I might have some controversial opinions about intention within photography. I believe that less intention is more. When you consider intention, you might think that when you press the shutter, you must have everything pre-visualized, understood why you’re making the picture, and intentionally positioning yourself in a way that can convey a story that you would like to tell. I say, let the chips fall as they may, embrace the spirit of play, and move through the streets without intention.

Motivation is in your legs

First and foremost, we must recognize that motivation is derived from your legs. This means, the more that you move your physical body through the world, the more that you will see, and the more that you will photograph. Because I photograph with repetition every single day, I am gifted with moments that I otherwise would never notice. I’m not going out there with intention, looking for specific photographs, themes, or concepts to tackle. I’m merely remaining curious, looking ahead of me, recognizing the patterns between nature and human behavior, and photographing whatever my gut tells me to.

Childlike curiosity

When you were a child, did you go outside with intention to do something specific? I know that when I was younger, I would simply go outside first thing in the morning simply eager to go play and figure things out once I got there. I remember going into the woods, finding sticks to use for building, cross streams, and find new paths to walk down, without any intention. I believe that this mindset has carried with me throughout all of my travels and photographic journey as I never make plans and simply go with the flow.

The less intention I give myself, the better results I come home with.

Be foolish

Forget everything you think you know. Stop looking at the photo books, watching lame videos on YouTube, and planning your next trip. If you have a gut feeling that you should be somewhere and that you should photograph something, just go do it. When you’re in the moment, recognizing something interesting occurring, just shoot it! Stop thinking, planning, and trying to be so perfect. You’re not perfect, I’m not perfect, and life certainly isn’t perfect. Let’s embrace imperfection going forward.

Composition is made with your intuition.

There’s no ABC, 123, on how to see. You simply must be, in the moment, looking, observing, and feeling the streets in front of you.

I’m always looking to simplify. Whether it’s within my photography practice or daily routine, I prefer keeping things streamlined and simple.

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Zen Lifestyle

My thought is that the life of Zen requires zero distractions. Whether that is phone calls, text messaging, “group chats,” emails, or media consumption, this modern world provides lots of distractions. It is wise to remove as many of these distractions as possible. Firstly, just go through your phone and delete all media apps. Delete YouTube, YouTube Studio, Instagram, Facebook, etc., and only really use the phone for ChatGPT, FaceTime, and Safari for blogging. I’ve recently started using Safari as my main blogging tool instead of the WordPress applications, as it is much more minimalist and less distracting. I just log into my site through the browser and can publish to YouTube browser as well. While digital detox is a good first step, I believe that embracing the moment and following your intuition is the most critical. With these distractions removed from your life, there will be less need for you to check the phone or do other distracting things such as consume media.

Instead of consuming media, just make your own. Get a GoPro, mini, film, using super view, export to 720p, and upload your own thoughts, experiences, and POV to YouTube and your own blog using Videopress.

In terms of writing, I’ve been using the iA Writer application on my phone, iPad, or Mac. I find that it’s best to start a document using my phone and walk around outdoors, speaking to the phone using the voice dictation built-in into the device. I just click the microphone at the bottom right of the keyboard and speak directly to the mic built into the phone. I find filming using a GoPro is almost like a way to flush out your thoughts and treat it like stream of consciousness writing. What I’ve been doing is going for long walks, speaking candidly about whatever is on my mind, coming home later that night, and then going into a document and writing about what was on my mind. This seems to be the most effective way to do any writing these days as it does not require you to sit down, hunched over at a keyboard, typing away at a computer.

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Why I Love Philly

I was born and raised in Philadelphia and I’m very passionate about my hometown. I find that this city is the most walkable place in the United States. I never need to use a train, bus, and I can simply walk with my two feet everywhere. This provides maximum enjoyment for my everyday life, as there is no need for a car, being stuck in traffic like most people undergo when living in the suburbs. I think that the suburbs were a good place for me to grow up, having the forest in my backyard, neighbors to play with, and a safe community to live in, but as an adult, the city is my playground.

I thrive around other people, the bustling streets, and enjoy the chaos of urban life as an artist. It makes sense that I love Philadelphia as a photographer, because it is extremely underrated, and not well documented. It gives me a purpose and more meaning to my work as I head out there with my camera each day, knowing that I am doing something that matters. I want to uplift the human experience in Philadelphia to new heights.

City life is supreme, especially Philadelphia, given we have so many parks, green spaces, trails, and places to roam around. We have beautiful architecture, historic sites, museums, and infinite things to do and places to explore. All you really have to do is walk outside your door. There is always something going on, something to photograph, somewhere to be, and something to see.

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Happiness is Physical

What I’ve realized is, happiness is a physical thing. You hear notions such as “mental health,” but I believe that physical health is what ultimately determines your mental state. I found that it is quite impossible to become depressed if walking all day long, in the direct sun, and especially while wearing short sleeves, short shorts, or even just walking topless. Maybe the sun is the source of all power, our bodies are like batteries, and absorbing as much UV radiation as possible throughout the day is how you keep your body charged with full power.

Maybe modern man spends way too much time inside, in the dark, and not getting enough natural sunlight. Most jobs these days keep people inside, locked away. This is not good and goes against our natural biology and what promotes healthy physiology.

I’ve learned to love the heat throughout all of my travels, whether in the desert of Jericho or in the villages of Zambia. During the winter months here in Philadelphia, the best thing that you can do is simply get one of those Canada Goose jackets and just call it a day. I got mine as a gift, and it was probably the greatest gift that I’ve ever received in my life. I actually think that the clothing that you choose to wear is more critical than superfluous things like cars and watches. Ultimately, it’s worth investing in the good stuff, like Lululemon license to train shorts, shirts, and the Vibram FiveFingers ELX shoes. I find that the minimal barefoot shoes help me connect with the earth, enhance my daily commutes, slow me down, and allow me to appreciate each step. In terms of the shorts, zipper pockets are critical for camera batteries, camera equipment, and my GoPro. I also like the 5-inch version because it’s shorter and exposes more of the legs, getting even more sunlight. I’ve been wearing Lululemon clothing for about a decade now and honestly, some of the shirts that I’ve purchased years and years ago, I’ve gone through all of my travels and they still hold up.

Food is Energy

So, as I said earlier, the sun gives me and my body power. Combined with the power of the sun with some weightlifting, and you’re bound to increase your strength. However, food is critical to consider.

What food should we eat and what food should we not eat?

My thought is that food is energy. The way that the vitamins, minerals, and cholesterol synthesize within your cells enhances your strength and builds your muscles. Foods that seem most effective at increasing strength and building muscle are all found within animal-based products such as grass-fed red meat, beef liver, ribeye, beef loin, Wagyu ground beef, beef eye of round, lamb leg, and pasture-raised eggs.

I will occasionally eat kimchi as a side. I pretty much never eat sides with my meal, but have perfect gut health, digestion, and feel great. My thought is that the starches in vegetables, broccoli, potatoes, and even the sugary fruits, don’t do much for our bodies. I will occasionally have a piece of fruit here and there if I’m with family, but for the most part, it’s never a part of my diet.

What I’ve been doing for over a year now is simply visiting the Costco in Cherry Hill, New Jersey once per month, and filling my freezer so that I don’t need to do any grocery shopping for an entire month. I believe it’s best to simply eat one meal a day on a strict carnivore diet because it is so insanely satiating that you will find yourself full throughout the entire day without need of any meals. I basically just fast until the end of the day, eat 3 to 5 pounds of beef, and go to sleep.

Sleep is a Steroid

Sleep is the ultimate steroid, combined with nice grass-fed beef. After I eat my massive meal at night, I get such good and deep sleep. I’m typically in bed around 7:30-8:30 PM after the sun sets. By going to bed with the setting of the sun, I find that I rise early before sunrise around 4:30 to 5:30 AM.

When I eat, I just eat until I am full and satiated. I find it similar to the way I go to bed, I simply wait for my body to start to get tired after a full day of walking, creating, and then finally eating. Once I have the food in my belly, I feel my body’s ready to go to sleep, take a hot bath, read a book, and stay away from any screens and just keep all the lights off in the house. I also like to sleep with my windows slightly cracked to let the air into my bedroom. I think we need to start training our bodies to become used to sunlight, and stop being a slave to time, clocks, watches, and alarms.

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Art is the Answer

So once we have removed all distractions from our life, and become locked in with good sleep, meat, and weightlifting, what can we then do with our time on this earth?

My thought is that art is the answer. Perhaps art is the greatest gift that humans can create. When I consider photography, it is supreme because it deals with reality, people, and the outdoors. Photography is a physical medium as much as a visual one. It requires the artist to explore, and see the world from their own perspective. It really is a liberating medium because of this fact, accessibility, and the ease of use when it comes to camera technology.

We should remain in a state of production as photographers, like a stream of becoming. Water, ever flowing and changing, an artist should learn to embrace the change as well. When I see the world, I see it anew each and every day like a child. I recognize that I can make a photograph of the same thing each and every day, but you can never make the same photograph twice. This is the power of photography. It is merely painting with light. The way that light captures shape and forms subjects, objects, places, people, it allows the photographer to create something new, something from nothing, each and every day.

Could you make a photo essay every day?

Just treat photography like a personal diary. Photograph everything. Photograph yourself, take selfies, photograph your hands, photograph out the window of the car during your commute, photograph riding your bike, photograph buildings, people, details, textures, and don’t limit yourself to photographing one way. I believe that if you are looking to thrive as a photographer and become your most creative self, you should consider photographing using a compact digital camera like the Ricoh GR III. I believe this camera is supreme because of its accessibility, ease of use, and size. It fits in your pocket, and can always be carried with you. I like using the small JPEG files with the high contrast black-and-white settings, cranked to the max, to return to the basics of the medium of photography, using light and shadow. Perhaps using this approach, we can become closer to the roots of the medium, and create our own world, abstracting what we see.

Making art is the ultimate way to affirm life. Treat the world as a canvas, and find beauty in the mundane. Become your own journalist in your hometown, and just go out there with curiosity, wondering what is out there, and documenting your daily routine. Don’t go out there with any expectations, detach yourself from the outcome, and really learn to love the process and the journey itself.

Thrive in Chaos

As street photographers, we must learn to love chaos. What does the street photographer thrive on but on the front lines of life. Our ultimate goal as street photographers is to get closer and closer to life itself. When you see life in front of you, you’re not looking at pictures. You’re looking at chaos. Throw yourself out there into the abyss, articulate the unknown, the unexpected, embracing serendipity, trusting your intuition, and making your compositions this way. This means, having courage is most critical when it comes to practicing street photography. You must remain strong, in order to make strong photographs. Don’t allow yourself to get lost on the sidelines, distracted with AirPods, wearing sunglasses, and being merely a bystander during this life that we live. Becoming engaged, not only become a bystander but becoming an active participant within the drama that unfolds on a street corner. Don’t be afraid of interaction, chatting with people, and engaging all of your senses, whether visual, auditory, and sensual.

You should smell the street, you should feel the street, in order to conquer the street.

What is there left for man to conquer?

When I start my morning off, I like to go for a walk along the Schuylkill River Trail, and find myself at an elevated view behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art, looking out towards architecture, woodlands, and the river. I find that this starts my day off on a good note, filling myself with power, and feels like I can just conquer this entire city.

What is there left for man to conquer, though? All of the streets are filled with traffic signals, paved roads, highways, organized offices, condos, malls, factories, Amazon delivery, computers, cars, etc. Maybe there is no more physical spaces in this world for man to conquer, but perhaps we can use photography and the digital space as our domain to dominate.

I think that photography is endless, and that there’s still so much to do and innovate within this medium. One practical suggestion I have for any photographers out there, is to simply stop shooting film. If you want to innovate and move forward with the medium, out with the old, in with the new. I believe this is necessary in order to thrive creatively and become the most prolific photographer that you possibly can be.

Maybe people romanticize the process, nostalgia, and find ourselves more interested in cameras, geeky stuff, gear, photo books, history, and want to be like the legends, Bresson, Gilden, or Winogrand… you name them.

Sure, have a general understanding of what’s been done before, but once you know, you know. There’s no more need to be in a constant state of studying and recognize that the more you know, the worse you are. Just be foolish and childlike with your approach and forget everything you think you know.

Maybe we should start thinking 30 years into the future and 3000 years into the past. Draw your inspiration through ancient Greek philosophy, Greek epic poems like the Iliad and the Odyssey, books by Nietzsche, and the strength and courage of the Spartans. Download some audiobooks, and go for a walk or ride your bike and listen to the Illiad.

We should strive to become the next Renaissance men, not just photographers, but innovators, philosophers, writers, and poets, using all tools that are at our disposal, such as compact digital cameras, iPads, ChatGPT, and modern technology.

It seems that most photographers still have these romantic ideas of the gallery and photo books. I say, these are basic ideas and not interesting anymore. Every artist should make their own website and blog. The best solution is using wordpress.org and bluehost.com to host your first name and last name as the domain. I then installed the Jetpack plug-in and VideoPress to my own Video media. I also use the Astra theme as it is simple and most popular. Maybe whatever’s most popular in terms of themes and things that have to do with website building is best because they are reputable and just work. Just don’t use Squarespace. I’ve never felt so free and liberated as a creative since launching my website over a year ago. It’s probably the single best decision I’ve ever made in my life.

I must say, treating YouTube as a way to archive your life, stream your everyday routine, share your POV, thoughts, and techniques in terms of photography, is a great place. However, I highly suggest removing all likes and comments, and simply keeping the metrics turned off. at this point, we should just assume that anybody commenting on social media is merely a bot account. It is quite impossible to distinguish between things that are written by artificial intelligence and by humans, so as a consequence, let us disengage and simply create for ourselves and one other person that is interested. Just imagine 30 years from now, looking back at everything that you’ve said, recorded, photographed, written, and having everything in one space such as a website. The problem with platforms like Instagram is the fact that you must have an account to view the media that is produced there. Everything becomes tied down to this single platform and is not open and accessible to the worldwide web.

Another thing that I’ve made the effort to do is simply speak my mind more. This means no more pretending, acting, and trying to be somebody that you’re not. I say, don’t trust anybody that is making videos and speaking in front of a camera while sitting down inside their home with those fancy lights, jump cuts. and HD camera. If AI can do it, you shouldn’t do it. When you make media, make it as human as possible, raw, uncut, and imperfect. I find that the more you just simply press record, speak your mind, the more that you become. It not only helps with thinking, but you start to become your true and authentic self by just letting go.

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What Next?

• One assignment that I have for you is to create your own contact sheets. This means, go through your archive, find a few photographs that you deem successful, and screenshot the behind-the-scenes of this particular image. Make a spread in Lightroom and create your own digital PDF like mine. I believe this is a great way to study from your own work and better understand how you view the world.
• If you’re looking to improve your street photography game, there’s only one place on the Internet that provides the opportunity for you to grow, and that is the Flickr group, Street Fight! I personally do not participate any longer, but I know for sure that it will benefit you if you’re just getting started with street photography or a seasoned veteran, and are looking to participate in some sort of community. Essentially, they match two photographs up against each other each week under the discussions tab, and the group votes on which photograph will enter the pool by including a description in the comment for why they voted for one photo over the other. It’s essentially like a little photo contest each week, alongside some of today’s best contemporary street photographers. I believe you can learn through simply reading through the discussions tabs, looking at the photos that win and enter the pools, and judge for yourself as a bystander, without even having to participate.
• Buy a pair of gymnastic rings from Amazon. When I was in Zambia, Africa, as a Peace Corps volunteer, I used rings as a way to work on my fitness off the grid. I simply threw them up in a tree, did pull-ups, dips, muscle-ups, and other calisthenics movements. I actually think that this is the best first place to start when it comes to strength training.
• How much ground beef can you eat? Fast all day, spend the entire day outside, walking in direct sunlight, and when it comes to the end of the day, see how much ground beef that you can eat in one sitting. Just eat until you are full, and see what your limit is.

Ultimately, our goal is to increase our physical power. There’s no amount of money and fame in this world that will provide you with as much power as good sleep, grass-fed meat, and weightlifting. Let us sculpt our bodies into Greek demigods and become the strongest versions of ourselves. The more powerful you become, the more photographs you will go out there and make. We can thrive together! Remember, good artists copy, but great artists steal like a thief at Target during the pandemic.

Let us conquer the world through photography and dominate our new domain.

DANTE

Why contact sheets?

First and foremost, I decided to make this E-Book of my contact sheets to empower other photographers. My goal is to help you learn through some simple tips and wisdom I’ve gained over the past decade of photographing around the world. By studying my contact sheets, you will see the behind the scenes of how my photographs were made. I will give you some advice and background information throughout this PDF. Please feel free to download and share this with other photographers that want to learn!

DOWNLOAD CONTACT SHEETS

The decisive moment

The notion of the decisive moment can be easily misunderstood in photography. Some people might believe that photographs are made with only a single click of the shutter. Realistically, the best photographs are made by making way more photos than you may think.

Shoot first, ask questions later.

Work the scene

Many successful photographs are made by working the scene. What this means is, when you see something interesting, you follow through with making many pictures of the situation, moving your body and watching life unfold. Working the scene requires repetition and patience. It’s important to work the scene in because it will increase your chances of making a successful photograph.

Don’t leave the scene until the scene leaves you.

Composition

Photography is like visual problem solving. We are only really responsible for where we position our body, the camera, and when we press the shutter. We decide what we would like to exclude and include within the frame. To make successful photographs, you must have strong intuition and visual acuity. Composition requires daily practice that no amount of theory can teach you.

Create visual harmony out of chaos.

1. ASK FOR PERMISSION

One day in Baltimore, I passed by a house with a big family outside. I started a conversation with a mother and she told me that she was preparing her children for a bath. I then asked her for permission to make some photographs. They quickly started sprinting towards the sidewalk. The energy was high and required me to be on my toes. I turned the corner, dropped to a low angle, and everyone ran directly towards me. The spontaneous nature of children playing can be a tricky subject to work with, but by remaining playful and acting fast, I found success. I even let one kid make some photos of me with my camera before their mother took them inside! You never know what stories will unfold through conversation. Asking for permission is critical in my process. I believe it’s important to connect with people on the street. Photographers don’t always need to be a fly on the wall. Remain open and curious. Embrace others with honesty and you will be rewarded.

Don’t be afraid to ask for permission.

CONTACT SHEET #1: Baltimore, USA – April 11, 2016

2. GET CLOSE

In photography, it’s important to get close to your subjects. When I consider closeness, I not only consider the physical proximity, but also emotional closeness. Here at this scene, I photographed my grandmother. While she was sunbathing by the pool, I decided to take advantage of the moment and make a photograph. Initially, I was composing from a neutral distance, and not very close. Once I recognized her gesture as the significant element to include in the frame, I decided to get as close as possible to this moment. Positioning my camera at a low angle was critical for me to achieve visual harmony. The cloud in the background, the striking colors, the gesture, the red lipstick, all fell together as I got closer and closer. Ultimately, closeness is both a physical and emotional concept for me.

The closer you are, the better the photograph.

CONTACT SHEET #2: Philadelphia, USA – May 29, 2016

3. FILL THE FRAME

On a beautiful summer day in Napoli, my brother and I decided to go swimming. We noticed a group of men sunbathing beside us. Because of the language barrier, I had no way of communicating with them. I simply used photography as a way for me to engage and just started making pictures of them. The men then proceeded to pull a watermelon from the sea that they kept underwater to use as a natural refrigerator. We enjoyed eating together and spent a few hours with this group. When the man started slicing the watermelon, I knew this was the moment to photograph. I observed the men from above at a higher vantage point. This perspective allowed me to fill the frame as two men are positioned on both the left and right side. I waited as the man in the water swam into the center of my frame and pressed the shutter. My patience paid off, and I managed to squeeze in detail from edge to edge throughout the frame.

Filling the frame makes photos more striking.

CONTACT SHEET #3: Napoli, Italy – August 15, 2017

4. TELL A STORY

I exited a mosque in Jericho after prayer. A group of men, the Jahlin Family, took notice of my curiosity. They invited me to their home, shared tea with me, and took me on an adventure. I got in the back of their car, and we drove to the top of the Wadi Qelt mountain range. The road was treacherous, and one of the vehicles broke down along the way. The men exited the car and started pushing the car uphill. As the chaos ensued, I hopped out and started making pictures. I decided to include the car in the foreground of the frame. This detail makes the composition successful and helps tell a story. Ultimately, we made it to the peak, made some coffee over a fire, danced, sang, and enjoyed the view of the Dead Sea.

Let the details tell the story.

CONTACT SHEET #4: Jericho, Palestine – February 17, 2017

5. USE LAYERS

While I was walking around the desert in Jericho, a group of boys started following me. Many children enjoy playing with loose tires, and they were pushing one along. I noticed a building that was under construction and was invited inside by the workers as they were taking a break. One of the boys followed me inside, and was standing by the window. I took notice of the window, and how I could use it in a composition. The boy with the tire passed by the window frame, and I decided to use the layering technique. By positioning the boy in the foreground on the left side, and placing the window frame on the right, the foreground and background came together. Sometimes it’s clever to put a frame within a frame when layering.
At this scene, the foreground of the child and the background in the window were obvious decisions to include to make a strong layered photograph.

Layers create a visual feast.

CONTACT SHEET #5: Jericho, Palestine – February 18, 2017

6. MAKE IMPACT

In East Jerusalem, there is a refugee camp named Shu’Fat. There are thousands of Palestinians that live within this community, surrounded by a wall. The looming wall is tall and was the obvious subject to photograph. It made such an impact on my soul, that it sent shivers down my spine, viewing it in person. Walking along the wall, I stumbled across a group of boys playing. They were throwing stones over the wall and rummaging through some garbage. I photographed quickly as the moments were fleeting. One boy decided to pick up a baby stroller and threw it towards the wall. At that moment, I was prepared with my camera by photographing with repetition.

Put yourself in a position to make an impactful composition.

CONTACT SHEET #6: Jerusalem, Israel – February 24, 2017

7. BE COURAGEOUS

I believe a strong photograph requires the photographer to be in the heat of the action. At the border of Jericho, conflict broke out at the scene. I found myself at the frontlines, standing beside Palestinians, being shot at with live ammunition, rubber bullets, and teargas. Tires were set on fire, creating a furious atmosphere at the scene. Standing behind a concrete wall for cover, I turn to the left of me and noticed a masked man. As he looked back towards me, I pressed the shutter.
The man’s gaze, fiery scene, and the tattered mask makes it needless for me to say that I had to display all of the courage in my soul to make this photograph.

How much courage did it take for you to press the shutter?

CONTACT SHEET #7: Jericho, Palestine – May 26, 2017

8. STAY PLAYFUL

Along the dirt path in Zambia, Africa, I noticed a group of boys collecting sand to make bricks. When they noticed me with my camera, they put their work aside and began doing tricks. As the boys leaped into the air, I dropped to my knees and got as low as possible. This perspective allowed me to use the blue sky as a clean background to separate the boys in the foreground. I believe it’s important to be playful on the street. Embrace your inner child, and don’t take yourself so seriously. Don’t be a boring photographer. Just have fun!

Embrace the spirit of play.

CONTACT SHEET #8: Zambia, Africa – August 11, 2019

9. LOOK FOR GESTURES

I spent two weeks at a Seventh-day Adventist church camp in Zambia, Africa. I slept under a makeshift tent, built of sticks and plastic tarps. Each day, there was mass in the center of the village. Afterwards, people would go to the lake and bathe, clean their clothes, and fetch drinking water. On this particular day, it was time to initiate hundreds of Zambians in a baptismal procession by the lake. Because the event was taking place in the lake, I decided I needed to get scrappy to make this photo. I quickly took off my shoes, left my spare batteries in the dirt, and went into the water. Looking for the gestures at this scene was critical. I noticed the preacher would raise his hand before dunking people in the water. This caused me to drop to a low angle and make sure I photograph his hand at the moment it rose into the sky. Watch the faces of people when you are looking to photograph gestures and the way they gaze with their eyes.

Strong gestures create tension.

CONTACT SHEET #9: Zambia, Africa – August 30, 2019

10. CHAMPION HUMANITY

In Zambia, Africa it’s respectful to view your neighbor’s funeral procession, even if you do not know them personally. Because of this, I made sure to bear witness with my camera and document this experience. The day was very emotional with lots of mourning and prayer. As the casket was lowered into the ground, groups of men started covering the hole. I noticed a man down on his knees, crying, and filled with emotion. The shovels were moving quickly and dirt flew all throughout the scene. I dropped low to the ground and decided to photograph very closely, revealing the emotion on the man’s face. A photograph reveals the soul of the people in the frame. As photographers, it’s our duty to share the human experience and elevate it to new heights. Champion humanity and what it means to be alive.

Document the multifaceted complexities of life.

CONTACT SHEET #10: Zambia, Africa – October 22, 2019

11. CREATE MYSTERY

Philadelphia has a lively breakdancing scene. In the summer, you often see people outside blasting music and dancing. On Market Street, the light was striking, and provided me the perfect time of day to photograph this scene. Mystery is difficult to achieve in a photograph, especially when things such as dancing can be seen so obviously. Because the light was just right, I found myself lost in the shadows. As the man flipped over and over again, I tried my luck at photographing this decisive moment. When I viewed the photograph, I was shocked, asking myself how this was even a possibility for the shadow to display itself this way. To create mystery with your photography, you must leave the viewer asking more questions than providing answers. At the end of the day, the ultimate goal of photography is to remain curious. There is one simple question I encourage you to ask yourself before you head out with your camera each day…

What will reality manifest to be in a photograph?

CONTACT SHEET #11: Philadelphia, USA – June 24, 2021

Philadelphia, as a city, covers a total area of about 142.7 square miles (369.6 square kilometers). When considering the land area specifically, it measures approximately 134.2 square miles (347.6 square kilometers). The city is part of the larger Philadelphia metropolitan area, which extends even further, but the figures mentioned refer strictly to the city limits.

Designing a specialized AI device that fits your criteria involves considering the hardware and software aspects that make it functional, user-friendly, and innovative. Here’s a basic design plan for your device:

Hardware

1. Form Factor: The device should be compact and lightweight, making it easy to carry in a pocket. A cylindrical or rounded rectangular shape would be ergonomic and portable.
2. Microphone Array: Include a high-quality microphone array capable of noise cancellation and clear audio capture. This will enable the device to understand spoken commands and record audio effectively in various environments.
3. Speaker: Incorporate a small but powerful speaker for audio feedback and interactions. This allows the AI to communicate effectively with the user.
4. Internal Storage: Equip the device with ample internal storage to save recordings and textual data. Flash memory can be used for this purpose, allowing for fast access and data retrieval.
5. Battery: Use a long-lasting rechargeable battery. Considering the device does not have a screen, the battery life could be optimized to last for several days on a single charge.
6. Connectivity: Include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for syncing data with other devices and accessing the internet. This will allow the device to retrieve information, update its software, and backup data.
7. Physical Controls: Add minimal physical controls, such as a power button and perhaps one or two customizable buttons for quick actions like recording or activating AI.

Software

1. Voice Recognition: Implement advanced voice recognition software that can accurately understand and process various accents and speech patterns.
2. AI and Machine Learning: The core of the device will be its AI capabilities. It should include machine learning algorithms to improve understanding over time and personalize interactions.
3. Text Generation: Utilize natural language processing to convert spoken words into organized, written text. This could include features like summarizing, categorizing thoughts, and formatting text based on context.
4. Data Security: Security features must ensure that stored data is encrypted and that communication with other devices or the internet is secure.
5. User Interaction: Design the user interface to be entirely audible, with voice prompts guiding the user and confirming actions.
6. Application Integration: Allow integration with popular applications for note-taking, reminders, calendars, and information retrieval to enhance productivity.

Example Usage

• Recording Thoughts: The user speaks into the device, which records audio and transcribes it into text, categorizes the information, and stores it for later retrieval.
• Information Retrieval: The user asks for specific information, and the AI searches through its internet access or stored data to provide an answer.
• Daily Summaries: At the user’s request, the device can provide spoken summaries of the day’s recorded notes and important reminders.

This design combines functionality with simplicity, focusing on what an AI device can excel at without the distractions of a screen. It leverages AI’s strengths in voice interaction and data management, creating a powerful tool for anyone who needs an on-the-go assistant.

visualize it

make it square

make it a gopro

It would be so nice if I could just speak to my GoPro and have it organize my thoughts into written word and do all of the writing for me built into the camera. It’s so much more efficient to speak than to type.

In a modern world full of distractions, being completely immersed in your own work and things that you truly care about is the ultimate luxury. Simple things like receiving phone calls, texts, and emails become a real distraction in my life. This is why I choose to keep my phone off or do not disturb for most of the day

Just try it.

Become Godlike

Especially if you are photographing or working on anything you care about, the focus you will feel is insane. It actually does make a huge difference in my practice. Fasting is not even for health reasons at this point, it’s for the godlike intuition!

Allow the mundane moments to become your paradise.

• The flickering light of a lamp post.
• Birds chirping in the trees
• The sensation of the breeze
• An old man and his wobbly knees
• Water rippling in the river
• Chatter in the park
• Walking grass and dirt paths
• Hard concrete and the street
• Light reflected from the window
• People moving and their flow

Photography is Infinite

one of the most powerful aspects of photography is that it is endless. You could position yourself at the same vantage point and photograph the same thing each and every day, but never never make the same photograph twice.

I want to live a FULL life during my short time on this earth. When I’m old I want to look back at all of the experiences I’ve had through my photography and memory. I believe it is much more fulfilling to have a life of experience than chasing material things.

Where do I thrive?

THE FRONTLINES OF LIFE

The Human Experience

The ultimate goal of an artist is to share our everyday lives and uplift the human experience to new heights. Photography allows us to do this daily as we can simply snapshot our way through life and uplift the mundane.

You cannot make the same photograph twice

One of the most powerful aspects of photography is that you cannot make the same photograph twice. You can look at the same thing each and every day and make a new photograph of it. Because of the nuances of light, and the way that it etches shape and form to objects, people, and places, there’s infinite opportunity to make some a new each day. Photography is endless.

“Man, I see in Fight Club the strongest and smartest men who’ve ever lived. I see all this potential, and I see it squandered. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables, slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need. We’re the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War, no Great Depression. Our great war is a spiritual war. Our great depression is our lives. We’ve all been raised on television to believe that one day we’d all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars, but we won’t. And we’re slowly learning that fact. And we’re very, very pissed off.”

Tyler Durden

Just keep it simple and fast paced.

Don’t let your archive pile up and become a degenerate photographer.

Make selections, edit in the photos app built into the iPad with speed, back everything up to google photos, and move onto the next one. We should become efficient with our practice both on the streets and off. By making daily selections and staying on top of your archive, you will save yourself a headache further down the line.

By trying to be different, or an individual, you actually just wind up following trends.

We must remember that photography is both a physical pleasure and a visual game. This means, increasing our power and focusing on the human body is critical to reach your fullest potential.

Why?

I believe weightlifting is critical to becoming a better photographer. You may wonder how these things correlate and why I believe this? Honestly it’s simple and related to the kaizen Japanese philosophy.

The word “Kaizen” is derived from Japanese. It is composed of two characters: “改” (kai) meaning “change” or “to correct,” and “善” (zen) meaning “good” or “for the better.” Thus, Kaizen translates to “change for the better” or “improvement.” This concept is widely used in business and manufacturing contexts to denote continuous improvement involving everyone from executives to workers.

Essentially, in order to improve your photography for the better, you must work on it every single day. Similar to weightlifting, photography requires a a lot of time working in order to see any results.

My thought is that consistent weightlifting and physical training everyday not only will increase your power and courage to continuously throw yourself onto the frontlines of life and embrace chaos, but it will also teach you to enjoy the process. The more you find joy in putting the reps in, whether in the gym or on the street, the more successful you will be with your photography.

Strong Photographer, Strong Photographs

Let us put aside these basic notions of what makes a “good” or “bad” photograph. Instead, I like to consider notions of strength and weakness.

Surely, a strong photographer will have more power and courage to make more photographs, get closer to life itself, and be the “good” photographer. A weak photographer will be shy, intimidated by the streets, and might find themselves on the sidelines of life, ultimately making “bad” work.

These binary ideas of good or bad are basic at best. Let us reframe our perspective to the physical, the real, the tangible human bodies that we possess. By increasing your power each and every day, it is inevitable that you will become a stronger photographer. Forget about the books, forget about the cameras, the lenses, the technical, and the history of photography. Become the strongest version of yourself, and throw yourself onto the frontlines of life.

When you’re walking through the world, don’t just be a passive observer. Pick things up, move things around, pluck the flowers from the trees, throw sticks into the water, and throw rocks around.

Please your senses by touching things and embrace the physical world around you.