https://ericdejesus.com

How I Publish Photography Daily (Own Your Website, Not Instagram)

What’s poppin’, people? It’s Dante.

Today I want to share my personal way of publishing photography on my own website. I don’t use Squarespace—I use my own WordPress.org blog where I create a stream of images. A stream of consciousness approach to sharing.

I just want to show you behind the scenes of what it looks like and how I publish daily.

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The Stream

I don’t believe you should use Instagram.

I believe you should own your own domain.

The way that I share is within a stream. As you scroll, you see images I’ve published for the day. You’ll also see the most recent YouTube video, blog posts, and then more photos.

Each day:

• I title the post with the date and place
• I publish consistently
• I keep the flow going

This workflow has given me discipline:

• Go out and photograph daily
• Stay on top of my archive
• Share every single day

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The Publishing Process

It’s simple.

I open Safari. I’ve got tabs ready:

• Posts
• Media library
• Pages

Everything I need is right there.

Let’s say I was at Hollywood Beach yesterday.

I create a post:
Hollywood Beach, 2026

Then:

• Upload photos
• Insert gallery
• Hit publish

That’s it.

The blog becomes:

a canvas, a diary, a notebook

You can share anything instantly.

Not dependent on gatekeepers.
Not dependent on platforms.

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Micro Posts → Full Essays

Sometimes I just write something simple:

people are more happy at the beach

Publish it.

Later?

• Click edit
• Expand it into an essay
• Add images, videos

It evolves over time.

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The Archive (13,000+ Photos)

On my site, I built a timeline archive.

Over 13,000 photographs from 2022 to 2025.

You can:

• Click any day
• View all images
• See metadata (f-stop, exposure, etc.)
• Download JPEGs

There’s even a verification feature:

• Each image has a computational hash
• Confirms it hasn’t been altered

It’s nerdy. But I did it anyway.

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Camera Filters + Simplicity

You can filter by camera:

• Ricoh GR IIIx (40mm)
• GR III (28mm)

There’s:

• Dark mode
• Expandable timeline
• Full chronological flow

I haven’t missed a day in 3.5 years.

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Why This Works

This approach is liberating.

Photography is:

an endless stream of becoming

By publishing daily:

• I stay consistent
• I stay organized
• I remove pressure

No:

• Likes
• Comments
• Algorithms

Just pure expression.

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Sequencing Into Books

Everything is chronological.

So I can go back and:

• Discover patterns
• Build visual diaries
• Sequence books

Each book:

• ~100 pages
• 50–60 images

I give myself room to:

• Experiment
• Include imperfect images

That’s where creativity happens.

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The Discipline Loop

Every day:

1. Go out and shoot
2. Come home
3. Publish

Repeat.

Consistency compounds.

The archive builds.

And because:

• No post-processing
• Small JPEGs

The process is effortless.

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Books + Integration

On my site:

• All books are cataloged
• Flip-through previews
• PDFs available
• Purchase links

Everything is integrated.

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The System

I built a full system called:

Living With the Ricoh GR

Inside:

• Workflow from shooting → editing → book
• 30-day structure
• Discord community
• Daily sharing

Members get:

• Books at production cost (~$8)
• Full website setup tutorial

You can literally:

plug and play your own platform

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Final Thoughts

Owning your platform changes everything.

No noise.
No pressure.
No algorithm.

Just:

• You
• Your camera
• Your archive

I encourage you:

• Delete Instagram
• Build your own space
• Publish daily

Join the Flux community.

Let’s build something real.

Peace.

The revolution is not in the street, nor on stickers plastered across the city.

The revolution exists in over 9,000 exahash of cryptographic hash power—

in digital sovereignty,
in pure autonomy,
in the silent force of a decentralized network that cannot be stopped.

Identity — etymology

The word identity traces back to the idea of “sameness.”

• From Latin idem → “the same”
• From Late Latin identitas → “sameness, oneness”
• From Medieval Latin / Old French identité → carried into English as identity

So at its root:

Identity = that which remains the same

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The tension (and why it’s interesting)

There’s a built-in paradox:

• Identity implies sameness, continuity, stability
• But real life (and your whole Flux philosophy) is constant change

So the deeper question becomes:

What is the “same” thing in a being that is always changing?

Is it:

• memory?
• pattern?
• behavior?
• perception?

Or is “identity” itself just a construct we impose to stabilize chaos?

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Tie-in to your “Hive Mind” piece

Your collage almost challenges the word itself:

• If identity = sameness
• Then a hive mind is identity taken to the extreme
  → everyone becoming “the same”

Which flips your earlier Bitcoin idea too:

• Hive mind → forced sameness
• Bitcoin (in your framing) → sovereign individuality within a shared protocol

That’s a much more interesting axis than just politics.

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If you wanted a one-line version for your style:

Identity comes from idem — “the same.”
But nothing stays the same.

That’s where it gets philosophical.

How to Take Great Photos Anywhere (Even in Boring Places)

What’s poppin’, people? It’s Dante.

If you’re new to the channel, I’m here to share my ideas about photography—finding meaning in the practice and developing a consistent habit of photographing daily.

One of the biggest things that prevents us from shooting every day is depending on novelty. We think we need something interesting out there before we can make something meaningful.

But the truth is…

Curiosity > Location

What actually guides me is inner curiosity.

On a recent trip to Miami, I spent two weeks basically stuck around a golf course. There was a mall nearby. That’s it. Nothing “special.”

And yet—I made some of my favorite images.

Why?

Because I tapped into a childlike curiosity.

It’s not about the place. It’s about how you see.

I wasn’t just looking at landscapes or people. I got close—macro close. Insects. Textures. Light. Patterns. Everything.

The Real Problem

We think:

• “I need a better city”
• “I need better light”
• “I need something interesting”

But when you depend on external conditions, you stagnate.

When you cultivate curiosity, photography becomes inevitable.

Boring photographers make boring photos.

That sounds harsh—but it’s real.

If you wake up sluggish, disconnected, uninterested…
you’re not going to create anything meaningful.

Your Internal State Is Everything

Your energy, your curiosity, your willingness to engage with life—

That’s what creates photographs.

Not the location.

Not the gear.

Not the moment.

How you feel internally will always reflect in your photography.

So instead of chasing “good photos,” focus on:

• Being present
• Being curious
• Being open

Photography as Presence

For me, photography is about:

• Watching squirrels move through trees
• Seeing light shimmer on water
• Feeling the breeze
• Noticing small, quiet details

That’s the practice.

The photo is just the byproduct.

The Camera Is a Key

The camera isn’t just a tool.

It’s a key.

It unlocks:

• Conversations with strangers
• Exploration
• Adventure
• Awareness

It gives you a reason to go out and experience life now.

Thriving in the Mundane

The mall is “boring,” right?

But when I walk through it with curiosity:

• I see light hitting advertisements
• I see shapes forming
• I underexpose and capture contrast
• I find unexpected frames

And suddenly…

I’m creating something meaningful.

You don’t need an interesting place. You need an interesting perspective.

The Shift

Stop hunting for photos.

Start exploring.

Instead of asking:
“Where can I find something good?”

Ask:

What will the camera see today?

That question changes everything.

Because the camera doesn’t see what your eyes see.

It interprets:

• Light
• Contrast
• Movement
• Imperfection

And when you review your photos later—you’re surprised.

Let Go of Control

Stop trying to:

• Nail the shot
• Be perfect
• Control everything

Instead:

Embrace play. Embrace mistakes. Embrace randomness.

That’s where the magic is.

My Simple Method

I keep it minimal:

• Small Ricoh GR
• High contrast black & white JPEGs
• Crush the shadows
• Expose for highlights
• Shoot loosely, intuitively

I’m not overthinking composition.

I’m snapshotting my way through life.

And when I review the images?

I’m surprised.

That surprise fuels curiosity.

Curiosity fuels consistency.

Consistency builds the practice.

The Real Metric

Forget “good photos.”

Measure this instead:

Am I more curious today than yesterday?

That’s the game.

Final Thought

Go slow.

Let life come to you.

Be present. Be open. Be curious.

And just show up with your camera.

Every day.

Because when you do that…

Everyday life becomes your material.

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If you want to go deeper, join the 7-Day Photography Challenge.

I’ll see you in the next video.

Peace.

The word “firmament” has a really interesting lineage—it carries both linguistic and philosophical weight.

📜 Etymology of

Firmament

• Latin: firmamentum
  → meaning “support,” “strengthening,” or “foundation”
  → from firmare = “to make firm, strengthen”
• Latin root: firmus
  → meaning “strong,” “stable,” “solid”
• Greek (earlier influence): στερέωμα (stereōma)
  → meaning “solid structure,” “firm body”

🌌 How the Meaning Evolved

When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek (the Septuagint), the Hebrew word:

• רָקִיעַ (raqia) → “expanse” or “spread-out surface”

was translated as stereōma (a solid structure).

Later, in the Latin Bible (the Vulgate), this became firmamentum.

⚡ The Key Shift

• Original Hebrew idea → an expanse / sky / something stretched out
• Greek + Latin interpretation → a solid dome or structure holding up the heavens

This is why “firmament” in English often carries the sense of a solid sky or dome, especially in older cosmology.

🧠 Big Picture

Firmament = “that which has been made firm.”
A structure imagined to hold or support the heavens.

Can You Print Small JPEGs Large? 17×22 Test (Ricoh GR + Canon Pro 1000)

What’s poppin’, people? It’s Dante.

Currently running my first test prints here in the dojo.

Got the prints on the wall with the laser jet, and yeah… I actually used some Photo Paper Pro Luster Canon paper today. 17 by 22 inch paper. First time turning this printer on in about 4 years.

And so… considering it’s been like 3.5 years now photographing with my new workflow… I figured it’s time to start printing.

Also—it’s been a decade of photographing.

And I genuinely have no prints of my work.

Over 10 years.

So yeah… it’s time.

The First Print: Philly

What better way to start than printing my official Philly photo?

We’re going behind the scenes.

I’ve got some mythic imagery here—something that inspires me deeply. We’ve got the energy of David and Goliath. And I’m giving my own homage tonight.

This image is a mashup:

• The Creation of Adam
• The Temptation in the Garden of Eden
• Philadelphia symbolism

My brother pointed something out…

The tail of the snake looks like the Philly “P.”

Now I can’t unsee it.

We’ve got the P.
We’ve got City Hall standing tall.
You can even catch William Penn up there.

The Capture

This was shot on the Ricoh GR IIIx using the 71mm crop mode.

Settings:

• F16
• Snap focus: 1 meter
• 2/5 of a second
• ISO 3200
• Middle of the night

It’s blurry.
Grainy.
Not critically sharp.

Dust marks everywhere.

And I love it.

It’s extremely imperfect… and that’s exactly why I want to print it.

The Workflow

Small JPEG.

High contrast.
Black and white—cranked straight out of camera.

No real post-processing.

I did use super resolution in Adobe Lightroom just to upscale it.

Original file:

• 2240 × 3360 pixels
• ~4.4 MB

Angel numbers.

Boom.

Why Print This?

Honestly?

I just like this photo.

That’s it.

There are probably “better” test images…

But I don’t care.

This one hits.

Books vs Prints

Up until now, I’ve been printing my work in small trade books.

Using standard black-and-white text paper from Blurb.

Not even real photo paper.

And I actually love it.

It fits the visual diary aesthetic:

• Thin pages
• Lightweight
• Intimate
• Fast to produce

It feels like flipping through thoughts.

I’ve been building these archives mostly for myself—just systematizing how I engage with my work.

Clean. Efficient. Repeatable.

The Difference

But now…

We’ve got real paper.
Real ink.
Real blacks.

Let’s see what happens when the image actually lands properly.

Nice ink laying down the blacks… that’s the test.

Behind the Shot

I even filmed the moment I made this.

That’s the beauty of documenting everything.

You get to relive it.

This snake—Athena.

Shoutout Rodzilla.

I’m crouching, working the scene, clicking through moments.

And somehow…

It all came together into this one frame.

The Print

Final result?

Small JPEG.
High contrast.
Blown up big.

And honestly?

Looks good to me.

It’s kind of ridiculous printing something this gritty and graphic at this size…

But also…

Kind of sick.

Closing Thoughts

Ten years of shooting.

First real print.

Feels like a new chapter.

Do I wish I had a Fuji medium format with insane megapixels?

Sure.

But that’s not the point.

The point is: start printing.

Philly on the wall.

Let’s go.

Time to sleep.