Dear friend,

I propose this new school of thought called “NEO STREET PHOTOGRAPHY”— “NEO” meaning “new.”

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Dear friend,

Super excited to share that HAPTICLABS Kyoto Office has finished the first draft of CREATIVE EVERYDAY, and have sent it off for a test print.

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Dear friend,

Why do you make photos… to make pretty photos to get a lot of likes on the gram, or to find more personal fulfillment, and meaning in your life?

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Dear friend,

Never deny your will to photograph.

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I have recently been shooting on a phone, and last night, I was so damn excited… shooting night photography with the Google Nexus 6P and HDR+. I felt like a kid again…exploring and experiencing photography for the first time.

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What do you do if someone gets pissed off with you taking a picture of them?

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As a photographer, you are a picture maker.

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I’m the first to admit, I’m the biggest sucker to GAS (gear acquisition syndrome).

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Dear friend, it’s been a while!

I’m currently writing these words from our AirBnB in Kyoto, ready for the upcoming Kyoto Zen Photo Experience (Sept 9-10).

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The hardest thing about being a modern photographer: deciding which photos to keep or ditch.

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I’m the ever optimist.

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Self-doubt and not believing in yourself… is what holds you back. How can you overcome self-doubt, and begin to believe in yourself?

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Due to overwhelming demand for the NYC workshops (both sold out), Cindy and I have decided to add an ENCORE CONQUER YOUR FEARS WORKSHOP (October 14-15, Saturday/Sunday, 2017) to give you the opportunity to take your street photography to the next level.

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I am testing the OnePlus 5 with the default camera and the Google Camera with HDR+ and I am blown away by the superiority of HDR+.

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Freshly pressed images from KYOTO HAPTIC LABS OFFICE:

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What is computational photography, and why should you care? And how can it help your photography?

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I was taking a nap the other day and I had this random idea:

What would it be like to make photos on an iPad?

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Dear friend,

Remember, “You are not your pictures; your pictures are not you.”

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Aesthetics: what makes a picture look “beautiful” or aesthetically pleasing to our eye, mind, and soul?

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Composition: how you arrange visual elements in a picture.

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Photo by @NicolaiPT

Receive constructive feedback on your photos from other photographers and Eric Kim in STREET CLUB. Thanks to HAPTIC, best photo & best critique receives the grand prize of VITRUVIAN CAMERA ARTWEAR & HAPTIC PRESS BOX.

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MEMENTORI MORI: remember that you will (and must die).

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My theory: the secret to happiness as a photographer is to CREATE MORE PICTURES!

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The secret to your beginning development as an artist and photographer is to IMITATE artists you admire.

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Barbara Kruger, one of the most innovative contemporary artists and photographers who blends graphic design, typography, anti-consumerism, and social critique through her pictures.

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Dear friend,

What hesitations or fears do you have when sharing or punishing your work?

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Dear friend,

Why be creative everyday?

In photography, to shoot the pain away.
When skies are Grey, to know that today will be a better day.

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Currently experiencing the Zen streets of Kyoto, camera phone in hand.

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One of the best tips I have when it comes to traveling and photography is this: move as little as you can.

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New things brewing in the KYOTO HAPTICLABS Office:

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I love taking photos on a phone, because it is so carefree, fun, and liberating.

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You are a PHOTO GOD, you can CREATE pictures purely from your own skill, power, and your own control.

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With photography, shoot spontaneously. Shoot from the gut. Don’t think too much before shooting.

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Walking on the streets of Kyoto, I feel photo zen.

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I am currently borrowing the OnePlus 5 from my sister Jennifer, and just went on a walk with it on the streets of Kyoto.

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László Moholy-Nagy was one of the main drivers in the BAUHAUS movement, who focused mainly on photography.

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My theory：the reason why we like to make art and photos is to assert some sort of control, agency, and freedom in our lives. To mold reality according to our own will. Essentially with photography, we want to play (visual) God.

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Ayrton Senna is perhaps the best driver who has ever lived, with a beautiful life philosophy.

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Does a “timeless” camera truly exist?

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Don’t desire anything besides what you have, better yet— don’t prefer anything from what you already have.

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Dear friend,

Photography and life is fleeting.

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Alexander Rodchenko, the master photographer (largely unknown in the West) who innovated with design, art, and photography.

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Ok, if you are reading this, you might want to make money from photography, and possibly workshops. But… don’t just think of it from your perspective. Why would someone else want to attend your workshop?

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Dear friend,

In photography and life… the focus should be to NOT die as a photographer and artist.

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At the Saigon airport, enjoying a (strong) Vietnamese coffee, slightly hung over… and about to head to Kyoto. Some life meditations the last 2 months in Saigon.

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Often it is hard to inspire ourselves to make photos.

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Photos of Richard Avedon, traced with iPad and Procreate app.

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In life, photography, and our personal self-growth; let us seek forward progress.

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We live in a phenomenal time for photography. Photography is essentially free, universal and open to all, and can empower anybody with a phone.

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Photo by @elida06

Receive constructive feedback on your photos from other photographers and Eric Kim in STREET CLUB. Thanks to HAPTIC, best photo & best critique receives the grand prize of VITRUVIAN CAMERA & HAPTIC PRESS BOX.

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Ok, more thoughts on how to get people to sign up for your workshop… specifically, how to advertise and market yourself.

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SimCity, remember destroying your city with tornadoes, ufo, Godzilla, earthquakes… for fun, to destroy your own city and start over?

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Nobody knows how our own mind works, but we better know how our body works or feels.

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An epiphany：if you buy bespoke, one of a kind, custom, classic, or old school stuff… you are less prone to falling victim to gas (gear acquisition syndrome), and more likely to actually be content and be appreciative of what you already own.

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I feel most of us crave the following: freedom from worry.

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I shot raw and the jpeg.
I do it so freely, i shoot right off my head.

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Dear friend,

Most of us always complain that we are always too busy. We all strive to have more leisure, relaxation, and peace in our lives. But why do we always let others barge into our free time, and allow ourselves to fall into the “busy trap?” How can we learn how to play offense— and protect our precious free time?

Do less

For some strange reason, we believe that by being more busy, we will be more happy.

In reality, I think we all want to do less of stuff we don’t like doing, and more of what we want to truly do.

It is hard for us to find more time to do what we’re passionate about. It is hard for us to find more time to make photos. It is hard for us to prioritize our creative work. No matter how hard we try, it is very hard to “add” free time to our lives.

The easier thing to do: subtract superfluous and unnecessary activities from our lives. In order to be less busy, do less.

What are the pointless social obligations you can graciously say “no” to (in a nice way?) What are the time-wasting apps on your phone that you can uninstall? What are the distracting websites and blogs you can block from your browser? What are the passive forms of entertainment that you can subtract from your life— to focus on being a maker, not a taker?

Learn how to deflect

I know it first hand— I cannot say “no.” It is because I am a people pleaser. I put the needs of others before myself.

I’ve found a more effective way to say “no” is to deflect. When someone asks you to do something you don’t want to do, or when they invite you to some social event that you don’t want to go — use strategic delay to your advantage.

For example, instead of saying a flat-out ‘no’ to someone’s face— learn how to say things like:

• “Oh, that sounds like fun! Unfortunately my bandwidth is a bit maxed out, so unfortunately I will have to pass this time.”
• “Thank you so much for the offer, that is very kind for you. But not this time, maybe next time?”
• “That is very generous of you, but unfortunately I have a few other affairs to tend to this week. Thank you so much.”

I think the secret is knowing how to be grateful for the offers of others (after all, they are trying to be nice). But it is also knowing how to deflect and say “no” without saying it directly.

Seek emptiness

Life is all about emptiness. When you are empty, you have more room to breathe. More room to create. More room to pursue what you’re passionate about.

I love empty interiors with high ceilings. It makes me feel like I have all this opportunity to create, and fill up the space.

I love having an empty bag— the emptiness allows me to have the opportunity to put things in. And also the emptiness means less weight— which is less of a burden.

I love having an empty mind, where I have no worries, concerns, or thoughts. The emptier my mind, the more creatively I can fill it.

Assignments to reclaim your time

So if you want to be less busy in life, try these assignments:

1. For a week, deflect all offers of doing things, going out, and socializing. Learn how to say “no” (in a nice way). Just say it in a way which is natural to you.
2. Think to yourself: “If I lived a life where I never did anything I didn’t want to do, how much more time, energy, and opportunity would I have to do what I am truly passionate about?”
3. Imagine you only had 6 months to live. What would you stop doing in your daily life (besides going to work) in order to live life to the fullest?

Your life is short. Don’t let anyone else steer your life for you. Take control of the steering wheel of life, and lead a life true to yourself.

Always,
Eric

Learn more: Philosophy >

Dear friend,
Do you give a fuck about your own life, and the life of others?
Or are you blasé, disinterested, like a deadbeat mother?

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Where do you get the desire or the will to make photos?

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Dear friend,
Are you a winner, or a loser?
Are you a whiner, or a chooser?
Do you let your abusers
Take advantage of you?
Or do you break free
And rip your skin off the super glue?

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Life ain’t fair… are you gonna sit, mope, and complain, or do something about it?

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There is no “final destination” for your photography or art.

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The world is a confusing place. My theory：we make photos to try to understand the world.

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What we want in life is knowledge, NOT information.

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Photo zen
How do you shoot unlimited inspiration,
Again and again?

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To be honest, 90% of the hardest part of photography workshops is actually getting people to sign up.

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Person A: “Nice photo! What did you shoot it on?”
Person B: “I shot it on a very expensive camera.”
Person A: “Oh yeah! I can totally see the color rendition, sharpness, corner sharpness, and the bokeh!”
Person B: “Haha just kidding. I shot it on my phone.”

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