How I Mastered Photography

Practical ideas:

1. Study the masters

Henri Cartier-Bresson Photography Composition Studies

Study the masters. Once you study the masters, you got a strong base to build upon your own self-mastery.

Richard Avedon Photography Composition Studies

Who I consider my masters:

  1. Henri Cartier-Bresson
  2. Richard Avedon
  3. Josef Koudelka
Josef Koudelka Photography Composition Studies Slideshow

What you gotta do is actively analyze and deconstruct the work of the masters. The goal is to draw inspiration from them, then seek to SUPERSEDE THEM!

Also see all masters >

2. 10,000 hours or 10 years of devoted practice

I aspire to make photos more enduring than bronze!

Certainly if you devote 10 years of your life to anything, you will master it.

3. Teach

1 HOUR ERIC KIM WORKSHOP SOCIAL SKILLS STREET PORTRAITS

To truly master something, teach it too! As you teach, you learn more.

Street Photography Starter Kit by ERIC KIM

4. Do you care?

I love street photography. I love photography. To me, art and photography is everything.

5. I’m forever hungry!

I eat a shitload of meat. I’m always hungry. Photos are the same; I’m hungry for more!!!

6. I analyze all forms of art.

Leonardo da Vinci, the greats.

7. I cross-pollinate

I don’t just get stuck in the ghetto of photography. I think beyond.

I read voraciously. I study random stuff like math, physics, projective geometry, and theorize on composition.

8. I make videos

Not just photo, but also video. I did the cinema for NONFUTURE.

NONFUTURE by Nguyen // Videos by KIM

To become an Uber-master photographer, you gotta master both photo AND video!

Walk Outside as Much As You Can

The apex photographer is both photographer and videographer. The future hybrid photographer is the apex.

9. Keep shooting until you die at age 120

CUBA 2020 Photography Slideshow

The goal — remain inspired and motivated to shoot photos until you die at age 120!

ERIC


PHOTOGRAPHY 101

Dear friend,

If you’re new to photography, start here:

  1. The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Photography
  2. Free Photography Bootcamp
  3. 100 Photography Tips for Beginners

New Photography

Photography Tips


Photography Articles

Mad men. NYC, 2017. Pentax 645Z


Photography Techniques


Everyday Photography

RICOH GR II selfie in mirror, double eye surreal. Prague, 2017
RICOH GR II selfie in mirror, double eye surreal. Prague, 2017

Color Photography 101

Photography Philosophy

Cindy white face. Saigon, 2017

Photography Inspiration

The Fundamentals of Photography


Photography Equipment »

How to Take Better Photos »

Composition Lessons »

Photography Assignments »

Contact Sheets »

laughing lady contact sheet NYC eric kim

Editing (Image Selection) »

eric kim laughing lady nyc

Creativity »

eric kim Cindy project reflection flash

Motivation »

eric kim portrait by Cindy nguyen

Post-Processing

dark skies over Tokyo eric kim

How to Create a Body of Work

AMERICA - ERIC KIM16 eric kim woman popsicle

Technical Photography Settings

eric kim mom glasses


Learn From the Masters of Photography

MASTERS PROTOTYPE by HAPTIC

“He without a past has no future.”

Start here:

  1. Why Study the Masters of Photography?
  2. Great Female Master Photographers
  3. Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography
  4. 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
  5. Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography
  6. Download All Articles >

The Masters of Photography

Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos
Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos

Classics never die: