{"id":26323,"date":"2015-12-14T11:12:50","date_gmt":"2015-12-14T19:12:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=26323"},"modified":"2015-12-14T14:57:34","modified_gmt":"2015-12-14T22:57:34","slug":"dont-be-a-brand-slave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/14\/dont-be-a-brand-slave\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Be a Brand-Slave"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Tokyo,
Tokyo, 2012<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dear friend,<\/p>\n

I want to let you know\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I am a brand-slave. Meaning; I love brands. I love the way they make me feel, but I am imprisoned by them.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mention brand names<\/h2>\n

For example, if I am with you and I ask you to pass you over my camera, I may say, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Can you hand me my Leica<\/em>?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (instead of saying, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Can you hand me my camera<\/em>?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Another example\u00e2\u20ac\u201d when I refer to my shoes, I will refer to them as my \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Nike\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d rather than my shoes<\/em>.<\/p>\n

When I talk about my laptop, I refer to it as my Macbook Pro<\/em> \u00e2\u20ac\u201d rather than my laptop<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be suckered by brands<\/h2>\n

What is a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153brand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d? A brand is a concept, a symbol\u00e2\u20ac\u201d some sort of attribute we give a type of consumer product.<\/p>\n

For example, when we think of the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153brand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of Apple\u00e2\u20ac\u201d we think minimalist, clean, hip, cool, and sophisticated. When we think of the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153brand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of Microsoft\u00e2\u20ac\u201d we think work, productivity, Excel, Word, and being boring.<\/p>\n

The fact is the power of brand has a strong psychological effect on us. The truth is if a designer uses an Apple computer, he\/she does indeed feel more creative\/innovative. And if you want to be taken \u00e2\u20ac\u0153seriously\u00e2\u20ac\u009d as a lawyer\/real estate agent\u00e2\u20ac\u201d it probably makes more sense for you to drive a BMW (to make you feel more confident, smart, and rich) than to drive a Honda.<\/p>\n

But honestly; fuck brands.<\/p>\n

I am personally the biggest slave to brands, and I am the biggest brand-slave.<\/p>\n

My slavery to brands<\/h2>\n

I grew up in the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153hood\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d not really, but I did grow up being a paycheck away from being homeless (my mom has filed for bankruptcy in the past, due to my dad gambling away our rent money).<\/p>\n

I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have much growing up\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and I always wanted to look \u00e2\u20ac\u0153successful\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to have the stigma of being \u00e2\u20ac\u0153poor.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

I started working since I was 15 years old, and I was able to scrape enough money to buy my first car (1991 Sentra for about $1000) by building and selling my own computers (my first taste of entrepreneurship). With all of the money I earned from tutoring, helping at the local community center, etc\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I dumped all of that money into brands that would build up my status.<\/p>\n

I owned at least 12 pairs of shoes, and tons of clothes. For me, clothes were a shield against my own sense of insecurity. I wore clothes and brands which made me feel good\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and made me feel \u00e2\u20ac\u0153cool.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Now that I am older, I want others to like me. I want to look sophisticated, cool, and suave. For a while I was suckered into learning more about brands (fancy watches), devices (I know too much about Apple + Android products), cars (I know too much about luxury cars)\u00e2\u20ac\u201d etc.<\/p>\n

But fuck\u00e2\u20ac\u201d all that shit is bullshit. For reals.<\/p>\n

Who gives a shit if you drive a BMW? If you love the car, the experience\u00e2\u20ac\u201d that is totally cool. But please, do not buy one thinking that if you buy it, it will totally change your life, everyone will suddenly think you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re successful, and you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to be more \u00e2\u20ac\u0153liked\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by others.<\/p>\n

I personally got suckered by branding when I lusted after my first Leica. When I got a Leica M9\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not going to lie, I felt like the shit. I would strut into camera stores with my M9 strapped across my shoulder, feeling cool and suave. I noticed that more random people would start talking to me at exhibition openings, and taking me more seriously. I would see other photographers with their clunky DSLR\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s looking over with envy, trying to take a peek of my Leica.<\/p>\n

But now, I am glad that I have gotten a little more insight about the powerful allure of brands.<\/p>\n

To be fair; I think the Leica is one of the most beautiful, minimalist, and functional cameras ever produced by man. It is the pure distillation of simplicity and elegance of a camera (the film Leica MP is just a brass piece of metal with a focusing tab, a shutter, an aperture\/shutter speed dial). It is a classic design (like a Porsche) that will never die.<\/p>\n

Yet I think nobody should ever buy a Leica thinking that it will make you a better photographer. Because it won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t. Buying a Leica will in-fact make life more<\/em> difficult for you (you have to manually-focus everything and shoot at f\/8, you have to deal with the added weight (it isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t as light as you might think), and the anxiety of having someone steal it from you in a shady neighborhood).<\/p>\n

The sad thing about Leica is that when it was used in the past, it was a camera that you bought once and owned for your entire life\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and you never needed to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153upgrade.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d In-fact, the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153serious\u00e2\u20ac\u009d reporters (who didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t give a shit about the brand of the camera, but just needed something durable and bullet-proof) would tape up the red dots on their Leica\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s\u00e2\u20ac\u201d because they knew how distracting it was, and how it would invite envy from other photographers who shot with Nikon\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s or Canon\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s. Now the irony is that you will pay a premium for not<\/em> having a red dot\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and be taken more \u00e2\u20ac\u0153seriously\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by other photographers.<\/p>\n

Cover up brands<\/h2>\n

Gaffers tape is your best friend.<\/p>\n

I recently started to gaffers-tape everything I own. I taped up the Apple logo on my Macbook Pro, and thank god the new Macbook pro no longer says \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Macbook\u00e2\u20ac\u009d on the bottom of the screen. I taped up my Amazon Kindle logo. I taped up the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ThinkTank\u00e2\u20ac\u009d logo on my Retrospective 15 backpack. I also purposefully try to make it a point to wear clothes that have no branding on the outside (my entire outfit is UNIQLO\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I just try to wear black V-Necks)\u00e2\u20ac\u201d the only thing I haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t been able to figure out is to get rid of the white \u00e2\u20ac\u0153swoosh\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of my Nike shoes.<\/p>\n

Think about simple consumer decisions\u00e2\u20ac\u201d isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t it quite ridiculous that you are like a walking advertisement or billboard for a brand? Whenever you show others your Louie-Vuitton bag or wallet, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing free advertising for them. Apparently the really super-rich people purposefully pay a premium not<\/em> to have branding on their stuff\u00e2\u20ac\u201d they will wear $1000 cardigan sweaters that don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have branding. They don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to draw attention to themselves.<\/p>\n

I know personally the reason I was so addicted to branding is that I wanted to be noticed, loved, and appreciated.<\/p>\n

Now I want to be simple, boring, and unremarkable. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want my clothes, my cars, my watches, my digital devices, or my camera to show anything that is admirable. I only want people to judge my character, my actions, and my virtue.<\/p>\n

Become ignorant of brands<\/h2>\n

Something I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been doing is challenging all of my assumptions.<\/p>\n

Call this \u00e2\u20ac\u0153beginner\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mind\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d imagine being reborn when you had no idea of any of the symbolism of brands. Imagine if someone said that they drove a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153BMW\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and you said\u00e2\u20ac\u201d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What is that?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Or if someone said they shot a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Leica\u00e2\u20ac\u009d camera\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and you said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What is that?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

My personal rule now\u00e2\u20ac\u201d try to pay a premium for products that don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have branding on it. I think it also shows that these brands aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t insecure\u00e2\u20ac\u201d they don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need to rely on their branding to have additional marketing.<\/p>\n

For example, MUJI is a fantastic minimalist brand that doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have any distracting logos in the front.<\/p>\n

Another example\u00e2\u20ac\u201d the OnePlus smartphone doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have any distracting branding in the front (same as the iPhone\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but now everyone knows what an iPhone looks like, so this doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quite count).<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been thinking a lot about cars\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t personally know any cars that don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have big badges. I used to be really into the import-tuning scene; and the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153cool\u00e2\u20ac\u009d thing to do was to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153de-badge\u00e2\u20ac\u009d your car and intentionally try to get rid of all the branding of your car\u00e2\u20ac\u201d so you would show off the design of your car, rather than what brand of car you drove.<\/p>\n

Also another tip\u00e2\u20ac\u201d pay extra money not<\/em> to be advertised to. If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re on Flickr; pay for the pro membership. If you have a Kindle, pay extra not to have pop-up advertisements annoy you whenever you turn on your device. If you have certain products that you love, just gaffer tape up that bad boy to not let the branding distract you.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Shot with a Leica M240, Leica 35mm f\/1.4 Summilux ASPH FLE, f\/1.4, ISO 100, 1\/1000th shutter speed, copyright Eric Kim\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/h2>\n

Another thing I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been trying to do is not call something by it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s brand name\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but just its description.<\/p>\n

Another tip\u00e2\u20ac\u201d if someone says they like your photo, never<\/em> tell them what camera or lens you shot it with.<\/p>\n

I have a problem; sometimes when someone tells me that they like my photo, I will shove in their face: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I shot it on film\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (thinking that by telling them that I shot film they will respect me or take me more seriously).<\/p>\n

But honestly; nobody gives a shit what camera, lens, or technical settings you used to make a photo. So please please please\u00e2\u20ac\u201d never upload a photo to Facebook and in the caption describe what camera\/lens you use. That is just a sign of insecurity. Similarly\u00e2\u20ac\u201d don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t watermark your photos; let your style make your photos recognizable, rather than a watermark.<\/p>\n

What is your \u00e2\u20ac\u0153true\u00e2\u20ac\u009d preference?<\/h2>\n

I am trying my best to put my money where my mouth is. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve recently retired the Leica MP (going to lend it to a friend), and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m just focused on shooting with a Ricoh GR II digital camera (around $550 in the states). I sometimes feel like a spoiled kid using a 13\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Macbook Pro (it cost me around $2000)\u00e2\u20ac\u201d at times I feel like just picking up a cheap 11\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Macbook Air (I used my old 2012 11\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Macbook Air for 3 years with love, until it got stolen in Paris). I am trying to also \u00e2\u20ac\u0153downgrade\u00e2\u20ac\u009d my smartphone (Galaxy S6 which I got for free from Samsung)\u00e2\u20ac\u201d to make it a point to myself that I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need all these fancy devices to make me happy.<\/p>\n

Even as I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m typing this\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m listening to Kendrick Lamar (To Pimp a Butterfly) on a 5-year-old iPod Nano with some $40 earbuds. Funny enough\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I prefer this over listening to Spotify with my $300 Bose noise-cancelling headphones.<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t become a slave to your stuff<\/h2>\n

Another thing I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m trying to do\u00e2\u20ac\u201d figure out how much of the products I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m using because I have them, versus whether I actually like using them.<\/p>\n

To clarify\u00e2\u20ac\u201d do I use my film Leica because I really enjoy using it\u00e2\u20ac\u201d or do I use it because I feel like I \u00e2\u20ac\u0153should\u00e2\u20ac\u009d use it, because I spent a ton of money on it? Do I really prefer<\/em> to use Android, or because I get free smartphones from Samsung? Do I really prefer to use a Macbook computer because it is \u00e2\u20ac\u0153better\u00e2\u20ac\u009d than any competitors\u00e2\u20ac\u201d or because I am suckered by the Apple marketing?<\/p>\n

Also how much of my life is based on convention (living a life true to others because I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m trying to please them)\u00e2\u20ac\u201d versus living life true to myself<\/em>?<\/p>\n

Reformat<\/h2>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been questioning a lot of my beliefs. Everyday I want to reset my brain; and not let the demons of my past hold me back. I want to live in the present moment, not feel like a slave to brands, the expectations of others, or even my personal past expectations to hold me back.<\/p>\n

Reset. Restart.<\/p>\n

It feels so much fresher, just like your old PC \u00e2\u20ac\u201d how much faster and efficient your computer is after a nice reboot. Or even better\u00e2\u20ac\u201d remember \u00e2\u20ac\u0153reformatting\u00e2\u20ac\u009d your computer?<\/p>\n

I want to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153reformat\u00e2\u20ac\u009d my brain. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m trying to restart my entire Gmail (I have so much crap on it), and trying to keep my operating system as lean as possible (uninstalling apps I no longer use).<\/p>\n

I am also trying to clean out my brain. To take out unnecessary clutter and distractions.<\/p>\n

I also recently \u00e2\u20ac\u0153purged\u00e2\u20ac\u009d my social media\u00e2\u20ac\u201d deleted a shitload of photos on Instagram, and marked a bunch of photos on Flickr as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153private\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. I am even considering deleting\/rebooting my Facebook (or maybe not even using Facebook)\u00e2\u20ac\u201d it is just another distraction I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need in my life. My real friends know how to contact me.<\/p>\n

I know in a past article I wrote that I was no longer trying to use \u00e2\u20ac\u0153free\u00e2\u20ac\u009d services\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and I fell a bit off the bandwagon. But I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m getting back on the horse\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m going to experiment to see how few \u00e2\u20ac\u0153free\u00e2\u20ac\u009d services I can use as possible. Honestly at this point, it is almost impossible to live without Google (is there any \u00e2\u20ac\u0153paid\u00e2\u20ac\u009d search engine?) \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and it makes my life easier to collaborate with Cindy (she lives in Gmail, Google Calendar, Sheets, etc).<\/p>\n

Google\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mission is to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be evil\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d but honestly they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not a benevolent company to empower humanity. Maybe a bit\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but at the end of the day, they are a business trying to sell advertisements by selling your personal data to companies. I love you Google; but honestly that is what you are.<\/p>\n

I trust Apple a (little bit) more\u00e2\u20ac\u201d their business is trying to sell you fancy products, rather than selling your personal data to advertisements.<\/p>\n

Amazon (I have prime)\u00e2\u20ac\u201d is also in the business of trying to get you to buy more shit. Even one thing I hate about Kindle is they are always \u00e2\u20ac\u0153recommending\u00e2\u20ac\u009d you new books\u00e2\u20ac\u201d which is just another distraction. And they know your browing\/buying history so much\u00e2\u20ac\u201d that they \u00e2\u20ac\u0153suggest\u00e2\u20ac\u009d products that you might like to buy. Honestly if I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have a prime membership, I think I would buy a lot less shit on Amazon.<\/p>\n

Be skeptical<\/h2>\n

At the end of the day, just look at digital technology, brands, etc with a cautious eye.<\/p>\n

Everyone out there (myself included, I hope that you might like me enough to attend a workshop with me one day) is trying to sell you something.<\/p>\n

So look at everything and everybody with a cautious eye. A snake isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t dangerous if you hold it by the head and not letting its fangs bite you with its poison.<\/p>\n

If you use Google products; know you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing so willingly by trading your personal data for their services. If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re cool with that\u00e2\u20ac\u201d that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s fine. Just be knowledgeable.<\/p>\n

If you use a Leica product, use it because you genuinely love the camera and simplicity\u00e2\u20ac\u201d not because it is expensive and is a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153reputable\u00e2\u20ac\u009d brand.<\/p>\n

Another personal tip; don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t trust online reviews that have affiliate links. Why not? Because honestly it is in their best interest to have you buy a product. Also don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t trust any media that relies on advertising. I love \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Verge\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but will they really be honest about the review of a Samsung\/LG product\u00e2\u20ac\u201d when half of their website has Samsung\/LG product advertisements? I think \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Consumer Reports\u00e2\u20ac\u009d requires a membership\u00e2\u20ac\u201d so you can trust them a little more.<\/p>\n

Even with camera reviews, I include Amazon affiliate links in my reviews (if you buy a camera with my link, I get a 5% cut). But honestly that is sneaky\u00e2\u20ac\u201d moving forward I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not going to do that shit. I really want to be truly honest with you, and trust is the most important currency in today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s economy.<\/p>\n

So for now, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m taking off affiliate links to camera products. But I will keep them on informational links (to books, etc)\u00e2\u20ac\u201d because I do genuinely want you to buy books, not gear. And I want you to invest in experiences, not stuff.<\/p>\n

What I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m reading<\/h2>\n

What am I reading right now? Check out \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Letters From a Stoic\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (look for the unabridged version) \u00e2\u20ac\u201d get it on your Kindle or just read it online for free.<\/p>\n

Also if you are a sucker for marketing\/branding\u00e2\u20ac\u201d read the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Via Negativa\u00e2\u20ac\u009d book in Nassim Taleb\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Antifragile\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and read on \u00e2\u20ac\u0153neomania.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Also whenever you are tempted to buy a new product, try your best to notice similarities, not<\/em> differences.<\/p>\n

Free PDF: Learn From the Masters of Street Photography (Mark II)<\/h2>\n

\"Cover-Learn<\/p>\n

Oh yeah, and I am very proud and excited to announce my new \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Learn From the Masters\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (Mark II\u00e2\u20ac\u201dyeah like the camera) PDF book. I edited it down a lot (ruthless pruning) and now the entire book is only 100 lessons. There might be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Mark III\u00e2\u20ac\u009d version in the future available, but download a copy for free below.<\/p>\n

PDF<\/h3>\n
\n