ERIC KIM

How to Gain More Pride in Your Photography

NEWSLETTER

What are we lacking in today’s world as photographers? Pride. Pride in ourselves, and pride in our photos:

How to Gain More Pride in Your PhotographyDownload

Pride is not a vice

hand bath seneca

Modern day morality says:

To have pride is evil and a vice.

However I say the other–

Pride is a virtue.

What does it mean to be ‘proud‘?

If we think about the old English notion of proud, it means ‘arrogant and haughty’. However in the Latin (prode) means ‘useful’, and comes from the Latin ‘prodesse‘ (to be of value).

And even deeper:

Proud comes from (pro + sum) which means ‘I am’.

So the question — is it possible to see yourself of value, and without having to compare yourself to others, and to just exclaim to others:

“I am”?

Valuable, for what or whom?

Another thing about modern society:

To be beneficial to the masses, the herd or the collective is seen as good, but to be beneficial to yourself is seen as evil.

Consider the notion of being ‘selfish’ as being synonymous with being ‘evil’.

However I say:

You must seek to benefit yourself with your own photography.

How does photography benefit us?

Simple thoughts:

  1. Memory recollection: I see photos of Seneca when he was a newborn and now, and there is a profound sense of joy to see his growth over time.
  2. Arts creation: There is also a joy for us as creators to create. To give birth to art works (photos) brings us inner joy. It is a sign of the superfluous joy and strength we have in life, and to deify reality as beautiful and worthy.
  3. The joy of sharing our photos with others: To share photos with others is important. The more important thing — with whom do you care to share your photos with?

How to gain more pride in your photos

  1. First, seek to benefit yourself with your photos. THEN share those photos with others.
  2. Own your own domain: You are the domain master. Make your own website domain (bluehost.com and 1and1.com) and use your first and last name.com. For example, erickim.com or erickimphotography.com. And make your own self hosted blog (wordpress.org) and disable metrics (views, followers, likes, etc). This will make you more robust to the opinion of others.
  3. Look at your photos today, and ask yourself– do I see growth and evolution for myself as a visual artist over time? In other words, only compare your photos today to your photos from last year.

Self-growth is our goal in photography. Self-pride in our photos.

Don’t stop shooting and thinking

  1. WHY APP? To figure out why you shoot photos.
  2. Share your best photos to arsbeta.com and also give real feedback to other photographers.
  3. Read books to stimulate your own thoughts.
  4. Delete instagram.
  5. Attend a photography workshop or online workshop to stimulate your learning.
  6. Shoot more, walk more.
  7. Publish your own photos to your own blog.

HAPTIC INDUSTRIES

Never stop shooting:

  1. CREATIVE EVERY DAY MOBILE [Print]
  2. MASTERS BOOK: Distilled street photography primer [Free EBOOK]
  3. Henri Wrist Strap [CREMA BROWN]
  4. MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER: Marketing, Branding, Entrepreneurship Principles For Success
  5. ERIC KIM CARRIER
  6. ERIC KIM NECK STRAP MARK II
  7. THE HENRI NECK STRAP

Discover more HAPTIC

Discover more on AMAZON >

Topics

  1. Equipment
  2. Street photography 101
  3. Motivation

More on blog

Turbo thoughts

  1. Aesthetics, Not Performance
  2. Investing Money in Yourself
  3. How to photograph boring things and make them look interesting
  4. What do you desire to become?

CINEMA

Some films to watch for motivation and inspiration:

  1. Fight Club
  2. Ninja Assasin
  3. 47 Ronin
  4. THE MATRIX

More cinema

If this inspired you, feel free to forward to a friend. Newsletter subscription link.