To piggy back off of yesterday’s thought: Once you become a crypto billionaire, then what? My simple answer to that: For me, I already have everything I need. As long as I can continue to pursue photography with an earnest fervor, I’m happy.
As Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and other crypto technologies continue to rally, the thought that came to my mind: Once you become a Bitcoin or Crypto Billionaire, *then what*?
As photographers we don’t just make photos, we make stories:
In reverse chronological order. Life before Seneca Thien Anh Kim:
Witnessing the birth of my first child Seneca was the most phenomenal thing I’ve ever experienced — both in terms of seeing the pure strength, power and perseverance of Cindy, as well as the awe of life — How is it that the coitus between a man and woman result into a new life form,…
Contrary to popular wisdom, I feel there is a huge deficit of bloggers in the world. Too much information trapped on social media — not enough on independent self hosted blogs (WordPress.org). Why does the world need more bloggers? Diversity of voices. Your opinion is important and matters. And disregard this line of thought: What’s…
Street photographers as being one of the most versatile forms of photographers. Our ability to predict and anticipate the decisive moment, our ability to quickly capture these fugitive moments, our skills for edgy and beautifully complex and simple compositions (layers), and to not just take the traditional boring studio or sanitized family photos. Typically we…
Impact — how your photos affect and change and move people. Simple thoughts:
What are the best photos? The photos which boost your serotonin! Perhaps this can be a good measure of how we should choose, select, and edit our photos?
Contrary to what I’ve said in the past, the world wants your photos. To see, witness, experience and impact them. Your photos as having the potential to give others a serotonin boost!
The goal is to master photography:
I didn’t realize this until Seneca Thien Anh Hanul Kim came into the world: You cannot even imagine how much more massive future joy awaits you.
Domain expertise: What you are really good at, what you are the master (dominus) of. For me, it is certainly photography and blogging. Then the thought: Focus 90% of your efforts and skills on your domain expertise (the 90/10 principle), and for the other 10%, allow yourself to speculate on other (very uncertain, risky) ventures!
I am convinced: if you desire to maximize your photographic ability, you must get RICOH GR III. Why? Let me outline some thoughts:
Simple principle and idea: Focus 90% of your strength on your ‘archimedes lever‘ (what you are insanely good at, and what you *already* are doing to maximize your impact) and then use your superfluous 10% of energy and focus on very risky, uncertain entrepreneurial ventures to expand yourself. This seems to be the optimal way…
Recursive photo editing — this means: As you shoot new photos and create new photo albums, every once in a while go back to all the older photos, and make a newer (tighter) edit of your old photos, and make a new album of them.
Photographing the birth of my first child (Seneca Thien Anh Hanul Kim) as the most meaningful thing I’ve ever photographed (thus far). Some more thoughts:
Photography motivation: Having a motus and a motive to shoot. Motivus— a moving cause. To be “stirred” to do something. Motus— aroused, excited, impulse, passion, emotion, advance, progress.
Whatever your life story is, photograph it. Whether it be photographing a funeral or death, your wedding, or the birth of your child. No life story is less worthy than another. As long as it is your life story, it is worthy! ERIC
Simple nugget of a thought: Hard to know what we’re passionate about; easier to know what we’re *NOT* passionate about. A via negativa way of approaching things: Don’t focus on pursuing your “passion”. Perhaps more robust to simply AVOID anything you hate or you’re *not* passionate for! ERIC
On Feb 6th, 2:04am after an insane 52-hour labor from Cindy, Seneca Thiên Anh Kim was born into this world:
Far more interesting to pioneer your own philosophy than to mindlessly follow the (established) philosophies of others. This is why I like Nietzsche — he didn’t need to cleave to any philosophical sect or school of thought— he was brave enough to pave his own path. As a consequence his ideas are far more interesting…
COVID and the pandemic ain’t going away anytime soon. Then the thought: How can I still shoot street photography through this pandemic? Some thoughts: Shoot socially distant (6-12+ feet away) and keep a face mask on. Socially distant street photography. Shoot around the block, in downtown areas, when you’re going to the grocery store, etc.…
We are drawn to radical, extreme, and enigmatic individuals. For example, our interest in Steve Jobs (everyone always loves to call him an ‘asshole’ or ‘unnecessarily mean’, but nobody denies he was a genius). Same goes with Elon Musk — I don’t know 1 entrepreneur who doesn’t look up to him. Yet he gets soooo…
It seems right now the world is ablaze. Elon Musk tweeting in favor of DOGECOIN, the (even more) astronomical raise of Bitcoin (starting at nil, then to $300, to $1000, to $25,000, then crashing, then raising up to ~$50,000 territory). I then thought: Perhaps crypto-currencies and crypto-technologies are far under-rated and under-hyped. Let us think:…
Far more interesting to build your own photography social media service (through your website, blog, app, online app, service, etc) than to simply be a social media slave to Instagram–Facebook:
In Praise of Noise Cancelling Headphones: REVIEW of Bose 700 NC Headphones and “Dark Noise” app on iPhone/iPad: After extreme poor sleep at my new house (tons of street noise), I tried all these solutions, and discovered this insanely beautiful solution: Sleep with eye mask on, with earplugs in, with noise-cancelling headphones on top. I…
Principle of life: In order to make room for the new, we must delete the old. Delete your old files, your old memories, your old regrets. The old typically holds us back. Renewed faith in the new, novel, foreign, uncharted, and unexplored. In photography, the most beautiful thing as an empty SD card or empty…
Philosophical question: Why share your photos? Thoughts: A photo un-shared doesn’t exist. Photos should create some sort of impact in the viewer. Photography as social. It brings great joy for us humans to share. ‘If you care, share’. But can one ‘over-share’? Yes. But my new thought– when in doubt, share more. Why? We are…
Why do people buy Lamborghini’s, 1000HP+ hot rod gasoline guzzler muscle cars, silly expensive streetwear (Supreme) and overrated forms of luxury goods (Louis Vuitton)? Hype is a part of ‘irrational exuberance‘, first coined by Alan Greenspan. But this is the thing: Many ‘intelligent’ people think that it is ‘irrational’ that others act irrationally. However what…
Why is crypto so fun? The speculation:
Get free tips on ERIC KIM NEWSLETTER: Dear friend, One of the most elusive things in photography is staying motivated to make new photos. The more I think about it, the more this rings true — the goal isn’t to make perfect photos, but to constantly iterate (kaizen approach to photography — daily 1% gains…
Life is short. We will die, but you also live. Photograph for life, new life, and don’t delay. ERIC
Make an impact. Make a name for yourself. Be strong, insanely stubborn, and risk on with your photography, life, and entrepreneurial matters!
When it comes to photography the simple goal is this: With all of your artistic powers, knowledge and skill, strive to make the most beautiful photos possible. Beautiful aesthetics, light, and subject matter you consider beautiful!
What gives us the motivation of giving birth to new photos? The deep joy and gratitude of life, and the chance and opportunity to share and propagate that joy with others. The photographer as a propagator and promoter of an optimistic life philosophy.
What most benefits life? To create new life. To add to the chain of parenthood across the past, and to create new lineages into the future. In some ways, to create new life is the most ‘selfish’ thing you can do. Why? When you create new life it is simply an extension of yourself. To…
Life … the greatest joy known to man. You never were asked to be born, but now that you’re here… ask yourself: How can I benefit maximally from life and being alive, while clipping the downside?
When contemplating things in life, one of the primary questions to ask yourself; Why does this matter and why is it significant for me in a pragmatic, personal or philosophical way? For example in aesthetic matters; why does the color of your car, clothes, watch or iPhone matter? Think about the importance of things and…
In life, one of the greatest joys is to think. To think, to ponder, to question, and to write about your thoughts. Thus when in doubt, think more, think on, and challenge everything.
What holds us back in our photography? Paralysis by analysis when we don’t photograph something, with the fear that it might be a ‘bad’ photograph. My suggestion: It is better for you to shoot a ‘bad’ photograph than no photograph. Consider this the great motivator to shoot anything, anyone, anytime … and to maximally creatively…
When it comes to photography philosophy, there still isn’t enough introspection and thought on the matters: When should you *not* shoot photos of something and someone? When should you and should you *not* upload photos of something or someone … especially when it comes to matters of ‘permission’? If you find a photograph great, and…
Towards a non regret lifestyle and philosophy. Only moving forward, no looking back!
When we are bored of photography, does it mean we are bored of our photos, ourselves, or bored of our lives? And what can cure this boredom? Buying a new camera, iPhone or lens? Traveling? Stopping photography for a while? Studying things outside of photography? And is it a bad thing to get bored with…
We often think the best thing is to ‘always be doing something’. The phrase: Don’t just sit there … do something! Perhaps better to think: Better than just doing something for the sake of doing something … more wise to intentionally *NOT* do anything (the wisdom of purposeful procrastination). For example, by intentionally ‘doing nothing’…
Typically we are taught that pickiness is a vice, that we should be “grateful for what is given to us” and also to not be choosy. For when we are picky, we certainly make the lives of others more difficult. But what if pickiness and choosiness was a great virtue? That it makes us less…
Free ideas on ERIC KIM NEWSLETTER Photo ideas; from A to Z:
Why do you photograph and make photos?
Dear friend, When it comes to equipment, we always think: My equipment is not good enough. The reason why my lack of inspiration and motivation is because my equipment is sub-par. However this is just the insidious voice of capitalism and consumerism lurking in the back of our heads. Consider– a child … when they…