Author name: n.dantesisofo

Why Curiosity Matters in Street Photography

Why Curiosity Matters in Street Photography

What’s poppin, people? It’s Dante. Welcome to the Centennial Arboretum. Today, I want to talk about something fundamental to the art of photography: curiosity — and why it matters.

Increase Curiosity by 1% Each Day

The goal of the photographer is to increase curiosity by 1% every day.

Let that be your mission. Just 1%. Because curiosity, at its core, is about care. It comes from the Latin root cura, meaning to care, to investigate, to be drawn toward the unknown.

And I believe it’s the duty of the artist to articulate the unknown. To put order to the chaos of life. To make sense of it all. That starts with wonder.

Return to the Child’s Mind

Curiosity is cultivated through play.

Wake up each day with the eyes of a child.

Remember how it felt to squat down in the forest and inspect the moss, the insects, the little ecosystems. I used to build teepees from sticks, bridges from stones. That same wonder is what we bring to photography.

Macro Mode & the Beauty of Details

One practical way I reconnect with curiosity is through using the macro mode on the Ricoh GR III or GR IIIx.

  • It forces you to slow down
  • It forces you to pay attention
  • It brings excitement to even the smallest elements

Look close. Then look up at the towering trees. Repeat.

Photography is the act of putting four corners around chaos.

Whether it’s the flux of nature or the behavior of humans, we’re documenting evolution in real time.

Photograph Like an Anthropologist

I approach street photography almost like an anthropologist — curious about:

  • How people move
  • How they gesture
  • How they exist

Investigate humanity with the same respect and wonder you’d bring to a new species in the wild.

Forget What You Think You Know

Forget everything you know about photography. About life.

Be open. Be loose. Drop low, look high. Change your perspective physically and mentally. Let your mindset reframe your vision.

Born Again Every Morning

I treat each morning like a rebirth. Each night like a miniature death.

“Each day I’m born again. Each night may be my last breath.”

It fuels my vitality, my presence. I photograph with urgency and joy because this moment might be the only one I have.

When you’re present, you:

  • See more
  • Feel more
  • Photograph more

And that’s where meaning lives.

Inside is Where Souls Go to Die

If you’re stagnant, if you’re living on standby:

You’re not alive. You’re just surviving.

But outside, with the wind, the birds, the flux of life — when you’re photographing, moving, observing — that’s where your soul comes alive. That’s where you affirm life. That’s where you say YES.

Some Practical Suggestions:

  • Use macro mode to pay attention to details
  • Change your body position: go low, climb high
  • Photograph every day like it’s your first
  • Forget your preconceptions about what makes a good photo
  • Stay open and embrace randomness

Articulate the unknown. Let chaos become your canvas.

Curiosity Is the Answer

Let curiosity guide your photography. Let play guide your days. If you can just increase your curiosity by 1%, you’ll find yourself photographing with fresh eyes, with purpose, with joy.

Follow the inner child within you… and you may just find bliss.

Peace.

Curiosity and leisure thoughts

Curiosity and leisure thoughts

So I’ve really been diving into how I perceive the world lately, not only with my vision, but with my mind, mindset, or philosophy. What I mean is, my perspective is ultimately with shaping my reality these days through recognizing the power I have over the moments that are in front of me. When I look at the word curiosity, the word derives from the roots,

Latin: cūriōsus — “careful,” “inquisitive,” “eager to know,” from cūra (care, concern).

As artists, I believe it’s our duty to articulate the unknown, to put order to the chaos in our frames. When you look at life, it’s out of our control, spontaneous, serendipitous, random with entropy. However, as if Photographer, you possess the ability to put four corners around life, to make sense of this world around us. When you look at life this way, with a deep sense of curiosity, with the appreciation for the details, You’ll become so immersed in the present moment.

Die every day

One philosophical mindset and approach to life that I adopted my daily routine is treating each morning like a miniature birth, and each night like a miniature death. What this does is, set my day up for success, where I enter a flow state, living in each moment to my maximum potential with vitality, vigor, and curiosity. If you go to bed every night, assuming you won’t wake up the next day, it set you up with a sense of urgency in each moment, paying close attention to the moments, and making sense of it, articulating the moments in front of you, and making Potential photographs out of everything that you see. 

We have a past, we have a future, but these things aren’t of my concern. My concern is waking up each day with curiosity, and a child like state, like I was just born again, so that I can go out there each day with a new perspective of photographing Endlessly. In order to achieve this mindset and flow state, one must forget everything they think they know. Let go of all preconceptions of what you think. A good photograph is, and simply photograph what your inner child would see.  one practical lab in cultivating curiosity is by using the macro feature on my camera paying close attention to the details around me. I also look up at the looming trees in the skyline, photographing what’s up high, what’s down low, changing my perspective, both physically and mentally. By changing the way that you articulate the world through bending down on your knees, are going up to a high vantage point, or even just simply diving into your mind and how you perceive the world, you can create new photographs each day in a flow state. 

Another practical suggestion I have is to just find yourself on top of a bridge, on a skyscraper, on a cliff, mountain, somewhere where you can see on the horizon with a Panopticon view, where you can see 360° around you and beyond the horizon. When in doubt, just return to this place, and photograph that location.

Elevate your body, your mind, your spirit. 

They’re living in the moment, and finding appreciation in the details,  you enter a blissful state. Through this feeling of bliss, this overwhelming joyful, tried like state, you elevate your body, your mind, and your spirit to a new height. Ultimately, I believe that it’s the duty of the Photographer , not only articulate the unknown, putting order to the chaos, but also uplifting humanity to a new height. Whether you’re uplifting your spirit through the active creation or other people through photographing moments and people, we can share what it’s like to experience life with all of its multifaceted complexities. through increasing our curiosity each day, you enter a joyful state, and from that joyful state, I believe we can achieve our goal, of uplifting this human experience to a new height.

Create from a joyful state. 

I believe that photography has nothing to do with photography, but has everything to do with how you engage with humanity in the open world on the front lines of life. What this means is, if you’re in a joyful state, if you feel good, your photographs will be good. Your photographs will reflect the interaction you have with the world around you, your internal mental state, your subconscious mind. It’s very hard to pinpoint exactly how you enter this flow state or exactly how you can go through photography, other than tapping into that irrational side of you, following your wins, your intuition, your gut instinct to press the shutter. Ultimately the photographs, we create our reflection of our heart, our courage. I believe that the Photographer studio is to become more joyful, as the joyous Photographer will have more lust for life, and through falling in love with life itself you can become more carefully Attentive to the details around you with curiosity.

Freedom of mind

I’ve been working in Horticulture in the Centennial Arboretum for the past year and I find that over a year now, after reading so many philosophical texts, ancient texts, tragedies, players, comedies, and even intending university lectures from the Peterson Academy, I’m becoming a scholar. It’s interesting to consider the notion of scholar, in relation to and the etymological roots of the word, where it comes from the world schole, meaning leisure .

The word “leisure” ultimately comes from the Greek word “σχολή” (scholē), which originally meant:
“spare time,” “rest,” or “freedom from work or duty.”
Interestingly, scholē also came to mean “study” or “learning” because the Greeks believed that true education and philosophical inquiry could only happen during moments of leisure — when one was free from the necessities of labor.

When I consider leisure, I remind myself how critical this is in our fast paced, lives of being more productive, working hard, harder, and striving for greater Heights. While it may seem virtuous to be a productive labor and be such a hard worker, in this modern world, it seems that the ultimate privilege to simply have the freedom of mind, the freedom to crack up a book, the freedom to spend time in nature, the freedom to walk, the freedom to be outside, the freedom to have the sun kiss your skin, the freedom to read, to write, and to create art. I find that by cultivating curiosity through my childlike perspective, it’s ultimately lead me to this State of leisure. Actually, I was working as a photographer, for parks and rec in Philly, but I really didn’t like it at all. I decided to stop working, spend about a year in solitude, walking around on nature paths, and realize that that’s where I belong.  after lots of contemplation and time alone, tapping into my inner child and curiosity, spending time in prayer
I found my path in the chaos of the city. When I was a boy, i remember spending my time in the forest, building TP, with sticks, bridges with stones, exploring the unknown. Actually, the other day at work, I noticed that some children built TP’s in the park by the cherry blossoms. as an adult, I’m essentially living out my childlike fantasy of spending all day in a park, in a forest, surrounded by trees in nature, Making art, thinking, and spending my time reading, most recently the complete works of Plato. Honestly, after reading a lot of of the different books from Plato, so far, it’s so hard to grasp and even understand, but giving myself these mental challenges, I become stronger, sharper, similar to the way which I lift weights and become stronger of the body.  so now my personal  pursuit in life is not only striving to become the best artist I can be, but I’m on the path to becoming a scholar, and even most recently enrolled in a boxing course, and desire to become a fighter. It’s time to embrace the next Renaissance the digital Renaissance, return to the classical Greek tradition striving for excellence. Life is way too short to be mediocre, to be complacent, and to live a life in comfort, which seems to be the new modern day norm.   it’s time to become the best that we can be, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

As the cherry blossoms have now bloomed, and their beautiful colors are vibrant and full of life in the park, I’m reminded of the impermanent nature of life. So the call for today, is for you to live like it is your last day, to seize every moment, and cultivate curiosity. Find your path, towards leisure, towards a life of thriving, not surviving.

The only life worth living is a life full of vitality and curiosity.

Dante

Finish all work by noon

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

Ovid – Metamorphoses

Ovid’s Metamorphoses – A Study of Transformation, Desire, and Divine Power

Penguin Classics Edition
Written by Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso)

Introduction: The Epic of Change

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

Key Themes and Philosophical Insights

  • Transformation is the only constant — bodies, identities, even the cosmos are in flux.
  • Desire often leads to destruction or transcendence.
  • The gods are powerful but not always just.
  • Art, memory, and poetry resist time and death.
  • Suffering often precedes spiritual or literal elevation.

Summary of Key Myths & Their Lessons

1. The Creation and the Four Ages

  • From chaos to order, Ovid begins with the world’s birth.
  • Humanity descends through four ages: Golden → Silver → Bronze → Iron.
  • Lesson: Even as the world decays, transformation remains possible.

2. The Flood – Deucalion & Pyrrha

  • Jupiter destroys the wicked world with a flood.
  • Deucalion and Pyrrha survive and repopulate humanity by casting stones.
  • Lesson: Piety and humility lead to regeneration.

3. Apollo and Daphne

  • Apollo is struck with love; Daphne flees and turns into a laurel tree.
  • Lesson: Transformation can be a way to escape unwanted desire.

“The laurel you always loved is now your crown.”

4. Io and Jupiter

  • Jupiter turns Io into a cow to hide her from Juno.
  • She’s eventually restored.
  • Lesson: The gods’ passions can wreak havoc on the innocent.

5. Phaethon

  • Son of the sun god Helios tries to drive the sun chariot.
  • He fails and is struck down by Zeus.
  • Lesson: Know your limits. Hubris brings ruin.

6. Narcissus and Echo

  • Echo is cursed to repeat others’ words. Narcissus falls in love with his reflection.
  • He dies, transformed into a flower.
  • Lesson: Self-obsession is a trap. Love must reach outward.

7. Arachne

  • A mortal weaver challenges the goddess Minerva.
  • She’s transformed into a spider after weaving the gods’ flaws.
  • Lesson: Truth-telling through art is powerful, but dangerous.

8. Medusa and Perseus

  • Medusa, once beautiful, is punished for being raped in Athena’s temple.
  • Perseus slays her; her gaze turns foes to stone.
  • Lesson: Monsters often come from trauma. Heroes rise from darkness.

9. Orpheus and Eurydice

  • Orpheus charms Hades with music to retrieve his wife.
  • He looks back too soon, losing her again.
  • Lesson: Doubt ruins faith. Even art cannot conquer hesitation.

10. Pygmalion

  • The sculptor creates and loves a statue; Venus brings it to life.
  • Lesson: Love and imagination can give form to dreams.

11. Baucis and Philemon

  • An old couple unknowingly hosts gods and is rewarded.
  • They become intertwined trees in death.
  • Lesson: Hospitality and humility are sacred virtues.

12. Trojan War Myths

  • Condensed stories of Achilles, Hector, Ulysses, and others.
  • Also includes the story of Caeneus, a woman transformed into a man.
  • Lesson: War brings both fame and loss. Gender, like form, can shift.

13. The Fall of Troy

  • Tales of vengeance, grief, and survival.
  • Hecuba’s transformation into a dog captures the horror of loss.
  • Lesson: Even queens can fall into madness. Fate spares no one.

14. Aeneas and the Founding of Rome

  • Aeneas survives Troy to eventually father Rome.
  • Includes Romulus and Remus and Roman origin myths.
  • Lesson: Great empires rise through divine will and mortal struggle.

15. The Apotheosis of Julius Caesar

  • Caesar is deified; Augustus is praised.
  • Ends with the poet claiming immortality through his words.
  • Lesson: Poetry defies time. Through art, one becomes eternal.

“Wherever Roman power extends over the conquered world, / I shall be spoken of.”

Closing Reflections

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.

  • To be human is to be in flux.
  • To create is to resist oblivion.
  • To suffer is to be transformed.

Study Tips

  • Read one myth per day and journal your reflection.
  • Look for patterns — transformation through love, punishment, or hubris.
  • Pair with art history or your photography. These myths are timeless.
  • Reflect on how you’ve changed, and what changes you still seek.

Recommended Companion Texts

  • Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey
  • Virgil’s Aeneid
  • Kafka’s Metamorphosis
  • The Bible (Genesis and Psalms especially)

YOU ARE A CREATOR

It’s all in your mind… If you tap into your relationship with God anything is possible

Street Photography: How to Approach Strangers with Confidence (Real Tips + Instax Technique)

How to Build Confidence in Street Photography

Confidence_in_Street_Photography_SlideshowDownload

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.

Know Your Why

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.

Start With Permission

Yes, we all love a good candid moment. But when you’re just getting started:

  • Break the ice
  • Build confidence
  • Start by asking permission

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.

Charisma, Conversation, and Confidence

When you’re open and charismatic:

  • People invite you into their lives
  • You have rich experiences (like lunch in a stranger’s home in East Jerusalem)
  • You create real connection before clicking the shutter

The camera becomes your excuse to connect.

Use body language. Smile. Compliment something specific. Let your guard down. Be human.

Create Personal Challenges

Try this:

  • Photograph 5 strangers today
  • Give 5 Instax prints
  • Make eye contact
  • Be playful, be present

Photography is daily courage training.

It’s not about being fearless. It’s about shooting despite the fear.

Physical vs. Emotional Closeness

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.

Handle Confrontation with Grace

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.

The World Is a Playground

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 Joy of the Instax Camera

The Instax is a secret weapon:

  • Breaks language and cultural barriers
  • Makes photography a gift
  • Opens doors, hearts, and homes

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.

Share Your Work In Person

Social media? Meh.

  • Join a photography group
  • Print your photos
  • Make sketchbooks and zines
  • Share what inspires you with others

Confidence grows when people respond to your real work, in real life.

Photos are meant to be shared in person.

Limit Your Gear

Use one camera. One lens. That’s it.

  • Cuts out decision fatigue
  • Makes you more decisive
  • Builds muscle memory

Less gear = more intuition = better photographs

Walk Alone

Leave your phone. Just walk.

  • Find your rhythm
  • Build solitude
  • Engage with the street on your terms

Solitude breeds confidence.

Confidence From Curiosity

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.

Final Thoughts

  • Use an Instax camera
  • Ask for permission
  • Walk alone
  • Embrace childlike curiosity
  • Limit your gear
  • Share your work in person

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.

Sophocles – The Three Theban Plays

The Three Theban Plays by Sophocles

Translated by Robert Fagles
Penguin Classics Edition

1. Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex)

Summary

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.

Key Characters

  • Oedipus – King of Thebes; unknowingly fulfills a prophecy to kill his father and marry his mother.
  • Jocasta – Queen of Thebes, wife and mother to Oedipus.
  • Creon – Jocasta’s brother; serves as Oedipus’s brother-in-law and advisor.
  • Tiresias – Blind prophet who knows the truth.
  • Laius – Former king of Thebes, Oedipus’s father, whom Oedipus kills unknowingly.
  • Shepherd/Messenger – Knows of Oedipus’s true origins.

Themes & Wisdom

  • Fate vs. Free Will – You may try to escape fate, but doing so may fulfill it.
  • Blindness and Insight – True vision requires inner sight; Oedipus sees clearly only after blinding himself.
  • The Danger of Pride (Hubris) – Oedipus’s pride in his intellect blinds him to truth.

Moral Lessons

  • Humility before the mysteries of life is essential.
  • Seeking truth has consequences—sometimes painful, but necessary for growth.
  • Tragedy can be a form of awakening.

2. Oedipus at Colonus

Summary

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.

Key Characters

  • Oedipus – Now a blind outcast, seeking peace before death.
  • Antigone – Loyal daughter and guide to Oedipus.
  • Ismene – Oedipus’s other daughter; brings news from Thebes.
  • Theseus – King of Athens; noble and just, he grants sanctuary to Oedipus.
  • Creon – Tries to forcibly bring Oedipus back to Thebes.
  • Polynices – Oedipus’s son, seeking his father’s blessing for war.

Themes & Wisdom

  • Redemption through Suffering – Oedipus finds dignity in death after a life of pain.
  • Sanctuary and Hospitality – Athens represents justice and kindness.
  • Sacred Death – Death is not an end, but a divine transformation.

Moral Lessons

  • Time and suffering can lead to spiritual clarity.
  • True nobility lies not in birth or power, but in character.
  • Forgiveness is powerful, but some betrayals go beyond pardon.

3. Antigone

Summary

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.

Key Characters

  • Antigone – Daughter of Oedipus, stands for divine justice and familial loyalty.
  • Creon – King of Thebes, represents state law and authority.
  • Ismene – Antigone’s sister, cautious and law-abiding.
  • Haemon – Creon’s son, in love with Antigone; tries to reason with his father.
  • Tiresias – Blind prophet who warns Creon.
  • Eurydice – Creon’s wife; takes her own life after Haemon dies.

Themes & Wisdom

  • Divine Law vs. Human Law – True justice transcends human authority.
  • Individual Conscience vs. Authority – Moral integrity requires courage.
  • Tragic Stubbornness – Creon’s rigid pride leads to downfall.

Moral Lessons

  • Respect for the divine and natural law is paramount.
  • Pride and power without wisdom lead to ruin.
  • Sometimes, doing the right thing means standing alone.

Final Reflection

These three plays form a complete arc:

  1. Oedipus’s fall (Oedipus the King),
  2. His path to redemption (Oedipus at Colonus),
  3. And the legacy of his children (Antigone).

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.

Embody the mythic archetype of The Creator God

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.

My Spartan Training is at a crescendo point

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.

Economy

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

How to Build Confidence in Street Photography

How to Build Confidence in Street Photography 📸

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.

Be on the Front Lines of Life

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.

What It Takes

  • Confidence
  • Courage
  • Shoulders open
  • Head up
  • Chest open
  • A pep in your step

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.

There’s No One Way

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.”

The Best Tip for Beginners

If you want to make better photos, work on becoming a more confident photographer.

Practical tip:
Pick up an Instax camera.

Why?

  • You can go up to strangers.
  • Ask for permission.
  • Make a portrait.
  • Gift them a print.

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.

Why It Works

  • Builds trust
  • Makes social engagement easier
  • Helps you practice confrontation
  • Gives you purpose
  • Deepens your connection with your subject

In a digital world where we’re more disconnected than ever, this kind of face-to-face interaction is powerful.

Reframe Confrontation

“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.

The Gift of the Print

When I travel, I always carry an Instax camera.
I gift prints to people I meet — and through that gift, I’m invited into:

  • Homes
  • Mosques
  • Tea ceremonies
  • Conversations

“The camera becomes the passport to the world.”

You learn about culture.
You learn about life.
And most of all — you connect.

Final Thoughts

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

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