{"id":196164,"date":"2019-12-11T11:02:54","date_gmt":"2019-12-11T19:02:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=196164"},"modified":"2019-12-11T12:00:39","modified_gmt":"2019-12-11T20:00:39","slug":"existential-photography-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2019\/12\/11\/existential-photography-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Existential Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

My buddy Jeffrey Lam<\/a> is currently working on this notion of ‘existential health’, which is basically this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wondering the philosophical underpinnings of health.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

For example when a doctor sees a patient, the doctor will ask the patient about their existential life goals, not just to “lose fat”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I often do this at my workshops<\/a>: I will ask my students:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why<\/em> do you make photos?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

To piggyback off my friend Jeff, I want to start exploring more of this notion of ‘existential photography’:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

You exist, now what?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Eric<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is a fact that you exist and are alive. Now what? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why share your photos?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Another thought:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are a photographer on a spaceship (without the internet), or if you’re on Mars, who (and how) can you share your photos?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Obviously thinking about a future of photography without Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To share is human<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why share photos? I think there is something intuitively human about wanting to share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, it would have been insanely dumb if Homer didn’t share The Iliad with us. Or if Picasso<\/a> didn’t share his paintings with us. Thus the notion of the artist in the cave who only makes art for themself and doesn’t share is absolute nonsense.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Vegas,
Vegas, 2019 #cindyproject<\/a> #silhouette<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To wrap things up (for now) some takeaways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Pursue photography in a manner in which you desire your photos (and name) to remain 300 years from now.<\/li>
  2. Don’t worry too much about hype of new cameras. They will (like the new iPhone) get outdated quickly. <\/li>
  3. Think about what kind of legacy<\/a> you want to leave behind as a photographer\/visual-artist<\/a>.<\/li>
  4. Print your photos, print books. Publish your photos as free PDF e-books<\/a>. Also share ‘open source<\/a>‘ photos as JPEG’s<\/a>. The more open and free your photos<\/a>, the more likely your photos, work, ideas, and aesthetics will continue to exist.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    THINK LONGER!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    ERIC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    Photolosophy<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Discover more personal meaning in your photographic life with PHOTOLOSOPHY ><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n