I don’t think you can change the world with photography, but you can change yourself with photography.
Month: July 2017
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Photograph What You Feel, and Feel What You Photograph
Garden Grove, 2016 #cindyproject “Let us say what we feel, and feel what we say; let speech harmonize with life.†– Seneca
For me, photography is all about self-expression, and shooting with your soul.
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Richard Avedon on Portrait Photography
Richard Avedon instructions on dodging and burning. I consider Richard Avedon the best portrait photographer who ever lived (so far).
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How to Choose Your Best Photos
Marseille contact sheet. We’re drowning in a sea of images. How do we choose our best photos?
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Avoid Excess
“Nothing in excess†– Solon
It recently occurred to me — everything in excess is horrible for us.
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Why Do We Buy Cameras?
HAPTIC CAMERA by ANNETTE KIM We buy cameras to look cool. Thus, the proliferation of hipster, old school retro cameras.
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How to Conquer Information Overload
If you’ve ever felt anxious for not going a full day without checking your phone, or accidentally leaving your phone at home… having trouble sleeping, etc, you might be suffering from information overload.
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Whoever Owns your Attention, Owns You.
EYE by ANNETTE KIM x HAPTICPRESS Tim Wu wrote a book called “The Attention Merchantsâ€â€” a fascinating expose on social media companies, and how everyone is fighting for your attention, eye balls, and dollars.
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FIAT CURRENCY
FIAT CURRENCY: our Faith (Fiat) in currency, money, politics, government, economics, and security.
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Street Photography Lenses
Hanoi, 2017. Shoot on Ricoh GR and 28mm lens. What are the best lenses or focal lengths for street photography?
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Impatience is a Virtue
STEVE JOBS by ALBERT WATSON / Trace by ERIC KIM I’m impatient. I hate waiting.
We’re always taught patience is a virtue. But what if that is wrong?
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Alexey Brodovitch: ASTONISH ME.
Haarper’s Bazaar page by Alexey Brodovitch “Astonish me†– Alexey Brodovitch
Alexey Brodovitch is an individual who has had a MASSIVE influence in the history of photography, design, and much more.
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70 Street Photography Tips For Beginners
Amsterdam, 2015 Dear friend,
If you’re reading this, you are probably either an aspiring street photographer, or a street photographer with some miles under your belt looking for some inspiration, direction, or motivation.
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Stay True to Your Own Style
Dalat, Vietnam 2016 #cindyproject ‘Know your faults and keep to your wits’ – Horace
Everyone has a different style in photography and life.
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ERIC KIM SAIGON DIARY II
Dear friend,
It is currently 9:19pm and I’m enjoying a nice sencha green tea, and meditating on life here in Saigon.
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Image-Driven Society
Hanoi, 2017 #cindyproject What is an image, and why is it important? And how is it related to photography, and how does it affect our personal lives and the society in which we live in?
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Street Photography Ideas
Hollywood, 2011 Dear friend,
Here are some street photography ideas, freshly pressed from STREET NOTES MOBILE EDITION.
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Memento Mori in Photography
Portrait of Cindy / Orange County, 2015 In studying the (dead) masters of photography, it is a good reminder – I’m going to die, and so will you. So why waste your life and limited time on planet earth, not making great photos and art?
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MARTINE FRANCK: Learn From the Masters of Photography
My favorite photo by Martine. FRANCE. Provence. Town of Le Brusc. Pool designed by Alain CAPEILLERES. Photo by Martine Franck / Magnum Photos “Taking a portrait of someone – be it man or woman – starts with a conversation.†– Martine Franck
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Be a Doer, Not a Thinker
Dalat, 2016 / Photo by Cindy Nguyen Dear friend, I wanted to write you a letter on the benefit of doing — rather than “thinking.â€
Don’t theorize
I see a lot of arm-chair philosophers, thinkers, and academics— who simply analyze, theorize, and think. But many of these individuals do not “do.†They don’t take risks. They don’t have skin in the game. They aren’t adventurers, soldiers, or knights — who put their lives on the line. Rather, they are like sports commentators — watching from the sidelines, and jabbering incessant noise.
What is important in life
Life is all about making decisions, and doing. Theories very rarely hold up for a long period of time. 99% of the scientific theories today probably won’t exist 100 years from now — very much how 99% of scientific theories from 100 years ago aren’t applicable today.
Life is all about trial and error. About doing. About figuring things out by yourself. About breaking things, putting things back together, and re-arranging information, atoms, and molecules.
We learn as we do. Every theory I’ve learned in school, I’ve forgotten. But everything I’ve done by myself, I learn.
Should we ever make a theory?
I think it is much better to create theories after you’ve learned by doing something, instead of following a theory to do something.
To create a diagram, consider the following:
- Learn by trial and error -> Create Theory
vs
- Learn theory -> Try to put into practice
The second rarely works. The first usually works much better.
Don’t follow the rules
There is still a lot of truth for you to discover in the world. Why waste time learning what others have learned before you? Try your best to ignore advice, lessons, and theories from the past. Rather, test your own assumptions of reality. Figure out what works for you, and what doesn’t work for you.
After you take a lot of risks, partake in trial-and-error, and make mistakes — then try to create you own theories (after the fact). And then after you’ve spent a lot of time tinkering on your own, then try to read theories from others (and contrast your own theories with the theories of others).
The secret is to venerate and respect the past— but not to be a slave to the past. To be inspired by the great thinkers, doers, and philosophers of the past. But not to be chained by them, and follow them blindly.
Always learn by doing
When in doubt, try it for yourself. If you ever smell bullshit, test out your own assumptions. Find out what works for you.
Always,
EricLearn more:Â Philosophy >
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How To Make Great Photos
I don’t think I’m a master photographer (yet), but I do think I am a great photographer. How do you make great photos? Some ideas:
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HAPTIC INDUSTRIES Mission Statement
VITRUVIAN CAMERA ARTWEAR by ANNETTE KIM x HAPTICPRESS HAPTIC INDUSTRIES: The Creative Place to Be.
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How to Master Photography
HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON To start, I don’t consider myself a master. But, I have mastered myself, and I have mastered photography for myself.
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CLEAN BACKGROUND
Saigon, 2017 Easiest way to make better photos: photograph your subjects against a clean background.
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Own Nothing
Hanoi, 2016 #cindyproject “To own nothing is the beginning of happiness” – Diogenes
Freedom is owning nothing.
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CREATE YOUR OWN CATEGORY
PICASSO X ERIC KIM Rather than trying to fit into the categories society shows you, why not make your own category?
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A Photographer’s Guide to Seeing
Hanoi, 2017 Dear friend,
To me, photography is all about a meditation on seeing. Of perceiving the world more wholly, more fully.
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Is Technology Downgrading You?
Berkeley, 2015 #cindyproject We always make the wrong assumption that by buying new gadgets, phones, and devices— we will somehow “upgrade†our lives.
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WHY CAMERA COMPANIES WANT YOU TO BE PERPETUALLY DISSATISFIED WITH YOUR CAMERA GEAR
GAS: Gear Acquisition Syndrome, a horrible disease that plagues us all.
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How to Give More Fucks in Life
Dear friend,
If you’ve ever woken up, and felt, “What is the fucking point of living?†this letter is for you.