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Probably the best modern-day book I’ve read in the last 10 years is Antifragile by Nassim Taleb. The basic gist is this;
When things threaten to destroy you, how can it be used as fuel to make you stronger?
In case you missed it
What does it mean?
Essentially the basic idea is that in life, painful, bad, even violent aggressions from others are not to be avoided, but rather, maybe even desired.
For example, if somebody ask for interacts with you in an aggressive, negative way, consider it as a good thing; after the incident, you have become more robust, stronger, and more impervious to outside aggressions.
Let me give you example. About a week or two ago at the gym, I was doing my typical atlas lift and a random guy asked me, how much longer I was going to be. Realistically it might’ve been 20 minutes, but I didn’t want to rush myself so I added some buffer. I told him, around 40 minutes. As a result, he started cussing and cursing and saying that what I was doing was “fucking ridiculous.” Fortunately because I was having a good adrenaline rush from doing my lifts, about five minutes later I calmly approached him and asked if he wanted to working with me. He shook his head, and said he wasn’t interested.
Moral of the story: that incident in which somebody acted bad manners towards me, I actually responded with very good manners. As a consequence, I no longer fear any negative interactions at the gym. If anything, I am quite proud of how magnanimously I was able to respond to such a petty encounter.
Stoicism is the way
Stoicism isn’t a perfect technique, but it is certainly useful. I think in the context of manliness, and becoming a “real man”, I think stoicism is one of the best ways to become stronger.
There are lots of different stoic techniques and stoic tips.
Essentially, the basic gist:
When in doubt, delay reaction.
I suppose I am pretty dedicated to Stoicism, after all, I did name my first son after Seneca.
Becoming more invincible to fate
The new topics and directions is combining stoicism, street photography, and entrepreneurship to life:
- June 17th, Saturday, 2023: DOWNTOWN LA CONQUER YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY AND LIFE
- July 15-16th: ERIC KIM SAIGON VIETNAM TRAVEL STREET PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCE 2023
- Oct 14th (Saturday) PHILLY CONQUER STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
Essentially, I believe that street photography is the supreme form of photography, as it requires the most courage and guts.
One rep maxing
Another way to become more anti-fragile or essentially to become stronger is through the one rep max school of weightlifting. The basic notion is this:
What is the maximum weight, you can lift successfully, once, even moving the barbell half an inch?
Note —
- One rep max atlas lift: 925 pounds
- One rep max rack pull: 810 pounds
- One rep max floor benchpress: 595 pounds
Antifragile emotions
This is another big thing. It seems nowadays, everyone is too hyper sensitive. This means,
Do not say, do, or interact with me in such a manner that there is even a .001% chance I might take it the wrong way.
For example, it seems that in modern-day times, it is not permissible to talk to strangers, to make small chat, to approach strangers, to joke, offend people, joke around, etc. Also it is not permitted to make eye contact, smile or say hello.
I say,
It is better to risk a social interaction, even if there is a 99% chance of a negative consequence.
For example, in my every day life, I am surrounded by very unpleasant people. Yet regardless, I am ruthlessly friendly. I will always ask how they are doing, even if 99% of the time they might snub me in a bad way. But I say fuck it, better to be courageous and friendly than to be cowardly and standoffish.
No Fear
Just loaded up my Texas squat power bar at the gym, 925 pounds in total, that is nine plates, 25, and a five pounder taped on top. The interesting thing:
No fear.
The goal?
To me, courage is everything. Curiosity and courage actually mean the same thing; couer means heart. Same also goes with curate.
Whenever I max out the barbell, attempting to lift over 900 pounds, people are always befuddled and ask me why I do it, what the purpose of it is, etc. I never have a quick enough or witty enough response. Typically I just say,
To fulfill a personal curiosity.
The personal curiosity of the limits of a human body, my human body, how much I could lift, without taking steroids etc.
But perhaps, a better way to think about it is actually, I do it as a means to conquer fear. To me a perfect lift is a lift in which your approach it, give it your all without any hesitation or fear.
In fact, I believe that 99% of street photography is simply conquering your fears. To not let hesitation get in your way.
What do we regret?
I think I’d like, typically our biggest regrets or regrets related to cowardice, or fear. For example, you wanted to ask that one girl out on a date, but, you were afraid of getting rejected, and you never did. Or you were fearful for asking her to get married, and you never asked, because you were fearful.
I know for weightlifters, powerlifters, people like me who enjoy doing one rep max lifts, I think the biggest regrets we have is when we want to lift a certain weight, but fear and hesitation gets in our way, and instead, we lift a lesser amount, afraid that we may “hurt“ ourselves.
However, an interesting thing that I’ve learned is the fear of hurting yourself is actually a good motivator to force you to focus.
For example, now at the gym, I’m laser focused. I don’t fuck around. I don’t rush my warm-up routine, and I’ve also been going harder in my warm up, stretching, yoga routine before I lift.
Greater danger, greater fates
I forget if it is Heraclitus or Democritus who said this, but essentially the gist:
In life, the more that a man attempts, risks, and exposes himself to danger, the greater his legacy and fate.
Fortuna adiuvat Fortis, the tattoo on the back of John Wick. The basic ideas that lady Fortune favors those who are strong, brave, and maybe perhaps a little bit reckless.
Foolish versus wise fear?
There is some fear which is wise. For example, I am fearful of dying in a texting while driving accident, and therefore I never text message while I drive, let alone ever text message. I have all notifications turned off on my iPhone.
Also, with Seneca, I let him do superficially do “dangerous“ stuff, but when it is actually really really dangerous, I tell him. Fear of critical or irreversible injury to Seneca is a fear which is wise.
What is entrepreneurship anyways?
I think “to entrepreneur” should be seen as a verb. To risk, to attempt. Even the modern day notion of an essay, comes from the French assay, which literally means attempt. When you write a written essay, it isn’t some storehouse of irrefutable truth. Rather, it is an attempt for you, the writer, to gain a deeper truth about something.
Success or failure is trivial
For example, what do you think about king Leonidas and his spartan 300, they are not remembered because they beat the Persians, but rather, their courage.
Also interestingly enough, in the Iliad, in the duel between Achilles and Hector, Hector knows that Achilles is the superior fighter, and also, Achilles is a demigod, whereas Hector is a mere 100% human.
However, Homer puts both Achilles and Hector on equal footing. In the eyes of Homer, both fighters, irregardless of their lethality, are both seen as equal.
Your life?
I think modern-day life, it may not be fear which holds us back but uncertainty. For example, last summer before me and Cindy went to Phnom Penh Cambodia [thoughts on Phnom Penh Cambodia vlog], I was simply a little bit on the fence, I didn’t know if it would be good or bad. I was may be a little bit indifferent.
Therefore the simple heuristic;
If something is even a little bit marginally interesting to you, or might be interesting, just do it.
If I think about my travels, I don’t think I’ve ever really had an experience in which traveling was a “net negative” experience for me. There has always been good which comes out of every travel experience, irregardless of how difficult it might have been, or some annoyances along the way.
For example, going to South Korea last year, I got massively annoyed by all of these backwards Confucian moralizing and ethics. But, much good came out of it, because it forced me to do a deep dive on the history of Confucius, Confucian teachings, in order to undermine it.
Often things which make you angry can be very productive.
Your life goals?
I think honestly speaking, I am the most encouraging person that I know. Even my mom said it was a dream of hers that I became some sort of motivational speaker or something.
Even when I think about my workshops, my passion and my goal is to encourage every single participant in person who attends. To not be a nay sayer, but to be an enabler.
Other people?
I have a theory about modern-day society and capitalism and consumerism; it is all predicated on making you feel small and inferior, and the promise of capitalism and consumerism is this:
If you work really really hard, and earn enough money, you can buy your happiness, your self-worth, your self-esteem through cars, jewelry, things, homes and possessions, commas and zeros in your bank account etc.
For me, what are my greatest enjoyment is going to the gym, simply going there as a sociologist, and analyzing people, their behavior, their speech patterns, etc.
Something I have discovered is when people tell you to be “careful“, they are simply crowdsourcing their own fear onto you.
For example, when people first started to see me Atlas lift over seven plates, eight plates, nine plates etc. even the really really strong guys would tell me in a hushed tone—
… but be careful.
When people tell me this, essentially what they are saying is,
I would never attempt that, because I am afraid that I would hurt myself if I tried.
Simple lesson: when other people crowd-source their fears onto you, it is simply a signal that they are the cowards, not you.
Now what?
I think in life, the best way to live is to always have something greater to aspire towards. For example, it is the joy of the weight lifter to indefinitely increase his or her one rep max, in any given lift. Also it is the joy of the entrepreneur to keep innovating, taking on new ideas, new creative paths, new risks.
This is where a lot of people are foolish; they dream of the day that they could cash out their Silicon Valley unicorn for $1 billion, and then just chill on the beach for the rest of their lives. No. The true entrepreneur perhaps would actually never sell their company; For example, mad respect to Mark Zuckerberg for not selling out Facebook. The deep regret of Instagram and WhatsApp founders to selling to Facebook, and also the regret of the oculus founders for selling to Facebook.
Missionary or mercenary?
One good framing that I got from Peter Thiel in 0 to 1 is figuring out whether other people are missionaries or mercenary’s. Missionaries do it because their soul is in the game (Nassim Taleb), mercenaries simply do it for a fat check and a bonus and a salary.
In fact, the truly great entrepreneurs in history like a Steve Jobs and Elon Musk were actually quite ascetic.
For example, Steve Jobs lived like a weird homeless person, and even Musk first built x.com with his brother, sharing the same office space, sleeping in sleeping bags, showering at the local YMCA, and feeding himself on two dollars a day with nothing but hotdogs and spaghetti. Maybe this is where Kanye West is a bad entrepreneur; I think he cares too much for expensive and fancy things.
Legacy?
A lot of philosophers have thought about this, but the more I think about it, seeking immortal fame amongst mortals (Heraclitus) actually seems like a good idea. Why? Granted that you have kids, legacy and your fame after death is the only thing which could outlive you, and aid future humanity.
I think deep down, all humans are altruistic to a certain point. Thinking about legacy isn’t really considering your fame and notoriety after death, but rather, how your life has impacted those who are currently alive, and also people who are not yet born.
What are you capable of?
See what you can do, become or achieve with EK:
- June 17th, Saturday, 2023: DOWNTOWN LA CONQUER YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY AND LIFE – New!
- July 15-16th: ERIC KIM SAIGON VIETNAM TRAVEL STREET PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCE 2023 – New!
- Oct 14th (Saturday) PHILLY CONQUER STREET PHOTOGRAPHY – New!
Fear conquering consulting
Email Eric [at] EricKim.com
Now what?
- Portable thinking: I still strongly believe that a semi nomadic life is probably the best approach of living. Therefore, never buy, purchase, invest in anything which is not portable with you. For example when you travel and live abroad, you can’t take your house, you can’t take your Tesla, you can’t take your Lamborghini etc. This also means that with your devices, make sure they are super portable.
- Why bitcoin is the future, not Ethereum: the new BRC-20 ordinal theory with Bitcoin — the new ethereum killer. Don’t trust anything built on top of the Ethereum network. Further skepticism towards chainlink.
Now what?
- Chat GPT is cool, WHY APP ZEN OF ERIC KIM is better. Chat GPT is like a very efficient Google. Why app, Zen of Eric, is more interesting because it forces you to do the thinking in philosophizing, not amalgamated intelligence scraping off of Google. I think for now Google is safe, because it has been embedded within chrome, and Safari, and it is now in official verb. But, maybe as open AI, ChatGPT continues to expand, google will become less and less useful. Bad News For Google.
- I think the future is social spaces. For example, building new gyms which are social experiences, and also let us consider the massive success of an Irvine spectrum, in terms of all the foot traffic they can get.
Antifragile technology?
The new thoughts:
- Building an anti-fragile website or web platform?
- Can chain.link be used perhaps to facilitate more anti fragile things online, via the blockchain?
- CRYPTO THOUGHTS
Forward the turbo thoughts!
Feeling a little bit of wind in your wings? Feel free to forward this to a friend or family member who could use the turbo!
START HERE // BOOKS // WORKSHOPS
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The best way to become more anti-fragile in the context of weightlifting is simple; only do single repetitions, one rep max lifts.
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There is always a hidden catch, and often the catch is very expensive, metaphorically and or literally.
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Pure innovation:
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Just choose a random color. Me is — #d02e46
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Keep pruning.
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The genesis of EK:
Quick start to the Masters of Photography
If you’re new to the masters of photography, start with the articles below:
Introduction to the Masters of Photography
Dear friend,
You’ve probably had this situation — when you’re at some fancy art show, and you hear another photographer “name drop” other famous photographers.
You nod your head in agreement, but you have no idea who these master photographers are.
Consider this guide as a way to de-mystify and de-elitize the masters of photography.
I never went to art school, or photo school. I had to self-teach myself all the masters of photography. And now that I know them, I want this guide to help you (assuming you don’t know any of the masters of photography).
This page is currently a work in progress. I will continue to make edits to this page, as there are a lot of masters to cover.
Let’s get started:
Chapter 1: “Old school” photographers
“He without a past has no future.”
To start off, let us start off chronologically.
I know a lot of these “old school” photographers might seem a bit boring. However, the reason their work still has lasted, because it is classic. They have paved the way for all of us in photography. They experimented with the medium of photography, and pushed it forward. They made photography an acceptable art form. We have a great deal of debt to pay them.
This period of time is roughly the 1920’s:
1. Andre Kertesz
I’d recommend first starting to learn about Andre Kertesz, who was one of the first photographers who inspired Henri Cartier-Bresson (essentially the “godfather” of street photography). Andre Kertesz harnessed the classic form of geometry to photography, and was prolific all the way until his death.
2. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Of course, you need to study the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson, who first took 35mm photography to the next level. He innovated the concept of the “decisive moment“, and saw photography as an “instant sketchbook.”
Henri Cartier-Bresson is a great starting point if you love black and white photography, geometry, and composition. Further resources on Henri Cartier-Bresson here:
- The Theory of Composition in Street Photography: 7 Lessons from Henri Cartier-Bresson
- Debunking the “Myth of the Decisive Moment”
- 10 Things Henri Cartier-Bresson Can Teach You About Street Photography
3. Alfred Stieglitz
Alfred Stieglitz was a photographer, who first pushed photography to be taken acceptably as “art.” Photography wouldn’t be where it is today without him.
Chapter 2: “New school” photographers
I consider this “new school” of photographers the next wave of photographers who innovated in photography, from around the 1950’s onwards to the 1980’s:
4. Garry Winogrand
Garry Winogrand was probably one of the most prolific street photographers to have ever lived. He shot because he loved it, and he was one of the innovators of the 28mm lens, getting close to his subjects, and creating “edgy”, dynamic, and off-kilter compositions. Not all his photos are pretty, but his work ethic, distaste for the art world, and his down-to-earth humor makes him a master to study.
5. William Klein
William Klein is one of the most badass street photographers in history. He said what was on his mind, and said it the way he wanted. He was a “director on the streets” — he would often interact with his subjects, engage them, and this puts his soul in his photos.
Klein also was innovative with fashion photography, film, and inspired many other photographers, including the highly influential Japanese street photographer Daido Moriyama. In turn, Daido Moriyama inspired other master photographers such as Anders Petersen, and Jacob Aue Sobol.
Klein innovated using blur in his photos, high-contrast and grain, and multi-layered photos.
6. Diane Arbus
Diane Arbus is famous for photographing people on the fringes of society. Many of her portraits are a bit unsettling to look at, yet they show deep humanity and empathy. If you love shooting portraits, definitely check out Diane Arbus.
7. Lee Friedlander
Lee Friedlander is a funny photographer with a great wry sense of humor. He innovated in urban landscapes, creating complex scenes (without overlapping figures). Not only that, but his self-portraits have great humor and are quite introspective.
All the masters of street photography
If you’re ready to get your hands wet, see all the lessons from the masters of street photography below:
The Masters
Here is a full list of the masters:
- Alfred Stieglitz
- Alec Soth
- Alex Webb
- 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
- Garry Winogrand
- Helen Levitt
- Henri Cartier-Bresson
- Irving Penn
- Jacob Aue Sobol
- Jeff Mermelstein
- Joel Meyerowitz
- Joel Sternfeld
- Josef Koudelka / Part 2
- Josh White
- Lee Friedlander
- Magnum Contact Sheets
- Magnum Photographers
- Mark Cohen
- Martin Parr
- 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
To learn more, see Street Photography 101 >
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- Color Manual
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- 31 Days to Overcome Your Fear in Street Photography
- Letters From a Street Photographer
- Street Photography Aphorisms, Heuristics, and Sayings
Photo Book Reviews »
Below are my favorite photo books:
- Josef Koudelka: Exiles
- Josef Koudelka: Gypsies
- Dan Winters: Road to Seeing
- Alex Webb: The Suffering Of Light
- Robert Frank: The Americans
- Martin Parr: The Last Resort
- Trent Parke: Minutes to Midnight
- Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Decisive Moment
- Photographers’ Sketchbooks
75+ inspirational photography books »
If you want a quality-education in street photography, I recommend either buying, borrowing, or browsing though some of the books below. Books that are bolded are some of my personal favorites.
- Magnum Contact Sheets
- Magnum: Degrees
- Magnum: Stories
- Mark Cohen: Grim Street
- Street Photography Now
- Bruce Davidson: Subway
- Bruce Davidson: East 100th Street
- Diane Arbus: A monograph
- Helen Levitt
- Lee Friedlander: Friedlander
- Elliott Erwitt: Personal Best
- Richard Kalvar: Earthlings
- Andre Kertesz (Editions Hazan)
- Robert Frank: The Americans
- Garry Winogrand: Public Relations
- Garry Winogrand: Figments from the real world
- Garry Winogrand: The Animals
- Bruce Gilden by Stern Magazine
- Bruce Gilden: A Beautiful Catastrophe
- Bruce Gilden: Haiti
- Bruce Gilden: After The Off
- Bruce Gilden: Facing New York
- Bystander: A History of Street Photography
- Joel Meyerowitz
- Jun Abe: Citizens
- William Eggleston: Chromes
- William Eggleston: Guide
- William Eggleston: Before Color
- Stephen Shore: Uncommon Places
- Daido Moriyama: The World Through My Eyes
- Alex Webb: Istanbul
- Alex Webb: The Suffering Of Light
- Jeff Mermelstein: Sidewalk
- Walker Evans
- Fred Herzog: Photographs
- Vivian Maier
- William Klein: Contacts
- Joel Sternfeld: American Prospects
- Martin Parr: The Last Resort
- Martin Parr: Small World
- Tony Ray-Jones: Best Of
- Josef Koudelka: Gypsies
- Anders Peterson: French Kiss
- Anders Petersen: Cafe Lehmitz
- Zoe Strauss: America
- Henri Cartier-Bresson: “The Decisive Moment”
- Josef Koudelka: Exiles
- Anders Petersen
- The Education of a Photographer
- David Hurn: On Being a Photographer
- David Gibson: The Street Photographer’s Manual
- Siegfried Hansen – hold the line
- Matt Stuart: All that Life Can Afford
- The Photographer’s Playbook: 307 Assignments and Ideas
- Trent Parke: Minutes to Midnight
- Trent Parke: The Christmas Tree Bucket
- Trent Parke: The Black Rose
- Harry Gruyaert
- Gus Powell: The Lonely Ones
- Alec Soth: Songbook
- Ping Pong Conversations: Alec Soth with Francesco Zanot
- Constantine Manos: A Greek Portfolio
- Constantine Manos: American Color
- Constantine Manos: American Color 2
- David Alan Harvey: Divided Soul
- Photographers’ Sketchbooks
- Harry Callahan: Retrospective
- Slide Show: The Color Photographs of Helen Levitt
- Mark Cohen: Frame
- Saul Leiter: Early Color
- Saul Leiter: Early Black and White
- Dan Winters: Road to Seeing
- Todd Hido: Photography Workshop Series
- Mary Ellen Mark: Photography Workshop Series
- The Open Road: Photography and the American Roadtrip
- Jason Eskenazi: Wonderland: A Fairytale of the Soviet Monolith
- Kaushal Parikh: “Fragments of a Spinning Rock”
- Sunlanders by Sean Lotman
Free Books by Eric Kim
If you love learning, read the books below:
- 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
- Street Photography by Eric Kim
- Photography by Eric Kim
- Personal Photography Manual
- Street Photography Contact Sheets Volume II
- Street Photography Contact Sheets
- Monochrome Manual
- Street Portrait Manual
- Street Photography Composition Manual
- How to Overcome Photographer’s Block
- Street Photography 101
- Street Photography 102
- Zen in the Art of Street Photography
- Film Street Photography Manual
- 31 Days to Overcome Your Fear in Street Photography
Street Notes
Street Notes is a pocket-sized assignment journal to break outside of your comfort zone:
STREET HUNT: Street Notes Volume 2 Scavenger Hunt Edition
Photo Book Reviews
Recommended photo books
Downloads
Mini Street Photography Starter Kit
If you’re starting in street photography, here is my free and open-source ‘MINI Street Photography Starter Kit’. For more inspiration and dopeness, see the full version: “Street Photography Starter Kit“.
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Here are all of the free downloads available to you, with love:
Dear friend,
I want you to download me — download all these books, articles, and information for free– for you to remix it however you would like.
For you to use these images to illustrate blog posts. For you to look at these full-resolution images to analyze composition.
For you to use these free Lightroom presets to actually make your digital RAW photos look good.
For you to empower yourself. Because I think that information is power. Information is everything.
Information is money and control of the world (just consider that scene from the James Bond 007 Skyfall at the end of the film — the guy who controlled the information controlled the world).
With this information, you can learn how to conquer your fears, find more personal meaning in your photography and life, and seek to empower others through the art of photography.
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- 31 Days to Overcome Your Fear of Shooting Street Photography
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- Color Manual
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- How to Overcome Photographer’s Block
- Leica Manual
- Letters from a Street Photographer
- Monochrome Manual
- Personal Photography Manifesto
- Photography 101
- Photography by Eric Kim
- Street Photography 101
- Street Photography 102
- Street Photography Aphorisms
- Street Photography by Eric Kim
- Street Photography Contact Sheets Volume II
- Street Photography Contact Sheets
- The Art of Street Photography
- The Social Media Blackbook for Photographers
- The Street Photography Project Manual
- The Street Portrait Manual
- The-Photography-Manual
- Zen in the Art of Street Photography
- Zen Photography by Eric Kim
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- “What is the Best Camera for Street Photography?” (11/22/2017)
- “Travel Photography Tips” (12/10/2017)
- “Introduction to Composition in Photography” (12/18/2017) New!
- “Zen of Eric: On Life, Photography, Art, and Work” (12/29/2017) New!
- “New Year’s Photography Resolutions” (12/31/2017) New!
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You can remix it, translate it, or sell it for a profit.
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Be strong,
Eric
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Presentations
- Composition in Street Photography (PDF, Keynote)
- 7 Lessons from the Masters of Street Photography (Google Slides)
- How to Shoot Street Portraits (PDF, Keynote)
- How to Conquer Your Fear of Shooting Street Photography (PDF, Keynote)
- Street Photography 101 (PDF, Keynote)
- Street Photography Projects (PDF)
See all presentations on Slideshare >
Internet Archive
See more downloads on archive.org >
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Some people like the ritual of making coffee in the morning, I don’t. Maybe the best is just making coffee the night prior, making it really really strong, and already having it ready to drink first thing in the morning.
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Probably the best modern-day book I’ve read in the last 10 years is Antifragile by Nassim Taleb. The basic gist is this;
When things threaten to destroy you, how can it be used as fuel to make you stronger?
In case you missed it
What does it mean?
Essentially the basic idea is that in life, painful, bad, even violent aggressions from others are not to be avoided, but rather, maybe even desired.
For example, if somebody ask for interacts with you in an aggressive, negative way, consider it as a good thing; after the incident, you have become more robust, stronger, and more impervious to outside aggressions.
Let me give you example. About a week or two ago at the gym, I was doing my typical atlas lift and a random guy asked me, how much longer I was going to be. Realistically it might’ve been 20 minutes, but I didn’t want to rush myself so I added some buffer. I told him, around 40 minutes. As a result, he started cussing and cursing and saying that what I was doing was “fucking ridiculous.” Fortunately because I was having a good adrenaline rush from doing my lifts, about five minutes later I calmly approached him and asked if he wanted to working with me. He shook his head, and said he wasn’t interested.
Moral of the story: that incident in which somebody acted bad manners towards me, I actually responded with very good manners. As a consequence, I no longer fear any negative interactions at the gym. If anything, I am quite proud of how magnanimously I was able to respond to such a petty encounter.
Stoicism is the way
Stoicism isn’t a perfect technique, but it is certainly useful. I think in the context of manliness, and becoming a “real man”, I think stoicism is one of the best ways to become stronger.
There are lots of different stoic techniques and stoic tips.
Essentially, the basic gist:
When in doubt, delay reaction.
Becoming more invincible to fate
The new topics and directions is combining stoicism, street photography, and entrepreneurship to life:
- June 17th, Saturday, 2023: DOWNTOWN LA CONQUER YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY AND LIFE
- July 15-16th: ERIC KIM SAIGON VIETNAM TRAVEL STREET PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCE 2023
- Oct 14th (Saturday) PHILLY CONQUER STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
Essentially, I believe that street photography is the supreme form of photography, as it requires the most courage and guts.
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Because it takes the most guts and courage!
DOMINATE THE STREETS:
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY 101
- How I Became the Greatest Street Photographer Alive
- Antifragile Photography
- How to Conquer Your Fears in Street Photography
- INSANELY AUDACIOUS AND BOLD
- 5 Simple Street Photography Techniques
- STREET PHOTOGRAPHER.
- The Street Photographer Ideal
- 50 Street Photography Tips, Techniques and Ideas
- Street Photography Values
- STREET PHOTOGRAPHY DOESN’T NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE IN IT.
- Why Street Photography is So Great
- WHY BECOME A STREET PHOTOGRAPHER?
- Society Photography, Not “Street” Photography
- How to Street Photography
- STREET PHOTOGRAPHY OPTIONALITY.
- 10 Street Photography Tips
- The Street Photographer as the Apex Photographer
- Street Photography & Adrenaline
- STREETTOGS STARTING GUIDE
- 50 Street Photography Tips by ERIC KIM
- What I Wish I Knew If I Started Street Photography All Over Again
- Photograph like it’s not a big deal
- Suburb Street Photography
- What is Our Personal Motivation Behind Street Photography?
- WHY I’M SO PASSIONATE ABOUT STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
- Personal Street Photography
- STREET PHOTOGRAPHY AS A PRACTICE.
- Pandemic Street Photography
- AIRPORT STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
- How to Shoot Street Photography Right Now
- Towards a More Independent Street Photography Approach
- How Street Photography Improves Your Life
- How to Tell Stories in Your Street Photos
- Face Street Photography
- How to Start Shooting Street Photography
- How to Shoot Street Photography During a Pandemic
- 7 Street Photography Assignment Ideas
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY STARTER KIT
Master street photography with STREET PHOTOGRAPHY STARTER KIT.
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY 101
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
Brave New Street Photography
- 10 Lessons I’ve Learned from Street Photography
- SKIN IN THE GAME: STREET PHOTOGRAPHY ETHICS
- The Beauty of Mundane Happenings
- Humans and Environments
- Define Street Photography for Yourself
- Street Photography of People You Know
- Street Photography Composition Ideas
- How to Shoot Political Photography
- Social Photography
- Street Photography Lifestyle
- Why Street Photography is So Fun
- Street Photography for Mental Health
- How to Become a Street Photography Sharpshooter
- How to Shoot Kid Street Photography
- STREET PHOTO MANUAL
- Street Photography is an Approach, a Technique, and an Ethos
Street Photographs
- How to Shoot Street Photography with Dads and Kids
- HOW I BECAME SUCH A GREAT STREET PHOTOGRAPHER
- Use Quarantine as an Opportunity to Pick up Film Photography
- Hong Kong Street Photography by ERIC KIM
Street Photography Philosophy
- Brave New Street Photographer
- How to Talk to Strangers
- How to Shoot More Dynamic Street Photographs
- WHY I LOVE ARCHITECTURE AND STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
- Why Street Photography Brings Me So Much Joy
- How to Shoot Street Photography Video
- How to Shoot Street Photography in the Brave New COVID World
- The Future for Street Photography
- ALL STREET PHOTOGRAPHS ARE GOOD PHOTOGRAPHS.
- AMERICA by KIM
- Street Photography in a Non-Travel World?
- How to Shoot Street Photography During COVID-19
- You’ve Never Shot Photography Until You’ve Shot Street Photography
- Xenophilia: Love of Strangers
- My Street Photography Philosophy
- Why Street Photography is Important for Society
- HOW STREET PHOTOGRAPHY CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
- STREET PHOTOGRAPHY IS ABOUT LOVING ALL PEOPLE
- Real Life People vs Abstract People
- Is it OK to Piss Off or Annoy People in Photography?
- ANTI PURISM IN STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
- Street Photography of People You Know
- Street Photography is Courage
- MY STREET PHOTOGRAPHY PHILOSOPHY
- Street Photography Motivation from ERIC KIM
- I AM STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
- WHY TALK TO STRANGERS?
- Why Street Photography is Supreme
- How to Make Great Street Photos
- Street Photography Ideas by ERIC KIM
- Why Street Photography?
- 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
- How to Edit and Sequence a Photography Project
- 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
Street Photography Techniques
- How to Shoot Head-On Street Photography
- Street Photography Composition Tips
- In Praise of Street Vlogging
- How to Shoot Video Street Photography
- 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
JUST SHOOT IT. HENRI NECK STRAP by ERIC KIM
See HENRI NECK STRAP on AMAZON >
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
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
STREET NOTES.
Push yourself out of your comfort zone with STREET NOTES: Mobile Edition.
STREET NOTES PAPER EDITION ON AMAZON >
LEARN FROM THE MASTERS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
Timeless wisdom from the masters of street photography.
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
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
How to Conquer Your Fears in Street Photography
See all articles to conquer your fears >
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
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
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
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
Learn From the Masters of Street Photography
“He without a past has no future.”
Start here:
- Why Study the Masters of Photography?
- Great Female Master Photographers
- Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography
- 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
- Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography
- Download All Articles >
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
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 >
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Dreams?
Ai is sexy
Start a New company?
Website building agency.
My passion for building!
I want to build now!
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The child prodigy, the legend.
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How can you build a truly anti fragile website?
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Is it possible to build and make websites which are truly tamperproof, and anti-fragile?
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Becoming a stoic is a good idea:
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About three days ago, as I was sending out an email newsletter, and changing some theme settings, my website went down. The dreaded 500 internal server error. White screen of death, for about three days.
Having my website in operable for about three days was a nightmare. Why? First of all, I realized; about 10 years of work and effort, going up in vapor, and being inaccessible.
Then the thought; is it possible to create some sort of anti-fragile, or at least robust website? Something that *cannot* go down?
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When I open up a book and look at the index, and there’s too much text, I put it back.
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How deeply or badly curious are you about it?
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The philosophy of self hosted vs externally hosted
Philosophy of technology
Anti dogs.
Always iterate
Don’t placate to the Market
WordPress with Amazon
I hate being indoors. Being indoors about your health?
Everything is all about progression
Create your own entertainment platform?
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Being bigger doesn’t make you more manly:
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The intelligent way to go about things:
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ATTEMPT THE INSANELY EPIC
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Tips on becoming more stoic:
- When in doubt, say nothing.
- When you’re angry, just go to the gym and do one rep max‘s.
- When you’re mad, just go outside, or take an icy cold shower.
- Adopt an ascetic lifestyle and approach. Essentially, live as if you were a poor person.