ERIC KIM

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Pride in What You Paid For

We often think:

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

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

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

You have pride in what you paid for.

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

So in other words,

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

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How to Optimize for Your Health

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

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

Simple ideas:

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

Bright & Quiet

My new favorite aesthetic:

Bright and quiet.

What does this mean?

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

Differentiation vs Equalization

In life, ask yourself the question:

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

And also:

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

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

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Photography is My Play!

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

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

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

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Anything Which Entertains You Is Good.

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

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

Thus moving forward in your life, remember:

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

And in this way:

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

Some ideas:

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The Best Design is Via Negativa

A design epiphany:

The best design is “via negativa”.

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

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

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

CHICAGO CONQUER COMPOSITION Street Photography Workshop (May 22-23rd, 2021)

Dear friends,

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

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

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Photography Slideshow Motion Blogging Concept Idea Innovation

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

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

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

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

I think I have the solution:

WordPress slideshows of still images that move!

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

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Black is Boring

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

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

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The Zen of Having the Best

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

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

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Life Design

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

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

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Which Decision is Best for Your Photography?

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

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