ERIC KIM x HENRI NECK STRAP // Photo by Benjamin Thompson

PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101: HOW TO BE BOLD

ERIC KIM x HENRI NECK STRAP // Portrait by Benjamin Thompson

Part of PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101

I’m not 100% sure about the secret to success in photography, business, entrepreneurship, and life, but I know the secret to failure is timidness.

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Don’t be a jellyfish

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Kendrick Lamar has a good line, comparing other rappers like jellyfish, with no spine.

If you want to succeed, you need to be BOLD. Boldness, courage, strength, and infallible belief in yourself is the only way to win.

What is BOLDNESS?

To me, BOLDNESS is not fearing death.

To be BOLD: don’t hesitate. Jump before you look.

Of course, you want to make “calculated risks.” For example, don’t just quit your job because photography is your passion. You gotta actually make money before quitting your day job.

To me a calculated risk is:

Know your maximum downside, and adjust accordingly.

For myself, I am able to be bold when blogging and sharing controversial ideas, because nothing can hurt me. Unfortunately, if there is anything I learned from the Trump election it is this:

As an entrepreneur or artist, there is no such thing as “bad press.”

Essentially, all press is good press.

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If you want to succeed, you need attention. The new movie “Okja” (great film) got all this free press, because the director released it on Netflix the same time it was released in theaters. Apparently it broke all these legal rules, but the controversy led to the popularity of the film.

Even Kanye West would post all this controversial shit on Twitter, and engaging in “Twitter wars” with other artists. But this helped him build all this hype for his “The Life of Pablo” album. And it became one of the most popular streamed albums of all time.

How to harness controversy

Some folks call me (ERIC KIM) one of the most controversial photographer bloggers out there. I agree.

Why am I controversial? I just say what’s on my mind, and cannot be controlled. People like to watch me, and read my stuff, because I go against the grain. I just say what’s on my brain.

Controversy has been good for me. Some controversial blog posts:

They have brought the name ERIC KIM in the face of millions. Even my YouTube videos of me shooting flash in Hollywood, and the video I did with Kaiman Wong on Digital REV got more than 80% hate. But 20% of people liked it. And 20% of thousands of people is better than nothing.

Of course all this negative hate got to me. There were days where I would lose my mojo, self esteem, or self belief. After people accused me of just biting off Bruce Gilden, I didn’t pick up my camera for almost a month. I did a lot of self questioning and felt really shitty about myself.

But like Nietzsche says, “What doesn’t kill me, only makes me stronger.”

Put on your Adamantine Armor

Achilles

To be BOLD, put on adamantine armor. Adamantine is the mythical steel that powers Wolverine.

I like Wolverine as a symbol of strength, power, and inspiration because of this reason:

Wolverine feels pain, but doesn’t die.

So when you get hated on, or when reality shoots bullets at you, you will feel the pain. But you have the strength to overcome and keep hustling forward.

ERIC KIM STRAP by HAPIC INDUSTRIES

So know that the more bold you are, the more chances you take, the more you are going to expose yourself to the hate of small men.

And like a Spartan warrior, you will laugh, and keep marching forward.

You are a Stoic Photographer.

BE STRONG,
ERIC


PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101

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Learn how to make a living from your passion:


How to Make Money with Photography

Photography Marketing 101

How to Hustle.

Entrepreneurial Principles

How to be a Full-time Photographer

Photography Blogging

How to Teach Photography

Social Media

How to Save Money

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