ERIC KIM ₿

What is one of the noblest goals you can have in life? Simple:

Focus on your own personal development.

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Life is too short to be average, or to strive to be average:

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The secret of success in photography —

Become a fully vertically-integrated you.

Become a “full-stack” photography entrepreneur: you do all the marketing, blogging, YouTube video making, branding, advertising, communicating, publishing, designing, editing, selling, teaching, and creating!

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What is the best type of technology?

Technology which BLOCKS distractions. Technology which BLOCKS other forms of technology.

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A thought after reading Kobe’s “Mamba Mentality” book:

Perhaps the best way to live life is to strive to become the best individual at something on planet Earth.

To strive with all your power to become the best individual in a certain field or skill. 100% success isn’t guaranteed, but isn’t the striving the best part?

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An entrepreneurial idea:

If you desire to become successful (or more successful), do the following: upload 90% of the time, and download only 10% of the time.

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What is your ideal photostyle?

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What is photography, life, philosophy all about? Simple: just share your own personal perspective on things!

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When in doubt, just shoot it.

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Practical thoughts on how to photograph:

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What is the best life and lifestyle?

One which requires the minimum amount of maintenance, care, stress, and bother.

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In life, we need more slack (more buffer space in-between our lives).

Anti-optimized living.

Pursue entrepreneurship for your own personal and selfish aims:

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Written by Jun Goodhouse Kim, originally on engineeredjunk.com

I’d been shooting with a Leica M6 for a while then. I’ve gotten comfortable with film. I’ve had the luxury of simply shooting, and not having to go near anything that had “Adobe” written on it (I trusted the local lab technicians for developing and scanning. After all, they are the experts). I’d even properly learned how to shoot with flash. I was really happy that I returned to film. Maybe not because I achieved better image quality, but because I enjoyed and loved the process and the anticipation.

But all romance must end sometime. This wasn’t the case where death did us part, but I realized that it was simply too expensive to shoot film. So expensive that, if I stop shooting film for two years, I can literally afford a digital Leica.

The thought came to me as a revelation. I remember that the decision to buy an m6 was such a big one for me. $1000 for a film body felt very expensive then, but now I am even daring to think about buying a digital Leica? It was absolutely outrageous, impulsive, logical, and so well calculated that it even felt frugal â€“ which is probably the one word you shouldn’t be using when you’re buying anything with a Leica logo.

My two brain cells were in dire protest and they successfully negotiated it down to a used M240. Nothing fancy, nothing new, and plenty good enough to be used in 2019. It will be a workhorse for years to come. It is, after all, a Leica.

The camera is built like a proper tank. The brass top makes the camera feel very dense and surprisingly heavy for the size. Supposedly it helps create a very premium and luxury feel. In reality, it was a pain in my neck – literally. 

While mainly shooting film, I forgot that bad UI in digital cameras was a thing. Leica M240 reminded me of that unpleasant software feel.

I had to google the simplest things like changing the iso range. I quite didn’t like the metering on this one either. Not because it was inadequate but because of how it decided to do it. M240 offers minimum shutter speed that is configurable through auto iso setting. However, to the camera, it is a mere guideline more than anything else. I would much rather the camera take a dark photo than a motion blurred one. Former can be easily fixed in post. The latter, you need a proper time machine.

I would’ve so much more preferred the camera to take underexposed photos rather than decreasing the shutter speed below to what I’ve asked. The sensor is capable of 13.3 stops of dynamic range. The raw was already properly underexposed and I could pull out so much from the shadows. For a camera from 2013, it was damn impressive.

Luckily, the camera’s intelligence didn’t bother me all too much. I was used to shooting with everything fixed for some time with a flash, f11, zone focused, iso 400, and flash sync shutter speed with a little bit of blur in the image. 
A little bit of tweaking was required to get everything the way I wanted on M240, but the principal was basically same as when I was shooting film.

Leica says that the camera is “splash-proof” and it absolutely did survive several street photography sessions while raining.
I suppose the good weather sealing came with some cost. The camera is a lot bulkier than its predecessor M9 and a lot thicker than film M’s. I like to wear my rangefinder around my neck because it helps me get into the shot quicker, but walking around with the camera + flash around my neck was getting too tiring. Since there was absolutely no way that I was not going to strap a $3k camera to my body in some way, I chose to have a wrist strap instead.

Along the way, I developed a weird way of shooting. Perhaps a bad habit or perhaps an artistic choice, but because I had my camera attached to my wrist and I wanted to shoot quickly, I shot a lot from the hip.

I contemplated if I should stop shooting like that, or at the very least, turn on the live view. With a modern mirrorless, the choice would have been dead simple. With a Ricoh GR III, I wouldn’t have have a choice or even the problem in the first place.

In order for any mirrorless camera to show live view on the screen and to calculate focusing for auto-focus, the shutter has to be open with the sensors exposed. Which is why almost all mirrorless cameras have their sensors exposed all the time. Also, with Sony’s Electronic First Curtain Shutter – EFCS implementation, it takes the photo as the shutter simply closes. Even without EFCS, the shutter operation is very fast that you don’t really notice that the front shutter curtain closes, opens, and rear curtain dropping to finish the photo.

Leica rangefinders on the other hand, does not need the shutter to be open for normal operations and only opens when in live view mode. So when you’re shooting thru ovf, the shutter only opens and closes. However in live view mode, the shutter has to close, open, and close again. Because of this, Leica’s implementation of live view is noticeably slower when taking photos when compared to ovf mode.

So I continued to shoot from the hip. No EVF, no ovf, and no preview. I had no idea what the photo looked like until I was editing. Perhaps it wasn’t the most practical choice, but in a way, that was similar to shooting film.

In the end, I learned how to frame from the hip. With 28mm and enough practice, I could pretty much get the portrait I wanted by pointing in the general direction. The subjects didn’t even know I was going to make a photo because I didn’t have to bring the camera to my eyes. I could keep people occupied with a conversation and get candid looks easier.

After shooting for a while in San Francisco and in Denver, the honeymoon period with the digital Leica was over. My good friend Eric Kim suggested that I part ways with it. So my $3k experiment came to an end after about a year and I went back to shooting film for the time being.

I sometimes do miss having M240. It had its quirks and it wasn’t flawless, but it still had soul and had character. However, considering the way I shoot and the workarounds/habits I had to develop really indicated that it just wasn’t a practical choice especially in 2019 – not that it would matter for most Leica shooters anyways.

Timeless design, guaranteed quality. Meßsucher, the rangefinder. Leica M240.

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Documenting Seoul and Busan on XA2 and Film by Jun ‘Goodhouse’ Kim >

Post by Jun Goodhouse Kim from engineeredjunk.com

Jun: For a fast paced city like Seoul, 3 years is practically forever – which is how long I’ve been gone. So many things have changed, yet some things remained. This time, I was determined that I would look at my home town from the eyes of a tourist and also travel to a city I’ve never been – Busan. I wanted to travel light and see it right, so I ditched all my heavy photography gear and brought an XA2 and my iPhone (To be perfectly honest, all the film ended up being a luggage. Next time, I’m ditching film gear)

I wasn’t trying to shoot street photography so much. Rather, I just wanted to document what I saw. Some rules I made myself were broken (don’t photograph “boring” subjects like people looking at their phones or the back of a person) but I had so much fun simply walking around with a camera in my hand.

Not being able to control any aspect of the shot – including focus, aperture, shutter speed – except for iso was both a blessing and a curse. I missed so many shots due to technical errors, but I shot so much because I didn’t think twice before pressing the shutter release button.

I should go back more often while the door’s open for me.

Follow Jun Kim: engineeredjunk.com

Email Jun: goodhouse.kim@gmail.com

Interview with Jun: Engineer and Visual Artist >

JUNWOO KIM is the inventor of ARS COIN, and a talented visual artist, engineer, and a good friend.

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Interview with my buddy Dylan Fan (only 19 years old!) on his life and street photography aspirations:

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My personal vision for the future of photography entrepreneurship:

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As a sign of authenticity and sincerity, PUT YOUR NAME ON IT!

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A thought about equipment, tools, clothing, and things:

Optimize for the most compact thing, with the highest quality and condensed power.

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In Praise of Beautiful Mistakes and Accidents in Photography.

The thought:

Photography is so fun BECAUSE there is so much randomness, chaos, and chance that goes into it!

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Some favorites of mine:

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Practical photo ideas to get you shooting and moving!

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What do we really want? Perhaps to transcend ourselves. To transcend our bodies. To transcend our abilities. To strive for more. But to not be constrained by anything — certainly not reality!

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What is interesting about life decisions:

There are some life paths which are very difficult but not very risky (becoming a doctor), whereas there are other life paths which are both difficult AND risky (entrepreneurship).

Perhaps the best way to extract the maximum from existence — strive to pursue and obtain both difficult AND risky.

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Much of what we consider is “mental” problems or illnesses are often physiological. Thus perhaps instead of trying to discover optimal “mental health” solutions, we should strive to figure out more robust “physiological health” solutions.

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Practical ideas:

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Something a lot of people don’t understand or get:

If you want more enjoyment, fun, and joy from existence — we NEED to pursue things and do things which take great effort and willpower!

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There are many different way you can employ photography. One of them is to use the camera and lens like a paintbrush — seeking colors, textures, color combinations, and “still life” opportunities everywhere in everyday life!

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The principle of life, joy, growth, and thriving as an artist:

Let your personal modus operandi (mode of living) be that of an artist who is continually creative — no matter what you’re doing!

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Beyond originality

Shoot new photos, remix old photos. Continually create new art works, or remake something new from something older you’ve already made!

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What new photos have you yet witnessed? What new experiences have you yet experienced? Let this incredibly optimistic thought drive us forward!

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It ain’t about being original, it is about doing or pursuing what you love, care about, or are interested in.

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Slideshow + beats by KIM:

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As you continue to learn, perhaps the goal is to grow like a tree:

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What makes photography so fun and interesting? With composition in photography, it is about discovering new hidden compositions. It reminds me of the “aha!” moments I had as a student when studying geometry, trigonometry, physics, and math!

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Suggestion:

1. Go out and shoot for fun
2. When you’re composing, take your time, and experiment and have fun
3. Shoot lots of photos of the same scene
4. Experiment with different distances, different perspectives
5. When you go home, analyze your photos. Try to figure out why you prefer certain compositions over others.
6. Sketch your favorite compositions to discover which if your compositions you prefer the best.

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I believe the best lens for street photography is a 28mm lens. Why? Let me share my thoughts:

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Thoughts on what makes a dynamic street photograph —

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My thoughts on what we really want:

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A thought after getting a gun pulled on me (and not getting shot):

Wow, we really got nothing to fear except death.

And in modern life, the chance of us actually dying is so so slim. The only realistic way to die is through texting-while-driving, walking-while-texting, or perhaps skydiving.

Thus beyond getting killed — why fear petty things like social embarrassment, “disappointing others”, social strife, financial issues, family issues, and all this petty drama?

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There is nothing more holy than our own body. Our body is our own personal deity.

Why so much disrespect for our body? Why don’t we revere, respect, admire, or prioritize our body? Some thoughts:

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In photography — detail is fascinating.

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One of my fascinations and personal goals in photography: to strive to discover NEW compositions in photography which have yet been discovered, attempted, or done!

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Principle of life — being greedy for gains? The insatiable desire for more?

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RICOH GR III for life!

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Why the mind is great:

It filters the unimportant.

Perhaps to augment our mind is the wrong notion. Perhaps we should strive to become “more forgetful” in some regards. Intelligence as “via negativa”– the more crap and nonsense you can filter out, the better.

As with intake of knowledge, only consume the best ideas and artwork. And let your mental digestion slowly accumulate new ideas, and filter the ideas slowly over time. Let the ideas ferment in your mind over long periods of time.

If a certain ideas sticks with you after a long period of time, it is probably a good idea. If a certain photo you’ve shot sticks with you for a long period of time, it is probably a good photo. If you’ve studied other people’s art-works and photos, and you still remember it in your brain, it is probably a good photo.

Lesson:

1. Don’t strive to remember more stuff, or “do more” stuff. Better to figure out how to do less, how to have fewer cares, fewer concerns, and less pettiness in your life.
2. Less stimuli to the brain and mind — let your mind go “fallow” more often.
3. The empty mind is the best mind.

ERIC

A thought: all of existence can be justified even with one great photo.

Also— an entire trip or experience can be justified for even one great photo. Same goes with [x] amount of money spent on an experience, spent on equipment and gear, travels, etc.

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For a more dynamic composition, don’t center your subject. Put them on the extreme left or right:

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Thoughts on future-oriented fashion:

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Make things or attempt things which endure! Also, invest and use technologies which you imagine will endure.

Furthermore, read books, watch films, listen to music, and follow certain lifestyles and diets you desire which can endure forever!

Not all pain is created equal. Some pain debilitates us, but some pain actually spurs us on. And some (good) pain is a sign that we’re growing!

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For example when you’ve had a great workout at the gym. Or the pain of a conflict with a loved one which then ends with a resolution which bonds you closer with that person.

Don’t seek a pain-free life

Where a lot of people go wrong: they seem a pain-free and stress-free and anxiety-free life. What we want is GOOD pain, GOOD stress, and GOOD anxiety to spur us on, make us stronger and aid to our personal survival and thrivival!

Do you recall growing pains as a child?

I remember as a kid, I’d have pain in my legs at night, and I would ask my mom to massage my legs. Why?

Another life goal of mine this year:

Eveyerday become less fearful, and become more confident, courageous and brazen into the future!

There’s no downside to failure

What I’ve discovered in powerlifting:

Failure is just useful information about what your limit is.

Once you fail, you gain that useful information what your maximum or limit is. Then you can strategize on using a bit less weight and resistance, then try again!

Stoicism applied to your own life: All the shitty stuff that happens to you can be channeled by you into something which actually benefits you (for example, post-tramautic growth).

It’s like having the Midas touch: every misfortune, pain, disaster, or downside in your life (if you touch it, it turns into gold!)

If you’ve had shitty things happen to you in life, wear those scars with a badge of honor!

If you’re still alive, everything that doesn’t kill you doesn’t have a real downside. Be clever and turn every pain into an opportunity of growth and getting stronger!

ERIC

I often write about “the future” in abstract, but perhaps better to talk about our future; YOUR personal future.

What do we want from our personal future?

First question:

What do you personally want from YOUR future?

I cannot speak for you, but for me:

1. Have offspring: Have children
2. Think more deeper thoughts
3. Write and publish/blog more
4. Create more epic photos
5. Deeper knowledge about aesthetics, art, composition.
6. Become more fearless and audacious over time.
7. Continue to simplify and focus and concentrate my life, in order to maximize my expression of force and creative power.
8. Continue to increase my “one rep max” in all of my powerlifting lifts. As a consequence, I desire more bodily skeletal muscle mass.

How can technology aid your future goals?

Let us not get suckered: sometimes technology can aid us in our future goals, and sometimes technology can HARM or HINDER our future goals.

My thought:

Technology which helps simplify your life, helps you become LESS DISTRACTED, and helps you focus and achieve your goals are the best ones.

For example:

1. Grocery delivery services: Helps me save time to not go to the grocery store. More time to think, read, write and pursue other artistic goals.
2. Living in a tiny apartment: Less time cleaning, less thinking about maintenance (apartment management fixes problems). To NOT own a home is better for my personal and artistic creativity.
3. Not owning a car: Taking Uber or public transportation as better. Incentive to walk more (more interesting ideas come into my mind when I walk a lot), and also less stress with parking, maintaining the car, insurance, paperwork, etc.
4. New JPEG in camera processing technology as great: No post processing raw files anymore; the ability for me to just shoot JPEG on RICOH GR III, and thus less time processing photos, more time shooting photos and reviewing photos! Less stress in my photographic life is good.

The future is already here.

You got all the tools, services, software, hardware needed today. You got all the devices, tools, and the internet in your hands.

What then is holding us back? Perhaps too much time at work, too much concerns about money, and too much wasted metabolic energy on external markers of success.

What we really need:

1. More artistic courage to create like a child.
2. Disregard for success or failure in our art works.
3. No using social media to publish our work: Publishing our work to our own website and blog instead.

Your future is yours: SEIZE IT!

ERIC

What does the future hold for us, or what should the future hold for us?

Phones are overrated

I believe phones are massively overrated as productivity devices. Phones are great for making phone calls, texting, shooting photos, videos, google maps, Uber and the such — but beyond that, I think phones are a bit overrated.

For example, the maximum output rate you can get while texting with your two thumbs is far slower than typing on a keyboard (using all five of your fingers).

Perhaps the next biggest innovation of a phone will be this:

A phone that will allow you to text, write, or transcribe text FAR faster than just typing on your thumbs.

Future cars

I love cars and have always loved them, especially car design. But besides Tesla, all cars are boring. They just keep getting more interesting design, more horsepower, etc. Essentially all gas cars are uninteresting.

The future — self-driving cars. Electric cars are very cool too, but the self driving feature will be 1000x superior that can actually improve our lives (imagine all the better things you can do with your mental energy than to use your brain power to drive yourself).

Irony: with Uber, we technically already got “self-driving cars”. Also taking the bus, subway, etc, in which we don’t need to focus on driving and can instead think, write, read, etc.

Art

To me the future of art must be digital. More publishing full free and open source JPEG images, PDF, or the original source files. Printing is still great, but we are seeking innovation, not striving toward “markers of legitimacy” like we did in the past.

I also foresee great technological artistic software innovations. For example, using iPad and Procreate has actually empowered me to make tons of new visual art! Same with Zen brush 2– combining old school calligraphy with technology.

The future of photography

Smartphones will keep getting better, but I actually see the future of photography happening more in small point and shoot digital cameras (like RICOH GR III, which packs insane image processing power in a small camera). Or new futures of monochrome, like what Leica is doing with their new monochrom cameras.

Also interest in digital medium format — not interest in more megapixels, but more dynamic range.

Also more perspective sharing through ultra wide video cameras like Gopro, or even virtual reality via 360 cameras (Gopro Max and fusion), or even ultra wide mode on the new iPhone and iPhone pro.

Technology for the sake of what?

This is what I try to think about a lot:

The point isn’t technology for the sake of technology. We want technology to “improve” or augment our lives.

But how can technology improve our lives? Practical ideas:

1. Save us time in order for us to channel that time into creative pursuits.
2. Automating boring stuff: Not having to do tedious work we don’t care for.
3. Augmenting our already innate human abilities: Writing as augmented thinking. Blogging or publishing to a website as the ultimate form of thinking expansion and expression.

New photo goals:

Can we achieve a DEEPER monochrome in black and white photography?

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How to achieve a deeper monochrome?

Seeking deeper monochrome —

1. Deeper shadows
2. RICOH GR III in high contrast black and white mode with JPEG
3. Flash
4. Lowering exposure compensation
5. More contrast post processing (Lightroom CC)

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Thinking about the year 2020 and the fact we are living in the future:

We seem to want to augment our minds, become “smarter”, “more intelligent”, to augment ourselves with AI/machines, to process more data more quickly — but towards what ends?

Some people might be seeking “knowledge”, others “wisdom”, and others want a ‘competitive advantage’. But to sum up, it seems that most people just want ways to make more money. But money for what?

Taking the money argument aside; I am curious about people who are seeking knowledge and wisdom for “knowledge” or “wisdom’s” sake. What are we really looking for?

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Do we want happiness?

I think some people are seeking knowledge and wisdom in order to discover the ‘secret of happiness’, or to perhaps lessen their pain, suffering, and depression-nihilism in life. So the seeking of knowledge and wisdom is in order to lessen pain/suffering/stress/anxiety/existential-dread, and in order to INCREASE joy, happiness, levity, and optimism-hope in life.

Thus the formula many follow is:

More knowledge/wisdom->More happiness/joy

But once you’ve maxed out your personal happiness and joy in life– then what?

The end is infinite power?

My thought is this:

When we augment our knowledge and wisdom, we feel more powerful. Why? When we augment our knowledge and wisdom, we somehow feel superior to other “basic” human beings. We feel as if we have hidden and secret powerful knowledge which makes us superior to others.

Thus, knowledge and wisdom augmentation makes us feel superior.

Superior to who? Other humans.

Therefore, perhaps knowledge and wisdom is a means or a way to feel superior compared to others in society.

Why feel superior to other humans?

To me this is where things get interesting:

What is the point or purpose to “feeling” superior to other humans? Is there any real practical payoff, or utility to this feeling?

To become less afraid of reality?

First thought:

Perhaps we want LESS fear from reality?

Second thought:

Perhaps we want to feel as if we can transcend ourselves via knowledge and wisdom?

Third thought:

Perhaps we are afraid of death, or the life beyond (“life after death”?)

What SHOULD knowledge and wisdom be for?

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I wonder — perhaps knowledge and wisdom is more useful if we optimize it for ourselves. Toward our own physiological health, strengthening, and over-powering.

Thus perhaps knowledge and wisdom is only useful insofar much as it

1. Makes us more courageous, audacious, and brave in everyday life
2. Makes us more hopeful, joyful, and confident in life
3. Gives us more hope and optimism toward the future

ERIC

It blows my mind that it is 2020 already — I feel a bit disappointed. Where are my flying cars? My Jetsons future?

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Photography as the ultimate game!

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Philosophical musings on money — from coming with NO money to having money:

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Race doesn’t exist — effort does.

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Was listening to a vinyl record player the other day and thought:

Wow, this is so much more aesthetically beautiful-sounding than a “perfect” mp3 or streaming song.

Why is that? My thought: the imperfections is what made it beautiful. For example, the cracking and popping of the vinyl, the parts where it skipped, or the places where the vinyl was damaged.

Which made me wonder:

Perhaps we can extend this theory of aesthetic to other domains.

For example:

1. Photography as more beautiful when imperfect: Slightly imperfect compositions more beautiful. Gritty aesthetics as more beautiful. This is where film photography is good; the light leaks, scratches, and ‘false colors’ and grain as more beautiful.
2. People with wrinkles in their faces have more beautiful faces.
3. Worn clothes as more beautiful than brand-new.

Towards a ‘wabi sabi‘ aesthetic.

The more you use it, the more beautiful it becomes!

To not ‘baby’ your things. But to “use and abuse” it! To have more pride in actually USING THINGS. To have shame in NOT using things.

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Aesthetics >

• TASTE.
• The More Obscure and Unclear, the Better.
• Cultivate Your Own Taste
• Image Quality and Great Photos
• Imperfect Photos are More Beautiful
• Do you photograph the world better, the same, or worse than reality? #aesthetics
• Aesthetics are Ethics
• Beauty over Truth #philosophy #aesthetics
• Philosophy of Aesthetics and Beauty in Photography
• Aesthetics in Photography
• Aesthetics Strengthen, Simplify, and Focus
• Not better image quality; more beautiful aesthetics!
• Why Aesthetics?

The principle to life: never stop striving to gain more!

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Why chaos makes life more fun, sweet, and interesting:

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My only regrets in life: when I failed to trust myself, and trusted the words of others (above myself).

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If you make an interesting or good photograph by chance, does it make it any less legitimate?

No. Chance is an essential ingredient in photography, especially street photography. And this is what makes photography so great!

You don’t know what the photo will look like until you shoot it

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Where do we gain artistic optimism from? Some ideas:

1. Ignorance: The child-like ignorance of the outside world and what other artists are doing. The ability to approach artwork from a “carte blanche” approach — that nobody else has done it before (but you!)
2. Physiological overpower: To be physiologically hyper-healthy is key. If we are in poor or weak health, we have no optimism in life. If you’re hyper-healthy, and in peak physical shape, you feel as if you can conquer the world.
3. Creative stimulants: I love coffee, 100% cocoa powder, and cocoa nibs to get me going. To me, these stimulants give birth to movement in my legs and muscles. This is what generally gets me going.
4. Hyper-vanity: What is the point of pursuing artistic art-works if others have done it before you, and may have done it “better” than you ever can? Rebuttal: if you have hyper-vanity, then you don’t care whether others have done it or not. You pursue art for your own personal vanity, and to fulfill your own personal curiosity! For example, there is no “logical” reason to have a child, nor do we care whether our kids will become “as good” as children who have come before. We have children to fulfill our own ego and personal vanity– and this is good!
5. Shaking things up once in a while: Perhaps the benefit of traveling is to simply shake things up a bit. To mix the water and oil again. To hit the thermometer a few times to get it working again. A life with too much stability is bad for art. Injecting some randomness, chaos, and chance is good for our artistic spirit.

Motivation

Seek to supersede yourself and become more!

• PASSION, not Discipline
• Better Bad Photos than No Photos
• The Empowering Feeling of Failure
• To Be Human is to Move
• Enjoy the Process
• Better Bad Photos than No Photos
• Why Keep Making New Art and Photos, Indefinitely?
• Photography Motivation: What if There is Nothing Interesting to Photograph?
• Move First, Motivation Later
• Motivation Follows the Action
• In Praise of Heroes
• 5 Tips How to Boost Your Creativity
• How to Have Inspiration to Take Photos in the Suburbs
• Anything that Motivates You to Move is Good!
• The Productive Photographer is the Happiest Photographer!
• Make Today Count!
• How to Break Through Photographer’s Block
• The Joyful Photographer
• The Dancing Photographer
• The Kaizen Process of Gradual Self-Improvement in Photography
• It is Your Duty to Make Beautiful Pictures!
• Making Pictures IS Happiness!
• NO EXCUSES.
• The Pomodoro Photography Technique
• The ABC of Photography
• Just Shoot It.
• How to Change the World With Photography
• How to Find Inspiration in Photography and Life
• How to Overcome Resistance
• Create Against the Past
• How I Motivate Myself to Make Photos
• Wear Your Camera Like a Necklace or Bracelet
• Have Your Photos Come to You
• How to Level Up in Your Photography
• How Not to Give a Fuck of What Others Think of You
• How to Overcome Procrastination in Your Photography
• How to Reinspire Your Photography
• What is Your Mission in Photography and Life?
• How to Overcome Photographer’s Block
• Be a Photographer Now
• How to Overcome Boredom with Photography
• Never Stop Growing as a Photographer
• Why Do You Need “Inspiration” to Shoot?
• Just Shoot.
• 5 Things to Do If You’ve Lost Your Passion for Photography
• How to Have Unshakeable Confidence in Yourself
• Don’t Give Up On Your Dream
• Don’t Waste Your Potential
• Unlock Your Potential
• Empower Others With Your Photography
• Why You Shouldn’t Follow Your Passion in Photography

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Not a matter of discipline, but something else?

A thought:

We often berate ourselves for not being “disciplined” enough for x, y, z — but perhaps this is the wrong way of thinking.

When we think of ‘discipline’, we think that we are being disciples of someone and following in their footsteps. Following their moral code of ethics and such.

But if you’re following yourself, perhaps it isn’t discipline we are seeking. Instead, to prize ourselves and to prefer ourselves over others.

For example, I don’t need “discipline” to go to the gym everyday (or several times a day). It is my passion. I love it for the sake of it! In fact, I try to figure out ways to modify my life IN ORDER for me to go to the gym whenever I want. This isn’t discipline — it is passion.

Another idea– blogging. I don’t have to force myself to write everyday. In fact, I blog because it is my passion. I never force myself to write. The words simply stream out of my body and soul! It is my passion– it is my play, and it is the way I expel my creative force.

The passion of photography and image-making

If you gotta force yourself to go out and photos — perhaps you’re doing it wrong.

Discover new mysteries in photography

Perhaps our main discouragement in photography is this:

We feel we have no more NEW mysteries to discover.

But perhaps this can be the root of our artistic optimism?

ERIC

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Motivation

Seek to supersede yourself and become more!

• Better Bad Photos than No Photos
• The Empowering Feeling of Failure
• To Be Human is to Move
• Enjoy the Process
• Better Bad Photos than No Photos
• Why Keep Making New Art and Photos, Indefinitely?
• Photography Motivation: What if There is Nothing Interesting to Photograph?
• Move First, Motivation Later
• Motivation Follows the Action
• In Praise of Heroes
• 5 Tips How to Boost Your Creativity
• How to Have Inspiration to Take Photos in the Suburbs
• Anything that Motivates You to Move is Good!
• The Productive Photographer is the Happiest Photographer!
• Make Today Count!
• How to Break Through Photographer’s Block
• The Joyful Photographer
• The Dancing Photographer
• The Kaizen Process of Gradual Self-Improvement in Photography
• It is Your Duty to Make Beautiful Pictures!
• Making Pictures IS Happiness!
• NO EXCUSES.
• The Pomodoro Photography Technique
• The ABC of Photography
• Just Shoot It.
• How to Change the World With Photography
• How to Find Inspiration in Photography and Life
• How to Overcome Resistance
• Create Against the Past
• How I Motivate Myself to Make Photos
• Wear Your Camera Like a Necklace or Bracelet
• Have Your Photos Come to You
• How to Level Up in Your Photography
• How Not to Give a Fuck of What Others Think of You
• How to Overcome Procrastination in Your Photography
• How to Reinspire Your Photography
• What is Your Mission in Photography and Life?
• How to Overcome Photographer’s Block
• Be a Photographer Now
• How to Overcome Boredom with Photography
• Never Stop Growing as a Photographer
• Why Do You Need “Inspiration” to Shoot?
• Just Shoot.
• 5 Things to Do If You’ve Lost Your Passion for Photography
• How to Have Unshakeable Confidence in Yourself
• Don’t Give Up On Your Dream
• Don’t Waste Your Potential
• Unlock Your Potential
• Empower Others With Your Photography
• Why You Shouldn’t Follow Your Passion in Photography

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Whatever artwork you make — the goal is to impress (embed) your soul into your artwork. That when someone witnesses your artwork, they can actually see your soul.

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I am insanely optimistic. Why? And where does it come from? Some thoughts:

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