Dear friend,
If you want to earn money through your photography, and have really considered to yourself: “Should I earn money through my photography?†I hope this is some advice that can help you. It has helped me— it is only advice I wish someone told me. And of course, your mileage may vary.
A lot of photographers want to make money with their photography. But a better question should be this: “Should I make money with my photography?†In this article I want to share some of my personal experiences— whether monetizing your passion will lead you to hate photography, or whether it will empower you.
Dear friend,
I’m currently at Dripp coffee shop in Fullerton, California— waiting for Cindy’s younger sister Jennifer to get out of class, then we are going to have “in and out†burger for lunch. Today is our last day in America before we move to Vietnam/France for the next 2 years, and I think this is a good chance for me to start an ongoing series of letters, journals, diary entries, and meditations. I have no idea what the next 2 years of my life is going to look like. I’m partly afraid, but partly excited. This is going to be one hell of an adventure.
No matter who you are, you probably love being creative. Many of us pick up photography to escape the dread of our day jobs.
However the issue is that many of us become less creative as we get older. How do we stay creative and retain that child-like curiosity when we were younger?
Walter Margerison is one of my closest homies in Berkeley. Not only did he get his start in “street photography” via inspiration by skating, he is also passionate about coffee. In his office at Artis Coffee in Berkeley, we chat about his love of film, his thoughts on the Fujifilm X-Pro 2 and Ricoh GR II, and his personal philosophy of photography.
Follow Walter:
Also check out our brief review of the Fujifilm X-Pro 2 with Walter below:
For me, I see myself less of a photographer and more of a teacher. My passion has always to empower other people. Being an extrovert, it brings me the most joy to see others fulfill their potential.
Do you have what it takes to become a photography teacher? I will share some of my ideas on what it means to be a photography teacher, and how you can improve your own teaching skills (if your dream is to teach photography).
I’m about to move to Vietnam for the next 1.5 years, and France for 6 months— and I’ve been thinking about what to bring and what not to bring for my trip. I know in my heart that I don’t need much, I can pack light, and be happy. But still— there is that gnawing fear of “what if?†which is holding me back.
Here are some student photos from my “Discover Your Unique Voice in Street Photography” workshop in Downtown LA. Each student worked on a small mini-project for the weekend, working on honing their individual style and voice. In this post are my personal favorite individual images from them.
See all the images below, and if you want to hone your vision in your street photography, check out my upcoming street photography workshops.
I recently had the great pleasure of shooting fashion photography for the first time with Suede Brooks (model), fellow photographer Bil Brown (he arranged it all), as well with stylist (Shaina Feldman), beauty (Elaina Karras-Jircitano), and Cindy (creative director, and lighting assistant).
I’ve been interested in shooting fashion for a while now— especially when I first saw the work of Richard Avedon and William Klein (who both had interests in street photography, but did wonderful fashion work). Furthermore other artists like Guy Bourdain, Helmut Newton, Man Ray, and many others showed me how beautiful the human body can be, and how creative fashion can be as well.
A few weeks ago, I did one of my popular “Conquer Your Fears of Shooting Street Photography” workshops. I am incredibly proud of all the students’ best photos from the workshop. We worked hard to push ourselves outside of our comfort zones, approach strangers, all while trying to capture “decisive moments.”
See all of their epic photos below, and also check out my upcoming street photography workshops.
(Editor’s Note: Eric interviews Ola Billmont about his process, experiences, and lessons learned in making his new book A Day At The Races. All photos by Ola Billmont)
Eric: Hey Ola, long time no chat. Tell us what is going on for you in terms of your photography, and congratulations on your new book!
Ola: Thanks, Eric. It’s been an interesting ride putting this book together.
Honestly, I’m not sure as I am not shooting with anything particular in mind. Although, I have never been shooting this much before. Over the last year I have slid away from street photography and shoot many other things.
Dear friend,
I am excited to share my new book with you: “The Personal Photography Manual.” If you’ve ever wanted to find more meaning, purpose, and direction in your photography, I recommend you to pursue “personal photography.â€
What exactly is “personal photographyâ€? To me, it is a genre of photography that focuses on yourself— focuses on your personal life experiences, focuses on photographing your loved ones, and the other elements of your “boring†and everyday life. In this book I share some of my personal struggles and how I’ve been able to keep myself inspired, regardless of my life situation or where I live. I hope this book can empower you to become the best photographer you can become. You can either download the PDF or read it all in this post.
Keep it personal,
Eric
If you love cameras and can’t stop buying them (for the sake of it) I hope you enjoy this video on how to cure our illness. Often we think that our cameras aren’t good enough– but it is ourselves which is the problem. No matter how good our cameras are, they will never be “good enough.” The secret is to be grateful for what we have, to make the best of “good enough”, and to shoot with whatever camera we own.
Honestly, I’ve shot with $10,000 cameras and even more expensive ones– and for those I know who have these cameras, they’re never satisfied either.
Even realize that the smartphones we have today would have been considered miracles by photographers even a few decades ago.
My suggestion: instead of buying more cameras, try to sell/give away your cameras. The more you purge yourself of superfluous gear, the more liberated you will feel. You will have fewer distractions, and more focus in your photography.
I also suggest try to avoid marketing and advertising as much as possible. Whenever I visit a gear-review forum, I feel the pangs of GAS. The same is when I look at advertisements or commercials. Either use an ad-blocker, or avoid visiting these sites all together.
And once again, always remember to practice an attitude of gratitude. Let us always count our blessings, and go out and take photos with whatever we have.
When I’m out shooting in the streets, I’m not sure what will make a good photograph. However, I know what I am afraid of.
Dear friends, if I haven’t told you yet– I’m moving abroad for the next 2 years. For 1.5 years, I’ll be in Vietnam (8 months in Hanoi, then 6 months in Saigon). After, 6 months in France (3 months in Paris, and 3 months in Marseille).
Figuring out what to pack for 2 years abroad is tough. I’ve never done it. But for my trip, I’m deciding to pack my ThinkTank Perception 15, Ricoh GR II camera (probably going to leave the film Leica at home, because digital is easier to travel with), GoPro Hero 3 (to do more YouTube Videos), and of course my laptop (13” Macbook Pro) and smartphone (Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge).
I also am packing only 3 pairs of basic clothes (3 uniqlo airism v-neck mesh shirts, 3 exofficio boxer briefs, and 3 drymax socks). A few dress clothes, and my Nike Free RN Motion Flyknit shoes (my new favorite shoes).
I plan on keeping the Kindle and the iPad at home– as I do most of my reading on the Kindle app on my phone. Also I’m trying to pack as light as possible (probably just one backpack, and another luggage for misc. things).
Thanks for all the love and support, will keep you updated with the packing, traveling, and adventure in Vietnam and France!
One of my friends asked me: “Eric, what should I do if I’ve totally lost my passion or inspiration for photography” This is what I would tell him:
What is your “style” in street photography? How can you make your work stand out? What makes your photos unique, and what do your photos say about you?
There is a sea of photographers out there. How do you distinguish yourself from the mass of other photographers?
“The Decisive Moment” — a fabled concept introduced by the founder of street photography (Henri Cartier-Bresson). The “decisive moment” is that beautiful fleeting moment– where all the compositional elements come together, and you only have a split second to capture the moment. How can you better capture the “decisive moment” — or better yet, identify the decisive moment?
Dear friends,
Cindy and I would love to share with you our creative project we have been working on for the past two years. We call it ‘Haptic Industries.’ Part labor of love, part creative tsyxploration, Cindy and I have shared ideas and workshopped projects over many cups of coffee. Our dream for Haptic Industries is to provide artful, educational tools that empower and inspire others.
Pictured above: Henri Neck Strap, Henri Wrist Strap, and Street Notes.
Street Notes is your personalized guide to take your street photography to the next level:
Photo Journal is a handbook to make your photography more personally meaningful:
The Henri Neck Strap will accompany you on your future street photography adventures:
The Henri Wrist Strap is for the minimalist in you:
The City of Angels by Eric Kim is a handmade photography print portfolio that honors the rough edges and honest beauty of Los Angeles, California.
Haptic Industries: Artful tools to empower you.
Follow updates from Haptic Industries on Instagram: @hapticindustries
For questions, contact Cindy at hapticindustries@gmail.com
If you’re like me, you might have a hard time staying inspired in your photography. Here are 7 tips which have personally helped me:
The photographers I admire the most are the ones who are able to combine their outside interests to make their photography their own.
I first met Bil Brown on Instagram, and since them have collaborated with him in sharing ideas about street photography, fashion, poetry, and Japanese aesthetics. Bil started off as a poet, discovered photography by accident, and now runs his own magazine (Black & Grey Magazine) and does fashion work. In the YouTube interview, we see the gear he is shooting with now, how he got started, his favorite photo books, and tips he has for anyone wanting to get more into fashion/street photography. Also make sure to follow Bil and his new YouTube Channel.
I recently did a workshop at the studio of my friend Bil Brown, and was blown away with his awesome collection of Japanese photo-books. He re-sparked my interest in Shomei Tomatsu.
I’ve seen many images of Shomei Tomatsu before, and was intrigued by his mysterious, surrealistic, and extreme compositions. His photographs had a sense of darkness to them, longing, and a bitter-sweet nostalgia of the past.
Trust; human civilizations have survived for millennia with it. Societies without trust have disintegrated. Trust is the glue which holds humankind together.
How can you use trust to help you succeed as a photographer?
Nobuyoshi Araki (more commonly known as Araki) is one of the most controversial figures in the photography world. While he is a rock star and a superhero in Japan, a lot of the outside world sees his work as sick, pornographic, and misogynist. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Warning: Photos are NSFW.
Dear streettogs, lately I’ve been inspired to take things “back to basicsâ€. Often I take photography too seriously and forget the importance of always staying a beginner, and sticking to fundamentals. Consider this an opportunity for me to share some practical tips I’ve leaned over the last 10 years in terms of what I think makes a great street photograph (either watch the video above, or read more for the text).
Of course this is not an all-inclusive list; there’s lots of other things which make a great street photograph. But if you’re starting off in street photography, or want a quick refresher, I hope some of these ideas will spark some inspiration for you:
Hey streettogs, if you want to learn some practical tips and techniques when shooting on the streets, check out the video above, or read more to see all 15 tips:
Another quick video on how I direct my subject when shooting street portraits. You can see the first version: How to Direct Your Subject for a Street Portrait.
In this video, you can see how I interact with my subject and direct them for a street portrait. You can see how I asked my subject to stand behind a clean background, how I started further, and then started to frame closer. I also tried to get my subject to be more interactive by playing with her hair, and throwing it back and forth. Shot in macro mode with a flash in “P” mode on the Ricoh GR II.
If you want to learn more how to shoot street portraits, check out my free book: “The Street Portrait Manual.”
Shot in Downtown LA by Todd Hatakeyama.
I often do a poll during my workshops: “Raise your hand if you don’t like having your own photo being taken.†Usually more than half of my students raise their hands.
Hey streettogs, my good friend Todd Hatakeyama just put together this cool behind-the-scenes video of the past “Conquer Your Fear of Shooting Street Photography Workshop” in Downtown LA. Check me and the students having fun on the streets, and how I direct some of my subjects when shooting “street portraits.”
If you want to take your street photography to the next level, invest in an experience you will never forget below! I still have a few spots for my upcoming LA “Discover Your Unique Voice in Street Photography” workshop this weekend. It is the last workshop I have in America before I’m in Vietnam/France for the next 2 years — don’t miss out:
For any questions regarding workshops, email neil.ta@erickimphotography.com
It is hard to know what makes a “good†photograph, but it is easy to know what makes an intimate photograph.
Dear friend,
I wanted to write you this letter about the importance of staying fresh creatively by taking a break from your photography, not forcing you to take photos everyday against your own will.