Archives for October 2016

What If We Didn’t Want Comfort?

What if we were okay being uncomfortable?

10 Lessons Marcus Aurelius Can Teach You

One of the philosophers who has influenced my thinking the most is Marcus Aurelius.

Hanoi Street Photography Presentation

I gave a free street photography workshop in Hanoi, and you can download the presentation for free, or read more to see all the slides:

8 Lessons Alfred Stieglitz Can Teach You

If you went to art or photography school, you definitely know about Alfred Stieglitz— the photographer, editor, curator, and promoter of photography.

How to Shoot Candid Street Photography

For this article, I will give some practical tips I have in shooting candid street photography:

What is the Best Lens for Street Photography?

Many aspiring street photographers often wonder— what is the best lens for street photography?

What is the Best Camera for Street Photography?

There are no more bad cameras for street photography.

How to Shoot Color Street Photography

I feel that shooting color street photography is more difficult than shooting in black-and-white.

How to Shoot Black and White Street Photography

There is nothing more classic than black and white street photography.

How to Conquer Your Fears in Life

We’re all slaves to fear.

30 Tips to Conquer G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)

Why is it that we think that buying a new camera will help us become more creative with our photography?

10 Lessons Seneca Has Taught Me

The individual who has influenced my life the most is Seneca.

The Henri Wrist Strap

Back by popular demand, the Henri Wrist Strap in back in stock, in a limited edition of 100:

What Do Your Photos Say About You?

Dear friend,

One question I think is always good to meditate upon is this: “What do my photos say about me?”

In Praise of Shadows by Michael Dees

Guest post today is by California based photographer and lover of Philosophy, Micahel Dees.

How to Overcome Hesitation in Street Photography

Dear friend,

I think one of the biggest obstacles we have in street photography is hesitation.

Hanoi Diary #7: Moving into a Serviced Apartment

Dear friend,

After 2 weeks abroad in Australia (Melbourne and Sydney) I am now happily back in Hanoi.

13 Lessons Steve Jobs Can Teach You

The individual who has influenced most of my creative thinking is Steve Jobs.

Why I Love Cameras with Non-Interchangeable Lenses

Berkeley, 2016 #cindyproject (shot on the Ricoh GR II)

I’ve shot with tons of different cameras over the years— Leica’s, Fujis, Micro 4/3rd cameras, Ricohs, Smartphones, Canons, DSLR’s, etc. I’ve found that for me, I most prefer cameras with non-interchangeable lenses (lenses that you can’t change).

5 Lessons Jiro Ono (From Jiro Dreams of Sushi) Can Teach You

One of the best documentaries I have ever watched is “Jiro Dreams of Sushi.” If you haven’t watched it yet— you are missing out on a visual masterpiece which will change how you think of life, work, and dedication to a craft:

Why Do You Take Travel Photos?

Dear friend,

I just had a lively conversation with Cindy about the meaning of traveling and photography. Why do we have to make photos while we’re traveling? Do we do it to document our personal experiences? Do we do it to have a sense of “conquest” of a foreign place? Do we do it to “prove” that we went somewhere?

35 Money Tips To Become Wealthy

I grew up pretty poor. I had a father who was a chronic gambler, a mom (who was pretty much a single mom) who worked menial jobs. I grew up not knowing whether my mom would be able to pay the rent at the end of the month, and if we’d be homeless.

25 Travel Photography Tips For Beginners

Dear friend,

I love traveling. Traveling has helped me open my eyes and my perspective to the world. Traveling has helped me make tons of new friends all around the globe, better understand other cultures, and to also give me a chance to reflect on my personal values. If I started traveling all over again, these are the tips I would give myself.

55 Tips How to Find Happiness in Life

Dear friend,

For the longest time — I’ve tried to find “happiness” in my life. And I think I’ve found it.

8 Lessons Ansel Adams Can Teach You About Photography

Ansel Adams is one of the titans of photographic history. When I started as a photographer, I was primarily interested in landscape photography. I studied and consumed the work of Adams.

The Box is the Message: How Wombat is Pushing the Distribution of Good Photography Forward

Editor’s Note: We’ve seen exhibits, slideshows, and photobooks but Laurent came up with something new with Wombat: “Photoboxes”. Today Eric chats with Laurent about Wombat, his work ethic, and working with Magnum. At the end of the post, Laurent also gives a promo code for Wombat.

10 Lessons Pablo Picasso Can Teach You

pablo-picasso-battle-empire-art-03

Pablo Picasso was one of the most prolific, creative, and inspirational artists who has ever lived. Here is a man who created his own destiny — who constantly re-invented himself (regardless of what his critics said), was always creating art, and had fun (like a child).

Sydney Diary 2016

Dear friend,

I’m currently at the boarding gate from Sydney>Ho Chi Minh>Hanoi, and I have a few minutes to reflect on my experiences in Sydney, Australia.

[Read more…] about Sydney Diary 2016

How to Shoot an 8×10 Large Format Portrait with Hugo Sharp

Today I hang out with my buddy Hugo Sharp, and get a large-format portrait shot of me. Also joining us is my buddy Greg Marsden. We shoot the portrait in the spirit of Richard Avedon (simple white background) and the whole process was quite amazing. Slow, meditative, and insightful. Really makes you appreciate the large-format shooting process more.

If you want to learn more about shooting film, check out my guide: Film Photography 101>

Why You Should Create “Parallel Interests” in Your Photography

I’m currently reading “The Essential Drucker” by the management educator Peter Drucker. His insights into companies, communities, society have been quite inspirational to me.

The most interesting interesting concept that I got from Drucker was the idea of creating a “parallel career” — a career that goes in tandem with whatever you’re doing right now. This way you can “cross-pollinate” the two interests or passions you have, which also help build upon one another. And you can do this by creating “parallel interests”.