Unedited visual diary of SAIGON–life with Cindy.

We buy cameras to look cool. Thus, the proliferation of hipster, old school retro cameras.

If you’ve ever felt anxious for not going a full day without checking your phone, or accidentally leaving your phone at home… having trouble sleeping, etc, you might be suffering from information overload.

Tim Wu wrote a book called “The Attention Merchants”— a fascinating expose on social media companies, and how everyone is fighting for your attention, eye balls, and dollars.

FIAT CURRENCY: our Faith (Fiat) in currency, money, politics, government, economics, and security.

What are the best lenses or focal lengths for street photography?

What are the best settings for street photography?

If you’re rigid, you will break and die.

What is the best camera for street photography?

I’m impatient. I hate waiting.

We’re always taught patience is a virtue. But what if that is wrong?

“Astonish me” – Alexey Brodovitch

Alexey Brodovitch is an individual who has had a MASSIVE influence in the history of photography, design, and much more.

HAPTIC INDUSTRIES: Creative Tools to Empower You.

Practical street photography techniques to take your work to the next level:

Dear friend,

If you’re reading this, you are probably either an aspiring street photographer, or a street photographer with some miles under your belt looking for some inspiration, direction, or motivation.

‘Know your faults and keep to your wits’ – Horace

Everyone has a different style in photography and life.

Dear friend,

It is currently 9:19pm and I’m enjoying a nice sencha green tea, and meditating on life here in Saigon.

What is an image, and why is it important? And how is it related to photography, and how does it affect our personal lives and the society in which we live in?

IRVING PENN: so good I had to do a Part II on him.

“He without a past has no future.”

Dear friend,

Here are some street photography ideas, freshly pressed from STREET NOTES MOBILE EDITION.

In life, we only have a limited “bandwidth” for doing things.

Without death, we would not appreciate life.

In studying the (dead) masters of photography, it is a good reminder – I’m going to die, and so will you. So why waste your life and limited time on planet earth, not making great photos and art?

LISETTE MODEL: a genius photographer who has influenced so much of photography.

“Taking a portrait of someone – be it man or woman – starts with a conversation.” – Martine Franck

Practical tip, try to make CLASSICS with your photos.

Dear friend, I wanted to write you a letter on the benefit of doing — rather than “thinking.”

Don’t theorize

I see a lot of arm-chair philosophers, thinkers, and academics— who simply analyze, theorize, and think. But many of these individuals do not “do.” They don’t take risks. They don’t have skin in the game. They aren’t adventurers, soldiers, or knights — who put their lives on the line. Rather, they are like sports commentators — watching from the sidelines, and jabbering incessant noise.

What is important in life

Life is all about making decisions, and doing. Theories very rarely hold up for a long period of time. 99% of the scientific theories today probably won’t exist 100 years from now — very much how 99% of scientific theories from 100 years ago aren’t applicable today.

Life is all about trial and error. About doing. About figuring things out by yourself. About breaking things, putting things back together, and re-arranging information, atoms, and molecules.

We learn as we do. Every theory I’ve learned in school, I’ve forgotten. But everything I’ve done by myself, I learn.

Should we ever make a theory?

I think it is much better to create theories after you’ve learned by doing something, instead of following a theory to do something.

To create a diagram, consider the following:

1. Learn by trial and error -> Create Theory

vs

1. Learn theory -> Try to put into practice

The second rarely works. The first usually works much better.

Don’t follow the rules

There is still a lot of truth for you to discover in the world. Why waste time learning what others have learned before you? Try your best to ignore advice, lessons, and theories from the past. Rather, test your own assumptions of reality. Figure out what works for you, and what doesn’t work for you.

After you take a lot of risks, partake in trial-and-error, and make mistakes — then try to create you own theories (after the fact). And then after you’ve spent a lot of time tinkering on your own, then try to read theories from others (and contrast your own theories with the theories of others).

The secret is to venerate and respect the past— but not to be a slave to the past. To be inspired by the great thinkers, doers, and philosophers of the past. But not to be chained by them, and follow them blindly.

Always learn by doing

When in doubt, try it for yourself. If you ever smell bullshit, test out your own assumptions. Find out what works for you.

Always,
Eric

Learn more: Philosophy >

I don’t think I’m a master photographer (yet), but I do think I am a great photographer. How do you make great photos? Some ideas:

I love things which are timeless.

There is nothing to fear, but fear itself.

Some ways I’ve been able to find more happiness in my photography:

HAPTIC INDUSTRIES: The Creative Place to Be.

MEMENTO MORI: you might not be alive tomorrow.

To start, I don’t consider myself a master. But, I have mastered myself, and I have mastered photography for myself.

Scaling, growth, and life.

Ok, I’m currently in a super ZEN MODE, let me share you my feelings… and how I got on this golden brick road.

Dear friend, we often make life more complicated than it needs to be.

My friend Brian Day, who I consider one of the best contemporary monochrome shooters, introduced me to Gordon Parks while I was living in Michigan. I’ve recently been re-introduced to his work randomly, and I’m super inspired.

Let’s be real, we all own an iPad, but we don’t really use it for anything useful.

CLOSER…a concept that can help us in photography and all aspects of life.

Easiest way to make better photos: photograph your subjects against a clean background.

“To own nothing is the beginning of happiness” – Diogenes

Freedom is owning nothing.

Rather than trying to fit into the categories society shows you, why not make your own category?

Could (or would) an AI (artificial intelligence) shoot the same photo as you?

Dear friend,

To me, photography is all about a meditation on seeing. Of perceiving the world more wholly, more fully.

We always make the wrong assumption that by buying new gadgets, phones, and devices— we will somehow “upgrade” our lives.

GAS: Gear Acquisition Syndrome, a horrible disease that plagues us all.

Dear friend,

If you’ve ever woken up, and felt, “What is the fucking point of living?” this letter is for you.

So we established the fact: to be happier is to make more photos.

Ok, imma essay some ideas on photography and the purpose of life.

Dear friend, let us thank God we’re alive.

“The beginning is the end.” – Heraclitus

I started as a beginner photographer, gained experience, and now I’m going in reverse— trying to become a beginner photographer again.

I like Henri Cartier-Bresson. But who was he inspired by?

Your most valuable tool in photography: your eyes.

Dear friend,

I think one thing a lot of us are chasing — to evoke more of the impulse to photograph.

If you’ve never been to New York City for street photography, you must go.

We cannot change reality, but we can change ourselves.

I’ve always loved car designs, but was never sure why. Now, I think I know why.

Dear friend,

The world can look like a shitty place. Regardless, how do we stay optimistic, and overcome any sort of pessimism we may face?

Be adamant about what is important to you.

The word ‘adamant’ comes from this fictional material called ‘adamantine’ — which was seen in ancient times as untamable, and indestructible, and invincible.

That means in life, don’t compromise what is truly important to you. Be flexible to the small details in the life, but don’t betray your true beliefs. But let your morals, ethics, and way of life be untamable, indestructible, and invincible.

Always,
Eric

Learn more: Philosophy >

Dear friend,

The last month I’ve been living in Saigon in airplane mode, and I feel like I’m on a whole next-level ZEN mode.

Dear friend,

I’ve always been a pretty brave person, but even now — I fall victim to anxiety.

Dear friend,

If you ever get scared by people — this letter is for you.

Dear friend,

Your ceiling has no limits. Why do you hold yourself back?

Dear friend,

In life, there is an important difference between “will not” and “cannot”.