Am I the first and only street photographer who has actually made a good living from street photography? I think so.
Even when we consider Henri Cartier-Bresson, he was essentially like a rich trust fund kid, I think his family owned a very successful textiles company. Therefore he never had to worry about money, he was already funded and bankrolled by his family.
Simple approach
- Teach street photography workshops
- Sell street photography products
- Street photography consulting
- Street photography exhibitions and art shows
- Street photography books, pamphlets, information
Does it matter if you are self-made or not?
I think I knew weird obsession we have in America is this notion of being “self-made”. The general idea and gist is that we don’t want handouts, we want to make it on our own.
But also, I think this is also a superficial thing. If you were born to a good family, doesn’t it make more sense to just leverage the resources you were were born with, and strive to maximize it, instead of trying to “prove yourself” to the world in a more superficial manner?
In fact, I’ve actually discovered that often times, when we try to prove ourselves to others, we end up actually hurting or harming or injuring ourselves. Or putting ourselves into really bad situations.
For example, let us say that you are born rich, you’re a rich kid, you have a trust fund or whatever. No need to try to prove yourself to others, better to instead… use the money and resources intelligently to build cool stuff.
Think solo.
Another issue that I’ve been having is that I am so easily distracted, by everybody and everything. As a consequence, I think a lot of my time is wasted, I love making small talk and talking to strangers but often it is a bad crutch for me because instead of just focusing on my supreme life task at hand, I often waste it just talking nonsense.
Ways you can save time:
First, no email, no text messages, no phone conversations. The simple heuristic is when you’re gonna talk to somebody, either FaceTime them or talk to them face-to-face. No electronic communication or messaging services.
Also, no media. Produce your own media, if you’re going to consume media, consume the really really old stuff. For example, I think the only piece of literature worth reading is the Iliad by Homer, and the only philosophy worth reading is either stoic, Seneca, pre-Socratic like Heraclitus, etc.
Even with cinema and film; maybe just only watch black-and-white films, seven samurai, Akira Kurosawa, etc. Why? Typically movies which has been around for a long time are good because they last. Any modern day movie that just came out today or recently tends to not be good because you don’t know whether they will last or not.
Just Google ERIC KIM cinema, and look at my best film analyses.
My personal opinion on the only good cinema which has been produced recently include the matrix, the movie 300, and John Wick. Besides that, all of these other films are bad.
How to thrive creatively and artistically
My grand vision is that each and every single human being can thrive creatively and artistically on planet earth. This is my end game; to leverage all my resources money and tools to help other human beings thrive.
This is where I am so insanely enthusiastic about ChatGPT, AI, generative AI art, DALL-E, DALL-E 3 etc. I want an envision people to unshackle themselves from traditional media, and instead create their own media their own artwork.
How much human potential is squandered on people binging Netflix shows, series, or dulling their senses with Spotify and noise canceling headphones?
Why muscles?
What is the point of muscles, becoming more muscular etc.?
My first thought is that if you want to make really great art, you need really great muscles. Artwork, making photos etc. is actually a very physically taxing endeavor. Even if we think about photography and street photography; it actually requires much muscular strength and agility.
For example, squatting, sprinting around, running around and playing with your kid etc. This all requires great muscular strength.
Also, I personally discovered that the more muscular I become, the greater and more muscular my thoughts.
My critique about a lot of modern-day thinkers, even the past ones… They had degenerate bodies. Degenerate bodies, degenerate thoughts.
For example, even a lot of these early Christian writers… I think a lot of them were emaciated, unwell, physiologically degenerate. Especially the ones that self flagellated.
Put zero trust in anybody who self flagellates; they are seriously mentally and physiologically sick.
Modern day self-flagellation?
How do people self flagellate in modern day times?
First, they poison their bodies with alcohol, drugs, marijuana etc.
Secondly, I think a lot of people destroy their bodies, through what they eat, what they read, what they watch.
Becoming more robust
My personal encouragement for you to start becoming stronger more muscular more robust is that I think as a consequence, all parts of your life will thrive. Not only will you be happier, you’ll be stronger, more productive, a better provider, etc.
Your duty is strength, strengthening, becoming stronger more muscular.
ERIC