In this video, I walk you through how I edit some recent photos I made in Hanoi:
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Make Photos for the Sake of Making Photos

Dear friend,
I was walking on the streets of Hanoi today, and I was wondering: What is the point of photography?
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How to Photograph With Your Soul

Dear friend,
I’ve been really into the soul lately — in terms of how we can integrate it into our photography and life.
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How to Achieve Techno-Zen

Kyoto, 2016 Dear friend,
I was really inspired by this notion of ‘techno-zen’ that I read in Steve Job’s biography by Walter Isaacson.
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How I Edit My Photos in Lightroom
Hey friends,
I’m doing this video to give you a behind-the-scenes look of my image-selection process (editing):
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Cheat Sheet: Masters of Photography

(c) Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos. FRANCE. Hauts-de-Seine. Parc de Sceaux. 1987. We’ve all heard name-droppers at photo exhibitions, galleries, and other places. I’m going to give you a cheat-sheet of all the masters of photography you need to know:
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Photos Should Represent Life; Life Shouldn’t Represent Photos

Do we make photos to represent the beauty of life — or do we think that our lives should be according to photos?
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How to Be a Good Photographer

I feel we should focus on being ‘good’ photographers—not to just get a lot of social media followers.
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How to Bounce Back in Life

Yesterday I fucked up, but today I’m on track
Yeah / get back to the crib and blessings falling in my lap
What don’t kill me makes me stronger // I always bounce back -

Free Eric Kim Lightroom Presets 2017

With “Eric Kim Monochrome 1600” preset on Ricoh GR II As a gift, download Eric Kim Lightroom Presets 2017 (my newest free collection of Lightroom Presets).
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Why I Love Shooting With an LCD Screen

I’ve been shooting more with an LCD screen lately on the Ricoh GR II — and I feel liberated.
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How to Build Confidence as an Artist

Dear friend,
I know there are times that we lack confidence in ourselves as photographers and artists; but how can we overcome that lack of confidence?
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How I Edit My Photo Projects in Lightroom
Dear friend,
I’m putting together this video; documenting how I put together a photo-series on the Mac/Lightroom:
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Composition: Figure to Ground
One of the practical tips I have about composition is to establish a strong ‘figure-to-ground.’ Pretty much that means to have a good contrast between your subject and background:
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What if We Never Lacked Self-confidence?

Downtown LA, 2015 How much could we achieve in our life, and how much more of our potential could we reach, if we never lacked self-confidence in ourselves?
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Raphael Composition Lessons

I’m currently inspired by a lot of painting, and trying to figure out how I can improve my compositions in photography from the masters of art, starting off with Raphael:
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How to Live Bravely

“It is courage, courage, courage, that raises the blood of life to crimson splendor. Live bravely and present a brave front to adversity” – Horace
Life is all about courage.
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Why I Photograph

Portrait by Cindy / Hanoi, 2017 Dear friend,
I wanted to write you a letter on why I photograph.
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Eric Kim Facts

I believe I am what I do, what I own, and how I live my life.
This is a personal breakdown of me, Eric Kim:
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How to Use Lightroom in 10 Minutes
If you’re a newbie to Lightroom, don’t get overwhelmed. Here is an easy 10-minute start to Lightroom.
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How to Tell Stories in Your Photography

Hanoi, 2017 #cindyproject Many of us are drawn to photography for the element of story-telling.
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What Legacy Do You Want to Leave?

Sapa, 2017 Dear friend,
What kind of legacy do you want to leave in your photography after you pass?
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How to Re-Invent Yourself

Hanoi, 2017 (portrait by Cindy) Dear friend,
I want to share some personal thoughts on the idea of ‘reinventing yourself’ — by casting away your past self, and starting afresh:
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How to Shoot a Dutch Angle Composition in Photography
I’ve been very interested in non-traditional compositions as of late, such as the ‘Dutch Angle’:
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How to Capture a Person’s Soul in a Photograph

Dear friend,
I wanted to share some of my personal thoughts on how to capture a soul in a photograph:
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Take Your Street Photography to the Next Level

Take your street photography to the next level this year:
- Apr 29-30: Bangkok Street Photography Workshop (Hosted by Monogram Asia)
- Sept 13-17: Tokyo Travel Photography Experience
- Oct 4-5: NYC Conquer Your Fears in Street Photography
- Oct 7-8: NYC Discover Your Unique Voice in Photography
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How to Be Original

#chroma Dear friend,
A lot of us are trying to find our own unique voice in photography, life, and our creative pursuits.
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All of Photography is a Remix

Many of us labor to be ‘original’ in our photography— but realize, everything in photography and life is a remix:
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How to Shoot Photos With Soul

Hanoi, 2017 I think the biggest problem we face as photographers is that we don’t put enough soul in our photos.
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7 Leading Line Photography Composition Tips
Dear friend,
I wanted to share you this article on leading lines:
Free PDF
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How to Overcome Resistance in Your Photography

I know for myself, making photographs, writing, and doing creative work always requires me to overcome resistance.
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How to Capture Depth of Soul in Your Photos

Hue, 2017 #cindyproject Dear friend,
Many of us are obsessed with “depth of field” in photography. But how few of us consider trying to capture “depth of soul” in our photography?
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5 Silhouette Photography Composition Tips
Learn how to make more mysterious photographs with silhouettes.
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The Art of Photography

Dear friend,
I want to share you practical tips, insights, and advice on how to be a more ‘artistic’ photographer.
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Perfect Pearl

Dear friend,
One tip I have about photography is this: strive to make each of your photos a perfect pearl.
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Hanoi Diary #9: Happy Birthday Cindy

Dear friends,
Today (Feb 19th) is Cindy’s Birthday! Please wish her a happy birthday by buying a bunch of stuff on our Haptic Industries Store.
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How to Master Street Photography

Tokyo, 2011 I am not a master in street photography; yet I am striving to master my own street photography:
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How I Motivate Myself to Make Photos

About to leave our apartment in Hanoi / Macro photo of Cindy’s hand. I have a hard time motivating myself to take photos. This is what works for me:
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Honeydew Eyes

Honeydew eyes,
I follow you
Into the depths of the turqoise-blue.Eternal sunshine
My soul and my muse
I wake up in the morning and spring blooms.—
Your mind is divine, sweet and sublime
Let’s turn back the wings of time.—
Walking with you by the shores of the sea
Feeling the warm breeze
Let’s sing, dance, eat more wine and cheese
Breathe in the new day; apply the new glaze.—
Breathing through the smog and the haze
Let us praise
Each day as if it were our last
Sailing together, hands holding the mast.You are my muse
The one I choose
To guide me with your light.The might of your pen,
Helps renew me creatively, again.Thank you for being my light,
My beautiful delight.You are my only one,
Just like the rising sunLet’s imagine like our life was done,
Then turn back the clock and press re-rerun.—
Happy Birthday Cindy
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5 Creative Lessons Rick Rubin Can Teach You About Photography

I am inspired by the zen-like philosophy of Rick Rubin, who sees himself (not) as a music producer, but a music reducer:
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How to Be a More Prolific Writer

#cindyproject If you’re a writer who has writer’s block, frustrations coming up with ideas, need practical tips, tools, and strategies— I hope this letter will benefit you:
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How to Shoot Abstract Photography

I’ve been inspired to shoot more abstract photos lately; perhaps this is a paradigm-shift for me:
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Should I Quit My Job and Pursue My Passion?

Tokyo, 2016 Dear friend,
One question I asked myself for a long time (when I had a full-time job) was this: “Should I quit my full-time job, and pursue my passion full-time?â€
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Everything Will Be Alright

Hanoi, 2017 (portrait by Cindy) Dear friend,
Every day, we face fears of exile, war, political unrest, and death.
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Join Me in Bangkok

Portrait by Cindy Nguyen If you’re passionate about street photography, join me in Bangkok (April 29-30) for an epic street photography workshop experience (hosted by Monogram Asia).
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How to Take More Risks in Your Photography

Dear friend,
A practical piece of advice I’ll give you in photography is this: don’t be too cautious:
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Photographers Who Have Inspired Me

I couldn’t have gotten to where I am without these individuals— who have inspired me, helped me, or helped me develop in my personal vision.
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How to Sell Yourself

Dear friend,
A lot of us look down on selling ourselves— because we equate it with ‘selling out.’
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Take Your Street Photography to the Next Level in Tokyo & NYC

If you want to take your street photography to the next level, invest in an unforgettable experience in Tokyo or NYC:
- Sept 13-17: Tokyo Travel Street Photography Experience – New!
- Oct 4-5: NYC Conquer Your Fears in Street Photography – New!
- Oct 7-8: NYC Discover Your Unique Voice in Photography – New!
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How to Have Courage to Shoot Street Photography

Downtown LA, 2011 / Photo by Rinzi Ruiz Dear friend,
I want to write you this article on how to practically have more courage to shoot street photography:
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The Art of Street Photography

Hanoi, 2017 Dear friend,
I wanted to write you a letter on the art of street photography, based on my personal experiences, my personal passion, and things I’ve learned along the way:


































