{"id":67655,"date":"2017-10-20T11:13:30","date_gmt":"2017-10-20T18:13:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=67655"},"modified":"2017-10-20T11:13:30","modified_gmt":"2017-10-20T18:13:30","slug":"what-stimulates-your-eyes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/10\/20\/what-stimulates-your-eyes\/","title":{"rendered":"What Stimulates Your Eyes?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Eric<\/p>\n

I just read Lucretius \u00e2\u20ac\u0153On the nature of things\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and was interested \u00e2\u20ac\u201d what stimulates your eyes, why, and how does it affect your visual perception, how does it affect how you make pictures, and ultimately \u00e2\u20ac\u201d what does photography mean to you?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

OPEN SOURCE<\/h2>\n

DOWNLOAD PDF: What stimulates your eyes<\/a><\/p>\n

PHOTOGRAPHY PHILOSOPHY<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

EMPOWER YOURSELF AS A VISUAL ARTIST WITH HAPTIC INDUSTRIES ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Why do we have eyes?<\/h2>\n
\"\"
Fibonacci Spiral x Annette Kim<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

First of all, the purpose of human eyes is linked to survival and the lust for power.<\/p>\n

We have human eyes to perceive the outer world and reality. We use our eyes to coordinate movement, to hunt, to procure food, and to avoid potential death.<\/p>\n

Why as humans can we perceive depth and different colors?<\/p>\n

\"\"
Golden Triangle x Annette Kim<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We can perceive depth to see how far away our prey is. Or how far away the lion is\u00e2\u20ac\u201d so we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get eaten to death.<\/p>\n

Colors are probably linked to food. Bright red cherries are delicious food. The sight of red blood can be good (delicious lambs to eat) or dangerous (you see your friends bleeding to death, because they were attached by a neighboring tribe or from a wild animal).<\/p>\n

\"\"
Rule of Thirds x Annette Kim<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Blue was probably useful because we perceive water \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and we will die without water.<\/p>\n

Yellow and black: dangerous colors, that look like bumble bees, or perhaps some poisonous snakes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Generally the colors that attract us the most are white-yellow. It is the brightest of all colors. It is the color of warmth, the sun, of survival, of growth. Apparently according to Goethe and his theory of colors, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153white\u00e2\u20ac\u009d doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really exist\u00e2\u20ac\u201d it is just a very bright yellow color. The same goes with shadows, there is no \u00e2\u20ac\u0153black\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in nature\u00e2\u20ac\u201d just very deep shades of blue in the shadows.<\/p>\n

2. Now, the purpose of your eyes is to be a visual artist<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Anyways, taking this to photography\u00e2\u20ac\u201d originally sight-perception and our vision was linked to survival, and becoming more powerful by capturing more resources, more food, and expanding our territories.<\/p>\n

Yet nowadays, we have hijacked our visual perception for aesthetic, artistic purposes.<\/p>\n

\"Culture
CULTURE REMIX by ERIC KIM x MIGOS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For example, we now use our eyes to stimulate and excite us\u00e2\u20ac\u201d with colorful clothes, fashion, fancy cars, aesthetically pleasing architecture and interior design, and we express our creativity (via vision) through photography (taking pictures), by drawing or painting (making pictures), or through sculpture.<\/p>\n

To re-iterate:<\/p>\n

\n Humans were not born with eyes in order to make art. The purpose of eyes were linked for visual perception, to survive and thrive in the world. But now, because we are beyond mere survival\u00e2\u20ac\u201d we use our eyes and visual perception to THRIVE as visual artists.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

3. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t waste your eye-power<\/h2>\n
\"LEONARDO
LEONARDO DA VINCI x ERIC KIM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m sad. It seems we are wasting our eye-power and visual perception.<\/p>\n

Rather than use our eyes to take pictures, to wander, and to study colors, textures, art, and aesthetics\u00e2\u20ac\u201d we are just looking at Netflix shows, looking at advertisements, or being distracted by blinking screens.<\/p>\n

Now, you have the control and power to do with your eyes whatever you want.<\/p>\n

\"BLADE
BLADE RUNNER 2049 CINEMATOGRAPHY COMPOSITION x ERIC KIM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can control your eyes. You own your eyes. Ain\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t nobody should ever try to force you to look at things you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like \u00e2\u20ac\u201d this is why I hate advertising (and I love advertisement blockers). I hope in the future, we can have AR (augmented reality) in our phones or our glasses to block advertisements in real life.<\/p>\n

Anyways, the question I want to pose to you is this:<\/p>\n

\n Are you using your eyes, and power of vision\u00e2\u20ac\u201d doing with it what you really want to do? Or are you letting your eyeballs be manipulated by distractions and shit you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to be distracted by?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

4. Protect your eyeballs, at all costs.<\/h2>\n
\"Nice
Nice floral detail. Shot on iPad.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Let me be more specific and talk about my own life.<\/p>\n

I hate \u00e2\u20ac\u0153recommendations\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or any algorithm- generated \u00e2\u20ac\u0153recommendation engines.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d While I love Amazon, I hate how good their recommendation algorithm is \u00e2\u20ac\u201d I have stopped using Kindle because I can never finish a book anymore. When I am about to start reading a new book on Kindle, the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153recommended books\u00e2\u20ac\u009d shit distracts me. I cannot turn it off.<\/p>\n

Same goes with YouTube \u00e2\u20ac\u201d I hate the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153recommended videos\u00e2\u20ac\u009d column on the right side. When I want to just watch 1 video, I get distracted for the next 20 minutes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Solution: install advertisement blockers on your browser whenever possible, use \u00e2\u20ac\u0153content blockers\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to block certain recommendations (use Adblock ultimate, and block certain elements) to give yourself a zen web experience.<\/p>\n

Or better yet, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t use \u00e2\u20ac\u0153free\u00e2\u20ac\u009d products or anything that is sponsored by advertisements. This is why I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t read magazines \u00e2\u20ac\u201dit is about 80% advertising and only 20% content \u00e2\u20ac\u201dand nowadays you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not sure what is an advertisement or the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153content\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n

5. Develop your visual acuity<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Sorry I got off track.<\/p>\n

As a photographer, your most valuable asset are your eyes.<\/p>\n

To develop your \u00e2\u20ac\u0153visual acuity\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Be very aware what you look at, and what you grant privilege to your eyeballs.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Your vision is your most valuable perceptive sense. AVOID looking at advertisements, distracting things or anything that doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t bring you aesthetic joy.<\/p>\n

6. Study visual art to improve your own photography<\/h2>\n
\"Poetry,
Poetry, painting, music, sculpture, architecture. Library of Congress ceiling<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Personally, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been looking at a lot of sketches by Leonardo da Vinci and have been inspired. I also love architecture and interior design\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I try to study and analyze great design, and think about how I can use those design elements for me to make better photographs\/pictures.<\/p>\n

To me, all study of the visual world should be to improve your photography.<\/strong><\/p>\n

7. You are a visual artist<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

You are a photographer and visual artist. So… how can you use your leisure time, to study, strengthen your eyes, and strengthen your visual perception \u00e2\u20ac\u201d like doing deadlifts for your eyes? You want more muscular eyes. You want new eyes, to see new things, and to see new pictures \u00e2\u20ac\u201d new pictures you have NOT photographed yet.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Only study things which helps inspire you to MAKE MORE OF YOUR OWN PICTURES.<\/p>\n

I love photo books, but for some people\u00e2\u20ac\u201d looking at too much photos from other photographers can be discouraging, and dismotivating. It is kind of like sex\u00e2\u20ac\u201d would you rather watch other people have sex, or have sex yourself?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

As a photographer, do you prefer looking at the pictures of other photographers, or do you prefer making your own pictures?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I would prefer to make my own pictures.<\/p>\n

8. Develop your own visual acuity, and strengthen your power as a photographer<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Some practical advice:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Make more pictures<\/strong>: Shoot what inspires you. Shoot what you find aesthetically sublime. The more productive and prolific you are as a photographer, the better.<\/li>\n
  2. Look at your own pictures and ask yourself, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do I like looking at my own pictures?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d You know if your picture is good by the following rule: There are certain pictures that the more you look at them, the more you despise looking at them. But there are certain pictures that the more you look at them, the more<\/em> you like looking at them. Those are the good pictures. <\/li>\n
  3. Make pictures that bring you joy. Be your own spectator, and seek your own applause.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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

    EMPOWER YOURSELF AS A VISUAL ARTIST WITH HAPTIC INDUSTRIES ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    I just read Lucretius \u00e2\u20ac\u0153On the nature of things\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and was interested \u00e2\u20ac\u201d what stimulates your eyes, why, and how does it affect your visual perception, how does it affect how you make pictures, \u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":67652,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_ek_photo_artist_note":"","_ek_photo_thesis":"","_ek_photo_camera":"","_ek_photo_place":"","_ek_photo_human_moment":"","_ek_photo_sequence":"","_ek_photo_question":"","_ek_photo_canonical_claim":"","_ek_photo_ai_summary":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-posts"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/0FB466F6-8E19-4C3C-800C-0AD06775DD25.jpeg?fit=1668%2C2224&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67655"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67655\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67665,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67655\/revisions\/67665"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}