Street Photography

Eric Kim treats street photography as a way of life – a fun, mindful exploration of humanity.  He defines it simply as “the art of wandering in public places, and taking photos of whatever interests you” .  There are no rigid rules: as he puts it, street photography is “the most democratic form of photography – all you need is a public place, and a camera, to document whatever you find interesting and personally meaningful” .  Kim emphasizes empathy and connection.  He says you must love people and photograph them with respect, viewing strangers as “real, breathing, living” fellow humans .  His goal is to find joy in the mundane – “beauty in the mundane,” as he writes – and to capture candid moments that reveal human connection.  In practice he advises using minimal gear (even a smartphone) and staying fully present.  For example, he recommends “use the smallest, most discrete, and easy-to-use camera possible” , and turning off your phone/music so you can “empty your mind… connect yourself with your environment, and let the photos shoot themselves” .  Above all, Kim insists street shooting should be playful: “If you’re not having fun… you’re doing something wrong” .

• Minimal gear. You don’t need a fancy camera – any camera with a shutter will do.  Kim suggests a small, discreet camera (even a phone) to avoid distraction .
• Mindfulness. Shoot with awareness: turn off distractions and walk slowly, observing like a meditation .  Kill distractions and “empty your mind” as you wander , treating the outing as a zen-like photo walk.
• Have fun. Keep a beginner’s, childlike spirit.  Enjoy the process without pressure.  As Kim says, street photography “should be fun… If you’re not having fun… you’re doing something wrong” .
• Empathy and curiosity. Seek human moments.  Look for candid emotion, humor or beauty in everyday life .  Photograph subjects you feel connected to, and remember that “all street photographers are compassionate, loving, and empathetic” people .  Treat your camera as a tool to meet people – one day he realized his camera was like a “street sociologist’s” notebook – and let it help you overcome shyness (Kim famously learned courage by photographing strangers ).

In short, Kim’s street-photography philosophy is about presence, authenticity and joy.  He advises shooting what you find meaningful, not what you think will impress others, and to use street photography to build confidence and connection.  In his view, street photography “isn’t just a hobby… It is a way of life” , training you to be bold, curious, and attentive to the beauty of everyday people.

Creativity

Kim sees creativity as an active habit, not a talent.  He often says “Creativity isn’t a concept.  Creativity is the action of creating.  You cannot be creative without creating.” .  His core advice is simply: make something every day.  In practice he builds relentless output – blogging 1–2 times daily, seven days a week – not chasing perfection but trusting that frequent creation yields breakthroughs.  He even challenges others to a 30-day creative sprint: publish one photo or blog post each day, no matter what .  This daily practice builds skill and confidence: “getting in the habit of sharing something you created will help you build self-confidence” .

• Daily creation. Commit to make or share at least one creative thing every day (a photo, sketch, blog post, etc.).  Kim practices this himself and encourages it: “Publish one thing every day: upload 1 photo every day, 1 blog post every day… whatever.” 
• Quantity breeds quality. By creating constantly, you learn from volume.  Kim notes that producing lots of work helps you improve through iteration: he says if you produce enough, “some of it will inevitably be great” .  He doesn’t wait for inspiration – he makes it.
• Open sharing. Share your work freely.  Kim is famous for his “ALL OPEN SOURCE EVERYTHING!” ethos .  He advises creators to “give it all away,” releasing free guides, presets, and ideas.  This generosity builds community and mutual support – “reciprocity converts lurkers into superfans” .  He finds that putting work out (even imperfectly) creates positive feedback and engagement.
• Drop perfectionism. Don’t get stuck trying to make “perfect” art.  In Kim’s view, “there is no right or wrong way” to create – only what’s authentic .  He reminds us that even the word “essay” means “attempt,” so every act of creation is simply an attempt, not a verdict on your talent .  Focus on expressing you, not on meeting someone else’s standard.
• Playfulness. Keep a childlike attitude toward art.  Kim encourages embracing fun and curiosity in creativity .  His famous sign-off, “Never stop making art,” reflects this – he believes reigniting a childlike impulse to create unlocks new ideas .

In summary, Kim’s creative strategy is “create and contribute.”  He makes creativity a daily habit, uses output to learn, and gives everything away generously.  This relentless but playful approach – producing, sharing, and iterating – is how he became so prolific and influential.

Blogging and Online Platform

Kim built his career on blogging and believes strongly in owning your own platform.  He started a hobby blog in 2009 (while still a student) to share lessons in real time .  Through daily posts and open teaching, his site eventually became the world’s #1 ranked blog for “street photography” .  His advice for bloggers echoes his creative ethos: be consistent, authentic, and self-sufficient.

• Blog as home base. Kim encourages photographers to start their own website or blog instead of relying only on social media .  Your blog is a durable platform you control – you don’t need an algorithm’s permission to publish as you like.  A WordPress site or similar lets you reach a global audience at low cost .
• Never stop posting. Like his 1–2 posts-a-day routine, he advises persistence.  One blog post notes: “The goal is to never stop blogging,” suggesting you keep publishing well into the future (he even jokes about blogging until age 120).
• Original voice. Write in your own voice.  Kim’s posts are conversational, often opening with “Dear friend,” making it feel like advice from a buddy .  He mixes anecdotes with clear lessons and bullet points, so readers can quickly grasp and act on ideas .
• Content quality. Focus on substance over style.  He values helpful, honest advice – even if you “look stupid” saying it – over trying to be slick.  In his view, some readers must find your content valuable; he would rather polarize (and stand for something) than be bland .
• Search and SEO. By delivering useful, original content regularly, Kim’s blog naturally rose high in search rankings.  (He once noted being the #2 Google result for “street photography”.) While we won’t dwell on SEO tactics here, the lesson is that consistent quality content attracts readers.

He also freely shares blogging tips (for example, “50 Blogging Tips for Beginners” on his site), underscoring that blogging itself is a skill to cultivate.  Overall, his blogging strategy is to give value first and trust that a dedicated audience will follow. His success shows that a self-hosted blog, updated consistently with generous, authentic content, can be a powerful platform.

Productivity and Hustle

Eric Kim preaches a hustle mentality: work hard every day toward your goals.  A key mantra of his is “You control your destiny.”  Growing up without privilege, he learned to maximize effort.  He boils success down to Hustle × Luck = Success – you can’t control luck, but you can control your hustle.  His writings repeatedly urge relentless forward motion.  For example, in “How to Hustle Hard” he compares life to a marathon: “Never stop hustling… Life is a marathon. The finish line is death. Focus on hustling until you die.” .  The takeaway: treat every day as an opportunity to grind, because small steps compound over the long haul.

• Work hard daily. Treat passion like a full-time job.  Kim advises acting “as if every day were your last,” squeezing the most out of each hour .  This means planning projects, writing, shooting, or editing every day, even when inspiration is low.
• No excuses, no permission needed. Don’t wait for ideal conditions or approval.  In his words: “To hustle, you don’t need nobody’s permission… You can do whatever you want, right now… The only thing holding us back [is] fear of failure.” .  If an idea excites you, start it immediately, even if you lack resources or feel nervous.
• Fear as fuel. Instead of letting fear paralyze you, use it as motivation.  Kim bluntly calls fear “fuel” – channel nervous energy into action .  For instance, his own breakthrough came when he forced himself to photograph strangers despite being “deathly afraid” .  Each time he conquered that fear, his confidence grew.  His advice: every time you act in spite of fear, you get stronger.
• Long-term view. Perseverance matters more than bursts of genius.  Kim compares hustle to familiar examples: making 3 beats a day like Kanye did, or Edison’s many failed bulbs .  The lesson: keep iterating and improving.  He writes that if you work hard enough and persistently enough, “you can move mountains” .
• Leverage tools. Use technology to amplify your effort.  Kim stresses that with a laptop or smartphone you have “access to all the tools you need to create”.  He leveraged blogging, social media, and online courses to reach people worldwide.  By embracing these tools, he avoided traditional gatekeepers.  He even advocates betting big on new opportunities (like new skills or platforms) since the upsides are unlimited .

In sum, Kim’s productivity advice centers on bold, disciplined action.  Work like everything depends on you and keep moving forward, even if progress is slow.  Don’t be paralyzed by fear or waiting for the perfect moment – create that moment with hustle.

Personal Philosophy

Underlying all of Kim’s teachings is a philosophy of self-empowerment, positivity, and authenticity.  He preaches living boldly and on your own terms.  A signature idea is “to become happier, live more boldly” .  He believes many people feel stuck by fear and social expectations; the cure is to reclaim control of your life.  In his view “you already have permission” to pursue what you want – no one else needs to sign off.  He writes that “the only thing holding us back is the fear of looking stupid” , so challenge yourself to ignore that fear and act anyway.  Kim’s tone is optimistic but unapologetic: he uses blunt sayings like “Life is too short to be miserable” and “A life of no risk is not a life worth living” to shock readers into seizing the day.

Core to his message is an empathetic, humanistic outlook.  He often reminds us that “people are kind, beautiful, and universal,” and street photography for him is about showing our common humanity .  This positive worldview means celebrating strangers, finding joy in a smile or an ordinary street scene.  He emphasizes gratitude for simple pleasures – coffee, friendship, or creating art – rather than chasing a “fantastical, expensive life” .

Key mindsets and strategies Kim shares include:

• Be fearless and bold. Cultivate courage.  Don’t live in a “timid routine.”  As Kim says, even failing boldly is better than not trying at all .  Embrace opportunities to challenge yourself.  (He coined “HYPELIFTING” to describe infusing goals with confident swagger .)
• Bet on yourself. Trust that you have hidden potential: “You already have all these hidden treasures inside of you… you need to let it out.” .  Rather than conforming to others’ standards, define success for yourself.  If you pursue projects you care about, the authentic work will resonate.  In his own career, Kim skipped traditional paths and created success through creativity and initiative .
• Authenticity. Be true to your vision and voice.  Kim teaches that “all photography is autobiographical” – every photo reflects something about you.  So shoot what moves you.  He sums it up: “Shoot with your heart, not with your eyes.” .  Whether in art or life, he says there’s no one “right” way to do things.  He urges students to study themselves, not chase others’ styles .  Confront skeptics: polarizing opinions are a sign you’re making an impact .
• Growth through discomfort. Embrace challenges as growth.  Street photography itself is a metaphor – facing the fear of photographing strangers becomes “the biggest gift” he’s gotten, making him more confident in life .  He likens photography to self-therapy: each project reflects his mood and teaches him about himself .  In general, he advises asking yourself questions through your art and viewing life’s obstacles (criticism, chaos) as opportunities to get “anti-fragile,” growing stronger from them .
• Positive energy. Maintain optimism.  Kim’s tone is frequently upbeat and encouraging.  He admonishes “don’t have fear to share your ideas” and insists that sharing leads to confidence .  He also highlights gratitude: photographing the simple delights of city life taught him to “smile more” and find joy everywhere .  In essence, his philosophy boils down to believing in human goodness, empowering yourself through action, and living creatively every day.

Overall, Eric Kim’s teachings are a blend of tough love and inspiration. He pushes readers to work hard, think big, and act without apology, all while staying true to themselves and lifting others up with their creativity.  (For more of his writings, see his blog at EricKimPhotography.com.)

Sources: Eric Kim’s own writings and interviews, including his blog [EricKimPhotography.com] which contains hundreds of essays and free resources . These summaries draw on Kim’s published articles and statements (e.g. “Hustle, Create, and Live Boldly – The Philosophy of Eric Kim” ), along with his downloadable guides on street photography . Each quoted piece above is directly cited from his work.