{"id":54271,"date":"2017-06-29T01:17:58","date_gmt":"2017-06-29T08:17:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=54271"},"modified":"2017-06-29T01:30:16","modified_gmt":"2017-06-29T08:30:16","slug":"pretentious-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/06\/29\/pretentious-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"PRETENTIOUS PHOTOGRAPHY"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

I fudging hate pretentious photography, and pretentious photographers.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Okay imma rant a little bit. If you don’t like the tone, please close this page.<\/p>\n

Cool. You still here? Let’s continue.<\/p>\n

Where I’m coming from.<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I’m probably lower than average intelligence. I was mostly a straight B+ student in school, although I took all AP (advanced placement) classes.<\/p>\n

Math was hard. It never made sense to me.<\/p>\n

Grammar and English was hard. All these grammar rules didn’t seem to make sense. I used to actually have a slight speech impediment as a kid, my mother diagnosed me and sent me to a speech therapist at age 11. I would often repeat words, echo the words after saying it (subconsciously), and I often have mild dyslexia (I reverse the order of words).<\/p>\n

School was also boring. I was the kid who asked to use the bathroom every 15 minutes. Teachers didn’t really like me much.<\/p>\n

Anyways, I worked hard in school to make my momma proud. I also stacked up on community service and extracurricular activities, because this was my college strategy:<\/p>\n

\n I will not get into UCLA with my GPA (grade point average). I’m not that smart. Yet, I can have a shit load of community service and activities, to prop myself up.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I played tennis from my sophomore year to senior year. Coach Greg Lowe taught me for free, along my friends Nima and Charlie. Thank you coach. I played Varsity Doubles my junior and senior year. I was an average player.<\/p>\n

I played (American) football my sophomore and junior year, as linebacker.<\/p>\n

I interned at KCCEB (Korean community center of the East Bay) my sophomore to senior year with my friends Justin and Isaac. I was a student youth leader, leading social activism events to empower my fellow youth.<\/p>\n

I was a Boy Scout with my cousin DJ. I eventually became Eagle Scout.<\/p>\n

Anyways, my resume was good. My happiest moment: when I got the email from UCLA with gif images of balloons, saying I got accepted. My mom cried. I thank all my mentors.<\/p>\n

I hate name droppers.<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Anyways I got into photography at age 18. I did it for fun, and wanted to learn how to make better photos. Google was useless. All the articles I read were too theoretical and pretentious. I then experimented for 3 years, and started this blog to share my findings.<\/p>\n

I remember at age 21, all these pretentious photographers I would meet at exhibitions and galleries would “name drop” famous photographers. For example:<\/p>\n

\n You know who William Eggleston<\/a> and Stephen Shore<\/a>, surely?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I nodded my head not to look dumb. Then I’d run home, Google these famous photographers, and couldn’t find any practical useful information on them. I wanted to learn practical lessons on how I could improve my photography, not just read some art critic or photo criticism maaturbate to their own pretentious words, designed to confuse the reader.<\/p>\n

So I was like:<\/p>\n

\n Fuck all this pretentious photography bullshit. Imma start writing articles, with practical tips and lessons.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I started to write “Learn From the Masters of Photography<\/a>” as a way of self education, but also to share practical information with others.<\/p>\n

Of course I got criticism for writing “listicle” articles just to drive page views and to promote myself.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Why write lists? To me, I prefer reading lists and bullet points. I like Buzzfeed articles. <\/li>\n
  2. Of course I want to promote myself.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I’m pretty proud of myself. I distilled all the information into the free and open source book: “100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography<\/a>“. I think it’s a mini magnum opus. It’s really good.<\/p>\n

    The lesson was this:<\/p>\n

    \n Don’t complain about the world. Either make a change, or just be quiet.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Whiners.<\/h2>\n
    \"\"<\/a>
    STREET NOTES MOBILE EDITION<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    I hate people who whine and criticize others.<\/p>\n

    Trust me I’m a hater. Or course there are a lot of people I don’t like. But I keep it (mostly) to myself. I won’t waste my energy, time, or key strokes on criticizing someone online.<\/p>\n

    Rather, I’d prefer to be like Gandhi: being the change which I wish to see in the world<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    Pretentious People are Insecure<\/h2>\n
    \"\"
    Sydney, 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Let me tell you a secret: pretentious photographers are just very insecure and small people.<\/strong> They try to boost their own self esteem by putting others down. Kind of like bullies.<\/p>\n

    Pretentious photographers love to name drop, because it shows their “intellectual superiority”. To combat this, read my “cheat sheet on the masters of photography.”<\/p>\n

    A lot of pretentious photographers are insecure about their own photography. They feel better about their own photos by putting other photographers down.<\/p>\n

    A rule:<\/p>\n

    \n Never compare a photographer to another photographer. Only judge photographers as good or bad in your own eyes.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Nassim Taleb taught me that when people start to compare, they love to use the word “but” to nullify them<\/p>\n

    For example, someone might look at your photos and say:<\/p>\n

    \n Your photos are good, but<\/em> you’re more Henri Cartier-Bresson.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Rather than saying,<\/p>\n

    \n Your photos are good, because of your use of juxtaposition, dynamic composition, and drama. But my critique is that your portfolio is too random and all over the place.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    A real useful photographer:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Will tell you what you’re actually good at.<\/li>\n
    2. Will give you “constructive critique” to improve your photography.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      A pretentious asshole photographer will just put you down.<\/p>\n

      Solutions<\/h2>\n
      \"\"
      Achilles, a (flawed) hero of mine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      In regard to pretentious photographers, art critics, art school kids, or curators who are snobby and assholes, this is what you can do:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Say, “fuck off”. Nothing more or less. <\/li>\n
      2. Ignore them. <\/li>\n
      3. Imagine them as crying babies. <\/li>\n
      4. Imagine them like barking puppies. <\/li>\n
      5. Imagine them like the fat keyboard warrior in the South Park episode of World of Warcraft. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        And ultimately look at your own photos and ask yourself:<\/p>\n

        \n Do I like my own photos?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

        Nothing else matters.<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/a>
        PHOTO JOURNAL by CINDY x HAPTICPRESS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

        For more empowerment, buy PHOTO JOURNAL<\/a> or other HAPTIC TOOLS<\/a> and study Stoicism<\/a>.<\/p>\n

        BE STRONG,
        \nERIC<\/p>\n

        <\/p>\n

        PHOTOGRAPHY 101 ><\/a><\/h1>\n

        \"Seoul,<\/p>\n

        Dear friend,<\/p>\n

        If you’re new to photography, start here:<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Free Photography Bootcamp<\/a><\/li>\n
        2. The Ultimate Beginner\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Guide to Photography<\/a><\/li>\n
        3. 100 Photography Tips for Beginners<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n

          Photography Inspiration<\/h2>\n