A thought today:

What percentage of us is biological and genetics, and what percentage of us is socialization?

A useful heuristic:

Study the masters of the masters you admire, in order to learn deeper.

When people say, “the camera doesn’t matter”, what they really mean to say is:

Your skill as a photographer doesn’t increase proportionally with the expense of your camera.

For example having a $10,000 camera won’t make me 10x skillful than if I have a $1000 camera.

So this is what I want to explain — how the camera matters in photography.

To ‘entertain’ literally means “to hold the attention” [of x].

Many of us like to be ‘entertained’ (by others). Generally speaking, entertainment is seen as a passive act.

My thoughts and questions:

Why do we get bored, and why do we want to BE entertained (passive receiving), instead of actively entertaining ourselves (by producing, making, and creating)?

You don’t take a photo, you make it (Ansel Adams)

Is your desire to spend more time with yourself and with your own thoughts, or to escape yourself and your own thoughts?

Dear friend,

If you want to make great photographs while elevating your photographic skills, technique, and artistic vision, I cordially invite you to my upcoming NEW ORLEANS Street Photography Experience (Feb 29-30th, 2020).

O yeah, and the FOOD, coffee, sights, culture, drinks, atmosphere (and beignet deep-fried donuts) are out-of-this-world!

Without art, there is no life.

The eternal joy of creation (and destruction), just like Heractlius‘ child — continually building sand-castles, only to break them down again, or let them wash back into the ocean!

In a world with Uber, and in a future of electric self-driving cars — what are cars for? Which cars are the best, and for what?

It isn’t about how good you are as an artist, all that matters is the quantum of creative courage you got!

Of course genetics exists. But the problem about believing too much in genetics is this:

We tend to believe that our future and fate is determined by our genetics. And that our genetics overpower our effort and willpower.

Let me share more thoughts with you:

A realization:

More effective to train for strength (powerlifting) and gain muscle as a consequence, than to strive to maximize muscle growth.

If you need the ultimate everyday “daily driver”, “daily carry”, and want to be inspired and motivated everyday to shoot new photos, RICOH GR III x ERIC KIM is the answer.

To buy stuff doesn’t take skill. It’s boring.

More fun, challenging, interesting and dangering to create, innovate, and produce.

In praise of “producerism”, not consumerism.

I think film will be around forever, and I’m very grateful for my experiences shooting film.

But at this point moving forward, “electric” (digital) cameras are the future.

The stoic motto—

There is no greater joy than being alive. All the “downsides” of existence are petty concerns.

The key to success in modern times:

Start your own (self-hosted wordpress.org) blog.

The biggest danger:

Indoctrination of certain beliefs, instead of being able to pursue your own (genius) artistic vision.

Instead, become an entrepreneur.

Why do nerds on the internet desire to setup walls, definitions, and modes of doing things?

Because they have no self-confidence in themselves and what they do.

Avoid ANY and EVERY photographer who seems spiteful, aloof, and pretentious. They’re probably hiding some hidden (and toxic) insecurity.

Don’t do anything in life you don’t care about.

And in terms of living your life, only do and pursue things you care about.

Go back to your 16 year old self, in terms of your visions, dreams, and things you cared for. Let this guide you!

(more…)

What makes a genius? I don’t believe that certain individuals are born genetically different from us, “born” to be geniuses. No–a genius is simply someone with monster-like courage, a relentless vision, and someone who is brave enough NOT to compromise their ideals.

When I was 20 years old, I discovered this camera called ‘Leica’. It was fascinating to me (Henri Cartier-Bresson shot with it, and many of the masters).

I had all these romantic notions of it, and my dream was to buy a Leica M9, and in 2011 I bought one (used). Since then I’ve tested practically all the Leica cameras, and I’ve also shot with a Leica M6 (thanks to my buddy Todd), and I also traded my Leica M9 for a film Leica MP.

Let me try to use this essay as the most honest appraisal I can have for the Leica camera (M-series), and Leica in general as a brand.

RICOH GR III FIRMWARE V1.30 Update available on their site!

A simple thought:

When making life choices, let your own fun-meter gauge your direction.

For example:

• Only do what is fun and interesting to you.
• Never do what is boring, uninteresting, or ‘meh’ to you.

A thought:

Perhaps we should think of the phone less as a camera, more of a productivity device.

Have the phone as a mini mobile computer, and your RICOH GR III as your standalone primary camera.

Whenever I meet people who are “Marxist”, super anti capitalist or anti system, yet watch Netflix, shop at Whole Foods, and order stuff on Amazon, I get super suspicious.

Personal reflections:

One of the cameras which is truly great is the older Leica M9. To me, it’s far more interesting, sexy, and beautiful than the newer Leica M240, and even the newest Leica M10.

Darker, stronger, more solid, simpler, and deeper black monochromes:

Of course you can photograph anything and everything. But here are some practical ideas:

In order to become more productive, maximize your physical and physiological strength.

Shooting for yourself, of yourself.

Feeding your ego is good. Ego literally means “self”. Don’t you respect, admire, and desire to glorify yourself?

Heraclitus notion:

You are always different, and the river is always different!

This means:

1. You can keep repeating the same thing over and over again, and not repeat yourself, because you and the circumstances will always be different.
2. In photography it is impossible to repeat yourself, even if you shoot the same places over and over again. The photons of light will always be different. Even the subjects you photograph, they are always aging (slowly dying), and the molecules of the world, others, and yourself is always changing.

Thus in photography: you never photograph the same thing twice (your subject and yourself is always different!)

At this point, I feel like a mini-master in street photography. Here is the advice I will give you on your personal journey:

My ongoing photography project on AMERICA — my home, my love, my country:

In photography we need a motivation, a spark, a DRIVE to make a photograph.

But what if there isn’t anything interesting to photograph? What if we aren’t motivated to make photos? Should we “force” ourselves to shoot, THEN find inspiration? Or should we just not make photos?

Or should we discover new ways of living in order to make photos? What is the philosophical under-pinnings of NOT being motivated to shoot?

The most important and only person to impress and surpass — yourself.

Seems like the same camera — with cosmetic and UI/UX differences:

My heuristic of whether a good is luxury or not:

If they call it “luxury”, it isn’t luxury.

For example:

Stereotype: a commonly held belief about a certain group of people.

Racism: belief in the inferiority of ability in a certain group or race of people.

For example, “Asian people are good at math” is stereotyping but not racist. “Asian men aren’t as confident as African American men” is racist.

“African American men cannot be as good at math as Asians” is racist. “African American men are good at basketball” is stereotyping but not racist.

Susan Sontag’s “On Photography” is one of the worst texts you can ever assign to an aspiring photographer, photography student, photography beginner, or lover of photography.

My critique:

I think Susan Sontag hates photography.

A realization:

Almost all photography is street photography.

Advice I wish I could have given myself, if I rebooted my entire street photography journey all over again:

The beauty of Tri-X 400 pushed to 1600 with yellow filter:

Photos you didn’t like in the past often get better with time.

To really get to know how you really feel about your photos, let them sit and marinate for a while.

For example some photos (film 35mm) from about 3-4+ years ago, which I didn’t initially like, but I really like now!

Long story short, iPhone Pro and noir is great. No third party apps— just the default iPhone Pro shooting in Noir filter mode, and later with some processing in the built-in Photos app:

Why I love monochrome:

To make more dynamic and interesting street photographs, shoot layers:

Before you travel to a new city for photography, how do you know whether to shoot color or black and white? My practical ideas:

What is your personal street photography philosophy?

I see myself more of a ‘sociologist with a camera’ than a ‘photographer’ or even a ‘street photographer’.

This is another angle in street photography: you’re a sociologist with a camera!

Photograph as if you were to live forever!

Practical ideas:

Yes.

What is the point of photography and art? My thought:

To make sublime (great) photos, which inspire and uplift the souls of future photographers.

Nietzsche was staunchly anti-vegatarian. And I’m sure if he were alive today, he would be (even more) staunchly anti-vegan. An interesting thing he said in one of his books were about philosophers having ignorance when it came to nutrition, history, and physiology.

How come there hasn’t been anyone to create a philosophy of nutrition, or essay the truths about nutrition? This is my attempt:

The word habit comes from the word custom, which comes from the notion of setting your own path or way (suesco in Latin).

Seek LEGEND
Legendary
Tarry your own way

LEGENDARY
You’re on the quest to become yourself
What path have you been dealt?
Which way will you go, when you don’t know which way is right?

The right way is through the fire and strife
The hard way is the better way
Where you can go hard and cray cray, and insane– direct brain.

No such thing as shame or guilt
Go hard in life
Full tilt

ERIC

To build upon FILM 101: I wanted to review Kodak Portra 400, my favorite 35mm color film:

We cannot deny:

Tokyo is one of the apex cities for street photography in the world.

Osaka as also a great place to travel, street photography, and living!

Compared to Kyoto, more “gritty”, more influence of hip hop culture, and the people are more ‘down to earth’ and warmer.

Kyoto is more ‘elegant’, Osaka is more street!

Kyoto — the ultimate city in terms of street photography, aesthetics, food, and living:

In a world where all cameras are good cameras, and we all have the tools of creation — what now?

My vision:

Photography has truly become an even playing field — it’s all about merit (effort+skill)— the perfect photographic meritocracy!

Do we believe in democratic photography — photography for all— photography for the masses? Photography that anyone, regardless of socio-economic class can access?