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).
HOW TO EAT WHILE TRAVELING – WHOLE FOODS HOT BAR (PORK BELLY)
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:
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.
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.
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.
There are certain environments which give you energy, and other environments which sap you from your energy.
Being at home saps me of my energy and being on college campuses saps me of my energy, but being in a busy downtown area, or another busy coffee shop gives me energy.
All advice from others, is bad advice. From the last decade of asking others for advice, I have not yet received one piece of good advice, knowledge, wisdom which has really helped me.
I don’t think so. Only if perhaps you are first generation, and you go to college for upward social mobility to get a job. But assuming that both your parents are already called educated, I don’t think college is worth it. Maybe unless you get a full ride. Even so, four years of your life could better be spent somewhere otherwise — traveling the world, Being nomadic, starting a company, etc.
