Something I’m very interested in: the intersection of photography, technology, entrepreneurship, and philosophy. I feel this is very fascinating ground which hasn’t (yet) been fully analyzed in detail.

Entrepreneurship is applied philosophy

This is what I believe:

Entrepreneurship is applied philosophy — (in real life).

The problem with philosophers — they’re too much stuck in the idea of metaphysical ideas. They don’t deal much with reality.

What I love about entrepreneurship — it is about testing (and super-imposing your ‘crazy ideas’) to reality.

And to me, it doesn’t really matter that much if you ‘succeed’ or ‘fail’. What is more interesting/impressive if you have the guts to even attempt or try your crazy ideas in reality. Courage, guts, and chutzpah.

The entrepreneur as the modern-day superhero

We love watching superheroes — once ‘normal’ people who go against the odds, to take on an epic undertaking, for the sake of humanity.

While I cannot grow adamantine claws, fly in the air, or re-grow limbs, I can attempt to become a superhero or superhuman in real life– by utilizing my own guts, intelligence, and intuition in real-life scenarios.

This means pursuing things which fascinate you– and also doing it to benefit others and mankind as a whole.

Also, I don’t think that an entrepreneur should simply risk his life or ‘sacrifice’ himself/herself for the greater good. No — it is fulfilling your own child-like curiosity about what is possible (first principles thinking) — in order to thrive in the joy of seeing your crazy ideas manifest in reality.

Why photography entrepreneurship?

To me, photography is the most fascinating medium. It is part art, part technology, and part social. It is the ultimate symbiosis of modern-society; we photograph everything on our smartphones, yet we also use photographs to create art. As we are becoming a more visually-inundated culture, photography and video is going to continue to permeate deeper and deeper into our sociological psyche.

What kind of entrepreneurial goals do you have?

Now this is the part where philosophy enters the picture:

As an entrepreneur, whatever task you undertake is a reflection of your own personal philosophy.

Thus I pose the question to you:

What do you really care about enough to risk it all in order to see manifested/created in the real world?

What ideals do you believe in that you are willing to take a personal risk to make it happen? What are you passionate about to work on, without reward or pay — in order to see it come alive? What ideas are you curious about which you want to test?

I truly believe that entrepreneurship isn’t about making money — it is something deeper. Entrepreneurship is risk-taking, with an artistic flair.

My personal photography entrepreneurship philosophy

I cannot speak for you, but this is what I care about:

  1. Photography as a tool of artistic self-empowerment.
  2. Photography as a legitimate art-creation form.
  3. Photography as the most fascinating art-creation form, as it is deeply intertwined with technology (humanities x technology — like philosophy of Steve Jobs, Leonardo da Vinci)
  4. In some ways photographs are becoming less valuable in the world (anyone can make a very good photo), yet also increasingly valuable (photographs have deep implications on future society — in terms of shaping our thoughts and behavior).
  5. Questions: How can one make a living from photography? Should one make a living from photography? (Is it more effective to just hold onto your day job instead?) How do you differentiate yourself as a photographer in today’s saturated economy? What is the future of photography?

There is definitely a TON of unpaved ground, or untraversed land. I endeavor to discover some deeper truths on this topic, and will share my findings with you!

ERIC