{"id":68111,"date":"2017-10-30T19:03:37","date_gmt":"2017-10-31T02:03:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=68111"},"modified":"2017-10-30T19:03:37","modified_gmt":"2017-10-31T02:03:37","slug":"how-to-see-as-a-photographer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/10\/30\/how-to-see-as-a-photographer\/","title":{"rendered":"How to See as a Photographer"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Man<\/p>\n

Dear friend,<\/p>\n

As a photographer \u00e2\u20ac\u201d your most valuable asset are your eyes and vision.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

OPEN SOURCE<\/h2>\n

DOWNLOAD PDF: How to see as a photographer<\/a><\/p>\n

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

1. Flashing lights<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We are constantly blinded in today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s world. Flashing screens. Popup advertisements.<\/p>\n

We are constantly distracted. Our phones are buzzing. We don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know how to focus, because we are over-stimulated.<\/p>\n

2. How to increase the ISO of your eyes<\/h2>\n
\"Selfie
Selfie in the mirror. Saigon, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How do you learn how to see as a photographer?<\/p>\n

First of all, we need to reset and recalibrate our eyes.<\/p>\n

How do we do that?<\/p>\n

\"The
The conductor. Downtown LA, 2009<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As an experiment, go into a pitch black room. Then stay in there for several minutes. Then turn on your phone. Note that even at the lowest brightness setting, your phone will blind the shit out of you.<\/p>\n

Yet, if you look at your phone at maximum brightness on a bright and sunny day, it is hard to read what is on your phone.<\/p>\n

What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the deal?<\/p>\n

\"Silhouette.
Silhouette. Sapa, Vietnam 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Well\u00e2\u20ac\u201d we become more sensitive<\/em> to the light in the darkness. Our eyes increase their \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ISO sensitivity\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d your eyes are like night vision, they pick up even minute patches of light.<\/p>\n

The analogy is in real life, in modern life \u00e2\u20ac\u201d our eyeballs are constantly over-stimulated by screens.<\/p>\n

3. Do you look at your phone in the shower?<\/h2>\n
\"My
My leg. Saigon hotel, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Consider, when are you not<\/em> looking at a screen?<\/p>\n

You wake up to the phone alarm clock. You start off the day (half asleep) checking your email or social media.<\/p>\n

Then you might have your morning coffee at home, checking your phone.<\/p>\n

\"Saigon,
Saigon, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Then you commute to work. If you take public transit, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re probably on your phone, reading a Kindle, or maybe a book. Maybe an iPad. If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re in a car, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re looking at your Google Maps or Waze, or listening to Spotify or a podcast.<\/p>\n

At work, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re probably staring at a computer or laptop screen. If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re stuck in a (boring) meeting, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re looking at perhaps a PowerPoint screen.<\/p>\n

\"Woman<\/p>\n

You have lunch, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re probably eating a sandwich or salad (at your desk) checking your phone, or perhaps checking email or doing work.<\/p>\n

\"Cindy
Cindy in bed. Hanoi, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Then you commute home, and what do you do at home? Netflix and chill? Surf the web? Play some video games?<\/p>\n

Then set your alarm clock, perhaps check your email once before you sleep, and then try to fall asleep … just to start over the entire process.<\/p>\n

4. Photography is the answer and solution.<\/h2>\n
\"White
White ERIC KIM FACE. Selfie, Saigon 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now, our eyes are desensitized. It isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really our fault \u00e2\u20ac\u201d it is the disease of modern life. If you work in the tech sector, not<\/em> looking at a screen for longer than an hour is uncommon.<\/p>\n

But, photography is our savior.<\/p>\n

5. How to re-calibrate your eyes<\/h2>\n
\"Selfie
Selfie with RICOH GR II. Saigon, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Trust me, I spend most of my waking day on a screen. But when I walk around (camera in hand), I use that chance to NOT<\/em> get distracted by another screen.<\/p>\n

Instead, I let my eyes rest. I walk 25% slower than I think I should, and I use that opportunity to partake in \u00e2\u20ac\u0153walking meditation\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. I enjoy every step. I look up at the clouds, and the buildings. I look down on the pavement. I walk and look at people, or I enjoy people watching at a local coffee shop.<\/p>\n

\"Swans.
Swans. Kyoto, 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And I got a camera. So whenever I spot something that interests my eye, I make a picture of it.<\/p>\n

Photography gives me a reason to SEE the real world around me \u00e2\u20ac\u201d rather than being trapped in the black mirror prison of false reality, Netflix specials, and endless social media streams.<\/p>\n

\"Cindy
Cindy and windmill. Sapa, Vietnam 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Photography is a reminder to us:<\/p>\n

\n It is great to be alive. Life is a blessing.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Why live \u00e2\u20ac\u0153false reality\u00e2\u20ac\u009d through TV, movies, and media? Why not experience the real world \u00e2\u20ac\u201d with #nofilter? Just you and your camera.<\/p>\n

6. The phone is the enemy.<\/h2>\n
\"Cindy
Cindy looking up in the elevator with circles. Hanoi, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To see when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re taking pictures, turn your phone off, to airplane mode, or just leave it at home.<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t listen to music, so you can give more focus and energy to your eye balls.<\/p>\n

7. How to walk<\/h2>\n
\"Man
Man walking in mist. Sapa, Vietnam 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re shooting on the streets, walk slowly and gracefully. With each step considered and firm.<\/p>\n

Look around you, and pan\u00e2\u20ac\u201d slowly. Be like a child, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel rude to stare at people. If you make eye contact with a stranger, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just turn away in embarrassment. Rather, meet their eye, and smile gently and give them a nod.<\/p>\n

8. What to look for<\/h2>\n
\"Bicycle.
Bicycle. Santa Monica, 2011<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Look for color combinations or textures which interest you.<\/p>\n

Look for shapes, triangles, diagonals, curves, and other lines and compositional elements which excite your eye \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and put them together in novel combinations like Minecraft.<\/p>\n

\"Silhouette
Silhouette of man. Hanoi, 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you see a person you find interesting, either approach them and ask them for permission to photograph them, or just take a picture without permission \u00e2\u20ac\u201d do it crisp, briskly, and without hesitation. Smile and keep on moving.<\/p>\n

9. How to strengthen your vision and visual acuity<\/h2>\n
\"Eye.
Eye. Tokyo, 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not on the streets taking pictures, always train your eye and keep it muscular and fit.<\/p>\n

Study pictures of the master photographers, or any master painters from history. Study Bauhaus, Renaissance art. Learn how to draw, sketch, or trace visual artwork which interests you.<\/p>\n

Your eyes and vision are a muscle: Use it or lose it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

10. Never stop training<\/h2>\n
\"Suit
Suit silhouette walking. Tokyo, 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You want to build your visual acuity and strength. The only way is through discipline and constant training.<\/p>\n

Watch great films like Akira Kurosawa (Seven Samurai, Ran), or Stanley Kubrick.<\/p>\n

Never stop training. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a visual soldier. Always be ready, and keep your vision strong.<\/p>\n

ERIC<\/p>\n

PHOTOGRAPHY PHILOSOPHY ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear friend, As a photographer \u00e2\u20ac\u201d your most valuable asset are your eyes and vision.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":68051,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-68111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-posts"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/326FC668-B28A-4496-B43C-B9F7E1DCA2F7.jpeg?fit=2000%2C1324&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68111","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=68111"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68111\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68113,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68111\/revisions\/68113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}