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First Principle Thinking for Photography Entrepreneurs

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.

What are first principles?

A first principle is to get back to the fundamentals of physics, and to ask ourselves:

What is physically possible and impossible?

Applied to everyday life,

Let us never call anything “impossible” unless it defies the laws of physics.

Because, technically according to physics, almost anything is possible. Now, whether it is difficult to do or not is a different story.


As an entrepreneur, always take it back to first principles.

For example, when Elon Musk decided to make more affordable rocket ships, he asked himself:

What is the price of the materials and atoms which are necessary to build a rocket ship, and if I were able to rearrange the atoms more efficiently, how cheap can I make a rocket?

He realized that if he would be able to build reusable rocket ships, it would dramatically lower the cost. And therefore, rather than thinking, “Rockets have always been expensive and will always continue to be expensive”, he took it back to “first principles” to innovate a more affordable option.


To me, this is very exciting for us as entrepreneurs! This means with digital technology, the sky is the limit!

Consider the extreme abundance we have as photographers in today’s world. Digital photography is essentially free (we no longer need to pay for film and processing), wifi and internet connections are essentially free, and cloud storage online is practically free with Google Drive and Dropbox. Also consider that the price of high-end digital cameras keep getting cheaper and cheaper.

With the internet, your photography website, your blog, social media, YouTube, you can build millions of followers, and earn a living from your passion in photography. Of course making a living from your passion in photography and getting tons of followers is a combination of hard work, persistence, and a bit of luck (having the right opportunities). But it is of my thought that making a living in photography is relatively easy, as long as you can reduce your expenses to a minimum, and as long as your lifestyle isn’t expensive. I’ve been able to make a living as a photographer/digital nomad by keeping myself profitable by lowering my expenses to a minimum, and increasing my income/revenue from teaching workshops and selling products.

First principle thinking for photography entrepreneurs

Practical ideas to apply to your entrepreneurial thinking:

  1. Rather than thinking what is “probable”, think of what is physically possible.
  2. Study the trends of digital technology (faster internet connections, cheaper storage, rising population growth, more people moving to cities, more people shooting photography with phones and digital cameras) and ask yourself: “What kind of opportunities do I see, which I can exploit/leverage to my advantage?” For example, more people buying iPhones means more people who want to learn how to take better photos (a good opportunity for you to get into photography education, or to become a phone or iPhone photography specialist/expert). Because I see more people moving into cities (and thus shooting more photos in cities), I see street photography as the hottest growing field and market.
  3. Ignore nay-sayers and pessimistic people. To be successful as an entrepreneur in today’s brave new world of photography, we need to be a little foolish and crazy.

BE BOLD, and shoot for MARS!
ERIC


Photography Entrepreneurship 101

ERIC KIM x HENRI NECK STRAP
ERIC KIM x HENRI NECK STRAP

How to Succeed as an Entrepreneur

  • How I Became a Digital Nomad
  • Better to Beg For Forgiveness than Ask For Permission!
  • Spurn Pleasing Others!
  • Create Your Own Niche
  • How to Gain More Exposure For Your Photography
  • Intense Focus
  • How to Conquer Your Fears as an Entrepreneur
  • Define Yourself
  • Let Dissatisfaction Drive You Forward!
  • It Doesn’t Matter if Someone Else Has Done it Before!
  • How to Succeed as a Photography Entrepreneur: Be Extremely Resourceful
  • Open Source Business Model in Photography Entrepreneurship
  • Entrepreneurship 101: Growth and Innovation Over Self-Preservation
  • How to Create Value as a Photography Entrepreneur
  • Why Become a Photography Entrepreneur?
  • Why You Must Ignore Nay-Sayers to Succeed in Entrepreneurship, Business, and Life

The Modern Photographer: Tips, Strategies, and Tactics to Thrive as a Visual Artist in the Digital Age

THE MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER by HAPTICPRESS

Marketing, Branding, Entrepreneurship Principles For Success

MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER is your new philosophical and practical primer to succeed as a modern photographer in today’s digital world.

  • MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER KINDLE EDITION ON AMAZON
  • SEE ALL PRODUCTS ON AMAZON

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  • How to Succeed as a Photography Entrepreneur: Be Extremely Resourceful
  • Open Source Business Model in Photography Entrepreneurship
  • Entrepreneurship 101: Growth and Innovation Over Self-Preservation

How to Monetize Your Photography

EURO CAMERA MONEY by ANNETTE KIM

  • Photography Entrepreneurship 101: INFLUENCE
  • Should I Monetize My Passion for Photography?
  • 10 Practical Photography Monetization Strategies: Pricing, Google SEO, & Entrepreneurship
  • How to Make Money From Street Photography

Why Become a Photography Entrepreneur?

Take control of your own photographic destiny:

  1. Photography Startup Manual
  2. PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP MANUAL
  3. On Risk Taking and Entrepreneurship

THE MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER

  • CREATIVE CAPITALISM
  • How to Monetize Your Photography
  • 5 Practical Photography Career Tips and Advice
  • 10x Thinking
  • How to Hustle as a Photographer
  • How to Become Your Own Master Marketer
  • The ‘T’ Technique of Success
  • Go Ahead and Sell Out
  • What is Your Unique Voice?
  • Why You Must Self-Promote Yourself
  • What is Your Unique Angle as a Photographer?
  • Photography Content Marketing 101
  • Why You Must Become Your Own Publisher
  • The Art of Cross-Pollination in Photography

Photography Entrepreneurship Articles

Google advance up arrow

  • Why You Shouldn’t Trust Your Pictures to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Flickr
  • How to Make Money From Your Photography
  • Photography SEO and Blogging: How to Become Number One on Google
  • Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivation
  •  Now is the Best Time to Be a Photographer
  • PRODUCERISM
  • What Is The Value of a Picture?
  • Your Photographic Labor is Not Free

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS 101

CAMERA MONEY GBP by ANNETTE KIM

  • Chapter 1. How to Make a Photography Blog
  • Chapter 2. How to Price Yourself
  • Chapter 3. How to Find Your Market
  • Chapter 4. Why Teach Workshops?
  • Chapter 5. How to Build Trust
  • Chapter 6. How to Market Yourself
  • Chapter 7: Why Should Someone Attend Your Workshop?

KEYS TO SUCCESS

  • Why You Must Be a “Personality” in Order to Succeed
  • THRIVE OR DIE.
  • Impatience is a Virtue
  • Create Your Own Category
  • HOW TO DREAM BIG.
  • Will Not or Cannot?
  • Why Not?
  • How to Think BIG
  • How to Stay Ahead of the Curve
  • How to Invest in Yourself
  • The Two Camera Rule
  • MEANINGFUL DIFFERENTIATION
  • Advice For College Students
  • How to Thrive in Uncertain Times
  • CANNIBALIZE YOURSELF.
  • DO AND GROW RICH
  • Does Fear of Punishment Hold You Back?
  • HOW TO GET MORE FOLLOWERS
  • How to Innovate
  • How to Build Your Own Empire
  • YOU ARE ENTITLED TO HARD WORK.
  • PICK YOURSELF.
  • OWN YOUR PLATFORM
  • 10 KEYS TO SUCCESS

Table of Contents

Learn how to make a living from your passion:

  • Preface. BRAVE NEW WORLD OF PHOTOGRAPHY
  • Chapter 1. How to Create Value
  • Chapter 2. ZEN CAPITALISM
  • Chapter 3. Scarcity
  • Chapter 4. How to Brand Yourself
  • Chapter 5. How to Build a True Following
  • Chapter 6. The Blueprint to Success in Photography
  • Chapter 7. HOW TO BE BOLD
  • Chapter 8. How to Sell Out
  • Chapter 9. GO AGAINST THE GRAIN
  • Chapter 10. EXTREME ABUNDANCE
  • Chapter 11. Photography Experience Economy
  • Chapter 12. Why You Should Make Money for Your Photography
  • Chapter 13. How to Become a Famous Photographer

Photography Business 101

  • Practical Photography Business Advice

How to Make Money with Photography

CAMERA MONEY USD by ANNETTE KIM
CAMERA MONEY USD by ANNETTE KIM
  • How to Charge More Money in Your Photography
  • Why You Should Not Pursue Photography as Career
  • Can Photography Make You Rich?
  • How I Earn $200,000+ a Year From Photography
  • How to earn $10,000 a month as a photographer
  • Why you must be an expensive photographer

Photography Marketing 101

  • Why Have More Followers?
  • Why You Should Do Photography Work For Free
  • How I Became an Internet Famous Photographer
  • Photography Blogging Ideas
  • Why You Should Promote Your Own Name
  • How to Build a Following
  • How to Stand Out as a Photographer.
  • HOW TO GO VIRAL AS A PHOTOGRAPHER.
  • How to Master Marketing
  • How to Sell Yourself

SELLOUT ERIC KIM

How to Hustle.

  • Entrepreneurial Advice to My 18 Year Old Self
  • How to Become Insanely Productive.
  • 5 Lessons From Hesiod on Hustling

Entrepreneurial Principles

  • It is Better to Beg For Forgiveness Than Ask For Permission
  • The Free Way to Become Rich
  • JUST DO IT.
  • 7 Steps: How to Make a Living From Your Passion
  • How to Do What You Love for a Living
  • How to Create an MVP (Minimum Viable Product)
  • How to Fail Big
  • How to Invest in Yourself
  • How to Be Bold in Photography and Life
  • Mission: Cover Your Rent and Food
  • 1,000 True Fans
  • The “10x Principle”: The Only Difference Between “Success” and “Failure”
  • Make More Value Not Money
  • We Live in a Photo Utopia

How to be a Full-time Photographer

  • How to Make a Living From Photography
  • The 3 Principles of Making Money With Photography
  • Advice for Aspiring Full-Time Photographers
  • Don’t Go Into Debt For Your Photography
  • How to Brand Yourself as a Photographer
  • Trust: The Most Important Thing You Need to Succeed as a Photographer

Photography Blogging

  • How to become rich from photography blogging
  • How to Make a Living with Blogging
  • 50 Blogging Tips For Beginners
  • How to Start Your Own Photography Blog
  • A Photographer’s Guide to SEO, Blogging, and Social Media

How to Teach Photography

  • How to Become a Photography Teacher
  • How to Teach a Street Photography Class
  • Why I Teach Street Photography Workshops

Social Media

  • Why I Deleted My Instagram
  • The Social Media Blackbook for Photographers
  • Why Do You Need More Likes or Followers?
  • Instagram is Going to Be the Next Facebook
  • Don’t Trust “Free” Photography Social Networks

How to Save Money

  • How Cindy Saved Us $150,000+
  • The Free Way to Become Rich

START HERE >

HENRI SHOULDER STRAP

Film Leica MP x Henri Shoulder Strap (CREMA BROWN)

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Street Photography Starter Kit

street photography starter kit by ERIC KIM

Master street photography >


HENRI WRIST STRAP PRO

Henri wrist strap pro

For the pros >

Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Photography Entrepreneurship

My brand-new Udemy Course, "Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Photography Entrepreneurship" now live!

Seize your destiny >


Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Photography

eric kim ultimate beginners guide to mastering photography udemy

Master photography >

ERIC KIM WORKSHOPS

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Unleash your creative potential:

2021:

  • April 10-11th, 2021: BOSTON / Discover Your Unique Voice in Photography Workshop [Register Intent Here]
  • May 1-2nd, 2021: CHICAGO / Street Photography Composition Masterclass [Register Intent Here]
  • May 22-22nd, 2021: NEW YORK CITY / STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS by ERIC KIM [Register Intent Here]

Be notified of when new workshops are live here.


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PHOTO JOURNAL

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