Dear friends,
Currently at “The Coffee House†in Hanoi, and really caffeinated (just had a double-shot of espresso, and some of Cindy’s iced coffee).
Being here in Hanoi is absolutely wonderful. We are currently staying at the Hanoi Palace City Hotel (which we thought was a 4-star, but more like a 2-star), but still the place is clean, has great service, and in a great location.
I just want to use this diary to share some of my first impressions of Hanoi, and how daily life is here:
Dear friend,
I was recently thinking about what my purpose in life is. And I think I got it (for now): “My purpose in life is to empower others.†Pretty simple, huh?
I’ve thought about it a lot— and also the more I’ve given, the more I’ve received. It is a positive feedback loop. Help others to the best of my extent, and then all of my needs are taken care of.
How does your photography empower you, and how can you empower others?
Dear friend,
If you want to earn money through your photography, and have really considered to yourself: “Should I earn money through my photography?†I hope this is some advice that can help you. It has helped me— it is only advice I wish someone told me. And of course, your mileage may vary.
A lot of photographers want to make money with their photography. But a better question should be this: “Should I make money with my photography?†In this article I want to share some of my personal experiences— whether monetizing your passion will lead you to hate photography, or whether it will empower you.
Dear friend,
I’m currently at Dripp coffee shop in Fullerton, California— waiting for Cindy’s younger sister Jennifer to get out of class, then we are going to have “in and out†burger for lunch. Today is our last day in America before we move to Vietnam/France for the next 2 years, and I think this is a good chance for me to start an ongoing series of letters, journals, diary entries, and meditations. I have no idea what the next 2 years of my life is going to look like. I’m partly afraid, but partly excited. This is going to be one hell of an adventure.
No matter who you are, you probably love being creative. Many of us pick up photography to escape the dread of our day jobs.
However the issue is that many of us become less creative as we get older. How do we stay creative and retain that child-like curiosity when we were younger?
Walter Margerison is one of my closest homies in Berkeley. Not only did he get his start in “street photography” via inspiration by skating, he is also passionate about coffee. In his office at Artis Coffee in Berkeley, we chat about his love of film, his thoughts on the Fujifilm X-Pro 2 and Ricoh GR II, and his personal philosophy of photography.
Follow Walter:
Also check out our brief review of the Fujifilm X-Pro 2 with Walter below:
For me, I see myself less of a photographer and more of a teacher. My passion has always to empower other people. Being an extrovert, it brings me the most joy to see others fulfill their potential.
Do you have what it takes to become a photography teacher? I will share some of my ideas on what it means to be a photography teacher, and how you can improve your own teaching skills (if your dream is to teach photography).
I’m about to move to Vietnam for the next 1.5 years, and France for 6 months— and I’ve been thinking about what to bring and what not to bring for my trip. I know in my heart that I don’t need much, I can pack light, and be happy. But still— there is that gnawing fear of “what if?†which is holding me back.
Here are some student photos from my “Discover Your Unique Voice in Street Photography” workshop in Downtown LA. Each student worked on a small mini-project for the weekend, working on honing their individual style and voice. In this post are my personal favorite individual images from them.
See all the images below, and if you want to hone your vision in your street photography, check out my upcoming street photography workshops.
I recently had the great pleasure of shooting fashion photography for the first time with Suede Brooks (model), fellow photographer Bil Brown (he arranged it all), as well with stylist (Shaina Feldman), beauty (Elaina Karras-Jircitano), and Cindy (creative director, and lighting assistant).
I’ve been interested in shooting fashion for a while now— especially when I first saw the work of Richard Avedon and William Klein (who both had interests in street photography, but did wonderful fashion work). Furthermore other artists like Guy Bourdain, Helmut Newton, Man Ray, and many others showed me how beautiful the human body can be, and how creative fashion can be as well.
A few weeks ago, I did one of my popular “Conquer Your Fears of Shooting Street Photography” workshops. I am incredibly proud of all the students’ best photos from the workshop. We worked hard to push ourselves outside of our comfort zones, approach strangers, all while trying to capture “decisive moments.”
See all of their epic photos below, and also check out my upcoming street photography workshops.
(Editor’s Note: Eric interviews Ola Billmont about his process, experiences, and lessons learned in making his new book A Day At The Races. All photos by Ola Billmont)
Eric: Hey Ola, long time no chat. Tell us what is going on for you in terms of your photography, and congratulations on your new book!
Ola: Thanks, Eric. It’s been an interesting ride putting this book together.
Honestly, I’m not sure as I am not shooting with anything particular in mind. Although, I have never been shooting this much before. Over the last year I have slid away from street photography and shoot many other things.
Dear friend,
I am excited to share my new book with you: “The Personal Photography Manual.” If you’ve ever wanted to find more meaning, purpose, and direction in your photography, I recommend you to pursue “personal photography.â€
What exactly is “personal photographyâ€? To me, it is a genre of photography that focuses on yourself— focuses on your personal life experiences, focuses on photographing your loved ones, and the other elements of your “boring†and everyday life. In this book I share some of my personal struggles and how I’ve been able to keep myself inspired, regardless of my life situation or where I live. I hope this book can empower you to become the best photographer you can become. You can either download the PDF or read it all in this post.
Keep it personal,
Eric
If you love cameras and can’t stop buying them (for the sake of it) I hope you enjoy this video on how to cure our illness. Often we think that our cameras aren’t good enough– but it is ourselves which is the problem. No matter how good our cameras are, they will never be “good enough.” The secret is to be grateful for what we have, to make the best of “good enough”, and to shoot with whatever camera we own.
Honestly, I’ve shot with $10,000 cameras and even more expensive ones– and for those I know who have these cameras, they’re never satisfied either.
Even realize that the smartphones we have today would have been considered miracles by photographers even a few decades ago.
My suggestion: instead of buying more cameras, try to sell/give away your cameras. The more you purge yourself of superfluous gear, the more liberated you will feel. You will have fewer distractions, and more focus in your photography.
I also suggest try to avoid marketing and advertising as much as possible. Whenever I visit a gear-review forum, I feel the pangs of GAS. The same is when I look at advertisements or commercials. Either use an ad-blocker, or avoid visiting these sites all together.
And once again, always remember to practice an attitude of gratitude. Let us always count our blessings, and go out and take photos with whatever we have.
When I’m out shooting in the streets, I’m not sure what will make a good photograph. However, I know what I am afraid of.
Dear friends, if I haven’t told you yet– I’m moving abroad for the next 2 years. For 1.5 years, I’ll be in Vietnam (8 months in Hanoi, then 6 months in Saigon). After, 6 months in France (3 months in Paris, and 3 months in Marseille).
Figuring out what to pack for 2 years abroad is tough. I’ve never done it. But for my trip, I’m deciding to pack my ThinkTank Perception 15, Ricoh GR II camera (probably going to leave the film Leica at home, because digital is easier to travel with), GoPro Hero 3 (to do more YouTube Videos), and of course my laptop (13” Macbook Pro) and smartphone (Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge).
I also am packing only 3 pairs of basic clothes (3 uniqlo airism v-neck mesh shirts, 3 exofficio boxer briefs, and 3 drymax socks). A few dress clothes, and my Nike Free RN Motion Flyknit shoes (my new favorite shoes).
I plan on keeping the Kindle and the iPad at home– as I do most of my reading on the Kindle app on my phone. Also I’m trying to pack as light as possible (probably just one backpack, and another luggage for misc. things).
Thanks for all the love and support, will keep you updated with the packing, traveling, and adventure in Vietnam and France!
One of my friends asked me: “Eric, what should I do if I’ve totally lost my passion or inspiration for photography” This is what I would tell him:
What is your “style” in street photography? How can you make your work stand out? What makes your photos unique, and what do your photos say about you?
There is a sea of photographers out there. How do you distinguish yourself from the mass of other photographers?
“The Decisive Moment” — a fabled concept introduced by the founder of street photography (Henri Cartier-Bresson). The “decisive moment” is that beautiful fleeting moment– where all the compositional elements come together, and you only have a split second to capture the moment. How can you better capture the “decisive moment” — or better yet, identify the decisive moment?
Dear friends,
Cindy and I would love to share with you our creative project we have been working on for the past two years. We call it ‘Haptic Industries.’ Part labor of love, part creative tsyxploration, Cindy and I have shared ideas and workshopped projects over many cups of coffee. Our dream for Haptic Industries is to provide artful, educational tools that empower and inspire others.
Pictured above: Henri Neck Strap, Henri Wrist Strap, and Street Notes.
Street Notes is your personalized guide to take your street photography to the next level:
Photo Journal is a handbook to make your photography more personally meaningful:
The Henri Neck Strap will accompany you on your future street photography adventures:
The Henri Wrist Strap is for the minimalist in you:
The City of Angels by Eric Kim is a handmade photography print portfolio that honors the rough edges and honest beauty of Los Angeles, California.
Haptic Industries: Artful tools to empower you.
Follow updates from Haptic Industries on Instagram: @hapticindustries
For questions, contact Cindy at hapticindustries@gmail.com
If you’re like me, you might have a hard time staying inspired in your photography. Here are 7 tips which have personally helped me:
The photographers I admire the most are the ones who are able to combine their outside interests to make their photography their own.
I first met Bil Brown on Instagram, and since them have collaborated with him in sharing ideas about street photography, fashion, poetry, and Japanese aesthetics. Bil started off as a poet, discovered photography by accident, and now runs his own magazine (Black & Grey Magazine) and does fashion work. In the YouTube interview, we see the gear he is shooting with now, how he got started, his favorite photo books, and tips he has for anyone wanting to get more into fashion/street photography. Also make sure to follow Bil and his new YouTube Channel.
I recently did a workshop at the studio of my friend Bil Brown, and was blown away with his awesome collection of Japanese photo-books. He re-sparked my interest in Shomei Tomatsu.
I’ve seen many images of Shomei Tomatsu before, and was intrigued by his mysterious, surrealistic, and extreme compositions. His photographs had a sense of darkness to them, longing, and a bitter-sweet nostalgia of the past.
Trust; human civilizations have survived for millennia with it. Societies without trust have disintegrated. Trust is the glue which holds humankind together.
How can you use trust to help you succeed as a photographer?
Nobuyoshi Araki (more commonly known as Araki) is one of the most controversial figures in the photography world. While he is a rock star and a superhero in Japan, a lot of the outside world sees his work as sick, pornographic, and misogynist. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Warning: Photos are NSFW.
Dear streettogs, lately I’ve been inspired to take things “back to basicsâ€. Often I take photography too seriously and forget the importance of always staying a beginner, and sticking to fundamentals. Consider this an opportunity for me to share some practical tips I’ve leaned over the last 10 years in terms of what I think makes a great street photograph (either watch the video above, or read more for the text).
Of course this is not an all-inclusive list; there’s lots of other things which make a great street photograph. But if you’re starting off in street photography, or want a quick refresher, I hope some of these ideas will spark some inspiration for you:
Hey streettogs, if you want to learn some practical tips and techniques when shooting on the streets, check out the video above, or read more to see all 15 tips:
Another quick video on how I direct my subject when shooting street portraits. You can see the first version: How to Direct Your Subject for a Street Portrait.
In this video, you can see how I interact with my subject and direct them for a street portrait. You can see how I asked my subject to stand behind a clean background, how I started further, and then started to frame closer. I also tried to get my subject to be more interactive by playing with her hair, and throwing it back and forth. Shot in macro mode with a flash in “P” mode on the Ricoh GR II.
If you want to learn more how to shoot street portraits, check out my free book: “The Street Portrait Manual.”
Shot in Downtown LA by Todd Hatakeyama.
I often do a poll during my workshops: “Raise your hand if you don’t like having your own photo being taken.†Usually more than half of my students raise their hands.
Hey streettogs, my good friend Todd Hatakeyama just put together this cool behind-the-scenes video of the past “Conquer Your Fear of Shooting Street Photography Workshop” in Downtown LA. Check me and the students having fun on the streets, and how I direct some of my subjects when shooting “street portraits.”
If you want to take your street photography to the next level, invest in an experience you will never forget below! I still have a few spots for my upcoming LA “Discover Your Unique Voice in Street Photography” workshop this weekend. It is the last workshop I have in America before I’m in Vietnam/France for the next 2 years — don’t miss out:
For any questions regarding workshops, email neil.ta@erickimphotography.com
It is hard to know what makes a “good†photograph, but it is easy to know what makes an intimate photograph.
Dear friend,
I wanted to write you this letter about the importance of staying fresh creatively by taking a break from your photography, not forcing you to take photos everyday against your own will.
For a long time I’ve seeked “happiness†in my photography and life. While I still don’t know what “happiness†is, I know what makes me unhappy.
Dear friend,
One thought that I’ve been thinking about: why do we “need†more likes or followers? Do we desire more likes or followers because it boosts our self-esteem? Or because it helps validate our photography? Or because we want to gain more power, fame, money, and influence with our work? Or a little bit of everything?
Dear streettogs, here are the slides that I used during my “Street Photography 101” presentation on Day 1 of the Adobe Live-Streaming Workshop. In this presentation I talk about how to conquer your fears in street photography, practical tips, and show some of the contact sheets behind my favorite photos.
You can also download the PDF for free.
Also check out my other free street photography presentations on Slideshare.
Dear streettogs, if you didn’t have the chance to watch my free 2-day live streaming street photography workshop with Adobe, below are the videos. If you want to learn how to conquer your fears, find your style in street photography (and see me breakdance and do really bad freestyle rapping), watch the videos below:
Apparently in the Marines they take great pride in having the “shittiest equipment†with the least amount of support. They pride themselves in being able to get by with less. They make up for their lack of equipment through their hustle, determination, creativity, and hard work.
What if we could do the same in our photography— to pride ourselves in the fact that we might not have the best camera, lens, or equipment. What if we can achieve our creative greatness with “less�
I feel one of the best ways to stay inspired and motivated with your photography is to focus on a project. To take lots of random photos of anything and everything often leads to a body of work that is cluttered, un-focused, and uninteresting. In this article I will share some of my personal thoughts on how you can create your own photography project idea.
When I started street photography, my biggest barrier was myself. Specifically— my barrier was my fear of shooting street photography. It was all in my head.
We all know the feeling— having to do something without wanting to do it. The feeling of going to the gym and meeting a gym trainer against your own will. The feeling of having to do extra “busy†work while you’re in school. The feeling of having to stay late at your job, even though you’re done with work, only to appease your boss.
There are a lot of things in life that feel like chores— why make your photography one of them?
I recently read an eye-opening book: “So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love†— in which the author argues against the “passion†hypothesis (the idea that you should follow your passion). The author argues that following your passion often leads to failure.
(A.g.’s note: Today’s interview is probably an interesting one. John Milton is a citizen of the world. His travels has brought him to some of the most uncommon places for travel. He answers Eric’s questions and shares some of his experiences on the road and what pushes him to keep going)
Thank you so much for your patience and support as Cindy and I worked to prepare the last batch of Henri neck straps. We received a lot of great feedback, and have made the newest batch a little bit longer in length and the leather of the neck pad softer. This run is limited to 100 straps, pick one up before they sell out:
For International Orders (outside of the US), you can order here >>
Dear streettogs, I am super pumped to announce that I am hosting my first free live-streaming street photography workshop on July 19-20th (12-3pm Pacific time) on the Adobe Twitch Channel >>
The workshop is a two-day affair, and streamed live (so you can ask me any questions or feel free to interrupt me during my presentations). July 19th will be focused on how to conquer your fears in street photography, and July 20th will be focused on how to work on your own personal projects and discover your own personal style.
Also through the event (starting July 19th) I will give honest feedback and critique to some of your street photos with the hashtag #StreetPhotoJam on Instagram/Twitter on July 19th).
The “snapshot†is a word looked down with disdain and hatred. No photographer wants to hear that his/her photos look like “snapshots.†We want our photos to be respected, appreciated, and seen as “art.â€
But what if there is a benefit of making snapshots in our photography— and what are the joys of making “snapshots†in our daily lives?
SA 19 Editor’s Choice Evandro Nunes de Oliveira wants us to explore faces and places!
(Details of joining and more info after the jump!)
I’ve pretty much shot RAW all my life. There are so many benefits of shooting RAW– in terms of how much flexibility you have with the files, as well as the raw data in the files. However, as time goes on, I’m starting to lean more towards shooting JPEG– and I’m starting to realize the benefits of shooting JPEG.
I remembered when I was sitting in my cubicle, dreaming and lusting after a digital Leica M9. I imagined after buying it, all of my life’s problems would be solved. I imagined the camera would inspire me to be more creative, brave, and inspired in my photography. I imagined how cool I would look in the streets with a Leica over my shoulder. I also imagined how much more people would “respect†or admire me, simply because I had a Leica.
What is a photographer? A photographer is an individual who sees beauty in the mundane. A photographer is an individual who walks at a slow pace, experiences life fully and vividly, and can capture fleeting moments with precision and poise.
A photographer is an individual who is always grateful to be alive, to have a pair of eyes, and to be able to visually decipher complexity in the world.
A photographer isn’t graded by how many cameras, lenses, awards, or books he/she has. Rather— a photographer is graded only be him/herself. A photographer never judges his/her work by how many likes they get on social media— a photographer judges him/herself based on how much personal satisfaction their photos bring them.
I don’t know about you— but there is nothing I hate more than being a tourist. When you’re a tourist; you feel trapped. You do what everyone else tells you what you should do— rather than doing what you personally want to do.
There are a lot of ways we can “de-touristify†our lives, photography, and creative processes.
Dear friend,
I recently got back from my honeymoon with Cindy from Mexico city (amazing city, highly recommended) and finally we have some time to decompress, reflect on our wedding, and look through all our wedding photos (shot by Neil Ta, Brandon Phan, and video from my cousin Regina). And having all these photos— we wondered; how would we best immortalize our special day?
In today’s modern world, procrastination is seen as a negative thing. It is seen as a “disease†that needs to be eliminated. Thousands of self-help books, blog posts, and podcasts encourage and teach us how to overcome procrastination — and get more things done.
But what if there are certain things that shouldn’t be done immediately— and should be left undone? What if procrastination can be a good thing (in certain circumstances)? What if procrastination can actually help us be more creative in life and our photography?
Dear friend,
I wanted to write you this letter on how to liberate yourself in photography— by photographing what interests you rather than what you think other people will be interested. It means to make your photography more personal, and to make your photos a reflection of who you are as an individual. Remember; photos are always self-portraits of yourself, not of your subjects.
(A.g.’s Note: Today’s guest post on the blog is by Vincent Tam. He’s an inquisitive and persistent photographer. He’s sharing with us his insights and research on how to produce quality work and how he tested this research with the backstory of getting the photo above. All photos and text are by Vincent Tam.)
Vincent: I had a massive misconception about great photographers. I thought every shot they take must be great. This is not true. Magnum photographer Alex Webb reportedly shot ten rolls of Kodachrome film for his famous Istanbul barbershop photo. He says “street photography is 99 percent about failure.†To improve our odds of making great photos, does it make sense to simply shoot more? As it turns out, in his 2016 book about how non-conformists move the world, Adam Grant tells us the most predictable path to quality is, in fact, quantity.
Hey streettogs, for those of you who like videos– I just put together a new one sharing my personal experiences photographing my own wedding. You can read the original blog post here: What I Learned Photographing My Own Wedding
We can not control the winds but we can always adjust our sails. Lets see who made the best out of our 19th Assignment!
Dear friend,
I wanted to write you this letter about some thoughts I have on “doing nothing”; not feeling like we always need to be “productive”, that we don’t always need to be producing, and how calmness, peace, and tranquility might be the key to what we’re searching for in life.
6 months ago, right around the time of my birthday, I actually got a very interesting message from Eric:
“You should write something about yourself so that our readers can know the real you.â€
For those of you who don’t know, I’m A.g.. I’m his content manager here at the blog and I’m also in charge of Streettogs Academy working out of Manila, Philippines. Aside from my task as admin of Streettogs Academy, I usually get assignments from him to interview photographers, fix a blog post or two, and do a feature or other things.  He hasn’t really made a formal introduction of me for the past 2 years that I do things with him here on the blog but better late than never I guess!
I was stumped for weeks as to how I am going to make this write-up. I don’t want to sound like a pretentious arrogant and I don’t want to give a biography. So instead, I will answer with why I love photography. I believe that what you love shows you what you stand for and why you do the things you do. Without further ado, here’s my love letter to photography:
Dear friends, family, and loved ones: on June 11, 2016 I just married the love of my life, Cindy. It was (one of) my favorite days with her, and also one of the most stressful days to prepare for. It was a celebration of love, friendship, and shared experiences.
Needless to say, being one of my most personally meaningful days, I wanted to document the process (up to the wedding), the wedding day itself, and the aftermath of the wedding.
Editor’s Note:  Mehran Khalili is a British-Iranian photographer that works in political communications by day and shoots photos by night (and sometimes the other way around). He recently published a photo project on Greece, ‘Standstill’, which looks at the country’s economic shock in over six years of crisis. It has been featured on LensCulture, Vice, Dodho and other platforms as well. Here he shares his thoughts for photographers on what he learned from making and publishing the project:
Hit the streets with my buddy Josh White (@jt_inseoul) in this film about the 24 Hour Project with photographers (Pierre Ricadat (@ghostdogpr), and Michael Fincham (@thelastfin). It is beautifully directed by Dong Kim of AFTER STORY FILM, shows what it is like to roam the streets of Seoul, and has incredibly soulful music to get you in the mood.
The mission statement of the 24 Hour Project is to “document the human condition of multiple cities” during a single day, founded by Renzo Grande (@aliveinnyc) and Sam Smotherman (@whittiersam).
One of the most toxic feelings that a photographer (or human being) is to feel envy. Apparently envy is a trait that is deeply embedded in us, even as babies.
But why is it that we feel envy, what are we envious about, and what can we do about it?
Dear streettogs,
I know I already advertised some past workshops as my “last workshops” in the states before leaving to Vietnam, but this time is “for real.”
If you’re looking to invest in an unforgettable adventure and experience, join me at one (or both) of my workshops below:
You can also see all of my upcoming street photography workshops >>.
A nomad mindset means that you are mentally and physically light. You don’t hold onto past possessions. You live in the moment, and you are flexible.
A few weeks ago, I taught a SF Street Portrait workshop in the downtown financial district. It was an intensive 1-day workshop, where the students hustled hard to (quickly) conquer their fears of shooting street photography, as well as learn how to better interact with strangers.
Dear friend,
I wanted to write you a letter on patience– how to be patient in our photography, our personal lives, and how we approach growth and self-compassion.
Dear friend,
One thought that struck me recently: we all have an impulse to document and photograph things in our world. But what is this impulse exactly? Can we explain it psychologically? Is it something that all humans have? Or is it something that is unique– which differentiates us photographers from other people?