Is Eric Kim full of sh*t?

by Brian Quillinan 11th June 2017

Untitled-7For the past few years I’ve not spent much time noticing Eric Kim. I found his blog maybe about 4 or 5 years ago and watched a video or two on him and like dancing fruit flies, Initially I found him mildly entertaining yet progressively more annoying. Luckily I’ve spent less and less time listening to people try to instruct how others should photograph; the internet has become a hive for such activities.

Yes I’ll concede the guy isn’t an idiot.. he likes to remind us he’s making 200k per year out of the suckers who think they can pay money to be better photographers. I think what he’s selling is a complete fantasy, an illusion. I remember Bruce Gilden once saying [in typical fashion] something to the effect of: I wouldn’t be dumb enough to pay for one of my own master-classes, if you have what it takes to make it you wont want people like me to hold your hand.

Firstly, while I’m not accusing Eric of being a terrible photographer, I think he talks up his game far more than is in any way healthy. I notice influences from other photographers, particularly Gilden, but to have the bottle to declare himself as not a good photographer but a great one, that’s a bit ridiculous. While he has a few interesting images I don’t see any sign of a well worked cohesive project, something well knitted together with an outlook, or even a particularly distinctive style. There really are not many street photographers who have achieved either. Perhaps in my mind his work has been badly tainted by his need to market himself.

Never before have I come across a photographer who consistently relies on ramble to speak louder and essentially carry his photographic work. He seems to constantly praise himself. The fact that he knows his talk is more influential than his photography seems to heighten his insecurities, creating a consistent need to massage his ego in public out of fear that he’ll become yesterday’s news as quickly as he became today’s. And therein seems to lie a central problem with the internet media itself.. easy come, easy go.

One thing I particularly hate is bloggers who try to [so often the same in different guises] rack off a set of tips to becoming a great photographer. Trust your gut, listen to your thoughts, get back to basics, experiment, be yourself, question yourself. If you think about it these are all things average humans do on average days without being told. Over and over and over again it’s the same formula re-jigged like some uber-white washing powder.

Has no one pointed out to these readers that in particular since the 1960s photography has been written about at a much more advanced level than this over hyped word vomit? Susan Sontag, John Berger, John Szarkowski, Kendall Walton, Peter Galassi to name but a few, not to mention many of the great photographers themselves who have written essays. It’s funny how these names will be regularly heard by many who study photography academically yet hardly receive a mention in today’s manic click feeding frenzy. Maybe its because none of the above have offered quick fix solutions for the kinds of problems they may have faced for many years of their lives. It says a lot that so many today choose the hyped up headline over the understated wisdom again, again and again.

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Quick fix solutions are a lie and that’s why I’m comfortable calling Eric Kim’s blog a fraud. Just looking through the headings of some of his posts I notice “How to see.” In there lies the illusion that clicking on this post will somehow transform the existence of a wannabe photographer into a self contained fountain of visual knowledge. There’s only one way to really see in this world and that’s to experience.

“How to go viral as a photographer” is another ridiculous example of creating a false promise designed to reflexively ping the lowest common denominator mindset. “How to become a photography influencer”.. I mean does anyone really believe there is a six point answer to that question for the masses?  “Why I deleted my Instagram” ..for more attention? “Henri straps: back in stock.” Im sure Henri would be delighted you hijacked his name for marketing purposes you slippery marketing whore!

If any of the true greats in photography were dished up this kind of filth they’d fucking puke on the spot! I’m sure of it. It’s insulting to the intelligence of even an average photographer to suggest a set of words can magically fix their problems, but that’s what a good sales pitch can do. Okay, there may be a few real pearls of wisdom somewhere within these outlandish claims, but certainly for me its not worth dredging endlessly for them.

“How to be unique?” Well I didn’t find this as a specific heading [I got bored of looking] but what a question huh? The first thing about uniqueness is that to have any chance of possessing an original vision is not to habitually consume mass entertainment/marketing. The internet is just another step in homogenising not only our underlying culture but our thoughts and actions themselves. The more we band together to listen to the same propaganda at the same time [corporate advertisers, Hollywood, ego maniacal pontificators etc.] the more alike and predictable we [and specifically our neurological structures] become. Corporations love this predictability!

It could be unsettling to think this machinery has been collectively conditioning our minds since before the 1950s and is the arch enemy of any form of original vision or expression. Visionaries I’m convinced are always a product of resistance. I would go as far to say that in natural terms this unprecedented level of conditioning leads to stagnation and degeneration. Nature continually thrives on variety because there is no such a thing as  the one fits all solution.

If I was asked to attach criteria to what makes a photographer’s work good or bad, Id probably say two things before viewing any work. How and when its presented is of key importance and as with music, over saturation ruins its affect. These are two reasons that I think Eric’s work falls short of what it could be.

The social media world [especially self promoting blogs] is not for me at least a sanctuary to appreciate good work. It’s becoming like being a child in a garden overawed by the potency of too many pretty flowers at once. They all lose their context, their meaning, their allure. The flow of continuous information is brain melting and the growing restlessness of those who depend on it for the attempted preservation of their crumbling egos doesn’t make it a pleasant or even sane environment to participate within. It’s become unhealthy. It’s a shame its got to this but I think it really has. If we knew we had to climb to a hilltop to find a single unique flower, wouldn’t we genuinely appreciate that?

Photography is so often a process of repetition. The obvious thing to do in photography is to continually look for ways to copy what’s been successfully done. The tough thing is to continually seek to better know yourself in relation to your world. That’s much more the soul searcher’s response. Indeed we all copy, this is natural, but not many muster the bravery to wander off the highway with the willingness to pave their own pathways through life.

47 Comments

  1. Great observations sadly I think that Eric Kim has lost the plot and his ego and the Show me the money mindset has kicked in. I do think he is a good lad but somewhere in the past year since he moved to Vietnam he took a detour to cloud cuckoo land. Although I have always liked his writing skills he has always been a very average street photographer but a master at social media getting his name out there but something has changed in the guy, Even his blogs have started to reflect this new Eric Kim that we see, and sadly I think the guy is heading for a meltdown, its like watching that big ball of rubber bands unraveling before our very eyes. I pity that obviously he has no friends to hit him a slap in the head or a kick in the balls to bring him back down to earth this is sad to see

  2. I never really liked Eric since I saw a youtube video of him and some friends make complete fools of themselves street shooting in Tokyo.
    Also worth pointing out is the fact that most of his recent videos are getting pretty near more negative views than positive ones. Says a lot really.
    I only stay sub’d as I’m waiting to see him implode.

    • Does he like you? Im sure he’s having sleepless nights about little Dave not liking him. Jesus christ. Get a life man.

  3. Don’t forget to mention the Internet bullies that have his back. A few years ago, there was a minion of folks that would hound you down if you said anything against him. There were tons of people critical of what he was up to years ago, but they were too scared to say so in public for fear that Eric wouldn’t promote them or give them an interview. They know who they are. I’ve come across them myself.

  4. Well, Brian I believe you brought up some true stuff here, in last six months I think Erik wet a bit off the edge, on ” How anything” on the other side he did a pretty decent Jobs talking about the classic Photographers, and went quite deep in history of many of them, also had the courage to dismiss gear trading it for book or Knowledge . At the end I think he’s trying to find he’s place maybe, marketing too much, but there’s some content on his iCloud!

  5. Agree.
    All of Eric’s video on YouTube I’ve seen are just him keep on talking, but never really show photos taken by himself …
    the rest of his videos are just on and on about Leica gears.
    Myself as a owner of few leica gear, I already known my shits about the rangefinder, but I also know street photography is not just about owning a Leica and stick it to strangers face. All everyone need are samply look at photos from old masters, and then go out to shoot with whatever gear they have. More practice, better will become.

  6. That the problem with bloggers in general, they need to remain relevant and must find a way somehow catch people’s attention.
    I agree he keeps praising himself a lot, something I really dislike, and that was quite clear on his long and boring “10 things [one of a very looooooong list of classic photographers] has teached me” series. At first those were quite informative, but soon became quite pedantic and egocentric, just like a super hero that steals others super powers.

  7. Eric is a really nice genuine dude when I met him. What I am really really really worried about his how manic his post are. I am no psychologist but coffee on an empty stomach, ranting, and just total change of character is what I am truly truly worried about. Please Please Please tell Eric to regroup and slow down on the post if you personally know him. Not worried as a street photographer but as a human being. He really seems out of character.

    I don’t know if people who personally know Eric Kim could read this but kindly please tell him to lay off the social media and posting for awhile. I really see this troubling when people say, not only here, that they are waiting for him to implode.

    While I think he is an average photographer and some decent shots here and there. I feel that we should have his back at this difficult time in his life. I won’t buy anything that he is selling but again…Eric Kim is totally out of character and if you personally know him that they should be concerned and kindly talk to him to slow down a bit.

    There I said my piece and Eric…please go back to how it was with talking about photography! I get it, you need money, but not this way with the recent posts.

  8. He’s a microcosm of every thing that is fucked up about “street” photography today. It used to be cool and niche. Not anymore, bordering on a joke but it will all ebb back and I expect many who blindly follow Eric to go back to their Playstations.

  9. @Brian – So your answer is to write an essay takedown of Eric Kim on a street photography blog? How is this furthering photography? How is this essay any different than the points made in against Eric? How is this not click bait for onedgestreet.com? Enlighten me.

    My two cents:
    Who cares that he’s not the best photographer, but is able to make some money off the masses? He’s passionate about what he does and is transparent about his business. This essay reads like someone complaining why pop music is popular and makes money. Isn’t it obvious? Don’t we have more interesting things to talk about and read about than Eric Kim?

  10. It’s the camera makers who are pushing him to market their brands through reviews and product tests. Other than that Eric Kim is just another photographer. I rate his images as average.

  11. If all Eric does, is make people interested in photography, because of his talk, then this is a good thing. Who’s to say he won’t inspire the next HCB

  12. Agreed with James. Who cares if Eric is all hypes. Wasted 5 minutes to read this rant article against Eric.

  13. Good article Brian and very true. Erik is young and is currently falling apart. He’s drunk his own cool aid without knowing it. He needs a friend or a good dad, to tell him. For a speedy recovery, he needs to stop what he’s doing right now, take a break, stop biging himself up, and go back to what he did best – reviewing great photographers and their work. That, at least, was useful and often inspiring.

  14. Good article Brian and very true. Erik is young and is currently falling apart. He’s drunk his own cool aid without knowing it. He needs a friend or a good dad, to tell him. For a speedy recovery, he needs to stop what he’s doing right now, take a break, stop biging himself up, and go back to what he did best – reviewing great photographers and their work. That, at least, was useful and often inspiring.

    • Just for the record. I didn’t post this up. My son Did using my iPad. He does that sometimes coz he thinks it’s funny. Especially beacause he knows I like Eric.
      Please take it down. Thank you.

  15. Thanks for posting what needs to be said. Eric Kim started off as an enthusiastic novice photographer sharing his journey and now it’s bragging about his success and at the same time telling people to shoot in p mode. He’s become materialistic and superficial.

  16. I hit a brick wall here:

    “since the 1960s photography has been written about at a much more advanced level than this over hyped word vomit? Susan Sontag, John Berger”

    I have read Sontag’s “On Photopgraphy” several times, and I just don’t see why it is so hyped. What she has to say is either very obvious or pretentious drivel. There are no great insights. It strikes me as yet another of those books whose main intent is to demonstrate that the writer is very, very clever. John Berger. Well, his “Ways of Seeing” is indeed brilliant. But his “Understanding a photograph” is a historical polemic … not about photography at all … and tending towards pretentious drivel too.

  17. Sometimes I read stuff like EK’s blog and think “maybe he really has latched onto a secret that I don’t have; should I throw some money his way?”.

    However, I then come across actual master-craftsmen that studied both the technical and creative sides and show it, not in a few carefully-selected images out of the thousands they’ve shot – but in consistent, always-excellent images, hundreds or more of them over the years across different topics.

    I’m talking of course, about Ming Thein, https://blog.mingthein.com/ (though he took a job with Hasselblad and has a co-author now; go into the archives). Eric Kim is a fly on Ming Thein’s windshield …

  18. Eric Kim seems to be an angry little man with a massive head full of thoughts of self worship and insecurities in which he takes out on innocent people on social media, rather than actually confronting them in real life so he can get his face punched mercifully and his camera broken. Then maybe that way we can put an end to a never ending flow of generic black and white photos. Eric is truly an interesting stain on humanity (which I use lightly). He seems to have both a messiah complex and an inferiority complex in which the slightest bit of criticism not even aimed towards him will set him off on an internet trolling rampage full of 3rd grade insults, personal attacks despite having a private account to avoid backlash and insults towards others work even though nobody has really even heard of him. Eric, if you’re out there, please come to Detroit and I will buy you a drink downtown, then I can really tell you how I’m feeling face to face, manchild to man.

  19. I have no interest in photography but you people just sound mean and jealous. I don’t know Eric kim but if you don’t like what he’s sayng don’t listen and what he’s selling…don’t buy. You also need fodder for your blog.

  20. What is worse?
    That “ERIC KIM FULL OF SH*T?”
    or the fact that you are upset about it?

  21. I could put up with EK’s rant if he took and posted at least one (or more) good photograph(s). He is full of sound bites and waffle with no good illustrative shots with which to support his platitudes and inane ramblings. Brian’s article is valid and insightful and contains more common sense and good critical comment than all of EK’s videos, advice and suggestions put together. Practise lots, and look critically at all the great masters of photography and paintings and only that way will we collectively (particularly applies to me too) learn to really see.

  22. I don’t hate Eric. I actually like some of his images but he’s one big contradiction.
    His driving ambition is to ‘make it’ in the photography realm by making money, which is acheived by spewing out content with false promise to gain followers much like a cult. There are many like him, products of today’s internet, quick fix era. That’s fine, each to their own.
    I like the stuff he did on the masters but he does over-write stuff way too much.
    Overall, I have much more respect for photographers who generate income from workshops who first produce great bodies of work that are recognised as such.
    I too study the masters and have nearly 10 years of making images under my belt. I don’t feel qualified enough or feel the need to infect the internet with constant guff or to take people’s money.

  23. I’ll add – Eric used to be quite an interesting read, albeit with a grain of salt (not to be read as doctrine surely) – however with the increasing launch of products (straps etc) and a massive need to spend more time on social media, It looks as if things are not quite what they used to be. I think having photo workshops is fine, lots of photo folks do them, and if people need to head out in a group to not be fearful in engaging in street photos then that’s their thing. However I would definitely take the philosophy as applying only to Eric & his life, as a lot of it is not adaptable for all.

  24. I’ve seen so much of this lately, YouTube has exploded with overhyped people who can’t be bothered making real art or unique work for that matter, so they just sit around and talk themselves up. Pretend they’re above everyone else and act like they’re a big deal dishing out life advice. You can’t “hack” your way to the top and tips about being unique makes zero sense, it’s literally defeating the purpose?

  25. I ran into his blog a few years ago, I find that he is a “google search engine Leica” . He talks only about the greats with no style of his own and shoots in film as to not show any of his work during his classes? Do you really need a cheerleader like Eric to improve in your art? Sadly, too many people out there jump onto his bandwagon and he is making money by not being a great photographer, but by reciting the great ones!

  26. The article is spot on. I have nothing against Kim but the fact is he is a socialite, Blogger, SEO marketing guy, workshop organizer and so-so photographer. Nothing wrong with that but I if I wanted to really learn street photography I would study John Free online for “free” or go to one of his gigs.

  27. You write a long peace about a blogger who is blogging about his way of photography and yes he sell’s things but its up to you the reader of his blog what u use or buy and if you dont like what you read or what he has to sell than ur free to stop reading or not buying stuff, just ignore him. But you chose to write an extensive peace about him. So i wonder, whats your problem?

  28. Eric puts out a lot of great thoughts on photography and philosophy for free. However he lost touch a bit.

  29. Nice way to put things:
    “The fact that he knows his talk is more influential than his photography seems to heighten his insecurities, creating a consistent need to massage his ego in public out of fear that he’ll become yesterday’s news as quickly as he became today’s.”
    I feel like you can say that about many savvy media navigators today. So, in a way you give your concern/question a decent answer here. Maybe we can start to take these media savvy ppl more seriously (rather than hating on them) when they stop pandering to what’s “new” in the most recent news cycle.

  30. I’m not sure how any of this benefits any of you lot? I genuinely have no idea how any of this benefits you. It’s like … you’re all sheep.

  31. What a complete load of old tosh ha haaaaaa. This is the most ridiculous self centred load of old bollocks i’ve read in 10 years of being a photographer. Eric Kim is full of bullshit. I mean I don’t mind saying it for the purpose of the above. But how on earth does it benefit anybody by writing that shit. The only type of people who are this critical are people with MASS inferiority complexes. you’ll no doubt come back at this telling me I’m wrong and you’re right. and i’m here to tell you … you’re wrong. 🙂 ha

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