As you continue to learn, perhaps the goal is to grow like a tree:

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What makes photography so fun and interesting? With composition in photography, it is about discovering new hidden compositions. It reminds me of the “aha!” moments I had as a student when studying geometry, trigonometry, physics, and math!

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Suggestion:

1. Go out and shoot for fun
2. When you’re composing, take your time, and experiment and have fun
3. Shoot lots of photos of the same scene
4. Experiment with different distances, different perspectives
5. When you go home, analyze your photos. Try to figure out why you prefer certain compositions over others.
6. Sketch your favorite compositions to discover which if your compositions you prefer the best.

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I believe the best lens for street photography is a 28mm lens. Why? Let me share my thoughts:

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Thoughts on what makes a dynamic street photograph —

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My thoughts on what we really want:

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A thought after getting a gun pulled on me (and not getting shot):

Wow, we really got nothing to fear except death.

And in modern life, the chance of us actually dying is so so slim. The only realistic way to die is through texting-while-driving, walking-while-texting, or perhaps skydiving.

Thus beyond getting killed — why fear petty things like social embarrassment, “disappointing others”, social strife, financial issues, family issues, and all this petty drama?

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There is nothing more holy than our own body. Our body is our own personal deity.

Why so much disrespect for our body? Why don’t we revere, respect, admire, or prioritize our body? Some thoughts:

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In photography — detail is fascinating.

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One of my fascinations and personal goals in photography: to strive to discover NEW compositions in photography which have yet been discovered, attempted, or done!

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Principle of life — being greedy for gains? The insatiable desire for more?

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RICOH GR III for life!

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Why the mind is great:

It filters the unimportant.

Perhaps to augment our mind is the wrong notion. Perhaps we should strive to become “more forgetful” in some regards. Intelligence as “via negativa”– the more crap and nonsense you can filter out, the better.

As with intake of knowledge, only consume the best ideas and artwork. And let your mental digestion slowly accumulate new ideas, and filter the ideas slowly over time. Let the ideas ferment in your mind over long periods of time.

If a certain ideas sticks with you after a long period of time, it is probably a good idea. If a certain photo you’ve shot sticks with you for a long period of time, it is probably a good photo. If you’ve studied other people’s art-works and photos, and you still remember it in your brain, it is probably a good photo.

Lesson:

1. Don’t strive to remember more stuff, or “do more” stuff. Better to figure out how to do less, how to have fewer cares, fewer concerns, and less pettiness in your life.
2. Less stimuli to the brain and mind — let your mind go “fallow” more often.
3. The empty mind is the best mind.

ERIC

A thought: all of existence can be justified even with one great photo.

Also— an entire trip or experience can be justified for even one great photo. Same goes with [x] amount of money spent on an experience, spent on equipment and gear, travels, etc.

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For a more dynamic composition, don’t center your subject. Put them on the extreme left or right:

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Thoughts on future-oriented fashion:

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Make things or attempt things which endure! Also, invest and use technologies which you imagine will endure.

Furthermore, read books, watch films, listen to music, and follow certain lifestyles and diets you desire which can endure forever!

Not all pain is created equal. Some pain debilitates us, but some pain actually spurs us on. And some (good) pain is a sign that we’re growing!

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For example when you’ve had a great workout at the gym. Or the pain of a conflict with a loved one which then ends with a resolution which bonds you closer with that person.

Don’t seek a pain-free life

Where a lot of people go wrong: they seem a pain-free and stress-free and anxiety-free life. What we want is GOOD pain, GOOD stress, and GOOD anxiety to spur us on, make us stronger and aid to our personal survival and thrivival!

Do you recall growing pains as a child?

I remember as a kid, I’d have pain in my legs at night, and I would ask my mom to massage my legs. Why?

Another life goal of mine this year:

Eveyerday become less fearful, and become more confident, courageous and brazen into the future!

There’s no downside to failure

What I’ve discovered in powerlifting:

Failure is just useful information about what your limit is.

Once you fail, you gain that useful information what your maximum or limit is. Then you can strategize on using a bit less weight and resistance, then try again!

Stoicism applied to your own life: All the shitty stuff that happens to you can be channeled by you into something which actually benefits you (for example, post-tramautic growth).

It’s like having the Midas touch: every misfortune, pain, disaster, or downside in your life (if you touch it, it turns into gold!)

If you’ve had shitty things happen to you in life, wear those scars with a badge of honor!

If you’re still alive, everything that doesn’t kill you doesn’t have a real downside. Be clever and turn every pain into an opportunity of growth and getting stronger!

ERIC

I often write about “the future” in abstract, but perhaps better to talk about our future; YOUR personal future.

What do we want from our personal future?

First question:

What do you personally want from YOUR future?

I cannot speak for you, but for me:

1. Have offspring: Have children
2. Think more deeper thoughts
3. Write and publish/blog more
4. Create more epic photos
5. Deeper knowledge about aesthetics, art, composition.
6. Become more fearless and audacious over time.
7. Continue to simplify and focus and concentrate my life, in order to maximize my expression of force and creative power.
8. Continue to increase my “one rep max” in all of my powerlifting lifts. As a consequence, I desire more bodily skeletal muscle mass.

How can technology aid your future goals?

Let us not get suckered: sometimes technology can aid us in our future goals, and sometimes technology can HARM or HINDER our future goals.

My thought:

Technology which helps simplify your life, helps you become LESS DISTRACTED, and helps you focus and achieve your goals are the best ones.

For example:

1. Grocery delivery services: Helps me save time to not go to the grocery store. More time to think, read, write and pursue other artistic goals.
2. Living in a tiny apartment: Less time cleaning, less thinking about maintenance (apartment management fixes problems). To NOT own a home is better for my personal and artistic creativity.
3. Not owning a car: Taking Uber or public transportation as better. Incentive to walk more (more interesting ideas come into my mind when I walk a lot), and also less stress with parking, maintaining the car, insurance, paperwork, etc.
4. New JPEG in camera processing technology as great: No post processing raw files anymore; the ability for me to just shoot JPEG on RICOH GR III, and thus less time processing photos, more time shooting photos and reviewing photos! Less stress in my photographic life is good.

The future is already here.

You got all the tools, services, software, hardware needed today. You got all the devices, tools, and the internet in your hands.

What then is holding us back? Perhaps too much time at work, too much concerns about money, and too much wasted metabolic energy on external markers of success.

What we really need:

1. More artistic courage to create like a child.
2. Disregard for success or failure in our art works.
3. No using social media to publish our work: Publishing our work to our own website and blog instead.

Your future is yours: SEIZE IT!

ERIC

What does the future hold for us, or what should the future hold for us?

Phones are overrated

I believe phones are massively overrated as productivity devices. Phones are great for making phone calls, texting, shooting photos, videos, google maps, Uber and the such — but beyond that, I think phones are a bit overrated.

For example, the maximum output rate you can get while texting with your two thumbs is far slower than typing on a keyboard (using all five of your fingers).

Perhaps the next biggest innovation of a phone will be this:

A phone that will allow you to text, write, or transcribe text FAR faster than just typing on your thumbs.

Future cars

I love cars and have always loved them, especially car design. But besides Tesla, all cars are boring. They just keep getting more interesting design, more horsepower, etc. Essentially all gas cars are uninteresting.

The future — self-driving cars. Electric cars are very cool too, but the self driving feature will be 1000x superior that can actually improve our lives (imagine all the better things you can do with your mental energy than to use your brain power to drive yourself).

Irony: with Uber, we technically already got “self-driving cars”. Also taking the bus, subway, etc, in which we don’t need to focus on driving and can instead think, write, read, etc.

Art

To me the future of art must be digital. More publishing full free and open source JPEG images, PDF, or the original source files. Printing is still great, but we are seeking innovation, not striving toward “markers of legitimacy” like we did in the past.

I also foresee great technological artistic software innovations. For example, using iPad and Procreate has actually empowered me to make tons of new visual art! Same with Zen brush 2– combining old school calligraphy with technology.

The future of photography

Smartphones will keep getting better, but I actually see the future of photography happening more in small point and shoot digital cameras (like RICOH GR III, which packs insane image processing power in a small camera). Or new futures of monochrome, like what Leica is doing with their new monochrom cameras.

Also interest in digital medium format — not interest in more megapixels, but more dynamic range.

Also more perspective sharing through ultra wide video cameras like Gopro, or even virtual reality via 360 cameras (Gopro Max and fusion), or even ultra wide mode on the new iPhone and iPhone pro.

Technology for the sake of what?

This is what I try to think about a lot:

The point isn’t technology for the sake of technology. We want technology to “improve” or augment our lives.

But how can technology improve our lives? Practical ideas:

1. Save us time in order for us to channel that time into creative pursuits.
2. Automating boring stuff: Not having to do tedious work we don’t care for.
3. Augmenting our already innate human abilities: Writing as augmented thinking. Blogging or publishing to a website as the ultimate form of thinking expansion and expression.

New photo goals:

Can we achieve a DEEPER monochrome in black and white photography?

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How to achieve a deeper monochrome?

Seeking deeper monochrome —

1. Deeper shadows
2. RICOH GR III in high contrast black and white mode with JPEG
3. Flash
4. Lowering exposure compensation
5. More contrast post processing (Lightroom CC)

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Thinking about the year 2020 and the fact we are living in the future:

We seem to want to augment our minds, become “smarter”, “more intelligent”, to augment ourselves with AI/machines, to process more data more quickly — but towards what ends?

Some people might be seeking “knowledge”, others “wisdom”, and others want a ‘competitive advantage’. But to sum up, it seems that most people just want ways to make more money. But money for what?

Taking the money argument aside; I am curious about people who are seeking knowledge and wisdom for “knowledge” or “wisdom’s” sake. What are we really looking for?

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Do we want happiness?

I think some people are seeking knowledge and wisdom in order to discover the ‘secret of happiness’, or to perhaps lessen their pain, suffering, and depression-nihilism in life. So the seeking of knowledge and wisdom is in order to lessen pain/suffering/stress/anxiety/existential-dread, and in order to INCREASE joy, happiness, levity, and optimism-hope in life.

Thus the formula many follow is:

More knowledge/wisdom->More happiness/joy

But once you’ve maxed out your personal happiness and joy in life– then what?

The end is infinite power?

My thought is this:

When we augment our knowledge and wisdom, we feel more powerful. Why? When we augment our knowledge and wisdom, we somehow feel superior to other “basic” human beings. We feel as if we have hidden and secret powerful knowledge which makes us superior to others.

Thus, knowledge and wisdom augmentation makes us feel superior.

Superior to who? Other humans.

Therefore, perhaps knowledge and wisdom is a means or a way to feel superior compared to others in society.

Why feel superior to other humans?

To me this is where things get interesting:

What is the point or purpose to “feeling” superior to other humans? Is there any real practical payoff, or utility to this feeling?

To become less afraid of reality?

First thought:

Perhaps we want LESS fear from reality?

Second thought:

Perhaps we want to feel as if we can transcend ourselves via knowledge and wisdom?

Third thought:

Perhaps we are afraid of death, or the life beyond (“life after death”?)

What SHOULD knowledge and wisdom be for?

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I wonder — perhaps knowledge and wisdom is more useful if we optimize it for ourselves. Toward our own physiological health, strengthening, and over-powering.

Thus perhaps knowledge and wisdom is only useful insofar much as it

1. Makes us more courageous, audacious, and brave in everyday life
2. Makes us more hopeful, joyful, and confident in life
3. Gives us more hope and optimism toward the future

ERIC

It blows my mind that it is 2020 already — I feel a bit disappointed. Where are my flying cars? My Jetsons future?

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Photography as the ultimate game!

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Philosophical musings on money — from coming with NO money to having money:

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Race doesn’t exist — effort does.

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Was listening to a vinyl record player the other day and thought:

Wow, this is so much more aesthetically beautiful-sounding than a “perfect” mp3 or streaming song.

Why is that? My thought: the imperfections is what made it beautiful. For example, the cracking and popping of the vinyl, the parts where it skipped, or the places where the vinyl was damaged.

Which made me wonder:

Perhaps we can extend this theory of aesthetic to other domains.

For example:

1. Photography as more beautiful when imperfect: Slightly imperfect compositions more beautiful. Gritty aesthetics as more beautiful. This is where film photography is good; the light leaks, scratches, and ‘false colors’ and grain as more beautiful.
2. People with wrinkles in their faces have more beautiful faces.
3. Worn clothes as more beautiful than brand-new.

Towards a ‘wabi sabi‘ aesthetic.

The more you use it, the more beautiful it becomes!

To not ‘baby’ your things. But to “use and abuse” it! To have more pride in actually USING THINGS. To have shame in NOT using things.

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Aesthetics >

• TASTE.
• The More Obscure and Unclear, the Better.
• Cultivate Your Own Taste
• Image Quality and Great Photos
• Imperfect Photos are More Beautiful
• Do you photograph the world better, the same, or worse than reality? #aesthetics
• Aesthetics are Ethics
• Beauty over Truth #philosophy #aesthetics
• Philosophy of Aesthetics and Beauty in Photography
• Aesthetics in Photography
• Aesthetics Strengthen, Simplify, and Focus
• Not better image quality; more beautiful aesthetics!
• Why Aesthetics?

The principle to life: never stop striving to gain more!

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Why chaos makes life more fun, sweet, and interesting:

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My only regrets in life: when I failed to trust myself, and trusted the words of others (above myself).

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If you make an interesting or good photograph by chance, does it make it any less legitimate?

No. Chance is an essential ingredient in photography, especially street photography. And this is what makes photography so great!

You don’t know what the photo will look like until you shoot it

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Where do we gain artistic optimism from? Some ideas:

1. Ignorance: The child-like ignorance of the outside world and what other artists are doing. The ability to approach artwork from a “carte blanche” approach — that nobody else has done it before (but you!)
2. Physiological overpower: To be physiologically hyper-healthy is key. If we are in poor or weak health, we have no optimism in life. If you’re hyper-healthy, and in peak physical shape, you feel as if you can conquer the world.
3. Creative stimulants: I love coffee, 100% cocoa powder, and cocoa nibs to get me going. To me, these stimulants give birth to movement in my legs and muscles. This is what generally gets me going.
4. Hyper-vanity: What is the point of pursuing artistic art-works if others have done it before you, and may have done it “better” than you ever can? Rebuttal: if you have hyper-vanity, then you don’t care whether others have done it or not. You pursue art for your own personal vanity, and to fulfill your own personal curiosity! For example, there is no “logical” reason to have a child, nor do we care whether our kids will become “as good” as children who have come before. We have children to fulfill our own ego and personal vanity– and this is good!
5. Shaking things up once in a while: Perhaps the benefit of traveling is to simply shake things up a bit. To mix the water and oil again. To hit the thermometer a few times to get it working again. A life with too much stability is bad for art. Injecting some randomness, chaos, and chance is good for our artistic spirit.

Motivation

Seek to supersede yourself and become more!

• PASSION, not Discipline
• Better Bad Photos than No Photos
• The Empowering Feeling of Failure
• To Be Human is to Move
• Enjoy the Process
• Better Bad Photos than No Photos
• Why Keep Making New Art and Photos, Indefinitely?
• Photography Motivation: What if There is Nothing Interesting to Photograph?
• Move First, Motivation Later
• Motivation Follows the Action
• In Praise of Heroes
• 5 Tips How to Boost Your Creativity
• How to Have Inspiration to Take Photos in the Suburbs
• Anything that Motivates You to Move is Good!
• The Productive Photographer is the Happiest Photographer!
• Make Today Count!
• How to Break Through Photographer’s Block
• The Joyful Photographer
• The Dancing Photographer
• The Kaizen Process of Gradual Self-Improvement in Photography
• It is Your Duty to Make Beautiful Pictures!
• Making Pictures IS Happiness!
• NO EXCUSES.
• The Pomodoro Photography Technique
• The ABC of Photography
• Just Shoot It.
• How to Change the World With Photography
• How to Find Inspiration in Photography and Life
• How to Overcome Resistance
• Create Against the Past
• How I Motivate Myself to Make Photos
• Wear Your Camera Like a Necklace or Bracelet
• Have Your Photos Come to You
• How to Level Up in Your Photography
• How Not to Give a Fuck of What Others Think of You
• How to Overcome Procrastination in Your Photography
• How to Reinspire Your Photography
• What is Your Mission in Photography and Life?
• How to Overcome Photographer’s Block
• Be a Photographer Now
• How to Overcome Boredom with Photography
• Never Stop Growing as a Photographer
• Why Do You Need “Inspiration” to Shoot?
• Just Shoot.
• 5 Things to Do If You’ve Lost Your Passion for Photography
• How to Have Unshakeable Confidence in Yourself
• Don’t Give Up On Your Dream
• Don’t Waste Your Potential
• Unlock Your Potential
• Empower Others With Your Photography
• Why You Shouldn’t Follow Your Passion in Photography

See all articles >

Not a matter of discipline, but something else?

A thought:

We often berate ourselves for not being “disciplined” enough for x, y, z — but perhaps this is the wrong way of thinking.

When we think of ‘discipline’, we think that we are being disciples of someone and following in their footsteps. Following their moral code of ethics and such.

But if you’re following yourself, perhaps it isn’t discipline we are seeking. Instead, to prize ourselves and to prefer ourselves over others.

For example, I don’t need “discipline” to go to the gym everyday (or several times a day). It is my passion. I love it for the sake of it! In fact, I try to figure out ways to modify my life IN ORDER for me to go to the gym whenever I want. This isn’t discipline — it is passion.

Another idea– blogging. I don’t have to force myself to write everyday. In fact, I blog because it is my passion. I never force myself to write. The words simply stream out of my body and soul! It is my passion– it is my play, and it is the way I expel my creative force.

The passion of photography and image-making

If you gotta force yourself to go out and photos — perhaps you’re doing it wrong.

Discover new mysteries in photography

Perhaps our main discouragement in photography is this:

We feel we have no more NEW mysteries to discover.

But perhaps this can be the root of our artistic optimism?

ERIC

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Motivation

Seek to supersede yourself and become more!

• Better Bad Photos than No Photos
• The Empowering Feeling of Failure
• To Be Human is to Move
• Enjoy the Process
• Better Bad Photos than No Photos
• Why Keep Making New Art and Photos, Indefinitely?
• Photography Motivation: What if There is Nothing Interesting to Photograph?
• Move First, Motivation Later
• Motivation Follows the Action
• In Praise of Heroes
• 5 Tips How to Boost Your Creativity
• How to Have Inspiration to Take Photos in the Suburbs
• Anything that Motivates You to Move is Good!
• The Productive Photographer is the Happiest Photographer!
• Make Today Count!
• How to Break Through Photographer’s Block
• The Joyful Photographer
• The Dancing Photographer
• The Kaizen Process of Gradual Self-Improvement in Photography
• It is Your Duty to Make Beautiful Pictures!
• Making Pictures IS Happiness!
• NO EXCUSES.
• The Pomodoro Photography Technique
• The ABC of Photography
• Just Shoot It.
• How to Change the World With Photography
• How to Find Inspiration in Photography and Life
• How to Overcome Resistance
• Create Against the Past
• How I Motivate Myself to Make Photos
• Wear Your Camera Like a Necklace or Bracelet
• Have Your Photos Come to You
• How to Level Up in Your Photography
• How Not to Give a Fuck of What Others Think of You
• How to Overcome Procrastination in Your Photography
• How to Reinspire Your Photography
• What is Your Mission in Photography and Life?
• How to Overcome Photographer’s Block
• Be a Photographer Now
• How to Overcome Boredom with Photography
• Never Stop Growing as a Photographer
• Why Do You Need “Inspiration” to Shoot?
• Just Shoot.
• 5 Things to Do If You’ve Lost Your Passion for Photography
• How to Have Unshakeable Confidence in Yourself
• Don’t Give Up On Your Dream
• Don’t Waste Your Potential
• Unlock Your Potential
• Empower Others With Your Photography
• Why You Shouldn’t Follow Your Passion in Photography

See all articles >

Whatever artwork you make — the goal is to impress (embed) your soul into your artwork. That when someone witnesses your artwork, they can actually see your soul.

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I am insanely optimistic. Why? And where does it come from? Some thoughts:

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“Life is about reps” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

In modern times, to repeat oneself is seen as bad. But in truth, isn’t life about repetition?

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Why street photography? Some reasons:

1. Insanely fun: I keep finding street photography fun, challenging, and interesting. There is no finality to it; I keep changing as a street photographer over time, I keep accumulating experiences, I keep traveling, and I keep making new photos!
2. Thrilling: Street photography for adrenaline junkies. The thrill and rush of shooting street photography. The rush associated with shooting, sometimes “getting caught”, or the social high talking with your subjects.
3. Art: Ultimately to me, the point of life is to make art. Street photography is art with people. As long as you live, never stop making art!
4. Street photography as optimism in life: Street photography as one of the best tools to conquer depression. To travel, find a new reason to live, interact with people, and to strengthen your body, mind, and physiological functions!

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Street photography 101

CONQUER YOUR FEARS AND MEET NEW PEERS at ERIC KIM EXPERIENCE >

If you’re new to street photography, start here:

• The Ultimate Street Photography Tutorial
• Street Photography 101 Tutorial
• 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
• How to Shoot Street Photography

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STREET PHOTOGRAPHY STARTER KIT: Everything You Need to Master Street Photography.

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Also join ERIC KIM EXPERIENCE if you want to take your street photography to the next level and conquer your fears and meet new peers.

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Street Photography Philosophy

• The Street Photographer’s Soul
• How to Become a Fearless Street Photographer
• Black and White or Color for Travel Street Photography?
• Street Photographers are Adrenaline Junkies
• How to Master Street Photography
• Almost Anything and Everything is Street Photography
• Advice for Aspiring Street Photographers
• Street Photography Sociology
• Why There’s No Right or Wrong Way to Shoot Street Photography
• The Street Photographer as a Soldier-Artist
• Why Street Photography is the Best Photography
• Street Photography is a Way of Life
• How to Conquer Anxiety
• Street Photography is Art with People

Street Photography Articles

• Practical Street Photography Tips
• 5 Simple Street Photography Assignments
• Street Photography Composition Ideas
• 10 Advanced Street Photography Tips and Techniques
• Daredevil Photography
• Lingering Technique: How to Work the Scene in Street Photography
• Why Photograph People?
• No Guilt in Street Photography
• Street Photography is Hard.
• Street Photography Inspiration
• 5 Simple Tips How to Shoot Better Street Photos
• 10 Super Simple Street Photography Tips
• How to Shoot Head-On in Street Photography
• The Decapitation Technique in Street Photography
• Be Brazen in Street Photography
• How to Shoot Better Street Photographs
• Drive-By Technique in Street Photography
• How to Shoot a Wedding Like a Street Photographer
• Street Photography is 80% Risk Taking!
• 10 Simple Street Photography Principles
• 5 Fundamental Street Photography Principles
• 10 Street Photography Assignment Ideas
• How to Tell Stories in Street Photography

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Street Photography Techniques

• Street Photography Technique: The Stalker Technique
• Photography Technique: Take Photos While Walking!
• New Tokyo GoPro Fusion POV Street Photography YouTube Videos
• ERIC KIM Street Photography Tips and Technique
• The 360 Degree Technique in Street Photography
• How to Work the Scene in Street Photography
• How to Shoot Layers and the Bookend Technique in Street Photography
• Street Photography Technique: GET CLOSE & FILL THE FRAME + GOLDEN DIAGONAL COMPOSITION
• Street Photography Techniques: The 3D Scan/360 Degree Technique (Shooting Head-on) and Holding Your Camera High in the Air and Point Downwards (and Use Your LCD Screen to Frame the Scene)
• The Walking Alongside Someone and Shooting Until They Notice You Street Photography Technique
• SUPER INNOVATIVE NEW GOPRO STREET PHOTOGRAPHY POV EXPERIENCE: Cutoff Technique, Shooting Head-on with Flash, and Slow-Motion on RICOH GR II at 28mm
• How to Shoot a Street Portrait: Tips, Technique, and GoPRO POV Tutorial
• Street Photography Technique/Composition: Leading Lines and Crouching Down Low
• How to Shoot Layers in Street Photography: GoPRO POV Video Composition Tutorial
• How to Shoot Street Photography with a 24mm Lens
• The Cutoff Technique in Street Photography
• THE CUTOFF TECHNIQUE IN STREET PHOTOGRAPHY: GOPRO POV KYOTO ERIC KIM

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JUST SHOOT IT. HENRI NECK STRAP by ERIC KIM

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Street Photography Ideas

• Street Photography is Like Fishing
• Why Do We Feel Nervous Shooting Street Photography?
• Street Photography Philosophy
• Everyday Street Photography
• Why Street Photography?
• Why You Must Follow Your Own Voice in Street Photography
• How to Overcome Guilt in Street Photography
• 5 Dynamic Off-Center Street Photography Compositions
• 5 Night Street Photography Composition Tips
• How to Talk to Strangers
• How to Overcome Fear in Street Photography
• Street Photography Empowerment
• Eric Kim’s Top 30 Street Photography Tips
• How to Shoot Street Photography on a 35mm Lens
• 7 Tips How to Conquer Your Fears of Shooting Street Photography
• Street Photography Lifestyle
• How to Use Tactful Flattery in Street Photography
• How to Conquer Social Anxiety With Street Photography
• Street Photography Secrets Debunked
• 10 Dynamic Street Photography Tips
• The Benefits of Shooting Street Photography
• The Street Photography Manifesto
• My Experience Shooting Digital Medium Format in Street Photography
• Why Do You Feel Guilty Shooting Street Photography?
• Improvise in Street Photography
• Ethics in Street Photography

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Street Photography Composition Techniques

• 10 Inspirational Sergio Larrain Compositions
• 5 Henri Cartier-Bresson Photography Composition Lessons
• Street Photography Technique: Overlap
• Street Photography Composition Lesson: Chunking
• The Fishing Technique in Street Photography

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STREET NOTES.

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LEARN FROM THE MASTERS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

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FUNDAMENTALS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

• The Psychology of Street Photography
• Fundamentals to Street Photography
• How to Conquer Fear in Street Photography
• Street Photography Secrets
• NEO STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
• Street Photography Lenses
• Street Photography Settings
• Street Photography Techniques
• Street Photography Ideas
• CLOSER.
• CLEAN BACKGROUND

Street Photography Inspiration

• How to Enter the Street Photography Zone
• Simple Street Photography Tips
• How to Defuse Confrontations in Street Photography 
• How to Make Controversial Street Photographs
• Street Photography Project Ideas
• How to Make Good Street Photos
• Is Defining “STREET PHOTOGRAPHY” a Good Thing?
• STREET PHOTOGRAPHY “RULES” TO BREAK
• Walking Meditation in Street Photography
• 10 COMMANDMENTS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
• Street Photography is Improvisation
• In Praise of Randomness in Street Photography
• How to Become a Fearless Photographer
• How to Make Better Street Photographs
• 12 ERIC KIM Street Photography Assignments
• Meaningful Street Photography
• 25 Street Photography Tips by ERIC KIM

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Beginner Street Photography Articles

Get started in street photography:

Definitions in Street Photography

• Visual Sociology Street Photography
• Why Street Photography?
• What is Street Photography?
• Why Shoot Street Photography?
• The History of Street Photography

How to Shoot Street Photography

• How to Shoot Street Photography
• Street Portraits 101 by ERIC KIM
• The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Street Photography
• 70 Street Photography Tips for Beginners
• 15 Street Photography Techniques and Tips
• A Letter to My 18 Year Old Self: If I Started Street Photography All Over Again

Street Photography Equipment

• What is the Best Camera for Street Photography?
• What is the Best Lens for Street Photography?
• What to Consider When Buying a Camera

See all equipment articles >

How to Conquer Your Fears in Street Photography

• How to Conquer Your Fears in Life
• Shoot What You’re Afraid Of
• How to Channel Your Fear into Bravery

See all articles to conquer your fears >

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Intermediate Street Photography Articles

Take your street photography to the next level:

• How to Become a Stoic Street Photographer
• The 10 Principles of Good Street Photography
• 7 Tips How to Capture “The Decisive Moment” in Street Photography
• The Importance of Social Skills in Street Photography
• The Street Photography Code of Ethics
• “Taking” vs “Making” Photos in Street Photography
• Follow Your Gut in Street Photography
• 10 Reasons Why You Should Never Chimp While Shooting Street Photography

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Advanced Street Photography Articles

Find deeper meaning in your street photography:

• How to Master Street Photography
• How to Be a Zen Street Photographer
• Personal Street Photography
• The “Bookend” Technique in Street Photography
• Street Photography is Self-Therapy
• Zen in the Art of Street Photography
• Taoism and Street Photography
• How to Find Your Style in Street Photography
• Follow Your Gut in Street Photography

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Street Photography Tips & Technique

Learn how to shoot on the streets:

• 70 Street Photography Tips for Beginners
• 15 Street Photography Techniques and Tips
• Flash Street Photography Guide
• Take More Risks
• Don’t Think About Composition When You’re Shooting Street Photography
• 7 Tips How to Capture “The Decisive Moment” in Street Photography
• 7 Tips How to Make a Great Street Photograph
• Tokyo Street Photography Contact Sheets
• Video: Why it is Important to “Work the Scene” in Street Photography
• Shoot Less, Better
• Make Shitty Photos
• Shoot Effortlessly
• 10 Tips for Candid Street Photography
• 103 Lessons I’ve Learned From Street Photography

See all street photography tips and techniques >

Street Photography Guides

In-depth guides on street photography:

• How to Shoot Candid Street Photography
• How to Shoot Street Portraits with Permission
• How to Shoot Black and White Street Photography
• How to Shoot Color Street Photography
• How to Shoot Street Portraits with Permission
• How to Shoot Layers in Street Photography
• How to Shoot Urban Landscapes

Street Photography Equipment

The best equipment for street photography:

• What is the Best Camera for Street Photography?
• What is the Best Lens for Street Photography?
• Why I Love Cameras with Non-Interchangeable Lenses
• The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide for Cameras in Street Photography
• What to Consider When Buying a Camera for Street Photography
• In Street Photography, The Smaller the Camera, the Better
• Why Sharpness is Overrated in Street Photography
• How to Shoot Street Photography on a DSLR

See all equipment articles >

Street Photography Editing and Workflow

• Video: Introduction to Editing, Processing, and Workflow in Lightroom
• How to Edit (Choose Your Best Photos) in Street Photography
• How Studying Contact Sheets Can Make You a Better Street Photographer
• Debunking the “Myth of the Decisive Moment”

How to Start a Street Photography Project

• Free E-Book: The Street Photography Project Manual
• How to Start Your Own Street Photography Project
• How to Come Up With a Personal Photography Project Idea

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Learn From the Masters of Street Photography

“He without a past has no future.”

Start here:

1. Why Study the Masters of Photography?
2. Great Female Master Photographers
3. Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography
4. 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
5. Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography
6. Download All Articles >

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The Masters of Photography

Classics never die:

• Alfred Stieglitz
• Alec Soth
• Alex Webb
• Alexey Brodovitch
• Anders Petersen
• Andre Kertesz
• Ansel Adams
• Araki
• Blake Andrews
• Bruce Davidson
• Bruce Gilden
• Constantine Manos
• Daido Moriyama
• Dan Winters
• David Alan Harvey
• David Hurn
• Diane Arbus
• Dorothea Lange
• Elliott Erwitt
• Eugene Atget
• Eugene Smith
• Fan Ho
• Garry Winogrand
• Gordon Parks
• Helen Levitt
• Henri Cartier-Bresson
• Irving Penn
• Jacob Aue Sobol
• Jeff Mermelstein
• Joel Meyerowitz
• Joel Sternfeld
• Josef Koudelka / Part 2
• Josh White
• Lee Friedlander
• Lisette Model
• Magnum Contact Sheets
• Magnum Photographers
• Mark Cohen
• Martin Parr
• Martine Franck
• Mary Ellen Mark
• Rene Burri
• Richard Avedon
• Richard Kalvar
• Robert Capa
• Robert Frank
• Saul Leiter
• Sergio Larrain
• Sebastião Salgado
• Shomei Tomatsu
• Stephen Shore
• The History of Street Photography
• Todd Hido
• Tony Ray-Jones
• Trent Parke
• Vivian Maier
• Walker Evans
• Weegee
• William Eggleston
• William Klein
• Zoe Strauss

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Free Downloads

• Eric Kim Lightroom Presets
• Street Photography Presentations

See all free downloads >

Free Street Photography Books

Distilled information on street photography:

• STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MANUAL by ERIC KIM
• The Art of Street Photography
• 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
• Street Photography Contact Sheets
• Street Photography 101
• Street Photography 102
• Film Street Photography Manual
• The Street Photography Composition Manual
• The Street Portrait Manual
• 31 Days to Overcome Your Fear in Street Photography
• Zen in the Art of Street Photography

For more resources on photography, Start Here >

Why do we get bored? Because lack of challenge, difficulty, risk, randomness, or chaos!

Solution:

1. Add more difficulty in our lives: Powerlifting style, increase one-rep max for deadlift.
2. Take more risks, particularly social risks (or entrepreneurial risks).
3. Inject more randomness, chaos, and uncertainty into our everyday lives: Less algorithm-generated, more randomness in human interactions. We can also ‘disrupt’ our everyday habits in small ways; take a new route home, get home without using Google Maps, trying new foods, eating at new places, and experimenting with new routines.
4. Travel to difficult places: For example, traveling to Havana for a week (no wifi).
5. Most challenging and fun is to create! Create blog posts, photos, videos, beats, and share/publish them to your own website/blog.

The basic notion of wabi-sabi in Japanese aesthetics:

Over time, the more you use something, the more “worn in” it becomes, and the more beautiful it becomes!

The tricky thing:

Most technological things become WORSE as time goes on. Generally speaking, only the organic actually “improves” over time.

For example:

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It seems to me, the best way to live life is to attempt to MAX OUT. In weight-lifting, strive towards the powerlifting “one rep max” style, and keep attempting MORE until you MAX OUT, and fail.

In business, work, and life– keep seeing how far you can push the envelope.

A life where you are constantly maxing out will mean a lot of failure. But it will also mean a life which is more interesting, more forbidden, more dangerous, and more epic.

MAX OUT — don’t be the last out!
ERIC

Philosophy by KIM >

Composition is something I am insanely passionate about. Why? Let me share:

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I just got back from Mexico City, and am currently reviewing my photos (two weeks of shooting everyday).

Some ideas and tips:

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No photograph is inert. No photograph is objective. All photographs are subjective to you, and every photo you shoot (and end up sharing) has a certain message.

So the question to you, my dear friend is this:

What messages are you trying to relay to your viewers?

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When I pursue and follow and listen to my will, I’m happy! When I act contrary to my will, or feel as if I’m not able to act upon my will, I feel unhappy.

Thus happiness is created from us exercising our will, our willpower and our desires! And the more conscious we are of a gain in our power, the happier we are!

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In today’s world, if you desire success, best to advertise yourself, your character, your ideas, your skills, and your soul over other people, other companies, and other products!

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We need both pain AND pleasure to accomplish grand things in life!

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A simple street photography assignment:

When you see something interesting, shoot at least 36 photos of it (same number as you would a roll of film!)

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Why do I like good value?

When I get something which I perceive is good value— I feel more clever, smart, and innovative! To be able to figure out a more cost-effective solution for not much money.

Thus perhaps value is a system of problem-solving, and the desire to flex your own individual “smartness”, “cleverness”, or ingenuity?

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“Where shall I go? The net is vast and infinite.”

One of my favorite films of all time:

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Why have philosophers always recommended a life of maximal frugality and economy? Not frugality for the sake of frugality, but a life of the maximal personal independence.

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My thought:

There is no “finality” for you as a photographer or artist. Instead, better to consider that you’re always in a state of becoming as a photographer and visual-artist.

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Who is the best person to trust? Trust yourself. Trust your gut. Trust your personal taste in aesthetics. Trust your own moral judgement, your own ethics, without worrying that someone is “looking over your shoulder” or “watching your every action”.

No heaven or hell. No (conscious) afterlife. Every decision you take and make is a mini-experiment. You learn via “trial and error” with real decision-making what is “good” or “bad” for you (useful/harmful).

Ignore metrics, numbers, followers, likes, and money.

Your true judge is only you.
ERIC

The danger of metrics and measuring/weighing yourself:

The ability to LOSE COURAGE and LOSE FAITH in yourself after measuring yourself to arbitrary numbers.

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In praise of standing, walking, and dancing:

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A realization about myself:

I am an elitist. I don’t want to be one of the herd.

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A thought:

To become the apex version of ourselves, we should strive to maximally build both our body AND mind.

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To curate your photos:

Display and show/select the photos you CARE about!

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The soul of the street photographer:

1. Ever curious
2. Ever ambitious
3. Ever hungry for more!

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Free photography tips on ERIC KIM NEWSLETTER >

Dear friend,

I am fresh off a plane (after being in Mexico City for two weeks, and in Cuba for a week) and back home in (cold) Providence, Rhode Island.

I wanted to use this opportunity to essay some thoughts on composition, street photography, and art.

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Dear friend,

If you desire to CONQUER COMPOSITION and take your street photography to epic new heights, I invite you to my new Chicago CONQUER COMPOSITION Workshop (April 25-26th, 2020).

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The turbo thought for today:

What do you desire to become, and why?

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A big thing that has helped re-motivate my photography:

Don’t care whether you make “good” or “bad” photos.

Better yet: don’t strive to make good photos. Just shoot for fun!

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The power of digital is highly underrated.

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Keep doing something and never get bored of it!

No fatigue, no boredom — only fun, excitement! The same or similar workflow — yet the process is always interesting, fun, and exciting.

No need for new technologies — simply new ideas, new rhythms, and new flows!

For example:

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I’ve been obsessed with technology ever since I was a kid. But the question:

What do I really want from technology?

Well — I want a lot of things. Let me try to outline some of my thoughts:

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I’m currently 31 years old, and effectively I feel retired. What does it mean to be retired, and how to retire?

I cannot speak for you, but let me simply draw upon my experiences and thoughts:

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