My new goal for myself: striving to make myself limitless.

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What’s the most efficient clothes?

We must go further.

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The more we can link, the better. This is why I like Chainlink — we must make things more linked, more inter-connected!

Also this is the power of blogging, the internet and websites — the privilege to link, to hyperlink. Never stop linking to others, and past things you’ve written!

I just finished watching fast and the furious 9, and when listening to the feature commentary from Director Justin Lin, I am amazed that the franchise has lasted this long, and also the last film was really good. Granted there were some parts of the film that felt cheesy, but I still thought it was very strong and funny.

Which makes me think: rather than thinking about success, perhaps we should just think about longevity. To last. Even Nietzsche said things of the highest value on earth is durability.

Therefore, as an artist and as a creative, your job is to last. To focus on your own personal longevity.

So how does one last, or focus on longevity as a photographer? Some ideas:

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1. Perpetual curiosity

How do children grow? Their curiosity. I have seen the demise of many photographers because they no longer are curious. They think they have 100% perfect foresight in knowing how their photos will manifest. But perhaps a goal is to always be curious how reality will show up in your photos.

2. More bold risk-taking

I think as street photographers, we are adrenaline junkies. That means, we love street photography because of the challenges, the difficulty, and the fright associated with it.

Therefore, realize that the adrenaline in Street photography is the reward. It is that which continues the cycle of us going out and shooting.

Therefore, do not think that fear is something to be abolished and eliminated, rather an energy source which is to be channeled. Channel your fear into photographic productivity.

3. Delete social media

The biggest detriment to artists nowadays is social media. Where your self worth is being quantified into numbers. I say delete Instagram, if your goal is photographic longevity.

4. Share your wealth

I like the idea that the more you share, the more superadditive it becomes. That means, for example imagine a world in which you shared $100 with somebody in the future both of you guys would get $500 back.

Especially now with digital technologies, it is no longer zero sum. But you giving me something, you’re not losing something. We both gain.

Therefore, when in doubt be generous. Be generous with your ideas, your things, and your information. The reason I love knowledge and information so much is because it is ethereal and ephemeral, and can be infinitely multiplied. Share your secrets and ideas widely.

5. Consider yourself an artist.

Why is it that photographers do not feel comfortable calling themselves artists? I think because of the pretentiousness in art, typically artists are only regarded as painters and people who draw.

But funny enough, whenever you talk to kids, they have no problem calling themselves artists. Only when we become bigger and older, and then people tie our success and legitimacy and self identification with money, do we become corrupted.

Therefore, regard yourself as an artist. And don’t just tie yourself into photography. Allow yourself to double dip. You do photography and other forms of arts creation. You can make music, dance to theater, make illustrations, etc. You’re an artist.

6. Do not aspire to become your master

The goal is for you to discover your own vision and your own approach, not for you to become your teacher sensei master. You want to become your own master.

For example, in the karate kid, the kid thinks that the goal is to become Mr. Miyagi. But Mr. Miyagi told him, no, because for you to discover your own style and approach is the goal.

For example, we might find inspiration in Henri Cartier Bresson, but the goal is not to become Henri Cartier Bresson. The goal is for you to create your own style and approach in photography, and only seek Henri Cartier Bresson and the other masters as a source of inspiration and motivation. They are not the end goal. You are the end goal.

7. Get a Ricoh GR

I am still convinced: I think that all photographers will benefit getting a Ricoh GR digital camera. For example, if you’ve never shot flash Street photography or flash photography I’m a huge fan of the Ricoh GR 2. But if you want to try something new, and focus on natural light, Ricoh GR 3 has been quite fun for me.

I do miss the flash, but because the increased macro functionality of the Ricoh GR 3 as well as the in camera black and white jpeg is great, I prefer the Ricoh GR 3 over the Ricoh GR 2.

Why does having a compact camera matter so much? Because if your camera doesn’t fit in your front pocket or is not always around your neck, it is useless. The bigger, heavier, and more obtrusive your camera, the less you’ll carry it with you everywhere you go, and the fewer photos you’ll shoot.

8. Travel and think Nomadic

Even though technology has changed much of modern society, I believe that much of our inherent DNA and biology is the same.

For example, for maximum human thriving, I believe in a semi nomadic lifestyle, to travel, and to walk much. For example, I’ve been striving to walk 30,000 steps a day — this has been a rewarding challenge for myself. I sleep better at night, my legs feel stronger, I walk more, I think more, and I make more photos. And I’m also happier, more productive, and feel better.

Also, we all know that we find more inspiration and motivation to walk more and shoot more photos when we’re traveling or on the road. Also, if you live nomadically, that is you only live one city for six months to two years, then you will always be forced to adapt, and adaptation is what drives our growth.

9. Think the future

Your photography journey has just begun. Think about your photography 10 years from now 20 years from now 30 years from now. Pace yourself. Photography is not a race, it is a marathon.

10. Don’t strive to or expect to make good photos

Desiring to make good photos is what holds us back. Why? Because when we see something that we’re not sure it’s gonna be a good photo or not, we don’t photograph it. We get overwhelmed by paralysis by analysis.

Then the best way to overcome this is don’t strive to make good photos. Just shoot photos which pique your curiosity.

11. The journey never ends

The only end to your photography journey is your personal death.

Therefore brothers and sisters, shoot on!

ERIC

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Motivation assignment: Selfie

Upload your best artistic selfie photo to arsbeta.com

Start Here

1. Books
2. Masters
3. Composition

Books to read

1. Heraclitus Fragments PDF
2. Iliad PDF

FILMS

1. Fast 9
2. Book of Boba Fett

Turbo Ideas

1. The paradox of productivity
2. How I made money with crypto
3. How to become more extroverted
4. Break the simulation
5. 1000x different

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Don’t desire the same things others desire.

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Superficially, you are a photographer. Then after that you’re a visual artist. But ultimately you’re an artist.

Both for fine dining, street food (tacos), and also just getting good and affordable organic food from the local boutique market, and cooking at home at AirBnb!

Funny enough, even the best Ramen I’ve had outside of Japan is in Mexico City. The best Ramen I’ve ever had was at a one Michelin star restaurant hole in the wall in Tokyo. The Ramen place I went in Mexico City is my second favorite Ramen of all time. Also, the best Thai food i’ve ever had in my life was in Mexico City. Thanks to Todd Hata for introducing me.

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When in doubt, choose and opt for joy.

Let us think about Nietzsche’s “Joyful Wisdom”. Joyful living, joyful photography, joyful existence, joyful life.

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Perhaps in order to get more out of existence, we must become more economical.

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Why do personal aesthetics matter?

Because your personal aesthetics changes how you feel. For example, when I am wearing an outfit which I don’t feel like suits my personal aesthetics, I don’t feel as energetic, confident, and strong. Curating the right personal aesthetic for yourself will increase your overall sense of power and motivation.

Personal aesthetics in terms of your haircut, your glasses, your facial hair, your bodily physique and composition (your muscle mass and your body fat composition), your shirt, pants, shoes. Also with your camera, strap, phone, and other devices.

Have pride in how you look, walk, talk, and behave. Treat this very seriously, and be insanely picky.

In photography, shoot shadows. As dark as possible.

Expose for highlights.

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Dear friends:

This year, let us strive to discover our unique vision as a photographer.

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Why?

Vision means to see. Each and every photographer is a visionary.

Therefore, what we want to do is to seek differentiation as photographer visionaries. We want to discover what sets us apart from other photographers.

Why be different?

Well, without even trying, we are different. There are no 2 humans on planet Earth who have the same DNA, the same life experiences, etc. Without trying, you are unique.

Is it good to be unique?

Yes. This leads to increased pride for us as photographers. And pride for us as photographers is a virtue. The more pride we have in our photos, the better.

Do you prefer your own photos or the photos of others?

A big thing:

Do you aspire to become your own photographer, or do you aspire to become another photographer?

The best approach to the masters of photography is simple:

Learn the lessons from them, extract their inspiration and motivation, and apply it to our own creative vision.

We must not be the slave of our masters; we must learn from them, then cut the umbilical chord and move onto our own creative vision.

So how do I discover my unique vision?

A big thing:

Do not desire the life, lifestyle, or the living conditions of anyone else.

For example for a long time I fantasized about living in San Francisco, New York, Paris, etc. But now I have discovered:

No man or person is satisfied where they are.

Even the most successful, rich, and influential people I know — nobody is happy. Nobody likes where they live, their home, their wealth, etc.

Thus:

Take your present condition and exploit the maximum out of it.

Also, channel your hate and disdain in a productive way.

For example, I hate the suburbs. But as of late, I have embraced it, and have sought to become the best suburb street photographer. And yes, you can shoot suburb street photography.

Or if you live in a boring-ass town, exploit it.

Exploit the boredom and safety of your life in virtuously productive ways.

Expanding your impact

1. Make a newsletter: Deliverability of a newsletter is 1000x over social media.
2. Don’t just talk photography, talk life. For example, I had the epiphany while writing my 100 tips list — very easy to come up with lots of ideas when you don’t just restrict it to photography. Photography and life is the best integration.
3. Open source blogging: Make your own self hosted blog (wordpress.org as the engine, bluehost.com or 1and1.com as the service provider). The more open source you can make your photography blog and approach, the better.
4. Multiply yourself: ARSBETA.COM as a ‘scaleable’ form of photography feedback.
5. WHY APP? Ask yourself 10x why you do photography, and seek the answers to your own thinking.

ERIC KIM WORKSHOPS

For real feedback on your photographic vision, I cordially invite you to my new and upcoming Discover Your Unique Vision in Photography Workshop in SF this Jan 29th, 2022. The best way to start this year on the right foot!

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Photo challenges:

1. 30,000 Steps a Day Photography Challenge
2. 100 Photography and Life Motivational Tips, Ideas, and Assignments for the New You // PDF DL
3. PHOTOGRAPH YOURSELF.
4. Ambitious Photography Ideas

More on blog >

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If this sparked any creative ideas in you, feel free to forward to a friend, your family, or followers.

ERIC KIM NEWS LINK

Become more lavish with purchasing meat, more frugal with things.

I am impressed with the longevity of the film and franchise:

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Why is it so boring?

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A simple way to motivate yourself to write more, blog more, vlog more, or share more thoughts: just create information you seek. That is, if you’re curious about something, and you cannot find adequate answers for it online, experiment and strive to figure out the answer for yourself, then just share it.

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There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.

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Why do we like the new?

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What if all that energy you invest into others, you could invest into yourself instead?

For example, the time and energy we spent thinking about others, investing our energy into motivating others, and directing others— if we just invested the energy into ourselves instead?

To focus on motivating ourselves, inspiring and motivating ourselves, and focusing on increasing our strength and power? Perhaps this would be much more efficient, and also much more effective.

Perhaps in a way that, selfishness and self-centeredness is actually the most virtuous use of our energy. And when we do decide to be altruistic, it is an over spilling of our superfluous energy, which is super additive, instead of zero sum.

Because I don’t know about you, but there are times when you motivate others it actually gives you energy, but there are times when you motivate others it sucks away your energy. Therefore, beware the energy vampires, and seek the energy multipliers.

For the new year, one new epic assignment I have for myself is this: attempt to walk 30,000 steps today. Optimize everything towards this, in terms of clothes, shoes, and also Ricoh GR 3 camera with ERIC KIM WRIST STRAP MARK II. This is my theory:

If you walk 30,000 steps a day, you will be happier, healthier, in better spirits, more joyful, stronger, and also more photographically productive.

To track this, I just use the steps counter on my iPhone. And also, while I’ve been walking, I’ve been blogging directly from my phone, using Siri voice dictate.

What is it that we want out of life? Greater challenges, more adrenaline, more danger, more strength, and more power to meet these challenges.

When it comes to movies, media, music, literature, thoughts and philosophies, choose that which boost your adrenaline. In praise of action films, empowering philosophy, powerlifting, and challenging social situations.

And of course, street photography as a way to boost our adrenaline.

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To motivate us for the new year, some ideas:

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1. When in doubt, just take a walk around the block with your camera. Most likely you’ll see at least one or two things you want to photograph.
2. As an audacious life goal, strive to walk at least 30,000 steps a day. Most likely you will not hit the goal, but striving towards a greater goal and failing to achieve it is better than setting a small goal and achieving it.
3. Any time you have the urge to buy a new piece of camera equipment, a new camera, or a new lens, buy a photo book instead, or a camera strap instead. Buying a new camera strap will make your camera feel new again, it is like buying a new pair of shoes, at least getting a new pair of laces for your shoes.
4. Simpler is better. When you’re composing the scene, set your exposure as dark as possible. Extreme minimalism is the best composition tip in photography. When in doubt, subtract it from your frame.
5. The best shoes for Photography and Street Photography are the most minimalist ones. Just get some cheap minimalist shoes on Amazon, the ones with zero drop, and minimum foam or padding on the bottom of the sole.
6. Unbrand yourself as a photographer, and rebrand yourself as a visual artist. This will give you more leeway and optionality for your creativity.
7. For the new year, just buy a Ricoh GR 3 camera and for an entire year, instead of photographing things on your iPhone, just shoot on your Rico. Use small JPEG, and either high contrast black-and-white, or the cross process color filter. Pair it with an eric kim wrist strap mark II, or an eric kim NECK STRAP MARK II, and you’re set.
8. Reformat or reset your website. Start from scratch. Create a new design which inspires you. Carte blanche mentality.
9. Only photograph that which you’re enthusiastic about. Enthusiasm literally means a God dwelling within you. If you photograph that which you’re enthusiastic about, you’ll never run out of inspiration.
10. Strive to go on one mini photography expedition once a month. This could be as simple as a short road trip somewhere, an epic hike, or just renting a cabin or an Airbnb for the weekend. Make photography the focus of your trip. Bring some friends and family members, or some other photography buddies.
11. If you have a camera on your shelf that you haven’t used in a year, maybe consider giving it away to a family friend, a niece or nephew, or someone in need of it. You can also sell it, or trade it in for something else. Strive to make your camera equipment as minimalist as possible.
12. This year, strive to simplify your photographic workflow. Rather than adding megapixels and more tags to your photos, strive to make it simpler. For example, just use Apple photos in JPEG instead of the cumbersome RAW and Adobe Lightroom.
13. Embark on a mini photography project of your own city and neighborhood. Nobody lives where they want to live. And even people who live where they want to live quickly born tired where they live. Therefore, I think it takes more skill and ingenuity to make interesting photos in a boring city or neighborhood, than average photos in an interesting city. For example, if you’re stuck in the suburbs, seek to make a good suburb photography project.
14. Strive to emulate a master photographer whose work inspires you. For example, maybe it is a good idea for a month to just copy Bruce Gilden, Henri Cartier Bresson, or William Eggleston. We learn first via emulation, and then once we’ve mastered it, then we could really embark on discovering our own unique photographic voice. Every master was once a student at one point.
15. Make your own blog: when people ask me how I got started, I simply say that when I started, I strive to find certain information on how to do street photography, and couldn’t find it online, and therefore I strove to become the solution to my own problem. I was also insecure that I didn’t know anything, but Cindy told me that wasn’t the point. The point was simply to share my photographic journey, and to share my experiences and lessons learned with others. Also, no matter how inexperienced you are, there is always somebody else out there with less experience than you. Therefore, no matter what, it is still worth for you to do it. Just start a blog by registering a domain on bluehost.com, and installing wordpress.org. Treat blogging as just a public diary, of your photos in your life, and your thoughts. I think a blog is actually much more interesting than books. How to start a blog
16. Invest more money on possible sources of inspiration and motivation: for example, spend money on photography books, education, workshops, travel, expenses, and even buy films and movies and subscriptions which do you think might help you. Become less risk averse about spending money on potential sources of artistic and creative motivation and inspiration. Even if you think it has a 5% chance of inspiring and motivating you, just do it, and just spend money on it. Money invested in ourselves and our creative endeavors is the best money spent.
17. Teach your kid, or somebody younger than you photography: I found that teaching even my younger niece Amelia Photography has been one of the greatest sources of joy for myself. Children are the ultimate photographers, with no obstructions. Check out my first photography book for some inspiration // see the PDF here.
18. Start your own podcast or YouTube channel: to make a podcast, just use the “anchor” platform. And with YouTube, you could just vlog from your phone.
19. Simplify your photography settings: Just shoot in P (program) mode. The simpler you can make your photo settings, the more you can shoot (which is the goal).
20. 1,000 Photo a Day Challenge: Strive to make at least 1000 photos a day, for 30 days. Do not think they will be ‘good’ photos, but I do think that the more you shoot, the better. Why? You will open your eyes more to the beauty of the world, no matter how small!
21. The beauty of creative constraints: More constraints are better, in terms of photography. Do not desire more options. Strive to subtract options to maximize your creativity.
22. Every day you’re new again. Do not let past considerations or constraints hold you back. A new year is great because it says that new opportunities and possibilities await you. Do not let past desires and rulers of success hold you back. Create your own new table of values, your own new table of success.
23. Perfection means to finish: A perfect photo doesn’t mean without fault (an idea I get from Cindy). Perfect is a trap. Perfect simply means to complete. Thus, by going out and making photos, and processing them and sharing them … this is in itself perfect!
24. Photography is philosophy: Each photo you make is a reflection of your world view, and your philosophy. Thus don’t see yourself simply as a photographer, but a philosopher-photographer-artist.
25. Street photography as our approach and aesthetic: Funny how ‘streetwear’ (Supreme, YEEZY, etc) has become a thing. Street photography is the same. Street photography as our passion, aesthetic, and ethic.
26. Focus on your own photographic self improvement: Kaizen — what if you can improve your photography by 1% everyday?
27. Consider your photography as a design approach; you designate importance — what you desire to highlight in your frame.
28. Music: Perhaps if you need motivation in your photography, listen to some good music while you’re out shooting? Make a playlist of your street photography– street beats.
29. Make a slideshow of your best photos, and make your own beats in GarageBand to accompany them.
30. Open source all your photos.
31. Become more entrepreneurial in your photography.
32. Study zen, and cross pollinate it with your photography.
33. Instead of spending $1000 on camera equipment, put that money towards crypto instead.
34. Perhaps this year prioritize your health. Prioritize building muscle, and cutting fat.
35. Maybe this year, instead of buying things new, only buy things which are used or refurbished. Cindy actually showed me this thing where you could buy really good used goods on rei.com. Similarly speaking, if you want to buy a new Apple product, just got a used or refurbished online on the apple.com website.
36. If you’re interested in powerlifting, this year make it the goal to deadlift 405 pounds, which is four 45-pound plates on each side. For squat, 315 pounds squat, which is three plates on each side.
37. Look at all the photos on the magnum photos.com website for the portfolios of all the magnum photographers.
38. If you’re into Cinema and film, watch all the Akira Kurosawa films. Start with 7samurai.
39. if you’re interested in stoicism, start off by reading all the letters from Seneca, and read the meditations by Marcus Aurelius. After that, I recommend reading all the books from Nassim Taleb. After that, I recommend reading all the books from Nietzsche.
40. For a Health goal, maybe this year make it a goal to quit all forms of sugar, whether naturally sweet or artificially sweet. No 0 cal sweeteners, no Stevia, no Monk fruit, and avoid anything which has either natural sugars or added sugars. No Coke zero, my theory is that even artificial sweeteners and natural sweeteners trigger your insulin response hormonal system, which causes you to accumulate body adipose fat. No lactose and no milk, no almond milk, no unsweetened almond milk. Only drink black tea, green tea, black coffee, or water. No beer, no wine.
41. Experiment making calligraphy with a Zen Brush 2 app, or the Zen brush three app. Also practice making illustrations and abstract images with a procreate app on the iPhone or iPad.
42. Disable all the notifications on your phone, besides the phone call and FaceTime app.
43. Every day, attempt to delete one app from your phone every single day. Same goes with your laptop.
44. Eliminate all negative people from your life, even family members.
45. Stick with one focal length for the whole year. Whether that be 35 mm, or 28 mm.
46. Maybe for the whole year, whenever you see a stranger walking by you or across the street, just wave at them and say hello. This will be a good way for you to build up your social confidence and social skills.
47. When in doubt, be generous. This goes with tipping at restaurants and coffee shops. Always tip a little bit more than you think you should.
48. Strive to become less risk averse this year. Push yourself outside your comfort zone, and attempt to do things which are interesting to you yet you feel a little reticent to do because of uncertainty or unfamiliarity.
49. For bodyweight exercises, strive to do a muscle up this year, a one armed push-up, or a one legged pistol squat.
50. Rather than figuring out what do you want to buy this year, figure out what you want to get rid of this year or donate or sell.
51. Make it a routine to charge your phone in your living room when you sleep, or any room which is not your bedroom. If you need an alarm clock, just buy a standalone alarm clock.
52. After dinner, turn off your phone. Turn off your laptop. After dinner, just take a cold shower, put on an eye mask, earplugs, and go straight into your bed.
53. Delete all your TV and movie streaming services. Stop your Netflix subscription, stop your Disney+ subscription, stop your HBO max subscription. If you really want to watch a certain movie, just buy it on AppleTV.
54. Don’t text message this year. If you really need to contact somebody, either give them a phone call or just FaceTime them.
55. If you want to be less distracted on your laptop this year, download the freedom.to app.
56. Delete all social media apps from your phone, and also delete your email app from your phone. If you need to send emails do it from your laptop.
57. Attempt to control or master your anger: whenever you’re angry, wait at least 24 hours before responding.
58. If you want to do more outdoorsy stuff, attempt to go at least one hike a week. A good financial investment is buying a park pass.
59. This year, attempt to visit at least one national Park.
60. As a personal goal, I’m making it my New Year’s resolution to try to eat more meat. To try to eat at least three or 4 pounds of meat a day.
61. Better to think about your blog like a Twitter. Rather than tweeting something, just post it as your website blog post title instead.
62. Delete Instagram.
63. If you’re strapped on time, get into working out with kettle bells. I recommend starting off with a 70 pound kettle bell, and if you’re strong enough, buy a 105 pound kettle bell. just to two handed swings or one arm swings three times a week, and you’re good.
64. This year, rather than trying to become somebody else, like Elon Musk, strive to become more of yourself.
65. As a Photography entrepreneurship assignment, this year charge money for your photo services. It could be as little as $100. Practice charging money, which will give you financial courage.
66. Another New Year’s resolution of mine: never talk about anybody else besides myself, baby Seneca, or Cindy. Gossiping about others or talking about others is a sign of weakness. also, do not praise the virtues of others.
67. When in doubt, use your money to buy more cryptocurrency, instead of material things.
68. Rather than buying something you want, just take a screenshot of it and keep it on your phone. This is like meta-ownership.
69. Write more. Just use markdown on the iA Writer app on your phone, your laptop, or iPad.
70. When in doubt, publish it.
71. Rather than criticizing things, give it a constructive critique. Say what you don’t like about it, and how you think it can approve. To complain without suggesting improvement is also assigned a weakness.
72. Instead of uploading photos to Instagram or Facebook, uploaded to arsbeta.com instead for constructive feedback.
73. On your iPhone home screen, only keep three apps on the bottom of your home screen. This is a good creative constraint to prevent yourself from getting distracted.
74. Create a uniform for yourself: make an outfit that you could wear every single day, seven days a week, in order to promote focus. For me that is just an all black merino wool outfit. Just like Steve Jobs.
75. Only shoot black-and-white this year. Even colorful things.
76. Spend an entire year not looking at any camera review websites, or Camera rumor websites. Just install the website blocker on your browser to do this. Maybe anytime you get an urge to research or buy a camera, just look at porn instead.
77. Ask yourself the 10 why challenge? whenever you want to do anything what do you think makes no sense, just ask yourself the question why 10 times, in order to find deeper clarity.
78. This year, instead of making a to do list, make a not to do list.
79. This year, only shoot in JPEG. No raw. this will help you become more productive as a photographer, with less time wasted on post processing.
80. If you want to buy a Tesla, use that money to buy Dogecoin instead.
81. Instead of buying a house, buy bitcoin instead.
82. Start a Personal Photography family project: either photograph your kid, your baby, or your loved one/partner. Make them the focus.
83. Start a selfie photography project. Make yourself the focus of your own photographic pursuits. The benefit of shooting yourself is that you cannot refuse yourself. Honor thy selfie.
84. Start intermittent fasting: no breakfast or lunch, only one massive dinner a day.
85. This year, strive to maximize your impact, by identifying and exploiting your Archimedes lever.
86. Make at least one PDF ezine a month, and share it openly and freely with friends and family and your followers. Example here. Make it with your laptop on affinity publisher, or Apple keynote or Google slides, and export as a PDF. PDF is the future.
87. Prioritize and optimize your sleep and napping this year, rather than productivity this year.
88. Study at least one philosopher a day. Just read their quotes on wikiquote.org.
89. This year instead of promoting others, foreign advertisers, and foreign products, advertise yourself, your own products, and your own services. Better to self promote yourself, than promote the brands of others, and avoid the desire to get a brand sponsorship deal.
90. For an entire year, don’t pirate anything. This will help you better understand what you really care for, and what you really desire.
91. Look through all your photos, and choose your best five photos of all time, and make a section in your website highlighting your best five photos.
92. For an entire year, instead of quoting others, just state your own opinion without needing the backing of anybody else.
93. This year, just go solo.
94. This entire year, don’t play any video games. Either delete uninstall, or sell your game consoles. All the energy you put into gaming, put that into blogging and YouTube instead. Or create your own website, platform, and start up instead.
95. Make creativity and arts production the focus and goal of yourself this year, instead of moneymaking.
96. This year, don’t listen to any music while driving. Disconnect your phone from your car Bluetooth, and use that time to think and meditate instead.
97. Anti-zero-sum: think about mutual flourishing, rather than thinking the success of somebody else is based on the demise of your own.
98. Get vaccinated or your booster shot this year if you have not yet. No no no, Bill Gates will not put a 5G chip inside your head. And no no no, it is not a conspiracy theory to subjugate your will. Remember, as Nassim Taleb said the core of libertarianism is based on doing the harm to others. Therefore if getting your vaccine is even a small chance to make yourself less infections to others, it is worth it. Also, I encourage you to live more boldly after getting your vaccine and booster shots. Travel more, do more, and become more.
99. When in doubt, choose bold and daring. Better to attempt the insanely audacious and fail, than die with regret.
100. Create your own 100 tips list, export it as a PDF, share it with your friends family and followers and on your own blog!

To a glorious new year!
ERIC

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Kick off this new year with increased motivation

If you’re looking to conquer this year with newfound sources of inspiration and motivation, check out my new and upcoming workshop in SF:

• DISCOVER YOUR UNIQUE PHOTOGRAPHIC VISION WORKSHOP 2022 (SAN FRANCISCO, JAN 29th, 2022) – NEW!

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HAPTIC ON AMAZON

1. HENRI WRIST STRAP PHANTOM BLACK (Prime) >
2. FILM NOTES
3. ERIC KIM WRIST STRAP PRIME

Explore more in HAPTIC SHOP >

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If this inspired you, feel free to forward to a photo friend!

If you’re new, start here.

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In terms of aesthetics, I do not like glossy black, and I also do not like gray or dark gray. I prefer matte black.

I believe that matte black is the most robust to boredom over time. The most low-key, and stealth. Attracts the least amount of attention.

Whenever you want to buy something, just take a screenshot of it on your phone or laptop. Or just take a photo of it.

This is my theory of meta-ownership, being able to own things without actually owning them. If you just own the image of it, imagine it like you on it in your mind. Like a horodric cube from Diablo two.

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Life goals and aspirations we do not need to depend on others. To me this is the best type of life goal. Why? Because nothing can thwart our attempt, or accomplishment or achievement. It is all on you.

Once again — set yourself audacious life goals, which you could achieve without the nod or approval of anybody else. Independent aspirations.

MASTER MOTIVATION

Become more:

1. COMPULSION.
2. *BEYOND* PERFECT.
3. BUY BOOKS WHEN YOU WANT TO BUY GEAR.
4. How to Make More Photos
5. JUST MAKE MORE PHOTOS.
6. MY DESIRE TO CAPTURE IT ALL.
7. VISUAL DETOX.
8. Photography is Our Addiction
9. A BILLION PHOTOS
10. THE MOTIVATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER.
11. CURIOUS.
12. PROVOKE.
13. How to Do More Photography
14. PRACTICE.
15. TURBOCHARGE YOURSELF, TURBOCHARGE OTHERS.
16. LIFE IS ALL UPSIDE, NO DOWNSIDE.
17. PHOTO TURBO THOUGHTS
18. No Such Thing as Good or Bad; Simply Stimulating or Not Stimulating
19. The Best Genre is No Genre
20. The Key to Photographic Motivation
21. Pacifying Media, Motivational Media
22. Our Hunger for New Experiences
23. Mental Motivation
24. ALL ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY.
25. The Photographer as Creator
26. Create *BEYOND* Yourself
27. Let Your Curiosity Drive Your Photography
28. LOVE YOUR PHOTOS.
29. Abstract Monochrome Photography
30. SHOOT WITHOUT THINKING.
31. Just Have Fun With Photography
32. Wu-Wei Effortless Motivation
33. CONSISTENCY x NOVELTY
34. Easily Bored?
35. Face Photography
36. How to Become More Self-Motivated in Your Photography
37. YOUR OWN PHOTOS ARE THE BEST PHOTOS.
38. On Sharing Your Favorite Photos
39. UBERABUNDANCE.
40. Peak Photographic Productivity
41. When to Review Your Photos
42. Serotonin and Photos
43. The Photos You Have Yet Shot are Your Most Important Photos
44. 3 Tips How to Master Photography
45. Do You Like Your Own Photos?
46. The Beauty of Mundane, Everyday Moments
47. Reasons Why to Be Optimistic About the Future
48. A Photography-Full Future
49. The More You Shoot, the Better
50. How Many Photos Should You Shoot Everyday?
51. Why Do We Love Motion?
52. Now is Your Chance to Shoot History in the Making
53. Photo by Photo
54. How and Why Photography Remains So Interesting to Me
55. How to Conquer Your Inner Photographic Critic
56. Thoughts on HDR Photography
57. New Year, New Photos
58. Why Exhibit Your Photos?
59. Photography is Visual Poetry
60. What’s the Purpose of Art?
61. Why Do We Photographers Have Such a Hard Time Staying Inspired and Motivated?
62. On Becoming a More Optimistic Photographer
63. Philosophy of Weather
64. How to Become a More Optimistic Photographer and Human
65. You Are a Creative Photographer
66. JUST SHARE YOUR ARTISTIC PROCESS WITH OTHERS.
67. What Motivates Me to Shoot?
68. How to Maximize Yourself to the Fullest
69. HOW TO MOVE AND MOTIVATE PEOPLE
70. Autotelic Photography
71. The more I go out and photograph the world, the more interesting and beautiful the world becomes
72. Why Photographers Have Such Low Self-Esteem
73. ERIC KIM MOTIVATION
74. Why Am I So Unmotivated?
75. EVERY DAY IS A NEW DAY
76. WHY ARE YOU SO UNMOTIVATED?
77. Movement is Motivation
78. How to Motivate Myself to Make New Photos
79. Never Stop Optimizing
80. How to Help and Motivate Others
81. Feed On Your Own Photos; Let Them Nourish You!
82. Competition is for Suckers
83. A Future Without Travel
84. How Google Can Improve Your Photography
85. DEVELOP YOURSELF.
86. NEVER STOP MOVING!
87. How I Self-Motivate Myself
88. Every Day the Sun is Birthed Anew
89. A Life Without Photography Isn’t a Life Worth Living
90. WIN.
91. 8 Practical Photography Assignments for You
92. Tabula Rasa, Blank Slate, Carte Blanche
93. RELENTLESS
94. LIFE IS THE ULTIMATE RPG
95. HYPER VIGOR
96. FRESH AIR PHOTOS
97. WHO IS GONNA THRIVE IN TODAY’S BRAVE NEW WORLD?
98. ARTISTIC OPTIMISM
99. PASSION, not Discipline
100. Better Bad Photos than No Photos
101. The Empowering Feeling of Failure
102. To Be Human is to Move
103. Enjoy the Process
104. Better Bad Photos than No Photos
105. Why Keep Making New Art and Photos, Indefinitely?
106. Photography Motivation: What if There is Nothing Interesting to Photograph?
107. Move First, Motivation Later
108. Motivation Follows the Action
109. In Praise of Heroes
110. 5 Tips How to Boost Your Creativity
111. How to Have Inspiration to Take Photos in the Suburbs
112. Anything that Motivates You to Move is Good!
113. The Productive Photographer is the Happiest Photographer!
114. Make Today Count!
115. How to Break Through Photographer’s Block
116. The Joyful Photographer
117. The Dancing Photographer
118. The Kaizen Process of Gradual Self-Improvement in Photography
119. It is Your Duty to Make Beautiful Pictures!
120. Making Pictures IS Happiness!
121. NO EXCUSES.
122. The Pomodoro Photography Technique
123. The ABC of Photography
124. Just Shoot It.
125. How to Change the World With Photography
126. How to Find Inspiration in Photography and Life
127. How to Overcome Resistance
128. Create Against the Past
129. How I Motivate Myself to Make Photos
130. Wear Your Camera Like a Necklace or Bracelet
131. Have Your Photos Come to You
132. How to Level Up in Your Photography
133. How Not to Give a Fuck of What Others Think of You
134. How to Overcome Procrastination in Your Photography
135. How to Reinspire Your Photography
136. What is Your Mission in Photography and Life?
137. How to Overcome Photographer’s Block
138. Be a Photographer Now
139. How to Overcome Boredom with Photography
140. Never Stop Growing as a Photographer
141. Why Do You Need “Inspiration” to Shoot?
142. Just Shoot.
143. 5 Things to Do If You’ve Lost Your Passion for Photography
144. How to Have Unshakeable Confidence in Yourself
145. Don’t Give Up On Your Dream
146. Don’t Waste Your Potential
147. Unlock Your Potential
148. Empower Others With Your Photography
149. Why You Shouldn’t Follow Your Passion in Photography

See all articles >

The most virtuous thing you can focus on in photography is yourself as your own subject matter. And this is the thing that I find interesting: as I photograph myself, I no longer associate the photo of myself as myself. Rather, as something else.

Thus this is the irony: the more I photograph myself, the less I become myself. The more I detach myself. My ego dissolving. Or at least my ego detaching from my image of self.

Some simple yet ambitious photography ideas:

1. Photograph yourself every day. Treat yourself as your own ultimate photo subject. The great thing about photographing yourself is that you can never refuse yourself.
2. Create your own photography platform: For example, I deleted Instagram and stopped using Facebook, and instead built arsbeta.com. I believe in this short life of ours, rather than become the guy with 1 trillion social media followers, isn’t it more interesting to create your own social media?
3. Innovate new ways of sharing your photos: for example, creating slideshows of your photos with each photo displaying for only half a second. Or sharing your photos as PDFs.
4. Photograph and shoot videos of your entire daily routine. Instead of shooting it on your iPhone, just shoot it with your Ricoh GR 3 camera, with ERIC KIM WRIST STRAP II.

What does it mean to live a better life, and how does one live a better life?

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Some quick thoughts on how to stimulate your thinking:

1. One new hack I’m experimenting with is as soon as you wake up, take a cold shower, drink a cup of strong coffee, and just take a quick loop around the block. Starting off the day with sun exposure, exposure to outdoors weather, fresh air, and even the cold outside is a good way to get your body going, and your mind moving. Also to expedite things, brew the cup of coffee the night before, and just put in the fridge. Then as soon as you wake up you can drink coffee immediately.

2. Music. Nietzsche one said that life without music would be a mistake. Therefore, listening to certain types of music can stimulate your thinking. I also recommend more bass. The best headphones I’ve discovered are the “in ear monitors”, which are noise isolating, yet not noise canceling.

3. Philosophical films: Movies which philosophical also get me thinking. The Matrix, 2001 space odyssey, blade runner, and other dystopian sci fi films. Often ironically enough, mindless action films can also get me going, get my mind thinking.

The reason why I think crypto is the future is that as time goes on, people will care more about privacy, security, ownership, and cutting out the middleman. Also, vendors will not want to pay the 2.9% transaction fee to square, visa, or traditional merchants. Even though Visa and credit card transactions are quite fast, they are still not fast enough. Maybe Digibyte (DGB) can be a viable small transaction crypto, because it is so fast.

For big transactions, bitcoin is fine. Because if you’re going to buy a car or a house in bitcoin, you could wait a little bit for the transaction to process.

For cyber security and other future crypto technology innovations, Chainlink is interesting to me.

For programming on the blockchain, Ethereum is the one.

Extravagant means to diverge greatly. Typically we have been taught that to be extravagant is not a good thing, because it is not economical.

But perhaps in order to live a more interesting and beautiful life, we must strive to live a more extravagant life, and to become more extravagant in our spirit and in our soul. Also more extravagant in our aesthetics, outward appearances, and inner thoughts.

I don’t like buying things, because my tastes always change.

Truth be told, I’m actually not that different from the average American who is into consumerism and buying things. But the reason I don’t like to buy new things is that every year, or maybe every six months, my taste aesthetics and approaches change.

Therefore maybe one of the practical things for me to not buy things, or own things, is because I don’t like feeling stuck.

NEW YEAR NEW PHOTOGRAPHIC YOU.

Dear friend,

2022 is here. Why do I love the new year so much?

New photos await you, and a ‘new you’ awaits you.

1. Get rid of the past baggage

Carte blanche mentality. That which used to define you is no longer you. The new year means:

The opportunity to shed your old skin, and create a new skin.

A new year means a new rebirth. For you to declare new ideals for yourself, and to re-challenge what you used to hold true.

2. New dreams, new aspirations?

What dreams and aspirations do you have in your photography? To publish? To have a solo exhibition?

I have realized with goals– there are no ‘bad’ goals. Just honest and true ones.

It also helps to have a reason why you are interested in doing xyz. Ask zen of ERIC why app to figure out more of why you want these certain goals?

3. To maximize the exploit advantages, and disregard disadvantages

Certainly there are certain places, environments, neighborhoods, and conditions which are less favorable. However, in spite of all these disadvantages, how can you maximum exploit them to your benefit?

For example, I prefer the hustle and bustle of a Mexico City over the suburbs of LA. However, rather than desiring something else, just maximize and leverage the benefits of wherever you are. For example, one of the big benefits of being in LA during the winter time is the sun. Therefore the wise thing to do is spend as much time outdoors as humanly possible during the winter time, with a maximum amount of sun exposure. Also, being able to walk 30,000 steps a day.

Also, it seems that not that many people have done suburban photography. Therefore, my personal interest is to try to make a good suburb Photography project.

4. New life experiments?

I still believe there are lots of new lifestyle innovations waiting to happen. For example in the past, I’ve experimented with nomadic living, and now, I’m interested in experimenting with suburban living. How can you live a virtuous and interesting life in the suburbs? My new goal.

Also, being flexible with your photography. Rather than sticking to a certain genre photography, just take your present day reality, and seek to make interesting photos of wherever you are.

5. New techniques and approaches in your photography

Experiment with new technical approaches in your photography. Different metering systems, different compositions, and different ways to frame your photos. Also experiment with your aesthetics.

The new year as an opportunity for you to get rid of antiquiative notions in photography. This year you are the new innovator in photography. 

6. Starting a new folder

The way that I organize my photos is by creating new folders based on the year. For example, this year in my dropbox I will create a 2022 folder, and fill it anew with new photos. The most interesting photos are the ones you have yet photographed. And consider all the new exciting adventures you can embark on this year.

7. Invest in experiences

This year, use more money on new adventures. Go on little family road trips, rent a nice Airbnb, or go on short travel trips. Or go on bigger ones. It is up to you. Use your car, go on a flight, or go on an epic hike or walk.

Money is always well spent if you use it to spend on gasoline, airfare, or accommodations. New adventures mean that you will be pushed outside of your comfort zone, and you’ll also discover new opportunities to photograph. The more opportunities you have to make new photographs, the better.

8. Create your own book

Make your own photography book. Make it available open and free as a PDF, or get it printed locally somewhere. The simpler the better.

Even something you could try to do is print your photos on newspaper print. Th cheaper it is, the more easily accessible you can make it, and the more widely you can distribute it. Cheaper and many is better than expensive prohibitive printing. no need for a fancy hard cover book. The more flexible your printing options, the better. 

9. Becoming the uber visual artist

Also this new year is a chance for you to become a greater visual artist. To break beyond just photography, and become something more. Photography is only a means to create an expression, not the end in itself.

I actually believe the best way to brand yourself is not as a photographer, but to brand yourself as a visual artist.

So this year, the next time someone asks you what you do for a living, just say that you’re a visual artist. Much more fun and interesting than telling people what your boring job is.

10. Becoming more childlike, and becoming more creative

This year I want to become more childlike, and to become more unrestrained my creativity. Let us consider how children are able to create without any boundaries or obstructions. Let us strive to emulate children.

ERIC KIM WORKSHOPS

Invest in a new photographic you:

• DISCOVER YOUR UNIQUE PHOTOGRAPHIC VISION WORKSHOP 2022 (SAN FRANCISCO, JAN 29th, 2022) – NEW!

HAPTIC PRODUCTS

New year, new strap:

1. HENRI NECK STRAP MARK IV
2. ERIC KIM NECK STRAP MARK II
3. The OG HENRI WRIST STRAP CREMA BROWN // PHANTOM BLACK WRIST STRAP ON AMAZON

HAPTIC INDUSTRIES PHOTO EQUIPMENT COMPANY >

Books

Books by KIM >

Podcast

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Share the motivation

If you have a photographic friends needing some motivation, feel free to forward this to them!

ERIC KIM MOTIVATION NEWSLETTER

In this new year, better to brand yourself as a visual artist than as a photographer. Visual art is much more open, and free.

To see if I can walk 30,000 steps a day. Will this lead to more creative ideas?

To “appropriate” means to “make one’s own”. Why is appropriation seen as so bad and so evil?

What is life? And what do we want from life? I think it is growth. Improved nutrition, improved upwards growth, and increased expansion. The desire to extract more, to extend more, to create more, to multiply more, and to extend our reach and influence.

To appropriate more materials, and more matter, and to refashion this material into our artworks.

Why do we love the New Year’s so much? My theory: a new year is pregnant with new hopes, new dreams, new desires, new visions.

Therefore our New Year’s goal is to become a newer, better self.

How does one become stronger? Simple: hyper nourishment and hyper nutrition. Even in bodybuilding, the notion of hypertrophy means hyper nourishment.

One can only grow more, if one has more nutrition. More meat, and also more physically demanding challenges.

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In today’s brave New World in which we have we don’t really go to public places anymore, it seems that which is functional is more important. Aesthetics are becoming more private.

What can you photograph when there is nothing to photograph?

1. Go to the local mall
2. Shoot macro things at home
3. Photograph your street block, shafts of light.
4. Shoot the suburbs.
5. Shoot your coffee, and your own meals and food
6. Shoot abstracts

“Enthusiasm is virtue.” – Galiani

Enthusiasm literally means ‘a god dwelling within’. In American English when we say ‘passionate’, what we really mean to say is ‘enthusiastic’. Passionate actually means ‘suffering’, whereas enthusiasm is more about a godly-like overwhelming of love for something.

For us, photography is our primary preoccupation. To discover the fullest soul of the photographer is our goal:

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1. A new you.

What I love about the new year:

A new year is a new you.

Also–

A new year means new photos.

What is life? Life is newness. Life is growth. Photography is growth.

What is the best photo you’ve shot? The photos you make today.

2. Hope is a vice

Funny enough the ancient Romans saw hope as a vice. Why? To hope for something in the future is often a fantasy, a ‘dream’ — something not grounded in reality.

To dream of a better future camera, or a better future ideal lifestyle for yourself … then you can become a fully-actualized photographer seems to be the thought. But no. No more rumors. No more news. Let us best leverage today’s reality, and today’s day to become the photographer we desire to become.

3. Extreme simplicity

Simplicity is a means towards efficiency. Not simplicity and minimalism for the sake of it. To become a more efficient photographer means:

To create and make more photos, and to edit our photos quicker, and more efficiently.

The simplest tools, the simplest approach. The most streamlined approach.

Apple Photos, iCloud sync, small JPEG, in-camera JPEG presets. Rather than seeking a ‘better’ workflow, seek a faster, and simpler one.

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Your photo assignment

Upload the photo you’re most enthusiastic about this year to arsbeta.com

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Follow your enthusiasm

Perhaps as a personal new year resolution, this year:

Only pursue that which you are enthusiastic about.

And also–

DON’T do anything you are not enthuasitic about.

The Occam’s razor of simplified living.

ERIC

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HAPTIC products I love.

HENRI NECK STRAP MARK IV: I love how beautiful this strap is. PHANTOM BLACK is epic. The new CRIMSON RED for Mahogany Brown is pure bliss.

Discover HENRRI >

RICOH is the new Leica. Get ERIC KIM NECK STRAP MARK II or ERIC KIM WRIST STRAP MARK II. RICOH MAFIA PRIDE.

My first photography book: Perfect for kids, your kid, or any kids you know (newborns for friends who are photographers). Books are the future for kids. Only 3 hardcovers left. Preview the PDF here >

Discover all HAPTIC INDUSTRIES >

AMAZON HAPTIC INDUSTRIES >

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START HERE.

Something I learned for myself:

The most virtuous thing you can do is plumb your own thoughts and ideas, and ignore the suffering, pity of others.

Too much interest in others is a bad sign — it means we get some sort of low-key schadenfreude (delight in the suffering of others).

Photos I’ve been making back home:

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Upon much consideration on what the aesthetics of the future are, a thought:

Perhaps the aesthetic of the future is white and black.

For example, when you think SpaceX and space ships … what aesthetic are they? Mostly white with black accents. Same goes with the new SpaceX astronaut outfit.

Why white? It seems to be the most efficient color in terms of dissipating heat. Also, when looking at the new Tesla cars, it seems the most eye-catching contrast is a white/black Tesla, with a white/black interior. It feels uber-clean, and uber-modern.

Black on black cars is a mostly boring aesthetic. Even with our iPhone’s… perhaps getting a white phone feels cleaner, more modern and efficient than a (boring) black space grey one. Remember with the original iPhone 3G/iPhone 4 … when the white one came out… how crazy everyone went over it? Also a reason why the iPhone and MacBook chargers are all-white, and AirPods are all-white.

LEICA, we off that. We onto the RICOH and the HASSELBLAD.

We off social (anti Instagram), and we’re onto ARS and our own blog.

We off Lamborghini, and onto that TESLA PLAID.

We off that Silicon Valley, we’re onto our own new thinking and thoughts.

We off NIKE and Jordan, and onto our own new shoes (mountaineering, Goretex shoes).

In praise of Starbucks. Even though Starbucks is seen as to coffee aficionados as anti-coffee, I really like getting a treinta cold brew (no water, no ice) there, as well as a big cup of water. Also fast reliant Wi-Fi, and friendly staff, high activity with people — good to go now in this brave new Covid world. It seems third wave coffee is on the decline?

Still of course cannot beat hipster espresso coffee shop vibes, but if you don’t have a good coffee shop close by home, Starbucks will satisfice.

Some ideas for the new year:

1. Your own city and neighborhood project: For an entire year, you are only allowed to photograph your own (boring) city or neighborhood. Just call the project by the name of your own city, and at the end of the year, publish your best 20 photos from the city.
2. One square block: STREET NOTES idea (mobile) — embrace the one square block. Keep looping around the same square block for an entire month, and shoot both sides of the street. Use this as the ultimate ‘creative constraint‘ for your creativity. Imagine it is like Daytona or LeMans– you keep looping the same circle, but find subtle differences each time.
3. Crush the blacks: Extreme high contrast monochrome. Keep increasing contact, and the ‘black’ slider until you have no more detail. Disdain detail. The soul of the image is the essence of the image, not the small details in the photo.
4. Every month put out a small e-zine of your photos: Make a small PDF e-book every month, or a ‘zine’ every month with Affinity Publisher, Adobe Indesign, or Google Slides or Keynote (export as PDF). Each photo book can have as few as 12 photos, as much as 30.
5. The zen of one camera, one lens: Put away all your cameras in your drawer or give them away or sell them. One camera, one lens for an entire year.
6. Un-brand yourself: Do not associate yourself with any camera, or brand. Spend the year building up your own name and brand. Make YouTube videos, your own podcast, your own blog.
7. Solo photography entrepreneur: Become a solo photography entrepreneur. Why solo? No need to participate in ‘collaborations’, or to join or be a part of a ‘collective’. To be a pillar unto yourself and not need others to ‘build yourself up’– a noble goal. If you want to make money with photography, either create your own products, sell your services (consulting, workshops, education, etc), and just use PayPal to accept payments (create a ‘buy it now’ button).
8. Every month, buy a new photo book. 12 new great photo books for you for an entire year (#buybooksnotgear)
9. Go on one travel trip this year: Can be local, via a car road trip, pair it with an AirBnb experience. Places to shoot in America (Downtown Los Angeles near the ACE hotel, New Orleans, New York City, San Francisco Mission neighborhood). For a more epic experience, Cambodia is open. Mexico City as a great place (easy to get for us Americans).
10. Start your own photography blog, and write one blog post at least once a month, and share it with friends and family.

More ideas >

HAPTIC MOTIVATION

HAPTIC accept Apple Pay, Crypto, and traditional Credit Card/Visa, etc:

1. Now open: Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Street Photography
2. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY STARTER KIT
3. ERIC KIM NECK STRAP (MARK II)
4. HENRI NECK STRAP MARK IV (Phantom-Black x Mahogany-Crimson)
5. ERIC KIM WRIST STRAP MARK II

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What I am watching and interested in

1. Fast and the Furious 9 (impressed with Vin Diesel longevity, and how buff John Cena is). Also big fan of Justin Lin (liked his Star Trek).
2. The new Boba Fett on Disney+

Read my Matrix 4 critique review (still recommend watching it).

CINEMA BY KIM >

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ERIC KIM TURBO THOUGHTS

1. The Psychology of Photography
2. Anti Small
3. 1000x Different
4. How to Become More Extroverted
5. Break the Simulation
6. How I Made Money with Crypto

More on EK BLOG >

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If this sparked any creative ideas, feel free to forward to a friend!

ERIC KIM NEWS LINK

To ‘edit‘ your photos means to ‘bring forth’ (your best photos), from Latin ‘edo‘. To edit is also from the French (editer) which literally means ‘to publish’.

A simple workflow:

1. Look at all your photos as small thumbnails
2. Flag or select/pick/favorite your favorite photos based on small thumbnails
3. If you see a photo which interests you when you’re looking at them as contact sheets (small thumbnails), *THEN* inspect the photos full-screen
4. Choose all your favorited photos, and export them to Dropbox.

I say just use Apple Photos. The simpler software, compared with Adobe Lightroom. Also, better sync with iCloud between all your Apple devices.

A thought on my mind: what are the clothes of the future, and future clothing?

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In order to become more productive, take more naps. I called this a minimum viable nap, just lying down on the ground for even five minutes is quite sufficient.

To sleep more, to nap more is virtuous.

Productivity by KIM

1. OPTIMAL SIMPLICITY.
2. Never Do Anything Which Feels Like “Work“
3. THE MORE DEVICES YOU GOT, THE LESS PRODUCTIVE YOU ARE.
4. How to Become a More Efficient Photographer
5. Productivity Isn’t a Duty
6. Power-Expression, Not ‘Productivity’
7. Least Activation Energy
8. Efficient.
9. Adrenaline Seeking Towards What Ends?
10. Don’t Force Yourself to Write
11. CAREPOWER.
12. EXTREME ACTIVITY, EXTREME RECOVERY.
13. INFINITE CREATIVE PRODUCTIVITY.
14. Forcing Yourself *NOT* To Be Productive Takes More Skill than Forcing Yourself *TO* Be Productive
15. HOW TO ENCOURAGE FLOW
16. HOW I GET INTO THE ZONE
17. Via Negativa Productivity
18. My Personal Quest for the Simplest and Most Optimal Work Flow
19. In Praise of Productivity
20. Via Negativa Productivity
21. APEX PRODUCTIVITY
22. How I’m So Insanely Productive
23. Why I’m So Productive
24. Productivity Hack: Buy Treinta (30 Ounce) Cold Brew (No Water, No Ice) at Starbucks and ask for a Big Cup of (Free) Water
25. How to Be More Productive
26. Adblock for the Mind
27. The Best Phone is No Phone
28. As Late as Possible (ALAP)
29. Physiology and Artistic Productivity Tips: Intermittent Fasting, Meat, Powerlifting, Coffee
30. Productivity for Personal Freedom
31. The Origin of Productivity
32. The Physical Strength Required for Creative Productivity
33. Via Negativa Productivity
34. Why Do We Desire Perpetual Productivity?
35. Productivity is Physiological Strength
36. Perpetual Productivity
37. True Productivity
38. True Productivity is Powerful Work
39. How to Become Insanely Productive.
40. Meaningful Productivity
41. How to Become a More Productive Photographer
42. 8 Blogging Productivity Tips
43. How to Be More Creatively Productive
44. Offline Productivity
45. The Productive Photographer is the Happiest Photographer!
46. My Top 7 Photography Productivity Hacks

My ideal:

Eagles don’t fly in company, leave that to the partridges and pigeons (Galliani).

What if you stuck for a year — to just go solo? True and deep independence.

Simple idea:

Strip yourself of all foreign brands.

Wear no clothes with have branding on it. Wear no watches. No association with any brands with yourself.

If you want to choose a brand, just choose yourself (your first name, last name is the ultimate brand).

One of the life hacks I learned from my friend Jeffrey Lam, something he learned on a podcast. One way to hack your metabolism is immediately after waking up, go outside and expose yourself to some natural light.

Personally natural light as something I believe in for myself, my ideal house would just be a glass cube, surrounded by trees, with tons of natural light.

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Inherent in every photography, and every photographer is a certain psychology. For example, it is very easy to smell optimism or pessimism in a photographer, or their photographs.

For example, when I look at the photos of a Araki or Daido, I don’t really see hope or optimism, I only see confusion, despair, and suffering.

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My anti-retrospective life philosophy. Spend a long time thinking before making a certain decision, but after you’ve made your decision, don’t second-guess yourself or turn back. Stay firm and keep marching forwards. No looking back. No regrets and no pangs of conscience.

No being wishy-washy, and certainly don’t keep flip-flopping your decision, like John Kerry.

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Something I learned from psychology and sociology is the notion of thin slicing. Basically the notion of thin slicing is that when you meet somebody, you could get a pretty accurate sense of who they are even the first five minutes. Certainly you will not get a hundred percent depiction of who they are, but in my personal experience, you can get 80% accurate judgment of somebody’s personality based on the first five minutes.

The same thing goes with movies and books, if you’re bored in the first five minutes, most likely you will be bored until the very end. Or in other words, if you’re watching a movie or a film and you’re bored, just turn it off, or leave the theater.

Therefore the practical strategy is if something bores you in the first five minutes, don’t complete it. Life is infinity too short to be bored of boring books, or boring films. And even worse, boring people.

One of the most badass ways to stay fit, and become hard and harder is just have one heavyass kettlebell. That is all you need.

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Which designs are the best? The lightest ones.

For example, even with website design, the website that is the lightest in terms of code, and the smallest file size is best. Loads quicker, and has less bloat. The enemy of modern technological design is bloatware. This is why I am very anti-Samsung, because it packages the phone with so much bloatware which is unnecessary. And if you have ever felt stomach bloating, we know that bloating is bad.

Also with traveling and packing for a trip, when in doubt, leave the heavy stuff at home.

Once again, with laptops, phones, camera, always optimize for lightness. Better to have something that is lighter and less powerful than something which is heavier and more powerful.

Or in other words, better to have a McLaren or a Mazda Miata, instead of a heavy muscle car even if it has 1000 hp.

Do not dwarf yourself. Do not make yourself small.

What is the role of modern society? To make you as generic and insignificant this possible. It seems that this preaching of equality of rights is anti-extraordinary individual. It is a disbelief in great individuals.

Why are so many people anti-Elon Musk? Because the critics themselves are small, and they cannot understand how such a great man like Elon Musk can exist.

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