First sent on ERIC KIM NEWSLETTER >

Dear friend,

A thought:

Photography is your passion … so why not prioritize it?

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Whatever you use or do to make artwork … this is the end. Which means:

Ultimately out of life … if you can direct all your energies, efforts and resources to make art … this is the most noble goal!

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As photographers, perhaps the way we can gain maximal creative productivity is this:

Spend much time both (concurrently) shooting new photos while also reviewing your old work!

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Something which is hugely fun to me:

Take your photos, choose a few you like, and import it into Procreate on iPad, and apply the “glitch” feature to see how you can remix your photos in fun, interesting and novel ways!

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Also, the worst camera is the one which is collecting dust on your shelf or even worse, in your drawers.

Why is it that we don’t take ourselves and our artistic passions seriously? Simple: because we lack respect for ourselves and our artwork.

Consider we take our (labor) work “seriously”. But isn’t our art(work) more important than our “work work”?

We all have different passions. But why is it that we don’t don’t allow ourselves to take our (non-money making passions) seriously? In fact I’d say it is better to start taking your work and employment less seriously, and taking your creative passion *more* seriously.

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To motivate yourself to make new photos, or to find joy in photography — this is our goal. Simple ideas:

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A thought while looking out of my front window and seeing an Amazon delivery truck:

The reason why Amazon so successful is that it has made the movement of goods far more effective and efficient. 

Which makes me think:

The more you can move products, people, things and ideas … the better!

Or why you don’t need to “force” yourself to do anything contrary to your nature. And also —

Not all action is good.

You also often exhibit your true beliefs and true preferences based on what you decide *not* to do, what you decide *not* to participate in, or what silly games you decide *not* to play. “Via negativa” beliefs.

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What is the best car? The call which motivates and allows you for the maximal movement — to drive more, explore more and experience more. Preferably a small fuel efficient car (hybrid) or a small electric (high range) car. Ideally all wheel drive to allow for you to go on drives even when the weather is poor, rainy, snowy.

What is the best camera? The one which is the least cumbersome. The one which motivates and allows you to maximally explore and photograph with as little hesitation as possible.

Also with exercise — perhaps the best exercises are the ones which allow for the most fun and dynamic movements?

The best music — the music which motivates you the most to move!

A thought:

When I watch videos (moving objects), and also see real people in real life moving around … it brings me great joy, and motivation.

Why is this?

Some thoughts:

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Towards a “one rep max” attempt in life. Or thinking about “proof of concept” living —

Using your life to experiment with things which interest you, and the joy of the scientist to have proved even one small thing as true!

Simple ideas to spark some creative energy into your photos:

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I find the most effective way to study the artwork of other artists is by studying their psychology, psycho analyzing them, but also tracing and drawing their art works which interest you.

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Red and black vision:

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PHOTOGRAPHY
I love to make images, with you and me

Photography helps me be me, to see the world more clearly with depth
To see more broad and visual depths into the wind swept scapes

Photography isn’t just a visual escape — it is reality augmented. Reality made fuller, richer and more pure.

Photography — where would we be without you? Photography helps us stayed glue to the here and now. No need to fear, the future is clear.

ERIC

Or in other words, never force yourself to pursue any desires you don’t have a strong inclination or passion for. All great desires require no “effort”. If you truly desire something, the motivation will come easy.

For example I have a strong desire to become stronger. Thus going to the gym requires zero “effort” from me. I do it without thinking — and yet I come every day!

With arts, photography and creativity — I don’t need to “motivate” myself to do it. I just do it because I love it and have a strong desire to produce creative things and art works.

In the past I had an insanely strong desire to become self employed and to *not* be employed by a third party and to *not* have to report to a boss. Thus the motivation to become self employed and an entrepreneur came naturally to me.

Imagine a blockchain for photos and photographers. There is a verifiable history of when it was shot, what the original photo was (either RAW or JPEG), the history of post processing to it, and a full history of all the “likes” and comments it got — platform agnostic.

Perhaps this can be the future for ARS Photo?

Arsbeta.com as the current iteration.

Greed: when you do something which is good for you, and not good for me.

Or, when you do something which is contrary to my own personal morals and ethics, and I feel slighted that you aren’t doing as I think you should do.

So in other words:

When others call you “greedy”— they themselves are the intolerant ones.

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As artists and creatives, what do we truly desire and want/need?

Thought:

Perhaps what we are hungry for is perpetual creativity.

This means:

From morning to the moment we sleep, we are always full of creative energy, muscular strength, vigor, enthusiasm, motivation and inspiration!

And ideally — we have this creative flow state for the rest of our lives?

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A new photo workflow which has been awesome for me:

Shooting JPEG on RICOH GR III (small size) then uploading it into Apple Photos (on desktop) and having the photos all neatly synced on all my devices (iPhone, iPad, laptop) which makes it far easier to always be looking through my photos, selecting them, and working through them.

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Gym; a fun place to photograph, video. Some sort of visual kinesthesis between our muscles, movement, and photo?

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Currently I’m using a cheap Motorola smartphone (bought it brand new for $150), and also using an older iPhone 7 Plus (given to me from my brother in law). An interesting thought:

The iPhone (without a SIM card and 4G internet connection) is really great as a “standalone” creativity device — I just keep it in airplane mode and connected to WiFi!

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To combat and challenge the cult of productivity, GTD “getting things done” religion, and Inbox Zero. Perhaps leaving things undone and having the courage to ignore the superfluous as more wise and aesthetic/elegant.

We talk much about physical health, mental health, and spiritual health. Why does nobody talk about artistic and creative health?

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When it comes to art, why is it that we perceive that artwork (or details) created out of intention is superior to artwork created “unintentionally”?

Why this bias that intentionality is superior than unintentionality?

Something bizarre I’ve figured out:

Why is it that we feel we need to purchase x, y, z or upgrade x, y, z in order to become more artistic, or to be enabled to create our artwork?

My answer:

Capitalism, consumerism, and modern society has programmed us to feel that to create art is a “waste of time” (and thus a sin) and the only virtuous reason why we should make artwork is that it is good for our “mental health” (in order to become more productive).

In some ways, we feel good and justified to purchase a thing in order to enable us to become more artistic. This goes with cameras, phones, tablets, laptops, computers, or any other creative tools.

This is the goal. But the question:

How does one flourish artistically?

In other words:

What are the optimal conditions to allow you (the artist) to flourish maximally?

What is our modern vice? The guilt associated with the times in which we are *NOT* productive. When we aren’t actively being productive, we feel guilt. This is indecent.

Which makes me think:

In modern times, it actually takes more skill, courage and wisdom to force yourself to *NOT* be productive for periods of time.

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Something interesting:

In the Iliad and Ancient Greek mythology, even the gods sleep.

Sleep is described with all these blessed words. Even the battle-weary soldiers have the blessing of sleep.

So why is it in our strange modern times we see sleep as something undesirable, and a sign of the weak? Shouldn’t sleep be seen as one of the most godlike summits?

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A strong and simple primer to monochrome:

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Blur is great in photography. Why blur? If you look at a blurry photo (especially in monochrome) the photograph feels more dynamic. You feel the movement. And if we believe in visual kinesthesia, then a photograph that feels like it is moving, spurs you to move as well!

The best photos — personal, full of depth, include your own soul.

Substance — your photos carry emotional and personal weight. Your photos reveal something deeper and more substantive of you.

Content: What do your photos contain? What are you photographing? The best subjects are of those who you love and care for — for example, my ultimate best photos are that of Cindy.

Composition and framing is certainly essential in photography, but let us recognize that at the end of the day, your subject is king.

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Currently reading “Blockchain 2035” (co-written by Jared Tate, founder of Digibyte [DGB]– which I own). One of the concepts thrown around a lot is “decentralization”. Beyond just this anarchist-hippie libertarian utopist perspective, the general notion of decentralization is good. For example, best to *not* have all your photos stored only on Instagram. What if your account gets deleted, blocked etc? Then you’re fucked. Same goes with trusting everything to Facebook, Twitter, etc.

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Creative entrepreneurship. Artistic risk taking. The realization and thought:

To not allow yourself to be stuck, and to follow a pre-ordained path for your artistry.

Also—

Once you’ve become successful in your given domain of art, not to stay there and sit on your laurels. Instead, using that opportunity to double-down on your creative innovation.

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Art photography — photography that doesn’t need to be “realistic”. In some ways, disdains “realism”.

Also the childlike joy of making images for fun — for the sake of it!

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Something which is very elusive for us artists and visual artists:

The desire to capture or create the visual sublime in our images and art work!

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To think about photography composition — studying musical theory is useful. The repetition in a song, and the visual repetition in an image — this makes for an interesting photograph.

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Something which I contemplate on much:

What is the psychology of the photographer-artist?

In other words:

Why do we photograph? Why do we get so much joy from photography? What makes our psyche as photographers unique from others?

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A random thought:

Assuming that meeting our basic human needs is easy, then perhaps the best way to harness our human metabolism is towards artistic and creative ends?

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I recently saw this photograph by my friend Jun Goodhouse Kim, and felt it greatly stirring. It reminded me much of how I photographed my own grandfather’s funeral.

Jun then told me that his GRANDFATHER series was actually in-fact, motivated by my project and experience. Jun told me that seeing my original Grandfather project gave him the motivation and strength to pick up the camera, to document it.

I was really touched by his original article on photographing his grandfather’s funeral and his relationship to his grandfather. Being a fellow Korean-American, it spoke deeply to me:

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If the purpose of life is to create, then the question:

How does one create *MORE*?

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To photograph simply for the sake of it; this is sufficient!

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Creativity — the desire, propensity, and guts to create, innovate, experiment, and try new things. To attempt new uncharted paths, territories, and to use all the creative tools in your creative toolkit to make in a fun and “iterative” manner:

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To concern ourselves with only artistic and photographic matters … isn’t this the most beautiful, joyful and creatively flourishing life?

Something I think about a lot:

What are the ideal conditions for us artists to thrive?

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Prologue

As I contemplate my future and past, I think and reflect much on street photography. How much street photography has given and afforded me, how many new opportunities street photography opened up for me, and all the epic life journeys I’ve been able to experience through street photography.

As I start a very new exciting and brave new life in 2021, I wanted to use this chance to reflect on my past lessons, journeys and experiences and reflections in order to share them with you. My hope is that you gain some practical insight from what I’ve learned, and you can use these lessons to your own benefit and continue to pass them on to others!

ERIC
Providence, 2021

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As our best friend Steve Jobs once said:

To make something simple is insanely complex.

For example, why is Apple so great? Their products are simple. Everything is beaten to the rawest form and functionality (beaten with a ‘simple stick’).

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BE BRAVE
no need for you to behave
You gotta stay strong with yourself right now
Now not never, wherever the weather.

Be brave
You’ve stayed and paved your own path in life, beyond the plight and blights

Your future is bright and bold. You make your life— ignore what you’ve been told!

ERIC

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Many of us bemoan the fact of COVID-19. But my thought:

Right now is your uber-unique opportunity to document history in the making!

We might not have had the opportunity to shoot World War 1, World War 2, the Vietnam War, or any of the things happening in Europe during the days of Magnum (Robert Capa, Cornell Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson). But we have the chance to shoot this brave new COVID world!

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I’ve shot with all the cameras for street photography and I can confidently say that RICOH GR is the best camera for street photography. Why? Simple reasons:

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In street photography — best to shoot in such a manner in which you’re *not* hiding behind a bush, or not pretending to *not* be shooting photos. In some sense, to make it obvious that you’re shooting a street photograph of someone or your subject is more honest and genuine (ethics in street photography). Why? You expose yourself to the risk of the other — you shoot the scene knowing that your subject knows that you’re photographing them. As a consequence, street photography is one of the most difficult forms of photography but also one of the most rewarding forms of photography!

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What makes an “artistic” street photograph, and how can we make more artistic street photographs? Some thoughts:

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Dear friend,

With the new year is a new artistic and creative new you. Here are some very practical and pragmatic ideas I got for you:

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A series I started while in Vietnam, inspired by my ‘Learn from the masters of photography‘ is this — the ‘traditional’ masters of art (mostly painters). But still … hugely useful to study!

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What is artistic virtue-signaling? Simple:

When (pretentious) and petty (insecure artists) name-drop other famous artists of the past (hoping you don’t know who they are talking about), use obscure art terms, or other strange “art world” concepts to befuddle you, confuse you, make you feel small, and have them feel superior to you due to your lack of artistic knowledge, experience, or “in-speak”.

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On top of photography and visual arts, calligraphy is one of my huge interests and passions.

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To invest means to clothe yourself in financial security for the future. Or investing is the embodied hope for a more prosperous and beautiful future.

Many people invest for the future, but why doesn’t anyone invest towards the now?

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A thought while doing some calligraphy and studying some great calligraphy (Eulogy for Burying a Crane and the Art of Chinese Calligraphy)

With calligraphy, what makes a great calligraphy is emotion, dynamism, energy, force, and the “chi” of the artist.

With photography — precision is overrated. Emotional photography is the future.

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How does one become a more interesting and intrepid photographer? Simple — just take it photo by photo. Every new photo you shoot, keep, ditch, edit, upload, process, marinate, witness, remix, etc helps you self-develop further as a photographer visual artist.

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Just when I thought I got all of photography figured out, it still continues to surprise me.

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What keeps me going in photography? Simple — how joyful and beautifully simple photography can be, and the beautiful sublime images photography can produce!

As a visual artist, what am I hungry for? The visual sublime. To discover new art works which turn me on, excite me and fascinate me, and also for me to take my hand and to attempt to make my own art works which I consider visual sublime.

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Beyond philosophy, all I care for is art. Arts creation, artistic thinking, and anything to do with art.

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Why is it in modern times, to have “fun” is seen as bad and indecent? Perhaps it is a result of industrialization, the Protestant work ethic, and the thought:

Whenever you are *not* working and being “productive”, you’re actively sinning.

But has there been any philosophers or thinkers who have seriously thought about fun … as a good and productive thing?

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What is one of my personal ambitions and life-goals? To become the uber-photographer — the greatest embodiment of the photographer. Greatly prolific in my shooting, photography philosophy, approach, thinking, insight, innovation, entrepreneurship, and more…

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My friend Jeffrey Lam said it best:

ERIC, it seems that in life you optimize for “mindspace”, and you’re willing to trade money, convenience and other things to maximize your mindspace.

I agree. For me, the best mind (or my own optimal mind for myself) is mostly via negativa: I want *fewer* worries, cares, and needless thoughts in my mind. I want to have a crystal clear mind — to gain a more clear picture of things and the world. Clairvoyance — clear vision is what I desire.

And what to do with this clear mind?

Let interesting innate thoughts and ideas come to me, to speak to me, in order for me to focus on my creative “ideation”.

And these more interesting ideas and thoughts — I desire to meditate, think on them, marinate them, and eventually write about them and share them with the world!

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Culture as anti-individual. Culture says you *should* do x, y, z and actively *discourages* you from self-experimentation, self-discovery, and trying to learn things empirically (based on your own life experiences).

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