Whenever you go to a restaurant and ask the server what they recommend, it is always the (over-priced) mediocre option (chicken).
Better to say:
If these were your kids, what did you do, or what *would* you do?
Or
If you were in my shoes, what would you do?
Or
What is *YOUR* personal favorite?
Something I have learned:
For the name of progress, we will need to be ruthless and cut functionality in order to advance.
For example, whenever we start using new technologies, it will never work the way things *used* to work. And perhaps we should strive to overcome this ‘having to learn new things’ bias.
For example, TESLA and cars. For the Model 3/Y, the single central touchscreen is a bit bizarre and new and unusual. But perhaps in order to progress, this is a sacrifice we must make.
Even with WordPress, there are always these new improvements, changes, and advancements. I don’t quite understand them, and it is annoying to have to learn new ways, but in striving to figure out how things *now* work, I actually end up being able to innovate new methods and techniques.
Even my new joy with the new steering wheel (yoke steering) on the Tesla Model S and X. I like the idea you can focus on driving, and not have to lift your hands to do anything. Also, aesthetically it looks super cool. It challenges what a steering wheel in a car (especially in the world of automation, self driving cars, and AI), what a steering wheel *SHOULD* be for?
My critique of Apple, especially the new 14” MacBook Pro:
It has sacrificed innovate for the sake of ‘function’ and ‘functionality’ and ‘power’.
For example, getting rid of the Touch Bar was a cowardly design decision. After getting accustomed to the touchbar on my 13” MacBook Pro Touch Bar (I actually really like the touchbar, and the deep integration with apple products and Apple Photos for the favorite/flag button), and the ability to seamlessly change audio and program/re-program the buttons to my liking. Real designers have deep courage.
Dear friends,
A simple thought:
You are what you photograph.
Similarly speaking:
Just photograph your own life.
Let us take this thought. What does it imply, and how does it implicate us?
It means you do not separate your everyday life from your photography — you simply integrate it all.
A simple thought:
Do not separate your photography into genres.
Every single genre in photography is a trap.
Why I am anti genre in photography:
It limits what you can (and ‘cannot’) photograph.
Another simple idea:
Photograph all your meals, your coffees, and what you consume during the day.
‘You are what you eat’ is a simple piece of wisdom. Perhaps we should apply it to photography as well.
The reason why social media is a trap:
The strategy is to just upload (1) of your best photos a day, in order to maximize your likes in photography.
I say share MORE photos. In a single blog post, why not share a hundred, 200, 300, 400, 500 or 1000 photos? It is a simple way to 1000x your photography.
What to do with all the photos? Simple: put them together in an iMovie slideshow (.5 seconds per photo), and make your own beats in garage band to put them together.
Think of your photography as a continuum– a stream of images.
Whenever I’ve made a breakthrough in my photography it has always been born out of some sort of frustration. Thus let us use our annoyances, our personal frustrations, and our dis-motivations to actually motivate us!
ERIC
What futures await your photography?
Perhaps it does all suck, but the thought:
If we just accept that it all sucks, how can we make the best out of it?
The more I can let Seneca touch stuff, the more he learns and understands.
Why I like hitting my limit: it actually gives me assurance and quality information on what my “one rep max†is. And give myself a week to rest and re-strengthen myself, eat more beef ribs and eggs and try again next week!
Or in other words, I can sleep better at night knowing what my limit is, and my personal happiness and joy in having the courage to attempt my limit!
The more you practice your strength, strength practicing, the stronger you’ll become, in the more accustomed you will become to the movements.
The upside of cheaper looking stuff, like my iPhone SE— less concern about it getting stolen! Same goes with more “plain Jane†cars.
Some ancient saying, which I read from the book, “LIFT†by Daniel Kunitz.
Rather than thinking about what has been done in the past and iterate based on that, think carte blanche (first principles) and think:
How *SHOULD* it be?
My critique of Porsche 911:
It relies too much on tradition and the past.
Like Nietzsche said — timelessness should be rejected.
After studying composition much, I think I can *see* composition before my eyes, kind of like photography augmented reality (AR) but for composition. I actually see these red lines when I’m out and about:
A serve is like a one rep max.
What I desire– a truly ZEN driving experience. No distractions, no devices, no touch screens, no music, no LCD screens, etc. Only a pure driving experience– manual transmission, no CD player, no superfluous things.
Get a GoPro BONES— the ultimate minimalistic design. No LCD screen. The truly zen camera.
I intend to use this for my street photography GoPro POV videos, and vlogging. I don’t have a drone, but I intend to just use this for my self.
Just ordered one with my PayPal balance (cool I can buy stuff on the GoPro.com website with PayPal!) Next day shipping. Excited to test it out!!! To me this is 1000x more interesting, and exciting than even the newest iPhone Pro.
A fun zen thought:
Can they invent a new iPhone or Apple device that has no screen?
Also– I desire a car *without* a touch screen. Can there be any new cars made in the present or the future without LCD screens or touch screens?
Now that Seneca is over a year old (he’s currently around 1 year, 3 months old), I am currently out of the trenches (the first year of child rearing is like trench warfare, World War I style).
Some lessons I’ve learned, on ‘productivity’ and how to stay ‘productive’ with a kid:
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If you aspire towards more photography and more adventures, having a kid is a very good idea.
Seneca hates staying at home. Thus taking him out, and taking my RICOH along — results in lots of photos taken!
A small glass cube, with lots of direct sunlight, and also temperature-regulated (air conditioning, or heating when it is cold).
A thought:
When is ‘up’ good, and when is ‘down’ good?
For example, we want to UP our muscle mass, but DOWN our body fat percentage.
Car photography. The idea:
When you’re stuck in traffic, or stopped at a stop light, you can (safely) shoot photos.
A thought:
Perhaps we should become *less* choosy with our photos.
The thought:
What if I like *all* my photos, all the photos I shoot?
Another big step towards our personal independence: become your own barista, make your own coffee at home. Even a cheap deLonghi single serving espresso machine is good, we got ours used for only about 100 bucks, and even a cheap Capresso grinder at home works well.
Everyone can aid you. They’re like your mercenaries, and support characters.
Instead, create your own trend. Follow your own creative vision and intuition.
The best way not to be so self conscious when shooting street photography without permission.
Easy: just sumo deadlift 5 plates, squat 4 plates, bench 3 plates. Powerlifting style.
Any normal male can do this without steroids, testosterone, supplements etc.
Your own body as a work of art!
In Praise of Building Your Body
Treat your body as sculpture.
The first thing:
I don’t see my body as belonging to me. I look at my body like it belongs to someone else.
When I look at the Lamborghini of someone else, I admire it. When I see the muscles and physiques of anyone else, I admire it. Then I had the epiphany:
Why not transform my own body into a Lambo, and admire my own body instead?
The great logic:
To sculpt your own body is insanely fun. Why? You can see the change over time!
Once again, the goal is simple:
Never stop adding muscle mass, and never stop reducing body fat, or keeping it low (around 10%).
The more muscle you have, the more energy you got. The more power you got to make art-work, and live with gratitude, joy, and hyper-vigor.
Strengthen on, and flex on!
ERIC
Beyond just basic notions of making a bunch of money from your photography. What’s new and interesting ways you can integrate crypto and crypto technologies for photography? Not just selling your digital photos as NFT’s, which is still a basic way to think about selling one’s photos by analogy. Think first principles.
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Don’t comment on others or their behaviors. Just ignore them, and keep steaming ahead!
Intrepid: not alarmed.
Conquer your fears and meet new peers at ERIC KIM EXPERIENCE >
If this sparked any ideas within you feel free to forward to a friend!
If you were a billionaire and aspired towards photography, how would you do it?
The camera: RICOH GR IIIX. The strap: ERIC KIM WRIST STRAP MARK II. The files, extra small jpeg. High contrast black and white.
Every day as a personal journey to maximize your photography.
It trains kids to play in a very strange, reductive way.
More fun to play with your kid in the skate park, or even at the local mall.
Even something I’ve been training Seneca to do: play parkour in the skate park, even at one years three months.
I don’t think people want a ‘better’ life, or necessarily to be richer. What people really want is to live a more *exciting* life.
Some tips:
My thought:
I let Seneca play as if I wish I were a kid again, and I would allow myself to do stuff that I wanted, but that my parents didn’t allow me in the past.
Hygiene is the future. Why? Hygiene as the new luxury.
For example, you buy a TESLA because you no longer need to go to (very unhygienic) gas stations. Nobody after COVID wants to touch a pump or go into a gas station.
My personal joy of owning Bitcoin:
I love seeing Bitcoin things in the (mainstream) news.
For example seeing Fidelity– to offer bitcoin as an option in 401k plans.
Brave new world for photographers and crypto:
Another reason why it is good to look at your photos as small thumbnails (contact sheets):
Easier to see your exposure and tone in your photos.
For example for me, this includes powerlifting (deadlift, squat), physical fitness, photography, blogging, thinking, philosophy, entrepreneurship, street photography, etc:
The best and the most minimal shoes ever invented. Vibram 5 finger (EL-X) model as the best. The best shoe for everyday wearing, hiking, deadlifting, squats at the gym, beach, etc.
The best way to approach ethics:
Don’t arbitrarily follow societal pre-ordained ethics.
Instead, keenly observe how your behavior manifests in real life, THEN create a code of ethics which matches your (real life) behavior.
Keep your laptop perched at eye level, use a wireless keyboard at an ergonomic wait level, standing desk at home.
When mobile and on the go, just use iPad or iPhone.
