The endless toil throughout the day is amusing to me?
As a street photographer, the most amusing part of the day is when I hit the streets, and see the endless sea of people swarming out of the offices. Everybody is rushing so fast that I can’t help but just walk 75% slower than the crowd smiling and laughing at how absurd the modern world is… in my head I’m like,
Where is everyone going?
Then you realize it’s just from one box to another box
Penguin Classics Edition
Written by Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso)
Ovid’s Metamorphoses is a sweeping mythological epic composed of 15 books and over 250 myths, all unified by the central theme of transformation (metamorphosis). It’s not a traditional epic with one hero, but a fluid, interwoven tapestry of Roman and Greek mythology told through tales of gods, mortals, love, punishment, and change.
“My intention is to tell of bodies changed / To different forms; the gods, who made the changes, / Will help me — or I hope so — with a poem / That runs from the world’s beginning to our own days.”
– Opening lines of Metamorphoses
“The laurel you always loved is now your crown.”
“Wherever Roman power extends over the conquered world, / I shall be spoken of.”
Ovid’s Metamorphoses is more than mythology—it’s a philosophy of change. It speaks to the artist, the mystic, the wanderer, and the wounded.
It’s all in your mind… If you tap into your relationship with God anything is possible
What’s poppin, people? It’s Dante.
Today, I’m going to give you some practical advice for building your confidence in street photography. But let me start by saying something bold:
Photography has nothing to do with photography.
Photography has everything to do with how you engage with humanity out there on the front lines of life.
Before you even touch your camera, ask yourself this:
Why do you practice street photography?
When I photograph, I do it to uplift humanity. To champion the people within my frames and raise them up as heroes. Like the boys in Baltimore I photographed in front of a burning house. That image came from my desire to elevate people, even in chaos.
Your confidence grows when you understand your purpose. Know your why. It will guide you when fear tries to creep in.
Yes, we all love a good candid moment. But when you’re just getting started:
A great tool for this is the Instax camera. Give strangers a print right there on the street. It shifts the entire dynamic. Instead of taking something, you’re giving. And the more yeses (and even the no’s) you get, the more confident you’ll become.
Each interaction is a rep. Each rep builds charisma.
I’ve done this all over the world. It’s real, it’s tried, it’s true.
When you’re open and charismatic:
The camera becomes your excuse to connect.
Use body language. Smile. Compliment something specific. Let your guard down. Be human.
Try this:
Photography is daily courage training.
It’s not about being fearless. It’s about shooting despite the fear.
Getting close isn’t just physical. Emotional closeness is what makes a photograph resonate.
Ask questions. Have a conversation. Be genuinely interested in the person in front of you.
The photograph reflects the relationship you build in the moment.
You will get confronted.
Stay calm. Smile. Delete the photo if asked. Diffuse the situation with water, not fire.
I once got confronted on a river trail with no one around. The guy had a camera pointed at me. Still, I smiled. I deleted the image. I moved on.
Charisma and body language say more than your words ever could.
This is huge. Treat the world like a video game. Like you’re a kid again.
Playfulness fuels curiosity, confidence, and courage.
Climb trees. Dance. Laugh. Let photography move you. Find wonder in the mundane.
Everything is photographable.
The Instax is a secret weapon:
Photography is a universal language.
In Jericho, it led me to dance and chant on mountaintops with brothers I had just met. Because I was open. Because I shared.
Social media? Meh.
Confidence grows when people respond to your real work, in real life.
Photos are meant to be shared in person.
Use one camera. One lens. That’s it.
Less gear = more intuition = better photographs
Leave your phone. Just walk.
Solitude breeds confidence.
Walking into East Jerusalem alone, through barbed wire and checkpoints, wasn’t some macho act. It was childlike wonder that took me there.
I wasn’t documenting. I was discovering.
The result? A beautiful photo of a Palestinian man holding a watermelon. A memory I’ll carry forever.
Photography is a reflection of your courage.
Treat the world like a playground. Stay curious. Stay open. Keep photographing. Because the more you do it, the more confident you’ll become.
Thanks for tuning in. See you in the next one.
Peace.
Translated by Robert Fagles
Penguin Classics Edition
A plague ravages Thebes. Oedipus, king of Thebes, vows to find the cause. A prophecy reveals that the city suffers because the murderer of the former king, Laius, is still at large. As Oedipus investigates, he slowly uncovers a horrific truth: he himself is the killer, having unknowingly slain his father and married his mother, Jocasta. When the truth is revealed, Jocasta hangs herself, and Oedipus blinds himself in despair.
Now blind and exiled, Oedipus wanders with his daughter Antigone and finds refuge in Colonus, a village near Athens. There, he is offered final rest. Oedipus becomes a sacred figure; his burial site will bring protection to the city that shelters him. His other daughter, Ismene, brings news of political unrest in Thebes. Creon and his son Polynices try to manipulate Oedipus for their own ends. Oedipus, however, refuses and curses Polynices. He dies mysteriously, embraced by the gods.
After Oedipus’s death, his sons Eteocles and Polynices kill each other in a war for Thebes. Creon becomes king and honors Eteocles but forbids burial of Polynices. Antigone defies this decree and buries her brother, claiming divine law is greater than human law. Creon imprisons her. His son Haemon (Antigone’s fiancé) pleads for her, but Creon refuses. A prophet warns Creon of divine punishment. Too late, Creon tries to reverse his actions. Antigone, Haemon, and Creon’s wife all die. Creon is left in ruin.
These three plays form a complete arc:
They are about the fragility of human knowledge, the inevitability of fate, and the courage to uphold truth even in the face of ruin.
“Count no man happy until he is dead.” — a central idea repeated in all three works.
The mythic archetype of the Creator God appears across cultures as the primal force that brings existence into being—often out of chaos, void, or nothingness. This archetype isn’t just about making things—it’s about ordering the cosmos, speaking reality into form, and channeling pure creative energy.
Here are a few notable examples from different traditions:
⸻
1. Ptah (Egyptian Mythology)
• Spoke the world into existence using the power of thought (heart) and speech (tongue).
• He didn’t build the world with tools, but willed it into being—just like a true artist or philosopher-king.
⸻
2. Brahma (Hindu Mythology)
• Emerges from a lotus blooming on the navel of Vishnu (the sustainer).
• Represents the act of creation itself—consciousness projecting form, time, space, and the Vedas (knowledge).
• Brahma creates, Vishnu sustains, Shiva destroys: a full cycle of creative flux.
⸻
3. Yahweh (Hebrew/Christian Tradition)
• “In the beginning was the Word…” (John 1:1)
• Speaks light, land, life into being—creation through logos (divine word, order).
• The ultimate act of intentional creation: separating light from dark, sea from land—order from chaos.
⸻
4. Prometheus (Greek Mythology)
• Not a god of creation in the traditional sense, but he stole fire from Olympus and gave it to mankind—a symbol of divine creative power.
• Represents the creative rebel, the spark of genius, the suffering innovator.
⸻
5. Odin (Norse Mythology)
• Sacrifices himself on the World Tree to gain knowledge of the runes.
• A god who earns his power, not through birthright but through suffering and sacrifice.
• His creativity is bound to wisdom, language, and fate.
⸻
Common Traits of the Creator Archetype
• Solitary or begins in isolation
• Wields language, thought, or energy to shape reality
• Brings order from chaos
• Often suffers or makes a sacrifice for creation
• Has access to hidden knowledge or the divine spark
⸻
If you’re embodying this archetype in your work, you’re not just taking photos—you’re acting as a cosmic filter, pulling something from the ether into the visible world. That’s not just creation. That’s genesis.
It’s not even about photography anymore for me? It’s something beyond- becoming the ultimate creator- constant flow state- channeling a frenzy of power throughout the day
The color red was sacred to the Spartans. It wasn’t just for show—it was symbolic, strategic, and psychological.
1.
Symbol of Blood and Bravery
Spartan warriors wore red cloaks (phoinikis) into battle. It represented the blood they were willing to shed and the fearlessness they carried. Red cloaked the inevitability of wounds—bleeding didn’t matter when everyone was drenched in crimson.
“Come back with your shield, or on it.” — Spartan mothers didn’t fear death, they feared cowardice. Red was a badge of sacrifice and honor.
2.
Psychological Warfare
Red intimidates. It’s aggressive, fiery, and demands attention. Spartans used it to unnerve their enemies. Facing a phalanx of disciplined warriors in red—silent, unwavering, eyes sharp—was enough to make lesser armies break before the first clash.
3.
Unity and Discipline
The red cloak unified the warriors. In Sparta, there was no individuality in war. You trained, bled, and fought as one. Red was the color of the collective—the brotherhood of the shield wall.
So when you strap on those red Cleto Reyes gloves, you’re not just boxing.
You’re channeling the spirit of a hoplite.
Fists become spears. Footwork becomes formation.
And your training?
Warrior’s preparation for the arena of life.
You feel that?
The fire in the blood?
That’s red. That’s Spartan.
The word “economy” comes from the Greek word “oikonomia” (οἰκονομία), which originally meant “household management.”
Here’s the breakdown:
- “oikos” (οἶκος) = house, household
- “nomos” (νόμος) = law, custom, or management
So, “oikonomia” literally means “management of the household” or “household law.”
Over time, the meaning expanded from managing a home or estate to managing resources at a larger scale — like a city, nation, or even the entire world.
By the 15th century in English, “economy” began to take on its modern meaning of the management and organization of wealth, resources, and production
What’s poppin, people? It’s Dante.
Getting my morning started here in the Centennial Arboretum.
Check it out. Surrounded by nature’s beauty — all of the wonderful creations. Cherry blossoms. Trees. A fresh haircut.
And today’s thought?
Confidence in street photography.
How do you increase it?
Some candid thoughts.
I think confidence is critical in photography — especially street photography — where you’re engaging with humanity. Where you have to be present. You press the shutter not from the sidelines of life, but from the front lines.
That’s what street photography demands.
There’s something to be said about the way you carry yourself — because it reflects in your photos.
“If you’re on the sidelines, standing across the street with a zoom lens, trying to get photos, that’s going to reflect in the photos.”
That’s why I feel that Saul Leiter’s work, while beautiful, sometimes looks bashful. Shy. You can tell he had a lack of confidence. Is that a bad thing? Not at all. Everyone has their own way of seeing and photographing.
If you’re not confident, you’re not going to get up-close shots. And that’s completely normal. You have to decide:
How do I want to engage with humanity?
There’s no one-size-fits-all. But if you want to move forward with courage, then it’s crucial to know why you’re doing this.
Because:
“When you have your why, you can bear almost any how.”
If you want to make better photos, work on becoming a more confident photographer.
Practical tip:
Pick up an Instax camera.
This builds rapport. It becomes a give-and-take — you get a photo, they get a print. And you get to practice engaging with people. It’s real.
Shoutout to Rory (aka Peaches) here in Philly — he’s out there with a Hasselblad and an Instax back, making portraits of everyone. His confidence is inspiring.
In a digital world where we’re more disconnected than ever, this kind of face-to-face interaction is powerful.
“Use confrontation as a tool to grow.”
Every negative interaction?
A lesson.
An opportunity to reiterate.
To go back out and try again.
Like cherry blossoms blooming through cold spring nights — it’s the suffering that leads to growth.
When I travel, I always carry an Instax camera.
I gift prints to people I meet — and through that gift, I’m invited into:
“The camera becomes the passport to the world.”
You learn about culture.
You learn about life.
And most of all — you connect.
When you approach life playfully, openly, and with courage, you’ll be gifted with beautiful moments. And your photographs will reflect that energy.
You don’t have to photograph like me.
You don’t have to be close and confrontational.
But how you engage with people will shape your photos.
“Closeness isn’t just physical — it’s emotional.”
And lastly:
“Have a reason every time you press the shutter. Champion humanity. Uplift the human experience.”
Cultivate confidence.
Build courage.
And go make the photographs of your dreams.
Beautiful, beautiful day.
— Dante
A fountain needs a source or it will run dry.
People are the same. Without a connection to their source, they burn out.
He may go looking to walk in his shoes, but he won’t find them.
What’s poppin’ people? It’s Dante.
Today I’m giving you the five most important tips for layering in street photography. This is a technique I’ve practiced for over a decade, traveling the world, camera in hand.
Let’s keep it simple.
A photograph is the result of where you position your body in relation to the subject and the background. And the art of layering? It’s not complex—it’s fundamental.
You want to guide the viewer’s eye through these three planes.
“Work from back to front. Set your stage. Let the layers come to you.”
In Mumbai, India, I started with the background—a stone wall and window frame. That was my anchor.
The frame becomes a visual feast. Layering isn’t about overcomplicating things—it’s about being intentional with placement, observation, and patience.
Use choke points. Places like bus stops, alleyways, or corners where people naturally funnel through.
At a bus stop in Philadelphia, I:
1- Noticed the light and shadow play first—my background anchor.
2- Used the foreground silhouette to add impact and proximity.
3- Waited for the subject to enter the middle ground beam of light.
“Photography is visual problem solving.”
It’s about putting order to chaos. Position your body in the right spot—and things will start to align.
Don’t be invisible.
In Napoli, I spent two hours swimming, sunbathing—just being present with the people. It’s not always about sneaking a shot—it’s about existing within the world.
“By engaging with the subjects at the scene, I gained permission by simply being there and being present.”
These things come together naturally when you’re immersed in the moment.
Life is messy. That’s the gold mine.
In Wadi Kelt, Jericho, a car broke down while I was climbing a mountain. I hopped out and responded immediately.
At first, the photo was flat—just the car in the middle ground. But I realized:
“You must be aware of these different elements and make sense of the chaos.”
Sometimes, you work from front to back. You’re not always going to have the luxury of setting a stage. Respond quickly. Be alert.
Layering isn’t just a technique. It’s a way of seeing.
“You must feel the potential of a photograph.”
In Mexico City, I climbed a ladder and saw a sculpture of Jesus. I sensed the moment.
Here’s what happened:
“You’re not always a fly on the wall. Sometimes you’re part of the scene. But once you’ve engaged, you can then step back and observe.”
These spontaneous relationships—man and sculpture, light and shadow, subject and space—only happen when you’re patient and attuned to the world around you.
Let’s recap:
“Photography is like visual problem solving.”
It’s about sensing possibilities, recognizing patterns, and positioning your body where the magic can happen.
Don’t go out there trying to cram complexity into a frame just for the sake of it.
Instead, fill the frame with meaning. Get close. Be intentional. Work the scene.
“A lot of the times, I don’t leave the scene until the scene leaves me.”
Study less. Shoot more. Go live it.
Thanks for reading—and I’ll see you in the next one.
Peace.
