ERIC KIM ₿

We are the new Spartans. That means, we are more indifferent to success or failure, we are more interested in courage and the attempt.

An innovative thought that I had this morning is that if you think about it, there is a good hybrid mix and cross pollination between Street photography and being Spartan. That is, I believe street photography to be the most courageous form and approach of photography out there, maybe even more courageous than war photography, because in war photography or conflict photography or photojournalism, do you got a press badge. But in street photography, you don’t.

In street photography, you have no “reason“ or ultimate authority. What drives you instead is your own personal interest, guts, and ambition.

It is all about the attempt, and your own personal courage

Better to ask for permission and get rejected, than not to even ask.

In weightlifting, better to attempt an insanely audacious weight, and fail, instead of attempting something lesser, and succeeding.

Also I think there is a good crossover between weightlifting and courage, audacity in Street photography. That is, the stronger I get in the gym, and the more hypelifting I practice, the more courage I actually gain in street photography. Nowadays, I am far less fearful in the context of street photography now than I was in the past. Why? My personal theory is that with weightlifting, hypelifting, powerlifting, etc., it boosts your testosterone, your courage, your muscle, and helps you conquer the fear of failure, and also makes you more risk loving. Once you’re able to rack pull over six plates, and you find out that everything‘s OK, if you find out that you could really do anything.

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Courage in street photography

Seek danger. That means in the context of street photography, try to put yourself into more situations or scenarios which require you to exhibit your courage.

For example, I’ve discovered in the context of weightlifting, I am not interested in attempting any sort of weightlifting style exercise in which I am 100% certain I will succeed. In fact, I am actually more interested when at the back of my head, there is a potential for failure. Why? Danger, risk, and adventure are all intertwined. If you already know you’re going to succeed at something 100%, before doing it, I have zero interest in doing it.

So maybe in Street Photography, the reason why it is so fun and interesting is because you never know what’s going to happen. Also, when you interact and engage with a person, when there is a risk of something going south, that is what makes it fun and interesting.

Therefore as a philosophical twist, maybe the only way to keep street photography fun and interesting for us is to keep seeking danger, social risk-taking, and uncomfortable situations.

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Pragmatic ways to become more courageous in street photography

1. Intentionally try to get rejected: The assignment is approach the most unfriendly looking people, and ask to make a portrait of them. Do you have to keep asking until you get 10 people to intentionally reject you. The reason why this is such a powerful and effective approach is that once you get rejected at least 10 times, you actually find out that it wasn’t as bad as scary as you thought it would be. Also, often people who you think would reject you, actually end up saying OK. This is a good way to rewire your brain.
2. Learn to love risk: What is the best way to seek happiness? Love risk and danger. What is the secret to the happiest life? The life with the most danger and risk. That is seek a life and existence in which you expose yourself to the maximum amount of danger and risk, without losing a limb or dying.

So where is the best place to shoot street photography?

And go to where the people are! It depends on your environment and where you live. For example, if you’re in orange county, just go to the Irvine spectrum, where you have lots of people walking around, and lots of foot traffic. It looks like if you’re in the suburbs, the best place to go to is the mall.

It is a good idea to go to downtown areas if people are actually walking around.

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VIDEO

The spartan way:

We are the new street photographers. What does this mean, and how can we expand this notion?

First of all, break out of all boundaries and genres. The uber street photographer knows no boundaries or limits. Also, the real street photographer disdains to be defined. Even Garry Winogrand hated being called a “street photographer”— he just told other people, “just call me a zoo photographer instead!” (note his “Animals” book in which he shot in (Street Photography of animals and humans at the zoo).

For ourselves, I like the idea that we can expand the notion and the approach of street photography, to apply to other things. For example, I also believe that we are the new Spartans, and Street Photography is an interesting applied methodology to the way we live our lives. That is, we don’t need much, and we prefer ascetic values and ascetic approaches.

Photography is training

What is training? Askesis — we prepare for battle and combat through training.

In the context of street photography, what does this mean? This means that we love challenge in danger. This is the root of our passion for stupid Harvey, the fact that it does require courage, danger, and fear.

I think in order to be happy, one requires both danger and challenge. For example, the only type of weight lifting at the gym which interest me is both challenging, and “dangerous“. For example, very very heavy squat walk, and rack pull. Hypelifting — any type of weightlifting which requires you to hype yourself up before doing it.

Also, I might have been the first to have thought of this, which is that in order to have zen, you need adrenaline.

VID

We are the new street photographers!

It seems that nowadays, one of the big problems is that we put ourselves into situations in which we trap ourselves. For example, literally being stuck inside the house, or if we live somewhere and we feel like we cannot leave. For example, let us assume you live in downtown LA, and you don’t have a car, you might feel stuck in downtown LA, with difficulty to venture further.

Another reason why I think perhaps an electric car is bad for freedom is that with an electric car, you’re either stuck in the immediate vicinity of your home, or at around charging stations. A life of maximal freedom is probably a hybrid car, or some sort of plug-in hybrid car. Even a plug-in hybrid car doesn’t seem necessary, just a standard hybrid car seems to suffice. The great benefit of a hybrid car is that you don’t have to fill up your tank as frequently, and you could also just use the standard cheap gasoline. I don’t think it matters how rich you are, I don’t think anyone likes the idea of paying for premium gas.

Also, cars that require lots of gasoline to run are bad. Cars which are not gas efficient mean that you have to go to the gas station more frequently, and it also takes up longer to fill up your tank. This is bad, even the other day filling up the tank of Cindy’s mom which I am borrowing, it took too long.

A new innovation I’ve done at the gym is what Cindy coined a “squat walk”. Basically the general gist is that you just rack a very heavy weight, your attempt on racket, walk back a few steps, and then re-rack it.

Why?

The first question is consider, what is the point of doing this? My practical thought is that it is fun, interesting, and thrilling. Certainly just being able to even hold a very heavy weight on your shoulders is a quite transformative experience.

For example, my first iteration of this was doing what I called “micro squats” which was just put a very very heavy weight on your shoulders, step back a few steps, and then just squat down half a centimeter. And then put back the weight.

How low do you really need to go?

When it comes to weightlifting, it seems that there is this bias that with the squat, one must squat all the way down, at parallel, a little bit below parallel, or maybe a little bit above parallel. But why?

My first thought is that I think it has to do with competition. If you are getting a bunch of dudes in a room, and trying to figure out who is the strongest, do you need some sort of standardized rules and judges. It seems at least in powerlifting, the “rule“ is that your hips or knees or whatever must be at “parallel“. But who judges this? The judges. However, I am certain when you get a bunch of beefy dudes trying to squat over 1000 pounds, everyone’s definition of “parallel“ is different.

Is the goal to just get stronger, or to maximize your leg muscular growth?

Currently speaking, my thighs are out of control. I think I might have the beefiest thighs out of any dudes I’ve seen at the gym. My thighs are so buff I could even jiggle them on command. Kind of how bodybuilders on TV do the pec or the boob jiggle.

The first thing; muscular growth. My thighs are getting insanely buff, from even doing this “squat walk. Or micro squats.

We are the new street photographers. We disdain the old, and we throw mayhem and havoc onto past notions of street photography. No more John Szarkowski, no more Gary Winogrand, no more Henri Cartier Bresson, no more Alex Webb, etc.

Why have I never met a self-assured street photographer?

I think the funny thing about street photography is that it is such a small funny niche. The interesting thing is that a lot of new industries were born out of it, including Leica camera, and also Fujifilm, and also Ricoh.

Also, I love street photography because it is the most democratic. Literally anyone could just grab their iPhone, or camera, and just go outdoors and make photos.

Think about street photography as an aesthetic an ethos to life

One thing I love in Vietnam, like my friend Chu Viet Ha is they don’t really call it street photography, they call it “life photography.” I really like this, because I think that is ultimately what we are trying to capture is life. We love life, we love being alive, and we want to share our joy of life with others.

Pro life, or anti-life?

The reason why we have to be very very careful with artists is that some artists are anti-life, very few artists I have met are pro life.

For example, the reason why I think it is a good idea to be very very distrustful of artists who were either addicted to drugs or alcohol is that their artwork was simply a way and a means of bearing their pain, depression and sorrow. While I do think that making art is a good remedy to dealing with the maladies of life, the big downside is that if you ingest the artwork of a sick person, you will also become sick. There is a physiology to art, which means, the physiology of the artist is imputed into his or her artwork, and when you consume that type of artwork, you will also gain the physiological attributes of that individual.

For example, do not trust any artist who are addicted to alcohol, drugs, heroin etc. For example, don’t trust Jackson Pollock, because he was an alcoholic. He died while drunk driving, no respect should be given to that man. Because if you are drunk while driving, the potential of killing someone else in their family in a car.

Even Jean Michel Basquiat, he died of a heroin overdose. I don’t think we should trust his artwork either, I would only trust the artwork of the sober artist, more trust in Kendrick Lamar, whose only vice seems to be eating Cap’n Crunch cereal, rather than all these other rappers and artists out there who are perpetually drunk or high off of some sort of strange drug or alcohol concoction.

Also, the reason why I am highly distrustful of EDM, and all of these millennial music festivals is that everyone there is high on drugs. Can anyone really enjoy an EDM festival, or some sort of music festival without alcohol or drugs? Highly doubtful.

The best drug is coffee

Elon Musk said something very funny in the interview with Joe Rogan when he said that smoking weed is like the exact opposite of having a cup of coffee. I think the least bad drug out there is probably coffee, consume it straight black, with no milk cream sugar or fake substitutes. Also maybe green tea. But that is pretty much it. No drugs, no alcohol, no weed, etc.

Why do I not trust anybody who smokes weed, either regularly, or even recreationally? I think the reason why people like to smoke marijuana is that it eases their pain, or it makes them forget about themselves. The only philosophers we should trust are the sober ones, because in order to have real lofty thoughts, you must have 100% of your cognitive abilities with precision. Anything which intoxicates you is bad.

Back to street photography

If we assume that street photography is an aesthetic and ethos and approach to things, then you could apply the street photography methodology to anything I like. The way you photograph your kids and your wife and your family is a street photography approach. Either with permission, without permission, it doesn’t matter.

I think you could also shoot street photography in national parks. Like Joshua tree. That you could shoot a Street Photography aesthetic of natural places and things, in a street photography aesthetic. Also, you get extra bonus points if you get humans in it, which is often the case. The funny thing is a lot of people desire to go to all these nice national parks, thinking that they will be the only ones there. No. They are very very crowded and full of tons of people, Maybe as crowded as the mall. And this is a good thing, because even if you go visit Joshua tree, you could do street photography there of all the people trying to climb the rocks etc.

Think beyond street photography

When people ask you what you are, say that you’re like a big kid, and you like to run around with your camera.

Street photography is the future. Let us pave it together.

ERIC

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Innovation thoughts

1. My personal thought is perhaps the future of innovation doesn’t lie in tech, but clothing, fitness, health, etc. At this point, we have all the money, and all of the iPhones, etc. However, what we like is physiological health and strength. Currently speaking, my favorite clothing brand is Lululemon, their license to train shorts are quite phenomenal. Also, I’m very inspired by Outlier.nyc, they keep innovating and creating new products. A very good sign.
2. Why do I think that fitness clothing is so important? It makes a huge difference. Our clothes might be more important than our iPhones. Why? If you have the right pair of shorts or pants, it offers you greater freedom of movement, a very simple thing in these Lululemon license to train shorts I have is front zippers and a back zipper, which means I could play with Seneca in all situations without worrying about my stuff falling out of my pockets. This is quite critical. Also, when hypelifting at the gym, often times the clothes get in my way. I’m starting to think about trying to discover new clothing types in order for my shirts not to get in the way when I’m lifting.
3. All of the new Apple products are insanely boring. I stepped inside an Apple store the other day, and I believe that Apple needs a radical line of simplification. Way too many products, lame colors etc. For example, the new MacBook Air in the midnight blue is really ugly, it looks like an old Sony VAIO laptop. Also, I think Apple should just get rid of their big size iPad Pro, Steve Jobs would’ve hated it. Also, I don’t think Apple went hard enough with the deep purple color for the iPhone pro. In real life it’s not that impressive. Also, it looks like nowadays the Apple store is really empty. A very bad sign. Why? No more radical innovation in their product lineup, just boring iteration. Unless Apple does something radical, I think Apple will become the next Microsoft, a lame and slow decline.

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Street photography is not a definition, but an aesthetic. That means, approach street photography as an aesthetic, which means that anything and everything could be street photography if you just shoot it in a certain aesthetic style or form which you love.

Only trust the artwork of somebody who is muscular, not some skinny fat dude who is addicted to drugs or alcohol.

To become a street photographer means you like being on the streets, in public, outdoors, and you love human beings. Human beings are your art form, and also your artwork. The more connected you are with embodied reality, the happier you are.

How do you get started?

The first simple thought is just go out and start shooting photos. You could just shoot with your iPhone, or preferably your digital Ricoh GR camera.

Any camera is good for street photography, as long as it is comfortable for you. Ideally, the smaller, lighter, more compact the camera, the better. Ideally the camera should be able to fit in the front right pocket. Why? This way you will spot more photo opportunities, and also shoot more.

Black and white or color?

It doesn’t matter. Whichever aesthetic you prefer. I personally prefer black and white, as aesthetically I consider it more beautiful. I personally prefer to just shoot on small JPEG, on my Ricoh GR 3X camera.

If you shoot with an iPhone, I suggest just shooting with the default camera app. Why? It is faster, and more easily accessible from your lock screen.

What are the best technical settings for street photography?

In today’s world, auto focus is easiest and best. Why? In the past, digital cameras were too slow in auto focus, and thus manual focusing was better.

I personally just recommend using program mode, P mode, and auto focus. And start shooting before you think.

What should I photograph?

In Street Photography, you can photograph anything. You can photograph people that you met on the street, candid photos without permission, even photograph trash and rubbish on the floor, urban landscapes, etc.

The beauty I think about street photography is that it is limitless. Essentially you could shoot anything outside your house and it is “street photography”.

What makes a good street photograph?

For me, what makes a great street photograph is a combination of beautiful aesthetics, and also the subject matter you photograph, whether you care for it or not.

The hilarity; if somebody says that they are on “influencer“, they are not. Also, the true way to become an influencer is not through social media, but through your own website and blog instead.

I would actually say that the true way to become an influencer is to become number one on the Internet, or number one on Google for your given category or subject of interest.

What does it mean to become number one?

To become a street photographer means you like being on the streets, in public, outdoors, and you love human beings. Human beings are your art form, and also your artwork. The more connected you are with embodied reality, the happier you are.

How do you get started?

The first simple thought is just go out and start shooting photos. You could just shoot with your iPhone, or preferably your digital Ricoh GR camera.

Any camera is good for street photography, as long as it is comfortable for you. Ideally, the smaller, lighter, more compact the camera, the better. Ideally the camera should be able to fit in the front right pocket. Why? This way you will spot more photo opportunities, and also shoot more.

Black and white or color?

It doesn’t matter. Whichever aesthetic you prefer. I personally prefer black and white, as aesthetically I consider it more beautiful. I personally prefer to just shoot on small JPEG, on my Ricoh GR 3X camera.

If you shoot with an iPhone, I suggest just shooting with the default camera app. Why? It is faster, and more easily accessible from your lock screen.

What are the best technical settings for street photography?

In today’s world, auto focus is easiest and best. Why? In the past, digital cameras were too slow in auto focus, and thus manual focusing was better.

I personally just recommend using program mode, P mode, and auto focus. And start shooting before you think.

What should I photograph?

In Street Photography, you can photograph anything. You can photograph people that you met on the street, candid photos without permission, even photograph trash and rubbish on the floor, urban landscapes, etc.

The beauty I think about street photography is that it is limitless. Essentially you could shoot anything outside your house and it is “street photography”.

What makes a good street photograph?

For me, what makes a great street photograph is a combination of beautiful aesthetics, and also the subject matter you photograph, whether you care for it or not.