An epiphany：if you buy bespoke, one of a kind, custom, classic, or old school stuff… you are less prone to falling victim to gas (gear acquisition syndrome), and more likely to actually be content and be appreciative of what you already own.

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I feel most of us crave the following: freedom from worry.

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I shot raw and the jpeg.
I do it so freely, i shoot right off my head.

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Dear friend,

Most of us always complain that we are always too busy. We all strive to have more leisure, relaxation, and peace in our lives. But why do we always let others barge into our free time, and allow ourselves to fall into the “busy trap?” How can we learn how to play offense— and protect our precious free time?

Do less

For some strange reason, we believe that by being more busy, we will be more happy.

In reality, I think we all want to do less of stuff we don’t like doing, and more of what we want to truly do.

It is hard for us to find more time to do what we’re passionate about. It is hard for us to find more time to make photos. It is hard for us to prioritize our creative work. No matter how hard we try, it is very hard to “add” free time to our lives.

The easier thing to do: subtract superfluous and unnecessary activities from our lives. In order to be less busy, do less.

What are the pointless social obligations you can graciously say “no” to (in a nice way?) What are the time-wasting apps on your phone that you can uninstall? What are the distracting websites and blogs you can block from your browser? What are the passive forms of entertainment that you can subtract from your life— to focus on being a maker, not a taker?

Learn how to deflect

I know it first hand— I cannot say “no.” It is because I am a people pleaser. I put the needs of others before myself.

I’ve found a more effective way to say “no” is to deflect. When someone asks you to do something you don’t want to do, or when they invite you to some social event that you don’t want to go — use strategic delay to your advantage.

For example, instead of saying a flat-out ‘no’ to someone’s face— learn how to say things like:

• “Oh, that sounds like fun! Unfortunately my bandwidth is a bit maxed out, so unfortunately I will have to pass this time.”
• “Thank you so much for the offer, that is very kind for you. But not this time, maybe next time?”
• “That is very generous of you, but unfortunately I have a few other affairs to tend to this week. Thank you so much.”

I think the secret is knowing how to be grateful for the offers of others (after all, they are trying to be nice). But it is also knowing how to deflect and say “no” without saying it directly.

Seek emptiness

Life is all about emptiness. When you are empty, you have more room to breathe. More room to create. More room to pursue what you’re passionate about.

I love empty interiors with high ceilings. It makes me feel like I have all this opportunity to create, and fill up the space.

I love having an empty bag— the emptiness allows me to have the opportunity to put things in. And also the emptiness means less weight— which is less of a burden.

I love having an empty mind, where I have no worries, concerns, or thoughts. The emptier my mind, the more creatively I can fill it.

Assignments to reclaim your time

So if you want to be less busy in life, try these assignments:

1. For a week, deflect all offers of doing things, going out, and socializing. Learn how to say “no” (in a nice way). Just say it in a way which is natural to you.
2. Think to yourself: “If I lived a life where I never did anything I didn’t want to do, how much more time, energy, and opportunity would I have to do what I am truly passionate about?”
3. Imagine you only had 6 months to live. What would you stop doing in your daily life (besides going to work) in order to live life to the fullest?

Your life is short. Don’t let anyone else steer your life for you. Take control of the steering wheel of life, and lead a life true to yourself.

Always,
Eric

Learn more: Philosophy >

Dear friend,
Do you give a fuck about your own life, and the life of others?
Or are you blasé, disinterested, like a deadbeat mother?

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Where do you get the desire or the will to make photos?

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Dear friend,
Are you a winner, or a loser?
Are you a whiner, or a chooser?
Do you let your abusers
Take advantage of you?
Or do you break free
And rip your skin off the super glue?

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Life ain’t fair… are you gonna sit, mope, and complain, or do something about it?

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There is no “final destination” for your photography or art.

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The world is a confusing place. My theory：we make photos to try to understand the world.

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What we want in life is knowledge, NOT information.

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Photo zen
How do you shoot unlimited inspiration,
Again and again?

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To be honest, 90% of the hardest part of photography workshops is actually getting people to sign up.

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Person A: “Nice photo! What did you shoot it on?”
Person B: “I shot it on a very expensive camera.”
Person A: “Oh yeah! I can totally see the color rendition, sharpness, corner sharpness, and the bokeh!”
Person B: “Haha just kidding. I shot it on my phone.”

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One thing I realize that we are lacking today is imagination.

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Photography is all about the frame— what you include INSIDE the frame, and what you EXCLUDE from the frame.

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Why teach workshops?

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Fear fucks us up in our photography. It paralyzes us.

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Why is it that we always try to over-complicate things?

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Just live your life
Ain’t nobody built like you

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Why is it that many of us hoard?

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Why be confident?

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To be a ‘smith’ is an old word– to be an artisan.

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Technology has killed the viewfinder.

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Practical advice: let your market find you, don’t find your market.

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“Just set your price and live your life”- JAY Z

Pricing your photographic services is like black magic. Honestly, there is no answer. You just gotta have faith in yourself, and set your price, and see how the market responds.

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Dear friend,

How do you live without fear? Let me give you some advice, that has helped steer me into the clear.

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When it comes to street photography, sometimes your subject will ask you: “What are you doing?” Do you know how to respond?

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Dear friend,

If you want to make a ‘career’ out of teaching photography workshops, let me try to give you straight-up useful knowledge– information I wish someone told me.

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FUCK PERFECTION,
rather make your own imperfect art… based on your perceptions.

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Not look different with your clothes or exterior appearance, but how you SEE and PERCEIVE the world.

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Why do you make photos?

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Let me give you some thoughts on what I think is the purpose of human life:

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GROW,
Do you know
What you’re capable of?

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I’m a consumerist, and I love to buy stuff.

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I love spontaneity in photography. Photography is the most fun when it is effortless, and doesn’t require for us to think, or “try.”

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Currently inspired by Salvador Dali. Lessons I’ve learned from him so far:

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‘MISS FIT‘: FILMPOEM by CINDY NGUYEN:

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Inspired by the unconventional, unorthodox, compositions of Richard Avedon. Photos include nudity (NSFW).

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The greatest asset of a street photographer: your two eyes.

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Dear friend,

How do you increase your visual perception, or how you see the world?

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Photography is fucking awesome. Why?

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A timeless portrait is a photo that will age in reverse… get better with time.

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The Leica M9 came out in 2011, wow, it has already been 6 years.

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Why are cameras so expensive– and why spend so much money on cameras, and photography equipment?

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As humans, we will never be satisfied. As creatives, no matter how great a photographer we become, we will never be 100% satisfied with our work. We will always want to achieve better. We want to shoot more. Travel more. Get more social media followers, likes, and prestige.

But how can we ever find satisfaction in our photography, and should we?

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Nowadays we are like cows. We want a life of ease. We want to just live an easy life. We don’t want to work. We just want to sit, and eat. Have sex. Watch sports. Drink beer and alcohol and get high.

What separates us human beings from cows?

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What do you do in a world with no more bad photos?

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Ever since I was a kid, I liked to take shit apart, and put it back together.

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I don’t think you can change the world with photography, but you can change yourself with photography.

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How do you SEE MORE and PERCEIVE MORE in photography?

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Society tells us it is rude to take a photo of someone without their permission. Why?

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To me, the more photos I make, the happier I am.

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IKEBANA: the Japanese art of flower pruning and arrangement.

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A fun idea, what if you want to be ultimate zen in photography? The concept: no camera, no lens.

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“Let us say what we feel, and feel what we say; let speech harmonize with life.” – Seneca

For me, photography is all about self-expression, and shooting with your soul.

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I consider Richard Avedon the best portrait photographer who ever lived (so far).

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Full-frame is overrated in photography. Why?

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