If you like to make photos, videos, poetry or words, you’re a content creator. Here are some tips I wish I could have given myself if I started content creation all over again:

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Dear friend,

Greetings from Kyoto! I wanted to give you a life update, and to share some brand-new and very cool stuff, and also life lessons I’ve learned while I’ve been here!

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The world is a beautiful place. The greatest blessing is the blessing of being alive!

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Dear friend,

To advertise my new online course, “Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Photography Entrepreneurship“, I wanted to share why we should all be photography entrepreneurs, and also why you’re probably (already) a photography entrepreneur (without even knowing it!)

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Dear friend,

A small epiphany: Make photos that affirm life; not negate life!

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Dear friend,

One thing I believe in is ‘calculated’ risk-taking. What does that mean, and how can we harness this principle to succeed/thrive more in life? Let’s talk more:

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Dear friend, a practical tip: if you see a good street scene, don’t just take 1-2 photos then run away. Instead, keep ‘working the scene’ by continuing to shoot the scene, for you to continue lingering, and for you to keep discovering the best composition. Keep shooting and clicking (take a step forward, left, right, crouch down, get closer, go backwards). When you’re shooting look at the edges of the frame (don’t get tunnel-visioned), and when you’re home, THEN choose your best photo.

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Dear friend,

I love life a lot. Personally, I want to live life to the fullest, and share that joy with you.

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Dear friend,

I want to share with you some personal musings on ‘happiness’ — what exactly is happiness, how to feel “happier”, and how to live a more fulfilling life with more achievement.

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Dear friend,

I want to share some personal ideas on moonshot thinking — why we must always shoot for the moon, and attempt the “impossible” and the crazy/foolish ideas we have!

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Don’t let the fear of trolls/haters prevent you from doing cool/epic shit in life. Here are some of my thoughts and philosophies on the psychology of trolls:

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Dear friend,

An essay for you: Why we should all be photography entrepreneurs; and why you might already be a photography entrepreneur without even knowing it!

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Is photography your passion? Do you want to make ripples in the world of photography? Do you desire to share your life experiences as a photographer to empower others? Do you want to learn the secrets of effectively monetizing your passion for photography, or do you just want to learn how to build a loyal following? If so, I cordially invite you to my brand-new (first ever) online course on entrepreneurship titled, “Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Photography Entrepreneurship“, now live on Udemy!

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“I’ve been speeding through life with no safety belt.” – JAY-Z

Dear friend, if you have a certain dream in life– remember, you got nothing to lose in the face of death.

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Dear friend, a key to success in entrepreneurship and life: Don’t wait for permission before you take risks and try something epic in life!

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If you want to create more dynamic street photos, shoot layers in street photography, and also integrate the ‘bookend technique’ in your photos.

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Dear friend,

A fun epiphany I had in photography: SHOOT MORE COLOR to thrive more in your photography!

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As humans, we have a bias for the new. We love NEW! But why do we love the new, and is it even a good thing to like the new? How do we balance the new and the old?

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Dear friend,

Realize, photography is essential for your thriving in life. Don’t just treat photography as a superfluous luxury. Photography is good for your soul.

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Dear friend,

Another key to success in photography, business, entrepreneurship and life: focus on being a producer, not a consumer!

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Dear friend, as a word of encouragement and truth: if you’re a photographer you are an artist!

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My GoPro Hero 3 was getting too old, so I went to the GoPro website and saw this new camera called the “Fusion”. At first I thought it was gimmicky (I didn’t really believe in 360/virtual reality stuff), but after using it for the last 3 days, I can confidently say: this is the future of photography, video, and visual storytelling.

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Dear friends, if you’re passionate about street photography and want to meet some other phenomenal and passionate street photographers, don’t miss out on StreetFoto San Francisco 2018!

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Dear friend, I made you (yes, another) epic GOPRO POV STREET PHOTOGRAPHY VIDEO in the streets of Kyoto. This time, I show you how to get close, fill the frame, and use the golden diagonal composition.

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New fun street photography techniques you can apply when shooting on the streets: The 3D Scan/360 Degree Technique (Shooting Head-on) and Holding Your Camera High in the Air and Point Downwards (and Use Your LCD Screen to Frame the Scene). More info below!

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Dear friend,

I want to share a new street photography technique with you: This technique is called “The Walking Alongside Someone and Shooting Until They Notice You” Street Photography Technique. Yeah a mouthful, but the best title I have so far.

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Dear friend, I am SUPER EXCITED to share with you my brand-new street photography POV video on YouTube! I think it is the most innovative video so far!

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Dear friend,

If you want to unlock your artistic potential in photography, I am excited to offer you two brand-new courses I am now teaching on Udemy:

1. Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Photography
2. Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Photography Entrepreneurship

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Another fun GOPRO POV portrait/street photography video in Kyoto, for your viewing/education/learning pleasure.

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Dear friend,

If you’ve ever dreamed of living on the road and making a living from your passion, this essay and guide is for you.

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Dear friend,

I am very excited to share the news of my first online course, “Ultimate Beginner’s Guide To Mastering Photography” on Udemy. First of all, I wanted to share why I made the course, and why enrolling in the course will inspire, motivate, and empower you in your photography!

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Dear friend,

An epiphany I had: the best way to stay motivated in your photography is this: make photos that you like looking at!

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I am shocked, amazed, impressed, and awe-struck at the same time. SmugMug has acquired Flickr. What does that mean? It means that as photographers, we should NEVER trust the platform of another company/social media network. Why? Because we become ‘digital sharecroppers’, and build our own empire on the land of others, or in other words, we build our own kingdom on quicksand.

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Dear friend,

Straight fresh out of the (digital) presses: A new GoPro POV street photography video of me photographing a ‘street portrait’ on the streets of Kyoto, with a very friendly older lady.

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Dear friend, to promote my new and exciting course: “Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Photography“, I want to share with you– why should we take it back to basics in our photography, and why is it good to think like a beginner in our photography?

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Dear friend,

A fun technique in street photography to use is to use the ‘fishing technique‘ (pre-frame your photograph composition, and wait for the right person to enter your frame), combined with leading-lines. You can create leading lines by finding architectural lines, and then identify where you want your subject to enter the frame. Then once they’ve entered your frame, you start to make photos.

Also, crouching down low (lower perspective) is a good technique in street photography, because it makes you look less intimidating to your subject, and also it gives you a unique perspective that makes your subjects look larger than life (the ‘superman effect’).

In this video I demonstrate the two techniques in action. Learn more how you can integrate these techniques (in your ‘real life’ street photography) by joining me at one of my upcoming workshops.

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YouTube: Street Photography Technique/Composition: Leading Lines and Crouching Down Low: GoPro POV ERIC KIM

See all YouTube Videos by ERIC KIM

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PHOTOS FROM VIDEO

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HAPTIC INDUSTRIES

JUST SHOOT IT.

Shop (Ships Worldwide)

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Street Photography 101 by ERIC KIM

If you’re new to street photography, start here:

• 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
• How to Shoot Street Photography
• Street Photography by Eric Kim

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Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Street Photography

Become the best street photographer possible by picking up a copy of Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Street Photography. This book is full of all my distilled knowledge and wisdom on street photography over the last 10 years, crafted specifically to empower you in street photography.

For more free resources, presets, and PDF visualizations on street photography, join my free ERIC KIM NEWSLETTER to stay inspired and empowered.

Also join ERIC KIM EXPERIENCE if you want to take your street photography to the next level and conquer your fears and meet new peers.

To join a positive and passionate community, share your photos in ERIC KIM FORUM. Look forward to having you friend :)

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Street Photography Techniques

• How to Shoot Street Photography with a 24mm Lens
• The Cutoff Technique in Street Photography
• THE CUTOFF TECHNIQUE IN STREET PHOTOGRAPHY: GOPRO POV KYOTO ERIC KIM

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JUST SHOOT IT. HENRI NECK STRAP by ERIC KIM

See HENRI NECK STRAP on AMAZON >

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Street Photography Articles

• Street Photography is Like Fishing
• Why Do We Feel Nervous Shooting Street Photography?
• Street Photography Philosophy
• Everyday Street Photography
• Why Street Photography?
• Why You Must Follow Your Own Voice in Street Photography
• How to Overcome Guilt in Street Photography
• 5 Dynamic Off-Center Street Photography Compositions
• 5 Night Street Photography Composition Tips
• How to Talk to Strangers
• How to Overcome Fear in Street Photography
• Street Photography Empowerment
• Eric Kim’s Top 30 Street Photography Tips
• How to Shoot Street Photography on a 35mm Lens
• 7 Tips How to Conquer Your Fears of Shooting Street Photography
• Street Photography Lifestyle
• How to Use Tactful Flattery in Street Photography
• How to Conquer Social Anxiety With Street Photography
• Street Photography Secrets Debunked
• 10 Dynamic Street Photography Tips
• The Benefits of Shooting Street Photography
• The Street Photography Manifesto
• My Experience Shooting Digital Medium Format in Street Photography
• Why Do You Feel Guilty Shooting Street Photography?
• Improvise in Street Photography
• Ethics in Street Photography

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Street Photography Composition Techniques

• 10 Inspirational Sergio Larrain Compositions
• 5 Henri Cartier-Bresson Photography Composition Lessons
• Street Photography Technique: Overlap
• Street Photography Composition Lesson: Chunking
• The Fishing Technique in Street Photography

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STREET NOTES.

Push yourself out of your comfort zone with STREET NOTES: Mobile Edition.

STREET NOTES PAPER EDITION ON AMAZON >

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LEARN FROM THE MASTERS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

Timeless wisdom from the masters of street photography.

Learn more about MASTERS >

Buy MASTERS on Amazon >

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FUNDAMENTALS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

• The Psychology of Street Photography
• Fundamentals to Street Photography
• How to Conquer Fear in Street Photography
• Street Photography Secrets
• NEO STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
• Street Photography Lenses
• Street Photography Settings
• Street Photography Techniques
• Street Photography Ideas
• CLOSER.
• CLEAN BACKGROUND

Street Photography Inspiration

• How to Enter the Street Photography Zone
• Simple Street Photography Tips
• How to Defuse Confrontations in Street Photography 
• How to Make Controversial Street Photographs
• Street Photography Project Ideas
• How to Make Good Street Photos
• Is Defining “STREET PHOTOGRAPHY” a Good Thing?
• STREET PHOTOGRAPHY “RULES” TO BREAK
• Walking Meditation in Street Photography
• 10 COMMANDMENTS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
• Street Photography is Improvisation
• In Praise of Randomness in Street Photography
• How to Become a Fearless Photographer
• How to Make Better Street Photographs
• 12 ERIC KIM Street Photography Assignments
• Meaningful Street Photography
• 25 Street Photography Tips by ERIC KIM

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Beginner Street Photography Articles

Get started in street photography:

Definitions in Street Photography

• Visual Sociology Street Photography
• Why Street Photography?
• What is Street Photography?
• Why Shoot Street Photography?
• The History of Street Photography

How to Shoot Street Photography

• How to Shoot Street Photography
• Street Portraits 101 by ERIC KIM
• The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Street Photography
• 70 Street Photography Tips for Beginners
• 15 Street Photography Techniques and Tips
• A Letter to My 18 Year Old Self: If I Started Street Photography All Over Again

Street Photography Equipment

• What is the Best Camera for Street Photography?
• What is the Best Lens for Street Photography?
• What to Consider When Buying a Camera

See all equipment articles >

How to Conquer Your Fears in Street Photography

• How to Conquer Your Fears in Life
• Shoot What You’re Afraid Of
• How to Channel Your Fear into Bravery

See all articles to conquer your fears >

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Intermediate Street Photography Articles

Take your street photography to the next level:

• How to Become a Stoic Street Photographer
• The 10 Principles of Good Street Photography
• 7 Tips How to Capture “The Decisive Moment” in Street Photography
• The Importance of Social Skills in Street Photography
• The Street Photography Code of Ethics
• “Taking” vs “Making” Photos in Street Photography
• Follow Your Gut in Street Photography
• 10 Reasons Why You Should Never Chimp While Shooting Street Photography

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Advanced Street Photography Articles

Find deeper meaning in your street photography:

• How to Master Street Photography
• How to Be a Zen Street Photographer
• Personal Street Photography
• The “Bookend” Technique in Street Photography
• Street Photography is Self-Therapy
• Zen in the Art of Street Photography
• Taoism and Street Photography
• How to Find Your Style in Street Photography
• Follow Your Gut in Street Photography

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Street Photography Tips & Technique

Learn how to shoot on the streets:

• 70 Street Photography Tips for Beginners
• 15 Street Photography Techniques and Tips
• Flash Street Photography Guide
• Take More Risks
• Don’t Think About Composition When You’re Shooting Street Photography
• 7 Tips How to Capture “The Decisive Moment” in Street Photography
• 7 Tips How to Make a Great Street Photograph
• Tokyo Street Photography Contact Sheets
• Video: Why it is Important to “Work the Scene” in Street Photography
• Shoot Less, Better
• Make Shitty Photos
• Shoot Effortlessly
• 10 Tips for Candid Street Photography
• 103 Lessons I’ve Learned From Street Photography

See all street photography tips and techniques >

Street Photography Guides

In-depth guides on street photography:

• How to Shoot Candid Street Photography
• How to Shoot Street Portraits with Permission
• How to Shoot Black and White Street Photography
• How to Shoot Color Street Photography
• How to Shoot Street Portraits with Permission
• How to Shoot Layers in Street Photography
• How to Shoot Urban Landscapes

Street Photography Equipment

The best equipment for street photography:

• What is the Best Camera for Street Photography?
• What is the Best Lens for Street Photography?
• Why I Love Cameras with Non-Interchangeable Lenses
• The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide for Cameras in Street Photography
• What to Consider When Buying a Camera for Street Photography
• In Street Photography, The Smaller the Camera, the Better
• Why Sharpness is Overrated in Street Photography
• How to Shoot Street Photography on a DSLR

See all equipment articles >

Street Photography Editing and Workflow

• Video: Introduction to Editing, Processing, and Workflow in Lightroom
• How to Edit (Choose Your Best Photos) in Street Photography
• How Studying Contact Sheets Can Make You a Better Street Photographer
• Debunking the “Myth of the Decisive Moment”

How to Start a Street Photography Project

• Free E-Book: The Street Photography Project Manual
• How to Start Your Own Street Photography Project
• How to Come Up With a Personal Photography Project Idea

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Learn From the Masters of Street Photography

“He without a past has no future.”

Start here:

1. Why Study the Masters of Photography?
2. Great Female Master Photographers
3. Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography
4. 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
5. Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography
6. Download All Articles >

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The Masters of Photography

Classics never die:

• Alfred Stieglitz
• Alec Soth
• Alex Webb
• Alexey Brodovitch
• Anders Petersen
• Andre Kertesz
• Ansel Adams
• Araki
• Blake Andrews
• Bruce Davidson
• Bruce Gilden
• Constantine Manos
• Daido Moriyama
• Dan Winters
• David Alan Harvey
• David Hurn
• Diane Arbus
• Dorothea Lange
• Elliott Erwitt
• Eugene Atget
• Eugene Smith
• Fan Ho
• Garry Winogrand
• Gordon Parks
• Helen Levitt
• Henri Cartier-Bresson
• Irving Penn
• Jacob Aue Sobol
• Jeff Mermelstein
• Joel Meyerowitz
• Joel Sternfeld
• Josef Koudelka / Part 2
• Josh White
• Lee Friedlander
• Lisette Model
• Magnum Contact Sheets
• Magnum Photographers
• Mark Cohen
• Martin Parr
• Martine Franck
• Mary Ellen Mark
• Rene Burri
• Richard Avedon
• Richard Kalvar
• Robert Capa
• Robert Frank
• Saul Leiter
• Sergio Larrain
• Sebastião Salgado
• Shomei Tomatsu
• Stephen Shore
• The History of Street Photography
• Todd Hido
• Tony Ray-Jones
• Trent Parke
• Vivian Maier
• Walker Evans
• Weegee
• William Eggleston
• William Klein
• Zoe Strauss

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Free Downloads

• Eric Kim Lightroom Presets
• Street Photography Presentations

See all free downloads >

Free Street Photography Books

Distilled information on street photography:

• STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MANUAL by ERIC KIM
• The Art of Street Photography
• 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
• Street Photography Contact Sheets
• Street Photography 101
• Street Photography 102
• Film Street Photography Manual
• The Street Photography Composition Manual
• The Street Portrait Manual
• 31 Days to Overcome Your Fear in Street Photography
• Zen in the Art of Street Photography

For more resources on photography, Start Here >

Dear friend, if you want to learn how to shoot layers in street photography, I made this new YouTube video demonstrating me shooting layers with a GoPro POV video in the streets of Kyoto.

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Dear friend,

A thought: Street Photography is like fishing. Fishing isn’t about catching fish, it is about enjoying the process of preparing your bait and tackle (equipment), relaxing/zenning out by the water, and the eager anticipation of the possibility of catching a fish (not the expectation).

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Dear friend,

Ever since my RICOH GR II died (28mm lens), I’ve been shooting with Cindy’s Lumix LX 100 with the 24mm on the streets of Kyoto and been having a ton of fun. I want to share with you some practical tips I’ve learned shooting with a 24mm lens in street photography:

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Dear friend,

As a word of encouragement: it doesn’t matter what camera you shoot with. Why? No matter how “good” or “bad” your camera is, you will get used to it (what psychologists call ‘hedonic adaptation’).

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Dear friend,

Do you remember the initial passion, enthusiasm, and excitement you had when you started photography? I do, and have been trying really hard to tap back into that mindset; the uninhibited genius of being a beginner photographer, without any preconceived notions or restrictions!

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I recently stumbled upon an extremely thought-provoking talk by Jaron Lanier, describing social media as a ‘Behavior Modification Empire‘. This is precisely why it is a good idea for you to #DeleteInstagram — in order for you to not allow Facebook/Instagram/social media to modify your behavior as a photographer, artist, and creative.

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Dear friend,

A recent thought I had: in order to empower others, you must (first) be selfish.

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In my last article on the Cutoff Technique in Street Photography, I described this process of shooting head-on with a wide angle lens (like a 28mm or 35mm lens), while walking directly in front of people (cutting off their walking movement). I didn’t do a good job explaining the concept, thus I made this new GoPro POV Video for you; of me doing the cutoff technique in real life.

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Dear friend,

In a world with so many nay-sayers, negative people and pessimistic people, we should GO OPPOSITE and be the change we wish to see in the world and become YAY SAYERS!

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A physics and philosophical principle which can help empower us is this concept of “first principles”—a concept leveraged by Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and other visionaries.

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Currently super-inspired by Claude Monet, with his use of colors, his compositions, depictions of everyday life, people, nature, and how he was able to show his love of life through his paintings.

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Simple photos and living in Kyoto. Shot with 24mm on Lumix LX100:

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Dear friend,

A philosophical question: why take “better” photos?

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Dear friend,

I want to share with you the story of how I became a “location independent” “digital nomad”, why I prefer this lifestyle, and share some practical thoughts with you on how you too can become a digital nomad.

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Dear friend,

If you want to live a more epic life, my simple suggestion: don’t ask for permission, JUST DO IT! knowing that you might piss off some people or upset other people. To be frank, the worst case scenario is that you might just “mildly annoy” others. And worst worst case scenario, you can always just ask/“beg” for forgiveness (most people will always forgive you, and even if they don’t forgive you, that is OK as well).

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Dear friend,

A technique I learned from my good friend Charlie Kirk in street photography: what he calls the ‘cutoff technique’.

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Dear friend,

An epiphany I had: NEVER STOP EVOLVING! Life is about evolution, constant experimenting, constantly learning, constant iteration. There is no point where you wish or desire to achieve ‘perfection’. Rather, treat life as always in a state of FLUX; in every moment you are in a ‘state of becoming‘ — becoming a greater version of yourself, and evolving into a higher form of yourself!

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To me, there is no better joy in life than walking.

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If you’re curious more about how to “work the scene” in street photography, download my full-resolution contact sheets for your own self-education and learning with the links below:

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Dear friend,

Why do we feel nervous shooting street photography?

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Dear friend,

A secret of entrepreneurial and personal thriving in life: seek to first please yourself, and whenever possible, spurn (scorn/reject) pleasing others.

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Dear friend,

A thought: The productive photographer (the photographer who shoots and publishes a lot) is the happiest photographer!

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Just arrived in Kyoto from Osaka, got a new apartment, and loving simple everyday living:

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My RICOH GR II died a few days ago, and I’ve been shooting with the Lumix LX100 for the last few days, and actually found out that I quite like it for street photography!

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Dear friend,

A philosophical idea: what if you lived life like a video game? Would life be more fun, exciting, challenging, and interesting?

(more…)

GRIT AND GRAIN: photos shot in 2015 on Leica MP, Leica 35mm f/2 Summicron ASPH, Yellow B+W Filter, Kodak Tri-X 400 pushed to 1600, some photos shot on Leica SF 24D flash:

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Lumix LX100 + GoPro Street Photography POV in Osaka:

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Shot on LUMIX LX100:

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Dear friend,

How do you live a fulfilling life? Easy: make the best of today– make today count!

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My simple luxuries in life, which aren’t expensive yet bring me a lot of joy. Feel free to experiment with any of these simple luxuries, which might brighten your mood, and add more simple joy to your life:

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Dear friend,

A recent thought: let us seek to make photography a stimulus in our lives. Let us become “hyper photographers” — to urge and impel ourselves higher in life.

(more…)

To promote our new book, 30 DAYS TO JUMPSTART YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY Mobile Edition, here are some practical tips to break through your photographers block:

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Shot on Lumix LX100, with GoPro POV on top:

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