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Have you ever photographed at your lowest?
Have you ever photographed at your lowest?
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Category: Philosophy
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You Are Blessed
“Blessings on blessings on blessings. Look at my life man, that’s lessons on lessons on lessons.†– Big Sean (Blessings) Man, we are so blessed. We have so many blessings in our life. We have blessings on…
/ Philosophy
The Photographic Rat Race
They often call the business world the “rat race.†The concept is that we are all like rats on a spinning wheel— trying to earn more money, trying to earn more advancements, trying to…
/ Philosophy
Ignore Everybody Else
I think one of the most difficult things in the modern world is to ignore what everyone else is doing, and focus on what you are truly interested and passionate about.
/ Philosophy
How to Find Your Passion in Photography
pas·sion: A strong amorous feeling or desire; love; ardor. From the Latin word “patiâ€, which means to ‘suffer.’ We are often told in society “follow your passion†— and I do believe that concept…
/ Philosophy
How to Die Without Regrets
Dear fellow streettog, I want to live my life to the fullest. I want to die without regrets. Often I piss away my days, live a life according to the opinion of others, and…
/ Philosophy
The Things that Matter Most
Original post from Nick’s blog. Looking Back on Life So it’s that time of year again when I look at my life and all of the things that I’ve accomplished, or in my case, haven’t.…
/ Philosophy
The Point Isn’t to be a Good Photographer, But to Enjoy Life
Dear friend, I wanted to write you this letter on photography and life. I just finished an epic week-long street photography workshop here in New Orleans, and it was an absolutely incredible experience. I…
/ Philosophy
The Simple Things
A post taken from Josh’s blog. He doesn’t always say much, but like this post talks about, simple things are sometimes good ones. Enjoy. The end of a long weekend. I used to travel…
/ Philosophy
How Much is Enough?
How much is enough? How much is superfluous in life? What is excess baggage that holds you back? What are some demons from your past and mental baggage that holds you back? What are…
/ Philosophy
Ignore the Barking of Dogs
Dear friend, I wanted to give you some advice on bouncing back from negative and debilitating experiences when you’re shooting street photography.
/ Philosophy
What is Your Dream?
About a month ago I gave a talk on street photography at EyeEm headquarters in Berlin. During the question and answer session, there was a member in the crowd who asked me the question:…
/ Philosophy
Why We Should Embrace Beginner’s Mind in Photography
“If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything, it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few. †―…
/ Philosophy
You Live in a Paved Paradise
Dear friend, I’m currently sitting at my desk, facing outside. There are beautiful trees, a soft breeze, the sound of birds chirping. I have a “HappyLight” on my left (which helps me wake up…
/ Equipment
2 Lessons Tennis Has Taught Me About Photography and Life
Dear friend, I want to share a story with you. It is an important life lesson that I learned from Greg Lowe, my tennis coach from high school. Okay let’s start from the very…
/ Philosophy
You Only Live Once
Dear friend, You might have heard the term “YOLOâ€, which stands for “you only live onceâ€. However I think most people misconstrue the word. They think that it means to live a life of…
/ Philosophy
On Killing the Ego
Dear friend, I have a problem I need to share with you: I have a huge ego. I love compliments, I love external validation, and I absolutely hate being criticized, judged, or ignored. Recently…
/ Philosophy
Cultivate Your Own Garden
Dear friend, I want to share some meditations and thoughts that are currently on my mind– and perhaps tell some stories. Thank you for being a good friend and listening :) Okay, so I…
/ Philosophy
Having No Choices is the Ultimate Freedom
Dear friend, I want to tell you the exciting start of my day today. I want to share with you as vividly how it felt, and what is on my mind. I woke up,…
/ Philosophy
Don’t Be a Slave
Read as a Google Doc (feel free to suggest edits), or download and print out the PDF. — I am a slave. I am a slave to others’ opinions of me. I am a slave…
/ Philosophy
On Positivity and Street Photography
Read as a Google Doc or download as PDF. — There is so much negativity and bullshit out there in modern life. I always hear people bitching and moaning about the difficulties of their…
/ Learn From the Masters
On Searching for the Maximum
Read as a Google Doc. — “Over the last 10 years, what has interested me in taking photographs is the maximum — the maximum that exists in a situation and the maximum I can…
/ Philosophy
On the Shortness of Life
Read this article as a Google Doc (would love your comments/edits), download and print as a PDF, as an .epub (e-reader), or .mobi (for Kindle). I also recommend reading the original: “On the Shortness of…
/ Philosophy
On Feeling Inadequate as a Photographer (and the Worst Sony A7R II Review Ever)
This article is written by Neil Ta, originally posted here. The views posted here are his and his alone and may or may not be shared by Eric or any other contributors to the website.…
/ Philosophy
Small is Beautiful
Read as a Google Doc or PDF. — Dear Friend, I wanted to share with you some thoughts that are on my mind: The first thing that came to mind: “small is beautiful.†So…
/ Philosophy
How to Love Your Haters
Read as a Google Doc or download as PDF. — Dear Ming, I wanted to write you this letter regarding all the trolls and “haters†you have been getting over on your blog. I…
/ Philosophy
On the Emptiness of Social Media Fame
Read as a Google Doc or download the PDF. — Dear friend and fellow streettog, I went to sleep last night, and woke up this morning in beautiful Leeds, England, and suddenly this story…
/ Philosophy
Photography (and Life) is About Subtraction, Not Addition
Read this article on Google Docs or download as a PDF. — I believe photography (and life) is more about subtraction (instead of addition). I’m re-reading “Antifragile†by Nassim Taleb, and his chapter on “Via…
/ Philosophy
How to Be Happy in All Circumstances in Photography
(You can also read this as a Google Doc, or PDF) Dear friend, I just finished reading a book by Roman philosopher Epictetus, titled “Of Human Freedom.†It got me thinking a lot about…
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Desire the Life You Already Have
“One should not spoil what is present by desiring what is absent. Rather, realize that what we have were among the things we might have prayed for.” – Epicurus (via the “Epicurus reader“) I’m…
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“Letters from a Recovering Camera Addict†Step 2: The Pact
This article is written by Josh White, originally posted here. The views posted here are his and his alone and may or may not be shared by the website as a whole ;) Disclaimer:…
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“Letters from a Recovering Camera Addict” Step 1: Admission
This article is written by Josh White, originally posted here. The views posted here are his and his alone and may or may not be shared by the website as a whole ;) Hi.…
/ Philosophy
Try it Out For Yourself
Recently I got my laptop stolen in Paris from my backpack. It kinda sucked, but the “blessing in disguise†was that I was able to replace my (slightly) aging 11’’ Macbook air (2012 model).…
/ Philosophy
Free E-Book: Zen in the Art of Street Photography
Dear streettogs, I hope you enjoy a new free ebook: “Zen in the Art of Street Photography.” This is a compilation of all of my favorite articles on Zen, Taoism, Buddhism, gratitude, and other…
/ Philosophy
The Only Way to Become Indifferent to Criticism: Become Indifferent to Praise as Well
I love attention. I hate criticism and negativity. I want everybody to love me, to love my photography, and my writing. Contrary to popular belief, I actually have very thin skin when it comes…
/ Philosophy
Seek Progress, Not Perfection in Your Photography
I just finished reading a new book titled: “Becoming Steve Jobsâ€, which is a new biography on the life of Steve Jobs. I also read the other (more famous) Walter Isaacson biography: “Steve Jobsâ€,…
/ Philosophy
How Has This Negative Experience Made You Stronger as a Street Photographer?
It is inevitable. Sooner or later, someone will give you shit for taking their photograph. No matter how good your intentions are, there will always be someone who will be offended. You can smile,…
/ Philosophy
Measure Your Life as a Photographer in Decades, Not Years
The other night here in Chicago, I woke up in the middle of the night. I was tossing and turning (put on the heater too hot at night). In a state of being half-asleep,…
/ Philosophy
Play the Cards You Are Dealt in Life and Photography
I have been re-reading a lot of stoic philosophy recently, especially “Letters from a Stoic†and “On the Shortness of Life†by Seneca, and “The Meditations†by Marcus Aurelius. One of the biggest things…
/ Philosophy
Being Mortal as a Street Photographer
I recently finished “Being Mortal†by Atul Gawande. It is one of the most touching books I have ever read this past year. Atul talks about the tension between living long (versus living a…
/ Philosophy
My Top 10 Sources of Discontentment in Street Photography
I ultimately want to be happy. But unfortunately there are a lot of sources of dissatisfaction in my life. There are a lot of things I want to change about my life, and my…
/ Philosophy
The Benefit of Having No Expectations in Street Photography
“I am content with few, content with one, content with none at all.†– Seneca, Letters from a Stoic I have a problem. I have really high expectations for myself. I want to become…
/ Philosophy
How to Overcome Self-Criticism in Street Photography
I think in photography it is good to have some self-criticism. If you want to be the best photographer you possibly can, you want to be more discerning about your images. You want to…
/ Philosophy
Just one more photo
My mom recently came back from an epic backpacking trip through Nepal for about 28 days. She is an incredible woman. At the age of 59, she was able to withstand the freezing cold,…
/ Philosophy
Free E-Book: Letters from a Street Photographer
I am excited to announce that I finally put together my free ebook: “Letters from a Street Photographer“. This book is much more philosophical in nature– and combines the philosophy of stoicism and street…
/ Philosophy
How to Be a More Mindful Street Photographer
I just finished a book called “10% happierâ€, which preached the benefits of meditation and mindfulness in everyday life. There is a lot of pain and anxiety from everyday life, and one of the main…
/ Philosophy
Hunger Breeds Sophistication
In Vietnam I recently learned a saying, “Cai kho lo cai khon†which means: from difficulty, emerges the wise. (Note I didn’t include diacritics). Another saying in Vietnamese (can’t remember it) is “The resourceful…
/ Philosophy
Street Photography and The Human Condition
I always think about the meaning of life— and you can probably notice that this blog has become heavily philosophy-based the last few months. This is due to the fact that I have been…
/ Philosophy
A Near-Death Experience
(Originally written October 24th, 2014) I am being a little over-dramatic— but I recently had a near-death experience. It was another normal day. I was simply writing for my blog, drinking coffee, and just…
/ Philosophy
Keep Shooting or Die
I recently was listening to a podcast interview with Tony Robbins (on the “Tim Ferris Showâ€) and was struck by something Tony said: progress is happiness. As you guys are probably well-aware of, I…
/ Philosophy
What You Can (and Can’t) Control in Street Photograpy
There isn’t a lot of things you can control in street photography. However these are the things you can control:
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“Letters from a Street Photographer†#6: How to Live a Purposeful Life
Tied into the previous chapter on how to live a happy life– I also encourage trying to live a purposeful life. What is the difference between a happy life and a purposeful life? I…
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“Letters from a Street Photographer†#5: How to Be Happy
For this chapter I want to focus on a section which I think is important for everyone in life: learning how to be happy, fulfilled, and content with your street photography (and your personal…
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“Letters from a Street Photographer†#4: Fuck Fame
I’ll admit it. I’m incredibly jealous. Whenever I see my close friends, other photographers, family, or anyone else doing “successful†things– I feel a tinge of jealousy. In the back of my head– I…
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“Letters from a Street Photographer†#3: How to Focus on Your Life’s Work
There are so many distractions out there. We live in an age where it is almost impossible not to be distracted. Our phones are constantly buzzing. We see thousands of advertisements a day that…
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“Letters from a Street Photographer†#2: How to Deal with Negative Criticism (Part 2/2)
This is Part 2/2 of my chapter on How to Deal with Negative Criticism. Read Part 1 on How to Deal With Negative Criticism.
/ Philosophy
How to Make Memorable and Meaningful Street Photographs
We all want to make a memorable street photograph. An image that burns inside our memory. An image that touches our heart and touches our soul. We want that image to be epic, energetic,…
/ Philosophy
“Letters from a Street Photographer” #2: How to Deal with Negative Criticism (Part 1/2)
For this chapter in my on-going “Letters from a Street Photographer†book, I wanted to write a topic that I am very familiar with– how to deal with negative criticism (and thrive and benefit…
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“Letters from a Street Photographer” #1: How to Live and Shoot without Regrets
This is Chapter 1 on a series of blog posts I will do on the philosophy of Stoicism, and how I relate it to street photography. I draw upon the book: “On the Shortness…
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15 (More) Lessons Taoism Has Taught Me About Street Photography
I have been a long-time admirer of the philosophies of Zen Buddhism, Taoism, and Stoicism. In-fact, I have gained more insights about photography from these philosophies (than I have from any book on photographic…
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On Opportunity Costs in Street Photography
Life is short and limited. We only have so many days to live. We only have so many zeroes in our bank accounts. We all want to live happy, productive lives. We want happiness…
/ Philosophy
On Purpose and Street Photography
I’m currently reading a book titled: “Happiness by Design: Change What You Do, Not How You Thinkâ€. In the book, the author defines happiness as being primarly composed of two things: pleasure and purpose.…
/ Philosophy
On Patience and Street Photography
I am often frustrated with my photography. Sometimes I will prowl the streets for hours, without getting any decent shots. Sometimes I ask myself, “what is the point of all of thisâ€â€“ does it…
/ Philosophy
On Excuses and Street Photography
We often have tons of excuses in life. We don’t have enough time. We don’t have enough money. We don’t have the opportunities to do what we love. I always make tons of excuses…
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Please Tell Me My Photos Suck (And How I Can Improve)
We are insecure. We don’t want people to be brutally honest with us. We like feeling liked. We don’t want to hear the truth, or at least what people really think about us and…
/ Philosophy
“Needing†versus “Wanting†to Make Photographs
What motivates you in street photography? What is the fuel that keeps you going? Why do you decide to go out and shoot, even though you might be tired, exhausted, or frustrated?
/ Philosophy
Nobody Gives a Shit About Your Photos
Nobody gives a shit about your photos (except yourself). Sometimes I get frustrated and confused why I take photos. I think ultimately I take photos because I want my photos to influence, affect, and…
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Embracing FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) in Street Photography
I recently came across a funny phrase: “FOMOâ€. It stands for “fear of missing outâ€. Nowadays, “FOMO†is ubiquitous in digital life. We always feel like we are missing out– that someone is doing…
/ Philosophy
Savoring the Moment
I just checked out of my hotel in Seoul, and was on my way to the subway. I had a bunch of bags I had to carry, and ended up missing two potential street…
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A Letter to My 18 Year Old Self: If I Started Street Photography All Over Again
Dear Eric, You are 18 years old. You just got a point and shoot digital camera from Mom as a high school graduation present. You are super excited, as you never had a camera…