a GoPro HD

Many of you guys loved watching my Leica M9 POV video as well as my Leica M9 Viewfinder video so I decided to make another one (this time editing in shots!) I also tried adding in a soundtrack (RJD2 Ghostwriter) to make the video more upbeat and fun. Sorry if my voice is a bit muffled in the video, as I’m still new to video editing and I’m getting the hang of it :)

Hope you enjoy the video! Read more to see the images I took.

The Reality of Being a Full-Time Street Photographer

It was 4 days ago when I announced that I got laid-off my previous job and decided to pursue street photography full-time. The last few days have been pretty hectic, with me working 15 hour days (from 8am-midnight) everyday. Some of the things that have kept me busy is writing blog posts, recording videos of me shooting street photography, writing interviews, and getting people to sign up for my street photography workshop in LA on July 30-31st (email me at erickimphotography@gmail.com if you want more details).

Although the process has been stressful, it is exhilarating to work for myself and being able to do what I truly love. Not everyone out there has the opportunity that I do– and I sincerely thank everyone in the community for their never-ending support, suggestions, and love. Whenever I doubt myself and think that things won’t work out, you pull me back up on my toes.

Also if you are interested in supporting me and the blog, please considering purchasing a shirt in my store! (yes I ship internationally!)

I had a question for you guys: What other features/interviews/blog posts would you like to see more on my site? I swear to try my hardest to give what you want! :)

Sharpness is a Bourgeois Concept: 15 Great Examples of Street Photography with Blur

Street photography Blur — Daniel Schaefer

This week I announced on my Facebook fan page that the weekly street photography assignment was: “Blur”. I chose this theme because I was inspired by a quote from Henri Cartier-Bresson that “Sharpness is a bourgeoisie concept.” Many of you submitted your great images, and I chose the best images to be featured for this week! Make sure to read more to see the rest of the images, and stay tuned for next week’s assignment by liking me on Facebook!

50+ Inspirational Images of Street Photography in the Rain with Umbrellas

When it is out raining, I always make it a point to go out and shoot some street photography. The beauty of shooting street photography in the rain is that not only are you able to capture certain reflections and scenes you don’t typically see– but you can also create moody images of people with umbrellas. The folks over at Lava 360 put together a great collection of street photography in the rain of people with umbrellas (including one from Danny Santos (pictured above).

When it is raining outside, do you like to go out and shoot photos or stay in? Leave your comments below!

New Beginnings Day 1: Street Photography in Downtown LA with Flash and Art Walk

First of all, thank everybody so much for their love and support in lieu of my recent layoff at my job (and my new beginning as a full-time street photographer). I read all of your comments on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and my blog and was truly overwhelmed with gratitude. It is great that you guys have my back, which gives me a ton of confidence to live out this crazy dream!

Also I am still accepting participants for my introductory street photography workshop July 30-31st. If you are interested, please shoot me an email at erickimphotography@gmail.com. Continue reading to see more images from my first day being a full-time street photographer!

Street Photographers and their Cameras: Self-Portraits from the Community

Yesterday on my Facebook fan page, I asked you to submit your best self-portraits of yourself with your camera. I got an overwhelming response, and thanks to everyone who was brave enough to upload their images! I chose the most fascinating self-portraits out of the bunch and included them here! Hope you guys don’t mind ;)

Travelers Lost in Thought: “The Halted Traveler” by Damien Rayuela

When I was in Paris for the Leica + Magnum event, I had the huge pleasure of shooting and staying with Damien Rayuela. Not only is Damien an incredibly talented and passionate street photographer, but he was also worked at Magnum as an intern (this may explain his great photographic vision).

Looking at his work, I was particularly fascinated with his “The Halted Traveler” project in which Damien captures people staring out into a landscape, deep in thought. Keep reading to see the images from the project, and also a multi-media video he put together as well.

A New Chapter for Eric Kim Street Photography

Long story short, I recently got laid off my job and now I am doing what I have always wanted to do–pursue my street photography full-time! I just wanted to personally thank everyone out there for giving me all this love and support through the last year. I couldn’t have made it so far without you guys. <3 Some of you may be curious how I plan on doing street photography full-time. Hopefully I will be able to make a living by selling shirts, through advertisements and sponsorships, and also by doing street photography workshops in LA and all around the world.

(I am teaching an introductory street photography workshop in LA July 30-31st, so please email me at erickimphotography@gmail.com if you’re interested).

Considering I also will do street photography full-time, stay updated for this blog. I really plan on ramping up the content I produce, including more interviews, videos, how-to-guides, and other goodies. Thank you guys again so much for the love and support– you guys rock :)

Any words of encouragement or advice you can give me in being a full-time street photographer? Please leave a comment below :)

Street Photography With a DSLR and Flash in Hollywood

Tonight I had the fun of shooting flash street photography in Hollywood with Daniel Schaeffer. At first I was a bit worried about shooting street photography in Hollywood (because of all the characters), but I had a very pleasant time. Few people objected to me using flash, and I got some pretty interesting images as well.

Also I am pleased to announce that on July 30-31st, I am teaching an introductory street photography workshop at the 4th Street Gallery in Hollywood. Shoot me an email at erickimphotography@gmail.com for more details, and read more to see my flash images!

Interview with Dairou Koga about the Tokyo-Ga Charity Book

For this article, I had the great pleasure of interviewing Dairou Koga, who is a photographer and a bookmaker who recently put together the Tokyo-Ga Charity Book. The Tokyo-Ga Charity book is a collection of some of the finest Japanese street photography which is currently being sold help the victims of Japan in the March disaster. Keep reading to hear about this noble cause from Koga-san’s own mouth, and also see the inspirational images included in this book.

6 Tips How to Master Shooting Street Photography with a DSLR

When it comes to street photography, I am a huge proponent that it doesn’t matter what camera you use. Each camera has its own strengths and weaknesses, and as long as it takes photos it works for street photography.

When I asked a while back on my Facebook fan page, I found out that the majority of the community shoots street photography with a DSLR, so I thought it would be a great idea to write an article on how to most effectively use your DSLR for street photography. Keep reading to read some more tips.

Fujifilm FinePix X100 First Impressions Review with Jon Savage

Today I had the great pleasure of meeting with Jon Savage, an active street photographer in my Facebook community. He let me play around his Fujifilm FinePix X100 for a few hours and I gotta say– I am impressed. Not only does the camera feel good in the hands, but the optical viewfinder paired with the responsive controls make this camera a win. Check out the video above to see more about what Jon had to say about the camera, and how I felt about it as well.

Got any questions about the Fujifilm FinePix X100? Feel free to leave a comment below!