{"id":25814,"date":"2015-11-17T02:00:57","date_gmt":"2015-11-17T10:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=25814"},"modified":"2015-11-16T14:02:04","modified_gmt":"2015-11-16T22:02:04","slug":"happy-birthday-neil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2015\/11\/17\/happy-birthday-neil\/","title":{"rendered":"Happy Birthday Neil"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Havana,
Havana, Cuba. Photo by Neil Ta<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hey\u00c2\u00a0Neil,<\/p>\n

Happy birthday man. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not 100% sure how old you are now, but all I know is that you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re about a decade my senior. I wanted to write this letter to wish you a happy birthday, and share some personal thoughts of how grateful I am to have you in my life.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

First of all, the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Big Brother\u00e2\u20ac\u009d song by Kanye West comes to mind\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve always been my big brother. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve changed my diapers, helped me with business deals, and made sure that I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do stupid shit. You were always the mind of reason, and I really respect you as a human being, a mentor, and a friend.<\/p>\n

Thank you for all the help you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122e given to me over the years, and how you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve helped me get to the point I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m at now. I know you sometimes joke that you \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ride my coattails\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a bit\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but once again; it is a collaborative thing. We both help out one another in different ways, and I think what we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122e built together couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t been without the other. Even when I think of the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Eric Kim brand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d I see myself as a separate entity. I am almost like an employee to this abstract company\/entity\u00e2\u20ac\u201d rather than the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153owner\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153boss\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153CEO\u00e2\u20ac\u009d haha).<\/p>\n

I have great faith in your photography projects\u00e2\u20ac\u201d especially your Alexandria Park project, and your new Hasselblad XPAN shooting in Cuba<\/a>. I feel that over the last few years, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re like me\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve finally found more of your own style (less rooftopping and urban) and more personal street photography\/documentary projects.<\/p>\n

I am excited to see your future Cuba\u00c2\u00a0book\u00e2\u20ac\u201d we definitely need to go there sometime (for the photography, certainly not for the food). It is fun how we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve nerded about film, photo books, travel, and I think I respect how you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve given the middle-finger to the corporate world (quitting on your own accord, instead of me, who got laid off), and the love you give to your family, Kelly, and your friends.<\/p>\n

You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve also taught me that it is better to be outspoken about how you feel (even though you might alienate others; it is more honest). You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve taught me to be more considerate about the feelings of others, yet while staying rational and logical about it. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve taught me that self-doubt is a healthy and normal thing, and that I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not the only one who experiences financial and personal stress in life. Even though others find you a bit rough-around-the-edges; I find your candor and honesty so refreshing\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I love your \u00e2\u20ac\u0153no-bullshit\u00e2\u20ac\u009d attitude to life, photography, and relationships.<\/p>\n

I am blessed to have a friend, mentor, and fellow photographer and guide in life. Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s keep rocking on\u00e2\u20ac\u201d together.<\/p>\n

<3
\nEric
\n11\/17\/2015<\/p>\n

Learn more about Neil with my interview with him: “Photography is Photography, a Photo is a Photo.<\/a>“<\/em>. See more of his Xpan work on his Tumblr<\/a>. Also follow him on Instagram (@iambidong<\/a>).<\/p>\n