“The good is in the absence of the bad.” – St. Augustine
A thought in photography:
Perhaps it is more effective to ditch/delete/remove our “bad” photos, than worry too much about figuring out what our “good” photos are to keep.
Culling your photos
This is what I realized about photography in general:
It is all about subtraction.
For example:
- Composition is all about figuring out what superfluous elements to subtract from your frame.
- Making a photo-series or project is figuring out what superfluous photos to remove (photos you don’t like or care for).
- Life is about figuring out what you HATE doing; and arranging your life in a way to avoid doing what you hate.
![Kyoto flash. #cindyproject](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/6DB5311F-D743-4B1D-94FE-B8AE212F6FE1.jpeg?ssl=1)
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![Kyoto #cindyproject](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/AA6287E5-97BF-4567-8D3F-9F971262810A.jpeg?ssl=1)
![Uji/Kyoto Ryokan #cindyproject](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/5E24608F-7F47-4133-9F2C-F7940CDE418A.jpeg?ssl=1)
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![cindy face side](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/015E9E7C-6F01-4CB5-886D-A6F313C08792.jpeg?ssl=1)
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On digestion
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/eric-kim-photography-family-providence-2019-28mm-ricoh-gr-iii-73-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2560%2C1707&ssl=1)
A thought on digestion:
Perhaps to improve our digestion is figuring out what foods to SUBTRACT from our diet — foods which irritate us (like dairy for Asian people, etc).
For example:
- Subtract dairy/cheese/milk/cream
- Subtract gluten, carbs, sugars
- Subtract high fructose corn syrup and simple starches
- Subtract beer, wine (red and/or white), or other liquors
Via negativa health
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/eric-kim-photography-family-providence-2019-28mm-ricoh-gr-iii-43-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2560%2C1707&ssl=1)
And for general health:
- Subtract cigarettes (obviously)
- Subtract weed, cocaine, and other uppers/downers
- For insomnia, subtract bright screens at night (turn off lights at night, make your house very dark).
Via negativa psychology
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/eric-kim-photography-family-providence-2019-28mm-ricoh-gr-iii-67-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2560%2C1707&ssl=1)
To feel less anxious or depressed, figure out the irritants or bullshit to subtract from your life:
- Subtract negative people (get rid of the leeches).
- Subtract ‘bullshit work’
- Subtract news, media, or things which trigger your anxiety or heart rate.
The point ain’t to subtract for the sake of it
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/just-shoot-it-.jpg?resize=2100%2C1500&ssl=1)
The ultimate goal:
Not to subtract to become a zero. Instead, subtracting all the superfluous bullshit from your life in order to focus and concentrate on what is truly meaningful to you!
ERIC
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/zenofericcover.jpg?resize=1275%2C2061)
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