ERIC KIM

STREAM

Archives for March 2019

Creative Cycling

A thought:

Perhaps to maximize our creativity, we should cycle.

Cycle between the cameras we use, cycle with our different focal lengths, cycle with our aesthetic (color or monochrome, or post-processing style) and cycle with the places we live.

Essentially — the idea is to never desire stasis, and to never desire staying the same/consistency/predictability/sameness.

[Read more…] about Creative Cycling

Fun Photography

A simple idea:

Perhaps instead of striving to become “better” photographers or making “better” photos, we should strive to simply make photography more fun!

Are Projects Overrated?

It seems we are all obsessed with ‘photography projects’, or ‘art projects’. It seems the bias is that if we are ‘serious’ photographers or aspire to become more ‘serious’ in photography, we need to work on a concentrated/focused/’serious’ photography project.

But is this all nonsense? What is even the definition of a ‘project’? Let me try to essay some thoughts below:

[Read more…] about Are Projects Overrated?

10 Reasons Why The RICOH GR II is a Perfect Camera

I think we photographers desire to always be inspired/motivated to make photos which give us deep joy. And in order to do that– we of course need a camera. But is there a perfect or ideal camera which will empower us to constantly be making new photos? A ‘perfect’ camera which maximizes our creative productivity? Also a camera which is affordable, a camera which is small, powerful, compact? If so — that is the RICOH GR II.

[Read more…] about 10 Reasons Why The RICOH GR II is a Perfect Camera

#onlyfilter

A fun idea:

What if you only shot with your camera or phone in JPEG (with a certain filter/preset in-camera), and you didn’t allow you to further post-process your photos afterwards?

[Read more…] about #onlyfilter

All Movement is Good.

Motivation literally means “to move”. We need to move and act to do anything; we need to move our fingers to type, we need to move our feet to shoot photos, we need to move our bodies to get from point A to point B, and we need to move heavy weights off from the ground to build our muscles and strength.

[Read more…] about All Movement is Good.

Steer Your Course in Life

You cannot predict or determine with 100% the outcome of your life, but you can steer your course in life.

Steering a ship

If you’re the captain of a ship, you can steer the direction of the ship but you cannot control externals (the condition of the sea, whether there are pirates in the sea, or the weather conditions). It is your duty as a captain to be brave, to exercise your best judgement, and for you to steer boldly in a certain direction.

When you’re steering your ship of life in a certain direction, you cannot control whether you will be hit with turbulent waves. However you can direct the general course (direction of your ship).

I feel we can use a similar metaphor in life:

You can generally steer your direction in life, but you cannot predict or determine the outcome.

Thus it seems the optimal strategy in life is to steer as wisely, boldly, and bravely in life — and leave the rest to fate. Think of the saying:

Throw your spear, and leave the rest to Zeus!

ERIC