Phones are the best cameras for photography.

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CONQUER YOUR FEARS AND MEET NEW PEERS >

I’m probably the most passionate street photographers in the world. Why? Because street photography ain’t about just making photos. It’s about making meaning in your personal life.

Street photography is a way of life.

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Dear friend,

As a present, here are some new ERIC KIM LIGHTROOM CLASSIC CC PRESETS 2018 for you!

Also check out my new Tokyo CHROMA Lightroom Presets.

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Street photography advice: shoot what scares the shit out of you.

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Another key to success: don’t be afraid to CANNIBALIZE YOURSELF.

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ZEN ZONE,
All I see is monochrome.

ZEN ZONE,
I haven’t shot everything yet,
Shoot to reveal life’s mystery; make it shown.

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PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101 by ERIC KIM

Another key to success: DO AND GROW RICH.

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Current inspiration: NEXT by STEVE JOBS x PAUL RAND.

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Dear friend,

I want you to be a strong spiritual warrior. A conqueror. But to conquer who? Only you.

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Nowadays, I care less about pretty photos.

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STREET, STREET, STREET
Oh, the pavement tastes so sweet.

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I don’t think so.

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Dear friend,

What do you really desire in life?

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101

Dear friend,

Why are we limited? Because we fear punishment from society.

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from MIS-READING by CINDY NGUYEN:

“The fit is not flattering”
She mouths their murmurs
to the reflection before her.
Eyes scan a faintly familiar figure.
Of crossed legs, brushed hair, slouched shoulders.
It is her, it is she, it is me.
A miss-fit.

Clean contours of plastic perfection
Support, mould the reformed body,
an ivory bust
an empire waistline awaits its ruler.
The patchwork of metal and fabric croak.
It is her, it is she, it is me.
A miss-fit.

She inches towards the mirror
Inhales the clinical scent of new merchandise
Examines the blurry fingerprints of those before her
Smeared across the reflection of her body.
A palimpsest of hourglass dreams.
It is her, it is she, it is me.
A miss-fit.

Mascara lashes fall softly
Lacquered lips press against the cold glass.
Farewell distorted distant stranger.
And hello nice to see you again old friend.
Miss Fists crushes the glass apparition
In a splendid reckoning of femme fury.
It is her, it is she, it is me.
A miss-fit.

mis-reading.com

We cannot measure quality, but we can measure quantity.

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STREET NOTES: distilled knowledge, your new coat
Of street photography armor
No limits on yourself,
Hustle hard and take your art farther.

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I’m an artist.

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Photography Entrepeneurship 101 by ERICKIM

Three ideas:
1. Don’t be boring
2. Always have new stuff
3. No filter

Download PDF >

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Unfortunately, most of the ‘rules’ in street photography have been dominated by Henri Cartier-Bresson.

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In photography, there’s nothing that you’re lacking. Join HAPTIC and keep clapping:

1. When in doubt, click.
2. Buy books, and look up, down, left, and right in the streets. Shoot a lot, to get a few keeps.
3. Join ERIC KIM FORUM, and show us your best shots.
4. Stay positive, and shoot a lot.
5. Shoot FILM, and stay trill (real) to yourself and your own artistic vision.
6. You are (already) an artist and photographer.
7. Don’t let nobody talk down on you.
8. Take more risks in life.
9. When in doubt, be generous.
10. JUST SHOOT IT. (ERIC KIM STRAP)

ERIC KIM STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MANUAL >

Great job to y’all who participated in STREET CLUB ASSIGNMENT WEEK 1: 5 YES/5 NO. Below is a video recap of our feedback, critique, and whose photo was our personal favorite:

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When in doubt, shoot 25% more of the scene (lesson from STREET NOTES):

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Dear Amit,

I know you’re going through one of the most fucking painful and difficult times in your life. But know that you are strong. Nothing can kill you.

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“What physician is angry with a crazy patient?” – Seneca

If you were a doctor, and you had a patient that was sick, would you be angry at your patient?

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Dear friend, there is no other generation or time to be alive to be a photographer.

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I love PABLO PICASSO, because he was the ultimate big ass kid. He made on average 1-2 art works a day until he died. Prolific, self-confident, and constantly innovating.

It took him a few years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.

Some lessons he has taught me:

1. Play with perspective. In this Weeping Woman painting, all the planes and dimensions are on one plane. You can see both her eyes on a flat surface. Picasso flattened his images, and created his own alternative reality.
2. Create emotion: In his weeping woman piece, you can really feel the pain in the emotions of the crying woman. Lesson: art isn’t about realism, but evoking emotion in the viewer.
3. Sketch over the work of artists who inspire you, to better get inside their head.

Made with iPad and Procreate app:

I’m gonna keep playing around with this, and see where it leads me.

So friend, keep playing, experimenting, and having fun.

Always,
ERIC

Innovation: creativity and your soul’s levitation.

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PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101

The best empire to rule is an empire over yourself. – Publilius Syrus

Build an empire of yourself.

Download PDF >

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If you’re not passionate about photography, why make photos?

Download PDF >

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Dear friend, when it comes to our photography and life, it is so easy to get disappointed.

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I’ve been tracing for fun, to better understand the mind of other artists.

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I love color, even though I wear all black.

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Practical ideas on optimism.

Download PDF >

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Dear friend,

I love difficult and hard things in life.

Download PDF >

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PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101

Dear friend,

I had a thought: we are entitled to nothing in life, except having the privilege of hard work and hustle.

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Playful abstractions

crisp cutaways, polygonal edges,

a breath of negative space.

Meditations in minimalism

daydreams in disorder.

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PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101

A lot of us, myself included, waited until we got “discovered.” We have pipe dreams of having someone “discover” our talent.

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What if we lived a life full of passion, enthusiasm, and excitement for life?

Download PDF >

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CHU VIET HA x HAPTIC PRESS:

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We often forget that images, and photos should influence our emotions, mood, perspective, and soul.

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PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101 by ERIC KIM

One key to wealth: avoid debt like the devil.

Download PDF >

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Dear friend,

The more I think about photography — the more I realize photography is less about making photos, more about making you a confident human being, finding more appreciation in life, and becoming the best version of yourself:

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PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101 by ERIC KIM

Another key to success: avoid “paralysis by analysis.”

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STREET NOTES: GO FOR BROKE
Your creativity is unlimited, just take a toke.

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PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101 by ERIC KIM

Another key to success: when you’re done with something, don’t rest on your laurels.

Rather, be ONTO THE NEXT ONE.

Download PDF >

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PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101

KEY TO SUCCESS: own your own platform.

Download PDF >

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We have all fell victim to our anger at one time or another: spewing words like darts of poison, unintentionally harming our loved ones.

Download PDF >

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Most of us are always trying to make really good photos. Yet most of the time, we don’t. We get frustrated. We give up. We no longer feel enthusiasm or passion in our photography.

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”Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Dear friend,

For a long time I’ve aimed for “perfection” in my photography — whatever that means. I tried to set a certain standard for myself. I wanted to make memorable, powerful, and emotional photographs that would inspire others. I wanted to make photos that could stand the test of time. I didn’t want to bring any ugly photos into the world — only beautiful ones.

But what does it mean to make a “perfect” photograph? By whose standard should we judge this? And does such a thing as “perfection” really exist?

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I doubt anyone in life wants to be weaker.

Download PDF >

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Dear friend,

I consider myself successful, because I do what I love for a living, and I’m not homeless. I feel I’ve found the secret to success, and I want to share that key with you.

Download PDF >

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Dear friend,

Imma share you some tips how to fight the photography system, or the “photography illuminati”.

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NEW YORK STATE OF MIND,
hustle hard, and stay on your grind.

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Dear friend,

What are your bottlenecks in your photography — meaning, what prevents you from becoming the best photographer you can?

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Practical ideas how to advance your photography:

1. Don’t be satisfied: when you think you got a good body of work, sit back, and appreciate it for a minute. Then, think to yourself, “How can I do better?”
2. Cross-pollination: Find inspiration for your photography outside of photography. Study dance, theater, classic films, cubism, bauhaus, and all fields of art. No limits.
3. Don’t blame your gear: Your camera isn’t holding you back. Rather having too many options is preventing you from innovating. True innovation in photography and art come from “creative constraints“, or having *fewer* options in terms of tools.
4. Study the masters of photography, then seek to kill them.

START HERE BOOKS / EXPERIENCE

INDIVISIBLE: The bonds that hold us together are invisible.

We are all one humankind,
So why don’t we treat others like ourselves, and be kind?

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If you want to make a living (or a killing) from photography, download the new book PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP MANUAL:

• Download PDF >
• Download .ePub >

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I photograph to see what the world looks like photographed. – Garry Winogrand

For me, I often make photos, because I’m curious to see what the ‘real life’ scene will look like as a photo.

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Buy WEARETHESTREET VOLUME I, fresh photos from Josh White, Sean Lotman, Chulsu Kim, Nicholas Dominic Talvola, Aik Beng Chia, and Junku Nishimura.

Learn more >

I don’t know about you, but my only fear in life is becoming immortal, but being bored to death.

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