When I played football in high school, typically after practice I would have an adrenaline high, and get a ton of creative ideas I would want to write and blog about. Which makes me think:

Perhaps adrenaline and art go hand in hand.

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What is the reason for our desire for fast sports cars, sports, music, action films, or any other adrenaline-boosting activities?

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The cardinal mistake we make as thinkers:

We allow our thinking to get trapped in certain domains.

For example, the thought that all of our philosophies and thinking must be consistent across all domains.

But there is no such thing as “one ultimate universal truth which applies to everything”. For example, there are certain circumstances and cases in which certain mental models and philosophies work well (such as minimalism), but other contexts and domains in which they don’t work (for example, being a minimalist if you’re starving to death on a desert island is a bad idea).

Thus the morale of the story:

Strive to become wiser to know when it is best to be “domain flexible”.

ERIC

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What is your greatest gift? Your name. What is the most effective way to brand yourself, or your things? Just put your name on it!

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Only write if you must!

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A thought when looking at a Porsche Macan (Turbo) the other day:

What is it about the aesthetics and design of this car which appeal to me?

Same goes with watches, cars (Tesla Model S), and other design things?

My thought (at least for us men):

We love masculine (muscular) design.

But then the basic thought:

Instead of striving to *buy* muscular design, isn’t it more effective or superior to just focus in transforming our bodies to become more menacing, imposing and muscular?

In other words:

Design and design objects are simply idealizations of our own human aesthetic and composition ideals … not the other way around!

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Something I’ve discovered when it comes to creators online:

Practically all creators now are motivated and incentivized by how they can serve (same word from “slave”) others.

Nietzsche had a version of this thought which was:

When I judge the artwork of an artist, I wonder — did he create out of abundance or need?

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We often fall victim to trends when it comes to aesthetics — color choices, color combinations, clothing fashion, car design, etc.

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It isn’t a matter of “willpower”, but “carepower”. 

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The harder you go, the harder you must rest.

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Review: THE BEAST 48KG (105 Pound) Kettlebell

You cannot buy health, or well-being, but you could buy kettle bells.

I have found that ever since I have had a kid, I don’t really have the chance and opportunity or even the desire to go to the gym anymore. I’d rather be at the house with Seneca, or being able to play with him instead of going to the gym, waiting in line, and killing time. Thus in order to stay fit at home, I found kettle bells to be the best bang for the buck solution, in terms of money and time.

I was first introduced to kettle bells via Pavel and I read his book simple and sinister. It inspired me to get a 35 pound kettle bell and a 70 pound kettle bell. More recently I’ve been getting bored with the 70 pound kettle bell, so I wanted an upgrade. I ended up buying on Amazon the cheapest 48 kg kettlebell, which is 105 pounds, and it is my new favorite workout toy. I’m not quite strong enough yet to press it or do pistol squats with it, but I am strong enough to do two arm swings in one arm swings. I find working out with it to be hugely entertaining and fun, because it is so heavy it requires focus and effort and determination.

If you find yourself in a situation where do you want a good workout and pump yet don’t have much time or resources, get the beast, which is 105 pound kettle bell. The beast is my new favorite workout toy.

I’m not quite strong enough yet to press it or do pistol squats with it, but I am strong enough to do two arm swings in one arm swings. I find working out with it to be hugely entertaining and fun, because it is so heavy it requires focus and effort and determination.

If you find yourself in a situation where do you want a good workout in pump yet don’t have much time or resources, get the beast, which is 105 pound kettle bell. One of the best investments for money, no regrets.

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Probably the best “bang for the buck” workout. Even a single 70 pound kettlebell is sufficient for trained athletes, bodybuilders and powerlifters.

I recommend:

1. 1 Legged Kettlebell pistol squat (one rep max). Do it every other day or every third day.
2. Max reps one armed kettlebell swing.
3. Turkish getup
4. Max reps one armed shoulder military press
5. Max reps floor kettlebell chest press

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Kettlebell as the ultimate efficient workout

Perhaps the most efficient workout:

Perhaps the most efficient workout:

Gain wisdom over your body:

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You’re the leader, the guide of your photos. You’re the ultimate filter of embodied reality — you bring to light beauty, and also obscure what you don’t find relevant in reality.

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1. A life without photos ain’t a life worth living.
2. Photography as the glorification of life and embodied reality.
3. Your best photos are yet to come.
4. Never stop editing your photos — meaning, always arrange and rearrange your older photos. Bring old ones and new photos to light.
5. Photography is insanely fun as you experiment with new compositions and new ways of shooting!
6. Photography as the most optimistic form of arts creation, as it is grounded in empirical real reality!

Photography: the ultimate creative outlet which combines art, creativity, and embodied reality and life. To take everyday life— your life and to transform and transfigured it into art, isn’t this the apex?

Entrepreneurship ain’t about making a “startup”, “pitching a company”, or getting a company to “go public” (IPO), and becoming a unicorn worth a billion dollars.

I say— entrepreneurship as a mindset, ethos, and a way of life and living.

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What is an interesting concept to follow in life?

A life of expansion.

Nota benne: “expansion packs” (Starcraft), expansion as a military and civilization concept, expansion as a real estate concept, or expansion in terms of your body (expand your muscular size and masculine presence).

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It seems the modern trend is towards minimalism — minimalism in appearance, in possessions, in lifestyle, etc. Essentially minimalism as the noveau elitism — only the rich and wealthy can afford to be minimalist. For example, note that when traveling, the poor tend to travel with LOTS of suitcases — just in case they need something while traveling. Whereas the rich can just buy it, just in case.

But this is my critique:

One should not be minimalist in everything.

There are some domains in which it is good to be minimalist, and also some domains in which it is good to be maximalist. Some thoughts:

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No such thing as an “anti” hedonic treadmill, or an “ugliness adaptation”:

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What are my favorite cinema films for inspiration and motivation in photography?

Film noir.

This style of composition when applied to photography — very enigmatic, interesting, mysterious and beautiful!

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A new miracle I am witnessing:

Witnessing the growth of my child, Seneca Thien Anh Kim.

To me this is insane — only the consumption of human breast milk, he is able to grow so quickly, so much, have all the nutrition necessary for him to develop physically, mentally, and physiologically!

So if you want new hope, new faith, and new motivation in life in general … perhaps having a child can be the ultimate motivator?

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First sent on ERIC KIM NEWSLETTER

Dear friends,

Spring is upon us. There are many reasons to be optimistic about the future, and the future for us photographers. Some thoughts:

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You’re balling, you’re balling!

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The strange bias we have in modern times:

If we cannot measure or perceive progress, it is meaningless.

But what about things which cannot and should not be measured? For example love for your partner or child, your progress in your artistic evolution, and just life in general?

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Be frugal to things which don’t matter much; your car, phone, etc. Be profligate with groceries (buy lots of meat, without abandon), be profligate when buying gifts and presents for family friends and others you care for, and be profligate when spending money on your art, creativity, or anything which has to do with what you’re curious about and towards your archimedes lever in life!

The joy of photography: extreme optimism for the future! Why? Because photography is predicated on the future; future new moments for you to experience and photograph!

The basic philosophical thought:

The apex of philosophical greatness is when one comes up with an immutable thought or belief, and holds tight onto that belief for the rest of his or her life.

But is this truly wise? I say no.

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What is my genesis towards art? For me, overflowing and overwhelming gratitude towards life and existence. Prerequisites — great sleep, movement during day, physical exercise, social interaction, love, and a strength of purpose and family community life.

Thus perhaps as a prerequisite to art, we must put our own lives and physiological and bodily wellbeing and health at the forefront. Health first, art later.

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Obey your gut and instincts. When you see something unfolding before your very eyes, and you have an impulse to shoot, just shoot it (many times and work the scene) then figure out what to do with it later!

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I’m the happiest when I’m being creative — either thinking of new creative ideas, or actively creating stuff. Some practical ideas and tips:

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Or why I don’t like using free things — why I prefer paying for things.

Also, you only know what you truly value in life based the price you’re willing to pay for it, or what you’ve sacrificed in order to get it.

For myself, it seems the only material things I truly care for are my maxed out (refurbished) MacBook Pro, the hosting for this blog, spending more money on a minimalist luxury apartment, my RICOH GR III, iPad Pro, super fast wifi at home (fiber optic), black merino wool clothing.

Also, be very way in terms of *thinking* or presupposing what your values are, or what you care for. Your actions and behaviors will manifest what you truly believe in — your “revealed preferences”.

What we we seeking as photographer-artists? Peak photographic productivity. In which we always find inspiration and motivation all around us, and when we never disgust or tire of our photography and photographic approach!

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Perhaps the best time to review your photos is the time when you yourself need the extra visual stimulation, or self motivation to make new photos?

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All great things originate from your body. If you optimize for your body — in terms of your abode, lifestyle, nutrition, and approach … everything else in life will take care of itself! Practical ideas:

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Why do we want bodily and muscular vigor? Not for the sake of it — but for us artists, we desire to have the optimal physiological conditions in order to create! To create our art works, our products, our ideas, to think deeper and create and propagate/distribute things more widely and boldly!

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To create and distribute things — our goal as artists, creators, and entrepreneurs. To make things to reach as many people as possible. To create as many goods and things, and to propagate them as far as possible!

My underlying philosophy behind HAPTIC, and even teaching workshops (to make my workshops as accessible to as many people as possible).

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A thought while walking around the block and thinking about the sit-flush handles of the Tesla Model S (and all the Tesla cars):

Beyond the Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Velar, there are truly no other cars which have integrated such a subtle, simple yet beautifully elegant solution to their car design.

Elon Musk put an insane amount of effort and stubbornness in putting the sit-flush car door handles. Why? He truly believed in aesthetics that much. And if one truly cares for aesthetics that much, then truly the under-tones and the root cause is that as an ethos (philosophy of being), this is what our true values are.

So when it comes to minimalism, ask yourself:

Do I like minimalism because it is the new trend, or because it is the ethos of what I truly believe in, in terms of aesthetics and beyond?

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Is it that by making photos we feel more joy, or is it that when we feel and experience joy, we like to photograph?

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First sent on ERIC KIM NEWSLETTER:

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Dear friends,

After a brief hiatus, HAPTIC is back in full effect with our newest product, The Photographer’s Wallet. If you ever wanted the perfect “everyday carry” wallet which has perfect aesthetics and function, The Photographer’s Wallet is for you:

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Blogging — perhaps the most underrated, under appreciated tool and communication technology we currently have.

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The value of photos are priceless.

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Some thoughts:

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One of the best skills we can cultivate as photographer artists:

Being able to see and capture the beauty of everyday, ordinary life, and of ordinary things.

Capturing beauty in the mundane — our strength of seeing, noticing, but also our childlike innocence to see interest in everything around us!

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When shooting videos in 24FPS, I feel reality slows down. Things (even everyday movements, especially hand movements) become more poetic, artistic, and beautiful:

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What makes art so great? The fact that it is open to all; regardless of age, nationality, race, ethnicity, gender/sex, etc. It doesn’t matter how experienced or inexperienced you are.

This is the great thought:

Regardless of what position you are currently in life, you always have the opportunities and tools to make art.

In praise of digital arts-creation. No need for anything besides your iPhone, iPad, or digital camera to make great art!

Ideas of things you can create:

1. Videos (films, movies, shorts) with digital camera, iPhone, or whatever tool you got on hand. 1080p, and experiment with 24fps for the cinematic feel.
2. Poetry: This anyone can really do anywhere. Just type out a poem on your phone or a piece of paper. Go with an internal rhythm or flow. And don’t worry about how ‘good’ it is — just try to make it as raw and direct as possible.
3. Photography: My primary interest. Digital photography as legitimate as film photography, and perhaps even superior in certain ways.
4. Calligraphy: Zen Brush 2 or 3 app on iPhone/iPad.
5. Abstract art work: Or tracing, using iPad and Procreate, or even iPhone and Procreate app. What is interesting about abstract art– anyone can do it (especially children). Ironically as children, the art we do is mostly abstract but as we get older we get taught that ‘photo-realistic’ paintings and drawings are superior. Then when we see truly genius artists (Matisse, Pollock, Piet Mondrian, etc) advance in their art work, their work ‘devolves’ from photo-realistic paintings to more abstract works (note Matisse and his most prominent and later work were his ‘cut-out’ compositions).

Photo idea:

Photograph hands more frequently.

Either macro close up photos of hands (RICOH GR III in macro mode), or include the hands of a subject in a photo. Our hands perhaps as one of the first primal forms of communication?

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This is our exalted goal as artist-creators.

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Even the bad! So just endure your hardship a bit longer!

If COVID has taught us anything, conditions are no longer ideal (far from it, conditions are quite shitty).

But irregardless of this, how can we still create in the midst of the most unfavorable conditions we’ve ever experienced?

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How meaningful photos can be made from home:

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What is the #1 contributor to my health, well being, mood, and creative productivity? Natural light.

Why is this? Some thoughts:

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Extreme risk-taking to strive to become yourself:

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In this short game of life, why not grant yourself great exceptions? To disdain the popular prejudices and virtues of our time. To form ourselves, to select our own virtues for ourselves, and to cultivate ourselves into something new.

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What makes an artist or what is an artist?

Someone who is passionate about aesthetics, and how he or she perceives external visual stimuli.

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Certainly nobody makes it through life without experiencing or feeling regret. But what is regret? How can we positively channel it? What wisdom is there in regrets, and do we desire a life in which we don’t have regret?

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Or how every moment is a photo moment:

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It seems the art (photo) world sneers at digital photography, and somehow puts film photography on a pedestal. But what if digital photography (given COVID) is the only reasonable and logical step forward? And what would it take for us to rate digital photography as artistically and aesthetically *equivalent* to film photography, or perhaps even *superior*?

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Thought:

We obsess over luxury cars, luxury homes, luxury lifestyles, luxury goods, luxury devices, clothes, etc … but what is *true* luxury versus ‘weak’ (unsubstantive) luxury?

My belief:

Health as the ultimate luxury.

Health as defined via great sleep, great tranquility/peace/quiet, great physiological strength, clean air, bright light (lots of natural light), freedom from the cold and ill weather, and surrounding yourself with lots of green and verdant surroundings (in praise of homes with floor-to-ceiling windows, facing the sun [lots of natural light], and also overlooking trees or nature).

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In these extreme times, the best way to approach life seems to be through extreme adaptation — to never plan a day or moment in advance, extracting the maximum from every moment in the day, and creating new values for ourselves and despising the values of the old (predictable) past.

Towards a non-planning future. Instead, an ethos which maximizes opportunity, situation, optionality, positionality, and unique and present circumstances.

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To plan is the current ethos of modernity. But why plan? Is it even a good idea?

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You best show your beliefs via what you are anti, more so than what you are “for”.

Also you exhibit your true beliefs via what you decide *not* to do, *not* to say, and actions and behaviors you decide *not* to engage in!

What if your present scenario and situation were in fact, the best?

Or in other words, how to extract the maximum from existence.

Not RAW like the file format, but RAWNESS, in terms of emotional rawness, directness. Your soul imputed into your photos.

This means:

1. More contrast (crush the blacks in monochrome)
2. More chiaroscuro (dark blacks, deep shadows)
3. Strong emotional content
4. Personal photos (photos of things and people and moments you personally care for)
5. Direct emotional impact.

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A thought and realization:

We often speculate too much on investments, future returns on certain gains, speculate with stocks and crypto, speculate with real estate, and speculate about money in general.

But what if we speculated more in ourselves? For example, instead of putting so much money into crypto investments and speculations, investing that money into ourselves, our self development, lifestyle experiments, self edification, self education, and self growth?

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What is the secret to intimate story telling through photography? The focus on the specific moments, and specific details:

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A new realization ever since becoming a father, and having a newborn child:

Making long-term, or even weekly plans is not good. Best to take it moment by moment, day by day.

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We speculate on investments, money matters, economic matters, and things *outside* of ourselves.

But what if we instead put these resources to ourselves? To our own self-development? To use ourselves as experiments unto ourselves … to see how far we can soar to the heavens?

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What is the end? To focus on photography. Your photography.

Perhaps then the simple idea:

Optimize your life, lifestyle, living choices, city, neighborhood, etc to maximize your photographic optionality!