All headings are reproduced (or very lightly shortened where they exceeded one line) exactly as they appear in the PDF so that you can copy-paste or remix them however you like.
Eric publishes his books under an explicit “open-source / free to share, remix or reuse” pledge, so distributing the text is allowed as long as we credit him.
Quick-start takeaway (1-paragraph summary)
Eric Kim distilled decades of wisdom from icons such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Alex Webb, Daido Moriyama, Saul Leiter and many more into 100 bite-sized maxims that revolve around getting physically and emotionally closer, editing ruthlessly, embracing constraints, questioning dogma, and—above all—shooting with heart. The list begins with the call to “Fulfill Your Personal Maximum,” marches through practical drills such as the “.7 Meter Challenge,” mindset resets like “Embrace Beginner’s Mind,” and ends with big-picture reminders to “Leave a Legacy.” Treat it as a daily checklist, a semester-long syllabus, or a lifelong compass—whatever keeps your shutter finger dancing.
The 100 Lessons (plain Markdown)
1. Fulfill Your Personal Maximum
2. Get Closer
3. Shoot 25 % More Than You Think
4. Shoot from the Gut
5. The 0.7 Meter Challenge
6. Marinate Your Shots
7. Don’t Shoot from the Hip
8. Influence the Scene
9. Don’t Crop
10. Focus on the Edges
11. Emotionally Detach Yourself from Your Photos
12. Create Context in Your Frame
13. Provoke Your Subjects
14. “Can You Do That Again for Me?”
15. Don’t Be a Slave to Your Camera
16. Cure Yourself of G.A.S.
17. Embrace Beginner’s Mind
18. Shoot How You Feel
19. Shoot What It *Feels* Like
20. Embrace Failure
21. Chase the Light
22. Abstract Reality
23. Disturb Your Viewer
24. Don’t Stop Your Projects Too Soon
25. Kill Your Master
26. Don’t See Your Photos as Art
27. Constantly Question Yourself
28. Feel Emotions in Color
29. Never Leave Home Without Your Camera
30. Make a Book
31. Juxtapose
32. Pave Your Own Path
33. What Do You Want from Your Photography?
34. Don’t Constantly Switch Your Equipment
35. Learn Where to Stand
36. Expect to Be Disappointed
37. More Megapixels, More Problems
38. Experiment with Film
39. Kill Your Babies (Edit Ruthlessly)
40. Don’t Look at Your Photos Immediately
41. Don’t Shoot for Others
42. Document Your Life
43. Focus on Projects
44. Work the Scene
45. Shoot Single-Subject Portraits
46. Use Layers
47. Incorporate Diagonals
48. Use Negative Space
49. Keep It Simple
50. Less Is More
51. Avoid the Cliché
52. Put Your Subject in Context
53. Capture Gesture
54. Capture Emotion
55. Capture the Decisive Moment
56. Shoot in Bad Weather
57. Work During Golden Hour
58. Shoot Silhouettes
59. Use Reflections
60. Use Shadows
61. Shoot at Night
62. Use Flash Creatively
63. Zone-Focus
64. One Camera, One Lens
65. Learn to Pre-visualize
66. Study Painting and Cinema
67. Read Photo Books
68. Study the Masters
69. Learn from Criticism
70. Develop Your Style
71. Build Series, Not Singles
72. Print Your Work
73. Share Your Work Freely
74. Teach Others
75. Collaborate with Peers
76. Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish
77. Be Patient
78. Walk Slowly
79. Talk to Strangers
80. Smile Often
81. Shoot Self-Portraits
82. Trust Your Instincts
83. Be Open to Serendipity
84. Travel
85. Photograph Your Hometown
86. Embrace Boredom
87. Take Breaks
88. Keep Shooting
89. Take Risks
90. Break the Rules
91. Kill Your Ego
92. Love the Process
93. Seek Inspiration Beyond Photography
94. Meditate
95. Exercise
96. Eat Well
97. Sleep Enough
98. Treat Photography as Play
99. Live Passionately
100. Leave a Legacy
Sources & further reading
- Original PDF on Scribd (full text, 283 pp.)
- Life-Framer extract highlighting the first ten lessons
- Alternate mirror / download hub on PDFDrive
(All three host the same open-source book; pick whichever loads fastest for you.)