When making life choices, let your own fun-meter gauge your direction.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
For example: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Only do what is fun and interesting to you.<\/li>
- Never do what is boring, uninteresting, or ‘meh’ to you.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Is it possible to a live a life of only fun?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/downtown-la-fur-portrait-couple-selfie-pose-2000x1333.jpg?resize=1180%2C786&ssl=1\")
After shooting a street portrait<\/a> of someone, ask them to pose with you!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n I think so. Assuming there is no heaven or hell, you won’t be punished for not being ‘responsible’. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you make a living only pursuing what is fun for you?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Assuming you can embrace extreme frugality<\/a>, of course you can! Generally it seems that if you want to make a lot of money, you gotta pursue a career which is boring to you. For example it seems ability to withstand boredom is a good way to pursue a “respectable” career, which will give you a good salary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/SUITS-BY-ERIC-KIM10.jpg?resize=1180%2C782&ssl=1\")
Paris, 2014 #<\/em>suits<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n I think if we have learned anything from Richard Branson, it is certainly possible<\/em> to become successful while having fun. But once again, to be clear:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just because you pursue what is fun in your life won’t guarantee your success. But it is POSSIBLE!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/SUITS-BY-ERIC-KIM3-2000x1326.jpg?resize=1180%2C782&ssl=1\")
London, 2011 #<\/em>suits<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n My life dreams when I was a kid<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Lisbon,](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/eric-kim-street-photography-suits-project-5.jpeg?resize=1180%2C782&ssl=1\")
Lisbon, 2017 #suits<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n I read something from Nassim Taleb’s commencement address for the American University in Beirut<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have a single definition of success: you look in the mirror every evening, and wonder if you disappoint the person you were at 18, right before the age when people start getting corrupted by life. Let him or her be the only judge; not your reputation, not your wealth, not your standing in the community, not the decorations on your lapel. If you do not feel ashamed, you are successful. All other definitions of success are modern constructions; fragile modern constructions.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Pretty good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Judging myself<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"20-year-old](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ynt7Ll.jpg?resize=424%2C640&ssl=1\")
20-year-old ERIC KIM in college, with CONTAX IIIa. Photograph by John Golden<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n How would 18 year old ERIC judge 31 year-old ERIC? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Pleased with strength and powerlifting<\/a> gains<\/li>
- Pleased with ‘financial freedom<\/a>‘ and having achieved life goals (world travel, fame<\/a>, riches, etc).<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Now, what would 18 year old Eric encourage 31 year old Eric to do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not sure. Perhaps to “keep doing you<\/em>“.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Boredom is the enemy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Hands.](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/eric-kim-photography-mexico-city-monochrome-black-and-white-ricoh-gr-ii-2019-18-3-3000x1987.jpg?resize=1180%2C782&ssl=1\")
Hands. Mexico City, 2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n At this point in my life, I want to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Feel extreme optimism, strength<\/a>, and happiness<\/a>, and channel that energy into creative productivity<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
It seems to follow your boredom detector is the best way to live your life. If something is boring to you, don’t do it<\/strong>. If something is challenging, interesting, and fun to you — DO IT!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fun photography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Mexico](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/eric-kim-mexico-city-color-39-3-3000x1987.jpg?resize=1180%2C782&ssl=1\")
Mexico City Abstract<\/a>. Flash. Black, 2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Even in the context of photography, let fun guide you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- If you’re having fun while you’re out and shooting, you’re doing it correctly!<\/li>
- When you’re looking through your photos (editing<\/a>), only choose photos which excite or interest you! <\/li>
- To find inspiration from other master photographers,<\/a> study photos that don’t bore you. Only study photographers who interest you!<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Have more fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ERIC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A simple thought: When making life choices, let your own fun-meter gauge your direction. For example: Only do what is fun and interesting to you. Never do what is boring, uninteresting, or ‘meh’ to \u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":187683,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_ek_photo_artist_note":"","_ek_photo_thesis":"","_ek_photo_camera":"","_ek_photo_place":"","_ek_photo_human_moment":"","_ek_photo_sequence":"","_ek_photo_question":"","_ek_photo_canonical_claim":"","_ek_photo_ai_summary":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-187987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-posts"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/downtown-la-fur-portrait-couple-selfie-pose-2000x1333.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=187987"}],"version-history":[{"count":34,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187987\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":188031,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187987\/revisions\/188031"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/187683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=187987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=187987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=187987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- To find inspiration from other master photographers,<\/a> study photos that don’t bore you. Only study photographers who interest you!<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Pleased with ‘financial freedom<\/a>‘ and having achieved life goals (world travel, fame<\/a>, riches, etc).<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Pleased with strength and powerlifting<\/a> gains<\/li>