December 2021

Social media creates a box for you to fit into. You must cut off your limbs in order to fit into the box, rather than figuring out to create a new box to fit your own pre-existing self.

Or another consideration, instead of finding a shoe and then trying to force your foot to fit into it, isn’t it better to determine what your foot shape is, and then find the ideal shoe for it?

For example, I have wide feet. Most shoes are narrow. Therefore instead of trying to find a narrow shoe that fits me, isn’t it better for me to just look for wide shoes?

Specifically, the Roma Norte neighborhood.

Mexico City is a perfect cityRead More »

Personally speaking, I think I made it. I have achieved practically all of my life goals which I set out for myself, and now, what next?

The best answer I have thus far is focusing on philosophical introspection, openness to new experiences, creating photos and artwork, and sharing ideas with others.

…

Mexico City Visual Diary 2021 ERIC KIM // #muteRead More »

Don’t do movements which cause you pain. Your body is wise. For me that includes dips and one-legged pistol squats.

For example, the reason I don’t take painkillers is because I try to figure out what caused my pain, and remind myself– don’t do that in then future!

I also wonder–

If we avoided that which caused bad pain … this was a wiser way to live than do what makes you ‘feel good’.

If you have back pain from sitting all day, perhaps this means this is your time to start doing a standing desk. Or at least get up and move. Pain can be a motivator for movement rather than thinking (because I am in pain, I should *not* move) whereas in fact, sometimes —

I am in pain, which means I *should* move!

Also a thought regarding people. If you have bad feelings or vibes from people, or if you get some sort of ‘social pain’ from certain individuals, perhaps also best to avoid them. Individuals can also be toxic.

And this is why Instagram is lame.

To expedite your workflow, I suggest to look at all your photos as small thumbnails (contact sheet), and just favorite the ones which ‘pop out at you’ (when seen small). Favorite them, and export them, and re-inspect them later. Much faster than looking at each photo full-screen, one by one.

The best street photographer as maximally extroverted, gregarious, and interested (and interesting) to others.

Or in other words, don’t be a ‘stealth’ or a ghost street photographer (like Henri Cartier-Bresson). Better to be a William Klein (interacting, engaging with others and strangers). This is the best way to impute your soul into your street photos!

For me, the joy of photography is my personal curiosity of how certain scenes will manifest as photos.

Also the joy when you’re looking through your photos, and you re-remember certain happenings and joys.

I am more interested in the making of, the ‘behind the scenes’, than the final product.

Why? When I see people behind the scenes, or a work behind the scenes, I get inspired by the working process, and can apply that inspiration and motivation to my own work!

For example as a photographer, show more photos of yourself and your own life.

The goal isn’t for you to work out for the sake of working out. To work out is not a duty, or a goal. Instead, the best way to think about it:

When you power lift, or attempt to lift a weight, it is more about testing your strength, and fulfilling the curiosity of your strength, rather than working out for the sake of working out.

Testing your strength vs “working out”Read More »

Your task as a photographer:

To re-interpret, and re-imagine, and re-explain the world, via your photos.

As photographers, we are not magicians. It is impossible to know with 100% accuracy what your photo will look like until *AFTER* you’ve shot it.

Thus —

When you see something which interests you, just shoot it, and shoot it a lot (at least 10 photos of it).

Then AFTERWARDS you will discover how it manifested as a photo.

Like Garry Winogrand said:

“I photograph the world to see what the world looks photographed.”

Photographs of the world (embodied reality) manifest themselves *DIFFERENTLY* as photos. Therefore consider our own photos as an artistic interpretation of the world!

If you have a certain problem, and you think money can solve it, spend a lot of money on it. No need to be frugal, if anything— to become less frugal in important matters is a good thing.

It doesn’t need to be “original”, just new.

The life in which you’re just shooting street photography all day, just walking around all day, being outside and outdoors all day, is this the ideal lifestyle? To strive to walk at least 10 miles a day which is 20,000 steps a day, and shooting as many photos as possible during the day?

The best way to differentiate yourself isn’t what you own, do, or where. Instead, you best differentiate yourself what you don’t wear, but you’re not interested, what you don’t use, and what you’re not interested in.

Or another words, I’m more interested in meeting photographers who don’t have an Instagram, instead of the photographer who has 1 million followers.

Assuming to be human is to walk, then everything we do, the things we wear, and our lifestyle should be optimized for walking.

We often plan to much for the future. However this is what I have discovered: better to figure out the best plan of action once you get there, rather than in advance.

Certainly there are certain places which are more conducive to photography than others. For example, if you’re passionate about street photography, typically more urban cities tend to be better for street photography.

But a thought while traveling, here in Mexico City: perhaps finding the perfect place to photograph isn’t the goal. Rather, using the creative constraint of where you already are, and become a great photographer nonetheless.

Or in other words, better to be a Mazda Miata than an American muscle car. Also, better aspire towards the Doryphoros physique over the modern American bodybuilder type.

For our body physique, better to aspire to have a smaller waist line, less body fat. Having to self-restraint not eat breakfast or lunch, no carbs. no starchy vegetables. Having courage to leave food on the plate, which doesn’t suit your palate or your physique. Being less money conscious.

For a long time, I have inspired for the perfect. The perfect physique, the perfect clothes, the perfect lifestyle, the perfect life, the perfect tools, and the perfect city and neighborhood, and the perfect home to live in.

But what I have discovered, is that perfect as a trap. For example, I have discovered the perfect city, which is Roma Norte and Mexico City. Yet once I discover perfect, it no longer interest me. I want to move on, and do or experience something else, something new.

Something i’ve learned with my photography: when in doubt, shoot more photos. Especially with your photography, there’s really no downside to shoot extra photos. Especially if you shoot small JPEG, allow yourself to see more photos of the scene.

For example, upon reviewing some of my recent photos, I only shot two or three photos of the scene. And didn’t get the shot. I should have taken at least 10 to 15 photos of the scene instead. maybe it is better to shoot 10 times more photos of the scene than you think you should, in order to get the perfect photo.

Even as a fun photography assignment, whenever you see something interesting, force yourself to shoot at least 10 photos of each scene.

SHOOT MORE PHOTOS OF THE SCENE.Read More »

The best outfit — the outfit in which you can deadlift anywhere, at any times notice.

Like “athleisure”, but more. “Powerleisure” is what I call it (powerlifting plus leisure clothing).

This is, simple merino wool t shirt (no clothes which restrict your movement). Merino wool leggings, paired with shorts. Flat sole minimalist “shark shoes” (water shoes).

Do not concern yourself so much whether your photos are original or not. Also, do not worry if you’re copying someone else’s style or not. In fact, photographs are copies. Copies of embodied reality. Therefore as photographers, we are copy machines.

In order to do more photography, or street photography, or to think more, become happier and more productive, just keep walking. The more steps the better.

Never Stop WalkingRead More »

When we often want to buy something, and we don’t buy it, we probably don’t really need it. Thus I said just buy it as late as possible. If you really need it, you’ll just buy it.

Perhaps rather than having Brand New shiny clothes, better to have worn and tattered clothes with holes, stitches, and patches. A more worn in, Wabi Sabi look, which shows your experiences on your clothes. Clothes which show patina as more interesting and beautiful.

How do we artists innovate? By experimenting with aesthetics, and striving to create a new aesthetic. Or a new way of interpreting and expressing the world.

For example, my aesthetic innovation of making photos as dark as possible.

Shomei Tomatsu, Eikoh Hosoe, and more:

Japanese Photographs I LikeRead More »

This is perhaps why I like street photography so much: it gives you the social adrenaline. Also, powerlifting. Perhaps what it means to be an extrovert as somebody who needs more adrenaline than average person.

It’s hard to *not* be inspired to make photos while here!

Mexico City is Photo ParadiseRead More »

What is the best mind? The most empty one. The more empty your mind, the more open your mind, the more interesting and unique ideas can come into your mind. Thus, it seems the wisest strategy is to optimize our mind for mind space.

Therefore as a general life strategy, rather than seeking to intake for information, strive instead the opposite: to remove more information from your mind.

More effective to unlearn than to learn. More effective to get rid of superstition than to add knowledge and wisdom. For photography art, aesthetics and design, most effective to subtract than to add.

Just strive to make the “minimum viable image”. In order to do this, shoot with the smallest JPEG setting possible, shoot black and white, and when you’re composing and framing, get closer and fill the frame with it. Also, minus exposure compensation to show less detail. Make your photos as minimal, as dark as possible, and as simple as possible. With the least amount of detail as possible.

Deeper integration with nature, more natural light. More innovative lighting design, exposure to the public. Blurring of indoor and outdoor, and blurring of public and private.

The priority is pedestrians, not cars. In fact, the ideal future design is where you don’t need or want a car. The ideal future design of a city encourages at least 20,000 steps a day.

Future design as being more minimalist, with the most superior and supreme materials. Material innovation as the thing of the future. For example, future footwear with more use of Gotetex, and also more durable materials, but lighter.

Industrial design: greater use of materials like stainless steel, aluminum, and carbon fiber.

With our homes, greater use of Wabi Sabi wood, glass, and stainless steel.

Future DesignRead More »

Then perhaps just share your enthusiasm and thoughts with others?

The source of all of our intelligence, or bodily wisdom, and what does it mean to be human? To walk. To be bipeds.

Therefore, the most important shoes are the ones that motivate you to walk and move, and cause as little pain as humanly possible. Typically this means the more minimalist, the more barefoot, the least amount of padding. Zero drop.

Water shoes tend to be good. I’m also interested in the minimalist sandals from Xero.

One of the things I love most in my current Airbnb apartment in Mexico City is the massive floor to ceiling windows. Which allow in a massive amount of natural light.

I’m so surprised just how much it improves my mood, my energy, and my overall gratitude to life. Now I understand why so many ancient religions consider the sun as God.

Why is Natural Light So Great?Read More »

As opposed to going endlessly shopping, striving to find the perfect product that perfectly fits your needs.

Why I prefer Japanese photographers over western or American photographers: Japanese photographers focus more on soul and emotion, whereas American and western photographers focus too much on technical aspects.

Good Japanese photographers to study include Shomei Tomatsu, Daido Moriyama, Araki, Eikoh Hosoe.