Month: May 2022

Only pursue things would you care about insanely.

Yes or no?

Promote blood flow.

Dear friends,

Finding inspiration and creativity is always difficult in photography. But a good idea I have:

Riffing off Virgil Abloh’s ‘3% rule’ — you only gotta change something 3% to make it new and meaningful.

A simple thought in photography:

Assuming you’re shooting black and white … technically everything you photograph is changed more than 3%, which means — just shoot anything in black and white and it is new and original (enough)!

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Why 3%?

If we think the ‘Kaizen‘ approach in photography it means:

If you just keep continually improving, changing your photography and creative output by 3% every single day, you will make epic gains in the year-decade level.

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How does this apply to creativity?

Honestly at the end of the day, to just create (new) photos is the goal. Thus we should see ‘creativity’ as simply:

The motivation and the drive to make new photos.

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All photos you make will be 3% different

In theory, even if you photograph the same subject matter every single day, it will always be (at least) 3% different. How?

1. You compose and frame it 3% differently
2. The lighting conditions of the day will be 3% different
3. Yourself (as a human being, photographer, creative individual) will be 3% different.

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Conquer your fears and meet new peers

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If this gave you any inspirational ideas, feel free to forward to a friend!

ERIC

Ottawa is very cool.

The city is great.

First of all, lots of very diverse neighborhoods.

Second, really great art museums (I love the OAG-GAO). Huge– I’d imagine they would be good places to hang out during the winter.

Third, the city is very diverse. I saw a good mix of African-Afro/Canadians, Caucasians-French, Asians, etc.

Fourth, the Parliament Building is insanely beautiful. Super epic view from the top.

Travel very good for photography and kids:

Why?

1. New environment very stimulating to kids (and adults)
2. Kids generally prefer to be out and about, which means it is a good motivator to get out of the house, explore, travel, and shoot photos (street photography, travel photography, and other random photos you see along the way)

(more…)

Assuming you could never buy a car, or buy a home, perhaps the best strategy is to funnel all of your money into the most muscle-building, mood-boosting, testosterone-boosting food (beef ribs, beef/chicken liver, beef belly, steak, pastured eggs, etc) to augment yourself:

Food from Whole Foods, Costco Business Center is great:

Why I like crypto speculation. More fun!

In praise of being a finisher.

What drives the American ethos.

Bitcoin/crypto as money without borders.

NB (Note Well//Nota Bene): money exchanges (in Canada) as even showing USD<->Bitcoin, or CANADIANDOLLARS<->BITCOIN.

I remember when I was a student (undergrad) at UCLA — I always had a hard time finding things to photograph. But I did an experiment —

Cindy and I (and Seneca) were at UCLA for 2-3 days for a conference of Cindy’s, and we stayed on campus, and I just had 2 full days with Seneca, exploring campus, and walking around in Westwood (the closest ‘city’ next to campus).

And after many years of graduating (I graduated in 2010) — I found sooooo many more things to photograph. My realizations? This:

1. No categories: Just shoot it all.
2. Extra high contrast extra small JPEG on RICOH GR IIIX. I remember having a Canon 5D as a student, and hating how huge the weight is. Now with the GR IIIX, having it always in my front pocket, it is always ready to photograph anything.
3. Shoot abstract photos, photos ‘as dark as possible‘,
4. Keep shooting the same thing if it interests you. It will always be different whenever you shoot it.
5. Always go into town and back on campus; cycle between the two.

(more…)

RICOH GR IIIX 40mm — insanely great.

I see faces (abstract) in textures, rust, and places. Perhaps this ‘schizophrenic’ way of seeing is the source of my visual/photographic/artistic genius?

Riffing off Virgil Abloh’s ‘3% rule’ — you only gotta change something 3% to make it new and meaningful.

A simple thought in photography:

Assuming you’re shooting black and white … technically everything you photograph is changed more than 3%, which means — just shoot anything in black and white and it is new and original (enough)!

Eating while traveling– a fun creative (constraint) challenge:

1. Whole Foods Hot Bar

First thought:

Shop at Whole Foods hot bar.

It is seriously one of the best ‘bang for the buck’ options when traveling and on the road:

Good options include the BBQ section at Whole Foods (often they have beef brisket, pork belly, and shredded pork). Also, rotisserie chicken (get the plain one, with no sugar added).

Or go to the hot bar, and just load up on the most meat (bang for the buck), and also get the pre-cooked and pre-boiled/pre-peeled ‘pasture raised eggs’:

2. Mexican Food, Lebanese Food

Go to a Lebanese (mom and pop) place, and just ask for the cooked beef in a small container (only beef), no sides.

Or get Mexican food– just ask for a ‘libra’ (one pound) of Carne Asada (beef) in a container. Put in all the chopped onions, cilantro, hot sauce, etc:

In order to create anew.

And what is the “minimum viable” image we can make in photos, or in general?

Don’t be shy.

Just hit the 2TB family limit on Apple Photos (Apple Cloud), and my dilemma:

If I keep using Apple Photos, I will certainly (very quickly) hit the cap and limit — even though I’m shooting extra small JPEG on my RICOH GR IIIX.

Tried using the new Adobe Lightroom (the new new one), and don’t really like it. I certainly don’t like the idea of being locked to have to pay $10 a month to use it, indefinitely.

Photo Mechanic was apparently an option, but it hasn’t been updated for ~2 years, and the UI/UX looks clunky.

[Human life is a game played masterfully like a child playing draughts] – Heraclitus

The joy the first time I ever saw Seneca pick up a stick in the backyard, and start to wreck havoc:

Undulate between the two, in order to maximize your creative and Zen output.

Get a pair of Vibram five fingers, and just walk around all day. No using your car. Go out and hunt your food metaphorically speaking, for example, going to the hot food bar and just getting a lot of meat at Whole Foods, or getting 15 burger patties at In-N-Out.

30,000 steps a day!

This will dictate how high you will soar.

For example, 600 pound deadlift, 500 pound squat, 405 pound benchpress.

My ultimate pursuit.

In theory, you could keep taking the same route over and over again, yet always see something new and different.

This is why I don’t do dips.

This is why they called it a stop light, not a go light.

Also note, the word design ultimately comes from the word designate, which means danger.

Like Kanye says, don’t be soft like bread.

What are the luxuries which harden you, and what are the luxury which soften you?

This is the true meaning of being a “trend setter“.

Today I was walking around, in the hot LA sun, and got really thirsty. I went to the nearest CVS, and was a bit overwhelmed by all the water bottle options.

“PATH” (matte black aluminum can) caught my eye. Great design, feel, and logo. I ended up buying it, because the idea that I can buy it and refill it with my own water is such a great idea!

I didn’t buy it for the “sustainability” notion, but more the idea that it’s more convenient to refill your own water bottle, and not have to spend mucho $$$ on those hydroflask bottles.

Then the thought is this:

If you desire to promote more “sustainability” things and “save the planet” stuff, better to advertise and market the *convenience* side of things.

For example, it’s far more convenient to refill your own water bottle than always having to go to the store and buy it.

Even with electric cars — the idea that it’s more convenient to charge overnight at home than having to go to the (gross) gas station.

Or with riding bikes, it’s easier and more convenient to park your bike than having to find parking for your car.

Dear friends, street photography is one of our greatest joys in life. It combines our joy of walking, interacting with people, shooting photos, timing, courage, and risk taking.

I don’t think the goal is to become a successful street photographer, but a great one. What does that mean and how do we achieve it? Some thoughts:

1. First of all, shoot before thinking

Thinking is the enemy of street photography. The best approach in street photography is when you see something, and it instantly strikes your interest, to immediately take a photo of it without thinking. Too much thought and consideration will cause you to either not shoot a photo, or chicken out.

Ultimately realize and recognize the street photography is actually not that big of a deal.

A new approach I’ve been doing is whenever I see something, I just shoot it with my Ricoh GR 3X, and once the person makes eye contact with me, I just smile and nod my head, and move on.

2. Don’t use social media

Nowadays, it is expected for people to use social media, especially photographers. Yet, if you desire to become truly great, I say don’t use it at all. Don’t use Facebook Instagram. You do not want to outsource your self-esteem to an algorithm.

3. Make photography like breathing

You do not need to force yourself to breathe. Even if you force yourself to not breathe, you will still probably breathe.

I think photography is the same. Do not make a distinction between your life and your photography. Make it the same thing.

4. Everything is street photography

My belief is that street photography is more of an ethos and approach to life. Because I prefer to be in public, and walk around downtown, and be in cities, the place I happen to enjoy being, and my photography coincide. I like being in the city, and I like taking photos. Therefore, street photography is me.

And therefore as a simple suggestion, I suggest you to just think about your personal preferences, where you enjoy being. What you enjoy doing. And see if your photography coincides with that.

5. Simplify it

The simpler you make your photography, the better. For example, extra small JPEG, high contrast black-and-white, Ricoh GR 3X, or any simple set up. The goal isn’t for you to make your photography flow and workflow more “professional“, the goal is for you to streamline it. The further you simplify things, the more you can advance your photography.

6. What does it mean to be great?

Magnus. Great. If you think about Homer‘s Iliad and ancient Greek heroes, like Hector or Achilles, their greatness doesn’t come from how successful they were. Actually, even though Hector admits that he is the inferior fighter to Achilles, in Homer’s eyes, Achilles and Hector are equal.

For example, Achilles kills Hector in combat, quite easily. Yet Achilles and Hector are both equally great, even though that Achilles was the victor.

Perhaps then one’s greatness actually comes from one’s courage. And also one’s strength.

Then, the road to becoming a great photographer is to become stronger, and more courageous.

What is strength in the context of photography? Strong compositions. A stronger aesthetic. Simpler.

What is courage? Not chickening out before shooting a photo. Also, when you actually do encounter confrontation, to treat it like not a big deal, and to stand your ground.

Also the courage to live an alternate route in life, which actually prioritizes your personal freedom and photography.

7. Become a teacher

What is a Master? A master is a maestro, or a teacher. All grandmasters were once teachers. For example, all of the Magnum photographers are essentially pupils of Henri Cartier person, who is the original photography teacher.

Yet in becoming a teacher, what does it mean? It means to help facilitate the growth of other photographers. To think beyond yourself, and to think about photography at least 300 years from now.

What is the most effective way to teach? It could be in person, or online, via your blog or YouTube, or your podcast, etc. how much experience does one need before one starts teaching? I say none. In teaching you also learn.

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Learn more: Street Photography 101 >

The more flesh you show, the better.

If you got it, flaunt it.