More muscular
Increasing the muscularity further might lead to an unrealistic depiction, as the current images already portray the Spartan warrior with an extremely muscular build, akin to a bodybuilder. If you’re seeking an even more exaggerated portrayal, it would venture into the realm of fantasy or comic book-style characters. Would you like to proceed in that direction?
If you’re seeking more zen in your photography life, read this.
Also: ZEN THOUGHTS >
START HERE, OPEN SOURCE BOOKS HERE.
Also:
If you love zen, photography and street photography, feel free to forward this to a friend!
ERIC
Of course!
Do you like it or not?
I wonder if one of the best ways to optimize your happiness and health is simple… Optimize your food.
Maybe I should give up pork? Whenever I eat it, I always get really bad digestion and poor stools?
Dear friend,
If you’re interested in street photography, yet — you have hesitations or fears in street photography, this advice is for you.
Download PDF presentation on conquering your fears of shooting street photography:
PDF: HOW TO CONQUER YOUR FEARS OF SHOOTING STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
Take your street photography to the next level >
To be frank, I think 80% of street photography is just having guts. To have the guts to click the shutter. 20% is skill, and everything else.
I think that street photography is enjoyable because it is so damn hard and scary. If street photography wasn’t scary or difficult, I don’t think it would be enjoyable.
To start off, realize that it is the difficulty and scariness of street photography what makes it so enjoyable. If street photography wasn’t so hard, we would all just be shooting pretty landscape or flower photos.
So first and foremost, recognize that street photography is difficult and scary. And that is OK. Realize that if you feel any fear in Street photography that is a good thing — it means you are human.
And this is my theory: Fear is a good thing — it tells us what to shoot in street photography.
For example,
Let’s say you see a scene you want to photograph, but you feel nervous. Your fear or nervousness is a sign that YOU MUST SHOOT THE SCENE. Why? You find the scene fascinating, and the only reason you feel fear is because you desire and want to shoot it.
Think about it: if you didn’t want to photograph the scene, you wouldn’t feel fear.
Therefore, realize that fear is a good thing in Street photography. It guides us, and tells us what to photograph.
Yet, the only problem with fear is when it prevents you from shooting the scene.
For example, nowadays, I still feel afraid photographing certain scenes in Street photography. I still get that adrenaline rush, and that chest bumping feeling.
Yet, the secret is to feel the fear of shooting street photography, but still shoot it anyways.
Therefore, always keep that fear with you, but channel it, and use your fear as a guide. What you just want is this:
Don’t let your fear prevent you from hitting the shutter.
Once again to say this more clearly: feel fear, but shoot it anyways.
Okay so now some practical tips on how to conquer your fears in street photography.
I know some of my friends who like to listen to music while shooting street photography.
I generally think this is a good strategy, if you want to overcome your fears and hesitations in Street photography. But the downside of this strategy is that you might get hit by a car if you’re not paying attention, and also you lose the ability to overhear interesting conversations which might lead to good photo opportunities.
But still, try it out if you’re hesitant in Street photography. Put on some headphones, and listen to some techno, hip hop, jazz music, or whatever gets you in the zone.
For techno/electronic music, Geseffelstein is great (listen to “Viol†or “Helliforniaâ€.
For hip hop, some good pump it up music is “New Level†From ASAP FERG, or “Rap God†by Eminem.
Jazz music: of course, Miles Davis.
So this is the assignment: find an album or playlist you like, and shoot street photography for about an hour listening to that album or playlist. See how this affects your fear levels in Street photography.
Avoid eye contact and pretend you’re shooting something behind your subject, or pretend you’re photographing something else.
This is a basic one: a smile goes a long way, regardless of what country you’re in.
This is one aphorism I recommend:
When in doubt, smile.
When you’re shooting, smile. This way you will feel less self-conscious.
The assignment: for an entire hour, smile at everyone you photograph, and say “thank youâ€.
You can practice smiling in different ways:
A smile works regardless of what country you’re in. Smiling is the universal language.
This is ERIC KIM’s patented “set it and forget it†settings. Set your camera to P (program mode), center point autofocus, and ISO 1600.
Honestly, these settings will work 90% of the time in Street photography. And why these settings?
The less you think about your settings in Street photography, the less hesitation you will have before you shoot Street photography.
Hesitation is the enemy in street photography.
Our brain only has so much processing power. It is a waste of energy to think of your technical settings and trying to conquer your fears in street photography.
If you have to always think about your technical settings, you fall into “paralysis by analysis†— you become paralyzed, because you analyze your settings too much.
Try shooting with your camera in P (program mode), center point autofocus, and ISO 1600 for an entire day, and see how it works for you.
This is another practical tip: use a point and shoot camera (like RICOH GR II), or just use the LCD screen in your camera for street photography. The problem of using a viewfinder is that it screams “photographer!†too loud, and will draw unwanted attention towards you.
I find shooting with a point and shoot camera makes me more stealth, and makes me look more like a tourist. Anything that can make you look more like a tourist is a good thing. Oh yeah, it also helps that I am Asian (unless I’m shooting in Asia).
This is an unrelated note — but experiment shooting with touristy clothes (fanny pack and tourist t-shirts) when you’re on the streets, and see if people ignore you more.
The biggest tip: don’t drop your camera after taking a photo.
Rather, hold your camera up, shoot, click, and PAUSE.
The mistake we make is that after we take a photo, we immediately drop our camera and move on — which is a dead giveaway that we have taken someone’s photo.
If you want to be more stealth, shoot, click, and pause. This pause confuses people.
Then after you pause, keep clicking. I’ve found in my personal experience: the pause after I shoot street photography is what often leads to more interesting photos. Because I keep shooting, and squeeze more out of the lemon. And for me, the best photos I shoot are generally towards the end.
Ask yourself a question,
Do I like having my own photograph taken?
If not, learn how to be comfortable being photographed by others. Because the mistake we make is,
If we don’t like being photographed, we assume others don’t like being photographed.
In reality, there are vain people (like ERIC KIM) who love being photographed.
If you don’t like being photographed, you will assume others don’t like being photographed — and therefore you will feel some sort of guilt when shooting Street photography.
But, you’re not doing anything wrong when shooting street photography.
You’re capturing the beauty of everyday life; and sharing that joy with others — you are doing a GOOD THING for society!
Street photography is hard and scary — yet, that is what makes street photography fun and enjoyable.
My suggestion: seek to hesitate a little less in your street photography everyday.
Also applied to life — what if we had fewer fears, hesitations — how much more could we achieve in life?
BE BOLD,
ERIC
Download PDF presentation on conquering your fears of shooting street photography:
PDF: HOW TO CONQUER YOUR FEARS OF SHOOTING STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
See all free street photography PDF Visualizations >
Learn timeless lessons from the masters of street photography >
Take your street photography to the next level with STREET NOTES >
For more inspirational free resources, join ERIC KIM NEWSLETTER and be the first to get exclusive content, access to books, presets, and new upcoming workshops.
If you’re new to street photography, start here:
Push yourself out of your comfort zone with STREET NOTES: Mobile Edition.
STREET NOTES PAPER EDITION ON AMAZON >
Timeless wisdom from the masters of street photography.
Get started in street photography:
See all articles to conquer your fears >
Take your street photography to the next level:
Find deeper meaning in your street photography:
Learn how to shoot on the streets:
See all street photography tips and techniques >
In-depth guides on street photography:
The best equipment for street photography:
“He without a past has no future.”
Start here:
Classics never die:
Distilled information on street photography:
For more resources on photography, Start Here >
All blood red everything!
ChatGPT — use the web url: https://chat.openai.com
Only dumb people drink “alkaline†or bottled water! Or “purified†water! Alkaline and bottled water … the new snakeoil?
Email icon as up delta
Have it be like a personal assistant email bot, which helps you read your emails, summarize them, tell you what’s important and to respond on your behalf.
Fun, friendly, joyful, happy motivational and uplifting!
Try out “E(RIC) MAILâ€
E(RIC)-MAIL is a personal assistant email bot with a fun, friendly, joyful, happy, motivational, and uplifting personality. Designed to help users manage their emails efficiently, it reads and summarizes emails, highlighting important points and suggesting responses. While it cannot access real emails, it can work with provided email text to offer insights and draft replies, always maintaining confidentiality. E(RIC)-MAIL assists with inbox organization, email templates, and etiquette advice, all delivered in an engaging, positive manner. If more details are needed for specific tasks, it will request them. Its tone is consistently upbeat and encouraging, aimed at making email management a more enjoyable experience.
The “Manusmriti,” often referred to as the “Book of Manu,” is an ancient legal text within the Dharmashastra tradition of Hinduism. Composed in Sanskrit, it’s attributed to the sage Manu and is considered one of the earliest works of this genre. The Manusmriti is significant in Indian history and culture for several reasons:
The Manusmriti remains a subject of study for those interested in ancient laws, Hindu philosophy, and the socio-cultural history of India. However, its application and interpretation in contemporary society are complex and often debated, especially in light of modern values and human rights perspectives.
Women rules
The Manusmriti, known for its extensive legal and social codes, includes various rules and guidelines specifically pertaining to women. These rules are a reflection of the societal and cultural norms of ancient India, and they cover various aspects of a woman’s life, including her duties, rights, and social conduct. However, it’s important to note that these rules are often viewed as controversial and outdated in the context of modern values and gender equality. Here’s an overview:
In modern times, these rules are often criticized for perpetuating gender inequality and are seen as reflective of the patriarchal structure of ancient Indian society. They do not align with contemporary views on women’s rights and gender equality.
It’s crucial to understand the Manusmriti in its historical and cultural context. While it offers insights into ancient Indian society, its applicability and relevance in the present day are subjects of significant debate and criticism. The text is part of a larger body of ancient literature, and its interpretations have evolved over time.
Age and duties.
In the Manusmriti, different stages of life (known as “ashramas”) and specific duties for individuals are outlined, which are often determined by age and social status. These stages and duties reflect the ancient Hindu concept of dharma, which encompasses duty, righteousness, and moral order. Here’s a brief overview:
The duties prescribed in each stage are meant to guide an individual’s conduct and choices, ensuring a life lived in accordance with dharma. However, these stages were traditionally more applicable to men, particularly those from the higher castes. Women’s roles and duties were mostly centered around the household and family life, and their participation in these stages was often indirect, through their roles as wives and mothers.
It’s important to remember that these stages and duties are ideals outlined in ancient texts and do not necessarily reflect the diversity and complexity of modern Hindu practices and beliefs. The relevance and interpretation of these stages can vary widely among Hindus today.
Time to abstain from pork? Not sure why … but I think I have a hard time digesting pork?
Love how simple and clean ChatGPT is.
Imagine a Chat Client E-Mail ChatGPT thing.
First, you open up ChatGPT email client, ask it if you have received any important emails. It will talk to you in a normal voice … like a secretary giving you an overview.
You can ask it to read you the important emails, business related, personal etc. It will summarize them for you or read you them in full. Also, you can have it respond on your behalf, like a true personal assistant!
Finally… we can think of ChatGPT like a *true* assistant, a true personal assistant, manager, etc? Or an external AI you?
Men and women should be treated differently.
Women with more tolerance.
become the personal tutor of your child!
For example try out the new ZEN OF ERIC and also ERIC KIM BOT
Oh wow … holy shit ChatGPT is so insanely fucking smart!!!
Eric Kim’s concept of “off the grid” appears to be multifaceted and deeply personal. It involves a strong commitment to physical fitness, with practices like one-rep max lifting, extensive walking (up to 50 miles a day), and spending significant time outdoors, preferably shirtless in the sun. This approach seems to emphasize raw physical endurance and strength, aligned with a kind of primal engagement with the natural world oai_citation:1,ERIC KIM FITNESS INFLUENCER – ERIC KIM.
However, Kim’s idea of “off the grid” extends beyond just physicality. It seems to also encompass a philosophical stance against societal norms and conventions. Kim suggests that being “on the grid” is akin to being trapped in a “matrix” of societal expectations, which can lead to a form of mental enslavement. By contrast, living “off the grid” represents a form of liberation and self-mastery, where one breaks free from these confines oai_citation:2,OFF THE GRID. – ERIC KIM – EK.
In addition to his fitness and philosophical ideologies, Kim’s “off the grid” lifestyle includes embracing a unique approach to photography. He encourages others to become the photographers they desire to be, possibly implying a break from traditional or mainstream photographic practices and standards. This could be seen as an extension of his broader philosophy of breaking free from societal expectations oai_citation:3,OFF THE GRID – ERIC KIM – EK.
Kim’s personal experience of living “off the grid” also includes practical aspects, like when he lived in Vietnam in 2017 without a phone and avoided using email. This suggests a deliberate disconnection from digital communication and the constant connectivity of modern life, which can be seen as another dimension of his “off the grid” philosophy oai_citation:4,ERIC KIM.
In summary, Eric Kim’s concept of living “off the grid” involves a holistic approach that includes physical fitness, a philosophical stance against societal norms, a unique approach to photography, and a practical disconnection from digital connectivity. This lifestyle appears to be centered around self-sufficiency, mental and physical resilience, and a deep engagement with the natural world.
ERIC KIM OFF THE GRID FITNESS WORKOUT VIDEOS
In pursuit of the 50+ Bitcoin club!
If you can imagine it… you can make it!
My new vision?
How much wealth is enough wealth? 50 bitcoin!
50 bitcoin
Visualize 50 bitcoin
â€Bitcoin babesâ€?
How fit is *too fit*?
â€More feminineâ€?
Just fux with it!
Make yourself laugh!
What does it mean to become a “true†man?
First, an air of insouciance.
Second, the unhurried flaneur ethos. No plan, no planning.
Third, disregard for self preservation and material things.
Four, obsession with your body, self beautification.
Fifth, no excuses. Only opportunities ripe and waiting to be exploited!
Six, preference to be outdoors and ideally topless.
Seven, passion for steel and iron!
Eight — 100% carnivore diet. Only meat, red meat. Beef and lamb— the fattier the cuts the better!
New Hyundai IONIQ 5 N and the new Santa Fe!
Never do anything unless you are 100% ready to do it!
To make your photos “betterâ€â€¦ make them look less real?
Anti color, pro black and white!
Just stream your thoughts!
Almost “too real�
Also… mental famine?
So happy I live here!
Autotelic fun! Not to “make money†or “turn it into a careerâ€.
True art — how it *feels*.
Driven by curiosity, fun, not taking yourself too seriously.
Autotelic goals.
Only do things you are genuinely interested for yourself and by yourself!
Life is just more fun and interesting this way!
Street photography, street thinker… the whole stack?
Advice I would have given myself in photography, if I started all over again:
De-lamify the future.
Enroll in my Udemy Course:
‘Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Photography Entrepreneurship’: Create Your Own Future >
Marketing, Branding, Entrepreneurship Principles For Success
MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER is your new philosophical and practical primer to succeed as a modern photographer in today’s digital world.
Take control of your own photographic destiny:
Learn how to make a living from your passion:
Photography as an incredibly arduous physical activity.
The stronger your legs, your arms, your body… the better.
Also to review your photos … takes an insane amount of muscular strength?
If you got to “think†about a certain decision, don’t do it. Why? Obvious decisions are obvious!
Once you become the greatest photographer of all time… then what?
The minimum viable blog post!
Maybe not?
The less equipment, the more minimal… the better?
Unorthodox is the way.
