We often think:

Oh… if I just got all this for free, I’d be so happy.

We wish to get ‘sponsored’ and to get free things. And I think many people desire to get a huge inheritance, etc.

But in actuality, the best life is in which you pay for everything. Why? By paying for something … you signal what you truly care for. And this also signals:

You have pride in what you paid for.

What you paid for either monetarily, time-wise, or what you sacrificed in life for it!

So in other words,

It is good to pay for things to exercise your personal judgement, aesthetics, ethics, ethos and taste.

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When it comes to life decisions, optimize for your health. In terms of your abode, living situation, neighborhood, food and diet, exercise, people and friends and city community.

You can do this by investing your money, time and resources towards your health. Your health reigns supreme!

Simple ideas:

1. Optimize for your sleep
2. Optimize your stimulants to give you maximal vigor
3. Live in a place which has the ideal climate for you and your personal health
4. Live in a home with the maximal amount of natural light. Ideally live near a park, or a place with fresh air trees and veg

My new favorite aesthetic:

Bright and quiet.

What does this mean?

1. With cars, I hate loud cars. Ideally electric or hybrid car.
2. The best technologies REMOVE loud noises (BOSE noise canceling headphones)
3. With color, white and bright is good! Black accents and chrome accents are good.
4. With homes, optimize for bright light (huuuuge windows and tons of natural light) and quiet (as far away from street noise as possible)

In life, ask yourself the question:

Do I strive to become more similar to others, or more different?

And also:

Do you derive your pride from owning the same totems of wealth and success as others, or do you prefer to be radically different?

I say in life, strive to become *more different* from others in terms of belongings, lifestyle, philosophy, thinking, approach, artistic creation, speech, gait, writing and action!

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A beautiful 2021 awaits us:

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Why health is the ultimate wealth, and how money without health is useless:

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Why follow your intuition? 

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How did children and kids learn? Via playing. Even dogs play with one another!

In modern society we are taught that to play is a vice, and to work is a virtue. Even now, kids playtime is continually cut down and down to prioritize (boring) academic work.

But moving forward … if we desire to extract the maximum from existence, to maximize our growth and artistic production, we must prioritize our play! And for me, photography as one of my apex joys and play activities!

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My photo diary:

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When in doubt, just make and create it. Don’t worry about the worth or value of it — enjoy the process of making it, and keep creating and keep sharing it!

As I have hit all my life goals, have reached financial freedom, etc … I have a very difficult time entertaining myself. Almost nothing holds my attention (entertain as ‘en+tenare’ — something which holds your attention).

And in fact, ‘entertainment’ is not base. Epic poetry and deep philosophy tends to be the most entertaining to me, as it is difficult and challenging enough (and interesting enough) to hold my attention.

Thus moving forward in your life, remember:

Life is infinitely too short to be bored (Nietzsche).

And in this way:

Strive to find challenging and interesting enough things to entertain yourself!

Some ideas:

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A design epiphany:

The best design is “via negativa”.

For example, the best designed shoes aren’t the ones that “look” the coolest, but the ones that DON’T cause pain! With cameras, the best designed camera has the LEAST amount of superfluous buttons, features, and the LEAST amount of confusion in the UI/UX (also the least weight, and the least amount of time it has on your shelf— the best camera is the one you shoot with all day, every day— either RICOH GR III or iPhone).

Also with homes, the best designed homes as having the LEAST amount of noise, the LEAST amount of heat loss, and the minimum of dark spaces at home.

Also the iPhone Mini as the best iPhone as it is the LEAST heavy, LEAST big (better for one handed texting and usage), and also lesser in price than the other “Pro” models.

Our photographic motto:

Ever since having my first kid, my photography has flourished. Why? I always have something great to photograph!

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Dear friends,

Spring (and summer) of 2021 is in full-bloom. I am super pumped to share that spots are now open for my CHICAGO CONQUER COMPOSITION Street Photography Workshop this upcoming May 22-23rd, 2021).

If you (like myself) have felt cooped up from this pandemic, desire to explore, shoot, and re-spark your passion for photography, this workshop is for you:

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What are you? A visual poet. You’re creating visual poems with your images and photos!

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A thought I had while watching Justice League (and thinking about films in general):

Why is it that we prefer films movies over still photos?

Because we prefer motion! Seeing moving images or things actually motivates us to move as well!

Then I was thinking: is there a possible way we can take all of our still photos and add motion to them?

I think I have the solution:

WordPress slideshows of still images that move!

Can also be done making animated GIFs of several of your photos in a series, or even short video clips (Snapchat style of beautiful scenes).

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Why are stripes, dots and black and white great in terms of photography composition? Because it obeys musical theory — beats, rhythms (think about treble and bass in photography applied to musical and photo composition theory).

In other words, think piano keys!

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Is there any car cooler than the Lamborghini SIAN? Insanely epic aesthetics — give us a new hope and belief in more phenomenally epic, beautiful, and mind blowing futures.

What is my personal passion and interest in life? Not merely to do more, learn more, think more, experience more, and adventure and attempt more … but to *become* more!

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A thought and realization:

There is no perfect aesthetic, ethos or approach to anything in life.

No matter how good or perfect something you discover or create, sooner or later you will either bore or tire of it, or change your mind. Thus the goal is to always delight in the new, to strive to discover deeper truths about x, y, z … but once you’re bored, onto the next one!

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I don’t know about you, but the trend of “all black everything” is starting to bore me. For example all black cars — it is a boring trend. Better to opt for more bold, vibrant and audacious colors!

And with clothing and fashion — perhaps best to opt for the outlandish and loud than the “elegant” and boring look?

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iPhone as great for photography workflow. Some thoughts:

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Why do we want to have the “best”? My theory:

We desire to have the best things in order to not think about it anymore, the zen of not having to explore any further options (no longer needing to “optimize” or “betterfy” your tools), and to focus on what’s truly important to you — adventure, exploration, thinking and artistic creation!

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Rather than flexing your knowledge about artists x, y, z as a form to flex your “wokeness” — better to disdain other artists and to flex your own art work!

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What is a life without the new? Not life at all. True life thrives on the new!

New adventures, new sights, new tools, new films, new music, new fashion, new ideas — thrive in the new!

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Do you define the aesthetic or does the aesthetic define you?

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Processing your photos as a creative and artistic act — it is an artistic thing that you do!

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What’s the most important thing to design, designate, control, modify and transfigure in existence? Your life!

What does this include? This includes where you live, in which neighborhood you live, the type of apartment or home you live in (the size, the concept, the design aesthetics etc). And the most important thing — figure out the #1 thing you’re trying to optimize for. For your health? Your photography and creative inspiration and motivation? What?

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Thinking more about the philosophy of decision making, specifically around photography — ask yourself:

With this certain life decision … how will it affect my photography? Which decision is most optimal and best for my artistic and photographic creativity and photographic productive output?

1. Extreme restfulness: Ability to sleep (no insomnia), to sleep deeply, and to wake up excited, well rested and pumped to take on and seize the day!
2. To always have some sort of questions or thoughts on your mind — creative pursuits still lingering and things you’re still curious about.
3. Excitement and enthusiasm for the day, and to continue living — the desire to live forever in order to forever be pursuing interesting creative ideas on you!

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My critique of much of modern design:

It is focused on the nostalgia of the past and retrospective because it is “cool” and sells, rather than the substance of it.

For example, there is no reason why modern digital cameras need to look like old school rangefinders. There is no more film cartridge or 35mm cassette which requires it. Also in a world of great autofocus, manual focusing is more about the romanticism than the practicality. In this way, RICOH GR as superior to Leica M cameras in almost all regards.

Same with car design — the delight in the flush nose and front end of the new Tesla cars because a radiator is no longer needed! So with design ask yourself:

Is this design facing forward for the better, or facing backwards and the past for the worse?

ERIC

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It seems the millennial trend is to *NOT* have kids, or to desire to *NOT* have children.

But I can say (as a millennial, or ‘Generation Y’ kid, born in 1988) that having children is one of the most blessed things you can do, experience and witness in life:

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‘Carte Blanche’ — the phrase in French (blank slate, blank piece of paper).

Why is carte blanche so beautiful? When things are new, clean, pure, and un-tainted … then you can truly re-challenge yourself, re-innovate, and re-create yourself and the future (and past!)

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The greatest gift — to own and command your own opinion, to not water it down, and to propagate your thoughts as widely as you can!

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This is something I think about a lot:

How to augment your life experiences, intensify them, make more sticky photos, and to live a more artistically productive life?

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For me the primary reason to make photos:

I have a poor memory, and when I look at my old photos, it resparks great joy in my heart and breast!

Perhaps then for us photographers, forgetfulness or having a poor memory is a great blessing in disguise!

Also perhaps our forgetfulness of our past memories and photos gives us motivation and reason to look back at our old photos and re-relish in them!

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Do you remember your pure, uncorrupted desires when you were a kid, a teenager, high school student or naive and optimistic college student? Perhaps the best way forward in life is to stick to your pure uncorrupted desires and aesthetics/ethics as a kid, and use your adult resources and wisdom to advance!

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 Some thoughts and ideas:

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When deciding to do x, y, z ask yourself:

Am I doing this as a means to strengthen myself or to weaken myself?

Also consider — whenever you do x, y, z, does it strengthen or weaken you?

All things that strengthen you is good, anything you do which weakens you is bad!

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Strange bias in today’s world:

Millenials and many people no longer want to have children.

Why this bias?

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The philosophy of male beauty:

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Is it possible for us humans to have desires which are not mimetic?

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Or why the “panda” approach is best:

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I cannot say for certain that great design uplifts, but I can certainly say that ugly design depresses us:

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It seems many of us desire this pipe dream:

To discover the best design things, the best design objects, etc … and to ‘get them all’.

But towards what ends?

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Which do you strive towards? For me — the artistic!

How to motivate your muscles? This is our artistic and creative inquiry:

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Great design — not about accuracy or precision. Instead, the visual impression it gives you:

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Building upon the notion of boredom:

Perhaps the solution is to figure out what to keep consistent, and what to make novel.

For example, consistency in your tools and equipment and car, and make the novelty having new adventures, making new art works, and new attempts.

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A thought while looking at the new McLaren Artura hybrid super car:

Assuming you buy the best car which exists… how long before you bore of it?

Which makes me think more about boredom in general:

1. Boredom of our devices, cars, cameras, tools, phones, laptops, etc
2. Boredom of our home, city, neighborhood, etc
3. Boredom of certain designs, clothes, fashions, etc

What is the meaning of being easily bored? And are there some virtues of being easily bored?

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Or in other words, optimize your life in such a manner which causes you to live maximally brave and fearlessly.

This can mean own possessions which you’re not afraid to fuck up, break, scratch or dent. Having a phone you’re not worried about breaking and ruining is better … so you don’t need to baby it and fret over it! Same goes with your car — the worst car is the car in which you’re worried about getting pulled over, getting it keyed, scratched, stolen, etc. Incognito is best.

Why create? My thought:

The supreme mode of existence in life is supreme prolificness, joy, and motivation with your creativity.

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Why extremes are better:

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A thought in a half awake state, which got me up this morning:

The joy of life is that there is no end.

For example, with consumer goods. Perhaps the ideal isn’t to strive to have a “perfect” device which you keep forever, and are forever satisfied and happy and pleased with it. Instead, to always “upcycle”your tools and things — ideally buying it used or refurbished, and either keeping it as long as you can (before your eventual upgrade), or perhaps the joy of just testing things out for your own personal interest and returning it later. Essentially not to get tied down by our things.

But anyways, the goal isn’t some end perfect homeostasis. The goal is to continue to journey on this beautiful and unpredictable life, strive to seek your own personal maximum growth, and to create art and share this life journey of yours with others via your blog, website and any other platform which can amplify your voice and creative vision!

ERIC

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This means:

Strive to position yourself in street photography in such a manner in which you enjoy street photography as an independent pursuit for yourself — to enjoy the process of going out and making photos, the joy of interacting with strangers, the joy of being on the streets, the joy of the chase, the chance encounters, the joy of reviewing your photos, selecting the best ones, and sharing your favorite ones.

The more of an independent approach you can take in your street photography, the happier you will be, the more self-motivated you will be (autotelic approach to street photography) and the more creatively prolific you will become!

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A life with street photography is a better life. Why? My thoughts:

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Life is too short for boring design. The best design increases your adrenaline, excites you, and motivates you to do more, aspire to create beautiful things, and to be grateful towards life and everything in-between.

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In life you have the power to dictate your own purpose in life. Your own higher purpose in life. A purpose so high and mighty that you are willing to forgo everything else.

Assuming you don’t believe in a (conscious) afterlife, and think that life is devoid of inherent meaning (nihilism) then this is the greatest thought:

No guilt or fear from *NOT* living a ‘normal’ life, and being able to eschew all societal norms and ‘rules’ in order to pursue your higher purpose in life!

In other words:

1. You can safely ignore all societal norms and rules, because you have decided for yourself that your higher purpose in life far surpasses the importance of conforming to normal social rules.
2. There is no ‘punishment’ or ‘eternal damnation’ in the afterlife … thus, all your actions and responsibilities are your own!

ERIC

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When to expend your strength, when to conserve your strength?

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Refuse to do anything, or participate in any type of activities which rob you of your peace, tranquility, flow of thoughts, and mental zen:

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FREE MOTIVATION ON ERIC KIM NEWSLETTER >

Thought:

As spring is in full bloom, ask yourself — “What new photo adventures await me?”

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We are proud to announce that PHOTO WALLET is here, and available to order (right now) in the HAPTIC SHOP. If you desire one wallet for your everyday life and photographic adventures, PHOTO WALLET is for you. 

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What do we desire the most?

To design our life in such a way which elevates our mode of existence and living to a newer, more epic height.

If story telling in your street photography is your goal, some thoughts for you:

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How will your passion for street photography manifest? Some thoughts:

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Finally a long time after my life experiences (the last decade+) I’ve realized this:

With any design objects, tools, things, phones, laptops, cameras, clothes, homes, etc … it will never fully satisfy you.

There are objects, things, tools, equipment and lifestyle which are superior than other things, and I believe there are some things which are ‘perfect‘ (like the iPhone Mini, RICOH GR III, iPad Pro, 13” MacBook Air, Outlier.NYC Black Merino Wool T-Shirt, minimalist luxury apartments, etc), but let this be known to you:

These perfect things (while they do exist) will never fully satisfy you.

Then what is the game? Is the game to simply accumulate, acquire, and hunt for these perfect things? No. The hunt of life is this:

Seek the tools, objects, foods, helpers, equipment, and lifestyle which best maximizes your physical and physiological vigor, motivation and creative inspiration … and then focus all your power and strength into your artistic and creative production!

ERIC

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Low-key photos are photos that skew towards the dark end and the darker side. The opposite of ‘high key’ photography (very bright photos).

Low-key photos are more dramatic, dark, and mysterious. I say that a low-key photograph is around 80% dark, and 20% bright (80% black, 20% white).

The benefits of low-key photos:

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One of the most difficult things in modern life:

To make a decision, to stick with a decision, and to *NOT* second-guess your past decisions, or to *NOT* have regrets.

Some real thoughts:

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Is satisfaction the goal we truly desire? And once we are “satisfied”— then what?

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