{"id":51342,"date":"2017-05-27T16:58:26","date_gmt":"2017-05-27T23:58:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=51342"},"modified":"2017-05-27T17:06:23","modified_gmt":"2017-05-28T00:06:23","slug":"how-to-go-viral-as-a-photographer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/05\/27\/how-to-go-viral-as-a-photographer\/","title":{"rendered":"HOW TO GO VIRAL AS A PHOTOGRAPHER."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dear friend,<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m gonna give you some contrarian (not \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccommon-sense\u00e2\u20ac\u2122) advice on how to become a viral photographer \u00e2\u20ac\u201d someone whose message, ideas, and images will spread like a virus.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1. Let everyone download your JPEG photos, full-resolution, for free.<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Open-source is superior to closed-source systems, because open-source systems are decentralized. I idolized Steve Jobs, but disagree on his closed approach.<\/p>\n

Centralization of power creates tyrants, dictatorships, and is very dangerous. It causes us to lose power.<\/p>\n

I prefer Android over iPhones because I can hack, modify, or edit my Android phone however. With iPhones, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re stuck in an Apple prison.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Elon Musk open-sourced all the TESLA patents; helping the entire electric car industry.<\/p>\n

I believe in open-source, because it helps drive humanity forward. The more open and free our information, the more we all benefit.<\/p>\n

\n ERIC KIM FREE DOWNLOADS ><\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The problem is most open-source stuff sucks. Linux isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t as good as Windows or MacOS. GIMP is nowhere as good as Adobe Photoshop. There is no real good competitor (in my opinion) to Adobe Lightroom on the market.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I strive to make good information in ebooks, and open source it \u00e2\u20ac\u201d for anyone to remix it, translate it, download it, and do whatever they wanna do with it. I do this to empower people, but also to help spread my ideas like a virus.<\/p>\n

It is also a personally-selfish strategy. Why? The more open my information, the more famous ERIC KIM becomes. Therefore it is \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcviral marketing\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the more people use free ERIC KIM presets<\/a>, read ERIC KIM BOOKS<\/a>, or ERIC KIM information \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the more I build my name, my \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcbrand image\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, and more people are likely to buy HAPTIC products<\/a>, attend ERIC KIM WORKSHOPS<\/a>, or quote me.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I keep all my photos open and free to download for several reasons.<\/p>\n

First, I like to treat others how I would like to be treated. For example, I was inspired how Magnum<\/a> made their photos and phonebooks available for free on their site. I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have to buy the photo books to access the images. But I still buy their books, because I prefer printed books over JPEG images online. So this is a great win-win situation.<\/p>\n

I fucking hate it when others put anti-copying shit on their sites. So according to the SILVER RULE (don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do unto others as you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like others doing unto you) \u00e2\u20ac\u201d I would NEVER put DRM, anti-copying shit, on any of my photos or materials.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I like the idea anyone can download my photos for free, no-bullshit, JPEG 100% resolution, to make their own prints to inspire them, to make it their computer or phone wallpaper, or to perhaps remix the images, or study the compositions in the images.<\/p>\n

Also, as a selfish strategy\u00e2\u20ac\u201d because my images have spread virally, they have touched more eyeballs. And even though all my photos are free to download, full-resolution, I have now created a market for limited-edition, signed, one-of-a-kind, ERIC KIM art prints via HAPTIC<\/a>. We can now sell $1,000 prints (and actually have people buy them) \u00e2\u20ac\u201d because people want a bespoke, one-of-a-kind art piece, to adorn their walls, to have it touched and personally signed by the artist.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Personally, I like the idea of having an \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcoriginal.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 I would love to have a KANYE WEST signed print, poster, or pair of shoes \u00e2\u20ac\u201d even though I could probably get a fake somewhere for very cheap.<\/p>\n

People crave authenticity \u00e2\u20ac\u201d that is why people still shell out hundreds of dollars for a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcreal\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Louis Vuitton bag, even though they can get a convincing fake LV bag.<\/p>\n

2. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t charge for ebooks, videos, or presets<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t charge money for ebooks, or PDF stuff, or videos, or presets.<\/p>\n

Better to have it open to download and distribute for free\u00e2\u20ac\u201d so it will spread virally, and more people will discover who you are.<\/p>\n

\"Marseille<\/p>\n

If anything, your information is like free \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcmarketing\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 for yourself. If your information is good, people will end up spending $5,000+ to attend a personal workshop with you. Or book your consulting services for $500 USD+ an hour.<\/p>\n

I think this \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcbarbell\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 strategy of extremes of either FREE<\/strong> or EXPENSIVE<\/strong> causes everyone to win.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Free information can empower folks. And expensive experiences will empower those who can afford it \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and then the profits can be fed back to helping those without money, resources, or opportunities.<\/p>\n

You might make a few thousand dollars charging money for information \u00e2\u20ac\u201d but you can make hundreds of<\/em> thousands of dollars by making it open and free, and charging money for your services, physical products, consulting, commercial work, or workshops.<\/p>\n

3. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t use social media.<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Own your own platform.<\/p>\n

Go to bluehost.com, and register a wordpress.org website. Download the Genesis theme (or just use the default WordPress one), and start blogging, showing your portfolio, interviewing other photographers, writing photography tips, and make your own YouTube channel.<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t use Instagram or Facebook, and don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t waste time with Twitter. And definitely don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t waste time on Snapchat.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

If you use a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfree\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 product, you are the product.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meaning, when you use Facebook or Instagram, they are mining your personal behavior, data, location, messages, whatever \u00e2\u20ac\u201d to sell you advertisements.<\/p>\n

Build your own platform, and own your own platform.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A good rule of thumb (heuristic) to know whether you own your platform or not:<\/p>\n

\n Do you pay a monthly fee to use your platform?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If yes, you own the platform. Well, not 100% \u00e2\u20ac\u201d but you have much more freedom than getting censored or buried in the social media feeds of other platforms.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

For me, because I own the platform of this blog, I have let Google\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Spider Bots crawl all over the information over the 2,700+ blog posts I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve written, and Google says:<\/p>\n

\n ERIC KIM(\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s) website is a good source of information, particularly pertaining to \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcSTREET PHOTOGRAPHY.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 His information is dense, is obviously written by a human, and is being mentioned and linked to by a lot of other websites on the internet. We will rank him higher on Google to give the user the best resource for STREET PHOTOGRAPHY.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That is how Google thinks (more or less).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

So if you wanna rank higher in Google, the strategy is this:<\/p>\n

\n Find a niche you are interested in, but cannot find any useful information on. Then fill the gap. Write at least 2,000+ blog posts on the topic over 6 years, and you might become #1 on Google for that topic.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m #1 on Google for \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcSTREET PHOTOGRAPHY\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 now, I believe the \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcUltimate Beginner\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Guide to Street Photography<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 ranks below Wikipedia \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and I hope to become #1 on Google for \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcPHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP\u00e2\u20ac\u2122.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Homework assignment: Start your own photo blog, and blog 1-2 articles a day, 7 days a week, for a year<\/strong>. You will learn a lot about your photo topic, and passion, you will build a community, and you might one day be able to monetize that.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Openness = growth. Generosity = success.<\/p>\n

The more you give, the more you will receive in return.<\/p>\n

Take your God-given talent, and multiply it. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t hoard it for yourself. If you have a flashlight, and you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re camping and everyone else is tripping in the dark \u00e2\u20ac\u201d isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t the right thing to do is to share that light with others?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

If you are in Plato\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s cave, and you see your friends all locked up, and seeing false illusions and shadows on the wall, will you not unlock them from their mental prison, and show them the true light\u00e2\u20ac\u201d even though it might blind them?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Give others the red pill (watch the MATRIX).<\/p>\n

Be strong,
\nEric<\/p>\n

\n

Photography Entrepreneurship 101<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Learn how to make a living from your passion:<\/p>\n

Hustle 101<\/h2>\n