When everyone is going a certain way, go opposite.
Author: ERIC KIM
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Contingency & Extreme Buffer
With planning, schedules and the future, always plan for the tail events (contingencies) and always add extreme buffer in terms of time, money, plan/schedule etc.
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HOW I’M SO PASSIONATE ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY
It is the thing that no matter what, I always desire to do.
NYC PHOTOS BEATS BY KIM -
ORNAMENTATION IS A WASTE OF TIME.
Just picked up this fun LEGO Chess Set — and building the sides (ornamentation) — massive waste of time. I just want to quickly build the thing to start playing chess immediately!
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THE MOST INTERESTING WILL WIN.
Tesla as the most interesting car, Bitcoin as the most interesting crypto, and for you to win, YOU must become the most interesting person in your own category.
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In Praise of Sports Photography
‘Mobility and ease’ (Rodchenko). Also note how timing, anticipation and ‘the decisive moment‘ is equivalent in both sports photography and street photography.
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Ancient Role Models
The only and the best role bottles are ancient ones. For example the ancient Greek heroes. Hector, Achilles, Hercules, King Leonidas.
Modern day heroes: John Wick.
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Technology that helps you focus?
Right now the biggest problem is that technology distracts us. What if there could be certain technology that actually helped us focus?
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Traveling & Intermittent Fasting
Traveling is very good for intermittent fasting. A lesson learned:
You don’t need to eat every day.
You can eat every *other* day (48 hour fast) and not lose muscle mass. Too often than not, the fear of losing muscle mass or our ‘gains‘ drives our behavior when on the road. This is not good.
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How to Live Off the Grid
- No social media
- No email
- No gym membership (just workout at the park, or with a heavy 105 pound kettlebell at home, or in the garage)
- No subscription services (no streaming paid subscription services, any other annoying $10/month subscriptions)
- Don’t own a car (not having to pay for insurance)
- Don’t own a home
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The 3% Rule in Photography
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)!
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.
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.
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?
- You compose and frame it 3% differently
- The lighting conditions of the day will be 3% different
- Yourself (as a human being, photographer, creative individual) will be 3% different.
Upload your new photos
Upload your 3% ‘different’ photos there.
Conquer your fears and meet new peers
HAPTIC ON AMAZON
If this gave you any inspirational ideas, feel free to forward to a friend!
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OTTOWA THOUGHTS
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.
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On Traveling and Doing Photography With Kids
Travel very good for photography and kids:
Why?
- New environment very stimulating to kids (and adults)
- 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)
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FOOD IS YOUR STEROID.
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:
