Cruise, 2019 #cindyproject

Photography and Nothing but Photography!

Make your life a work of (photographic) art:

When are we the happiest?

This is my belief:

I believe we are happiest when we are actively creating.

For example, we are happiest when we are photographing, writing, thinking, conversing, dancing, singing, and living!

To me, I believe happiness is ‘creative flourishing’ (eudaemonia). And as photographer-artists, we are happiest when we are creating images.

Thus the simple focus of our life is:

Focus on your photography — as your photography is your art-work!


Cruise, 2019 #cindyproject
Cruise, 2019 #cindyproject

Most of us tend to separate our lives and our photography. We don’t call ourselves photographers because we make our living doing something else.

But your identity shouldn’t be tied to your occupation. Your identity is what you’re passionate about, and what you are passionate about creating.

Live more

Selfie with Cindy, after winning the Couples show (note our trophy and free champagne we won!)

To me, living more means:

  1. Making more
  2. Exploring more
  3. Traveling more, or engaging in more experiences (buy yourself more experiences, not equipment)
  4. Spend more time meeting up your friends or loved ones
  5. Converse more, photograph more, see more.

To live more is active. Nobody wants to spend more time at home or to spend more time on the couch.

How to discover more inspiration for your photography

Cruise, 2019
Cruise, 2019

If you want more inspiration for your photography, live a more dangerous/risky/adventurous life.

This means in life,

When in doubt, take the more risky option.

For example:

  • If you have the option to move to a new city, state, or country– go for it!
  • If you have a new offer for a new and risky job or company– go for it!
  • If someone invites you out or somewhere and you feel afraid– go for it!

In some ways, we should be like Jim Carey from the ‘Yes Man’ film, to push ourselves outside of our comfort zone.

Cruise, 2019 #cindyproject
Cruise, 2019 #cindyproject

Why photography?

Cruise, 2019 #cindyproject

For myself, photography is the ultimate affirmation of life. When we make photos, we are saying:

Life is beautiful, and I am so grateful to be alive. These photos are a proof of my personal happiness and gratitude towards life!

Cruise, 2019 #cindyproject

This is why I photograph Cindy:

I want to inspire others to photograph their loved ones.

If you photograph your loved ones, you are showing appreciation for them! You are showing that you are appreciate that they are alive, and every time you click the shutter, you are blowing them a kiss.

Selfie with Cindy on the Cruise

If you want supreme happiness in life, I believe that you must have a soulmate– a life partner who is your ultimate companion, advocate, and equal. Cindy encouraged me to start this blog, and actually made ARS a reality; and I know that our life is short and uncertain.

Cruise, 2019 #cindyproject
Cruise, 2019 #cindyproject

It is easy to be petty with your loved ones. So when you photograph your loved ones, you ‘memento mori‘ (you remember that your partner and you will eventually die– sometimes when you least expect). Thus photograph your loved ones with all of your heart and soul while you’re still alive!


Anything and everything is photography

Use any and every opportunity in your life to make photos. Photograph your food, shoot selfies of yourself, photograph strangers (street photography), landscapes, textures, or whatever.

Be genre-agnostic in photography; allow yourself to shoot anything and everything!

Treat your photography as a personal life diary of all of your life experiences. Keep accumulating more experiences, keep digesting your past life experiences, but never stop making new photos!

LIVE ON!

ERIC