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ONTO THE NEXT ONE
PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101 by ERIC KIM
Another key to success: when you’re done with something, don’t rest on your laurels.
Rather, be ONTO THE NEXT ONE.
One.
Fight complacency.
Complacency is standing in one spot, and constantly running. Like a hamster wheel.
The nectar of life is innovation. Of making new stuff.
Apple has their creative blood from this culture of making new innovative products. Imagine if we just had the original iPhone for the next decade? If we just were satisfied with the original Macintosh II?
The danger of any company or individual is when we fall victim to the hype of success.
Success often leads to complacency.
This happens to wealth. The richer I get, the more complacent I feel.
I wanna be like Kendrick Lamar, who has “Hustle like you’re broke” tattooed on his arm.
I often think innovation is just buying new shit to innovate. In truth, it’s figuring out how to do more with less.
Two. iPad innovation
A month ago, I bought my dream object: 12 inch Gold MacBook. It was my wet fantasy, to own that 2 pound cake cutting laptop.
It was amazing. For three days. Then I was like,
That’s it?
No fireworks of creativity. Just the same shit.
Same with buying a digital Leica – I was inspired for a month. Then the Leica started to collect dust on the shelf, like all my other camera gear.
Anyways, I returned the 12 inch MacBook. I stated to just blog on my iPad, and making videos with it. I had more fun. Why? The iPad is so limited, yet that is what encouraged me to be more creative. Because I had to break out of the constraints.
Being constrained by my technology pissed me off. So I had to be creative, imaginative, and “think out of the box” to figure out how to get shit done without a laptop.
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MATISSE tracing on Procreate x iPad[/caption]
I used iPad and the Procreate app to sketch, draw, and paint on top of my photos. To me it was fun and innovative.
I feel creatively inspired with the iPad now. I don’t have to sit down all day. I do a lot of my computing standing up. Better for my back too (sitting on a chair and laptop all day hurts my back).
Three.
To constantly create new shit is the secret to success.
If Apple stopped releasing new products, they would die.
If we stopped eating food, we would die.
We need to constantly consume more, and create more. We need to pass on our information, DNA, and genes to our children.
Life is all about consumption and creation.
Four. How to create more
For me I like make more art like a big kid.
Did you know that Picasso made on average 1-2 pieces of art (paintings, sculpture, etc) everyday until he died?
At this point, I can only create when I ruthlessly cut out my distractions. I don’t email. I don’t chat on social media. I don’t do anything that fucks with my focus and my focused state of “flow”. But I’m like a pigeon, I get distracted by shiny stuff.
To focus, I have advertisement blockers. Now, I only trust non profit websites, like Wikipedia, Wikiquote, and books published by dead authors. And some living authors.
I also like to listen to the same album on loop to focus. I am currently jamming out to Jay-Z’s 4:44 album (masterpiece).
I’m addicted to creation. I’m probably Nietzsche’s ideal artist: drunken off a Dionysian desire to create. I’m only “happy” when I’m making stuff. And I’m never satisfied, can’t match my hustle (Jay-Z).
Practical ideas for you to focus:
- Listen to your favorite album on loop
- Turn off your phone
- Create in airplane mode, or turn off wifi
- Avoid boredom, make what excites you
- Create with digital: less barriers to entry than analogue. Make digital paintings, not oil. Make digital photos if film is expensive and out of reach.
ONTO THE NEXT ONE
Make more dope art with HAPTIC: creative tools, there’s nothing you lack.
Make your art like stacks on stacks on stacks. Make photos that make you clap clap clap. To keep it minimalist, shoot your photos black on black on black.
You don’t need no fancy gear, just peer into your creative depths of your soul. Know with your mind, you can inherit the whole world.
BE STRONG,
ERIC