Michael Saylor, an influential voice in the Bitcoin community, continues to shape the narrative around cryptocurrency as a long-term store of value and an asset for corporate treasury. This post delves into Saylor’s vision for Bitcoin at $100K and the future of MicroStrategy, providing key takeaways and analysis.
The Case for Bitcoin at $100K
Scarcity as a Driving Force
Saylor underscores the unique properties of Bitcoin, particularly its finite supply:
21 Million Cap: Bitcoin is capped at 21 million coins, making it a deflationary asset.
Digital Gold: Saylor compares Bitcoin to gold, emphasizing its superior portability and verifiability.
“The moment people realize there will never be more than 21 million Bitcoin, the true value of scarcity will be understood,” says Saylor.
Institutional Adoption
Saylor highlights how growing institutional adoption drives Bitcoin’s price:
Corporate Treasury Adoption: Companies like Tesla and Square have started holding Bitcoin on their balance sheets.
Hedge Against Inflation: Institutions view Bitcoin as a hedge against the declining value of fiat currencies.
ETFs and Regulations: The approval of Bitcoin ETFs signals growing mainstream acceptance.
MicroStrategy’s Strategy with Bitcoin
From Software to Bitcoin Treasury
Saylor explains how MicroStrategy pivoted from a business intelligence software company to a Bitcoin holding company:
Asset Allocation: MicroStrategy allocates its excess cash to Bitcoin rather than holding depreciating fiat.
Leverage Strategy: The company has leveraged debt to acquire Bitcoin, with Saylor defending this strategy as a bet on the long-term appreciation of Bitcoin.
“We see Bitcoin as digital property,” Saylor asserts. “It’s the ultimate asset for a company looking to preserve shareholder value over decades.”
Long-Term Vision
Saylor envisions MicroStrategy as a hybrid organization:
Software Business: Its core enterprise intelligence business continues to provide steady revenue.
Bitcoin Holdings: Bitcoin serves as a strategic reserve asset, enhancing the company’s balance sheet.
Key Predictions for Bitcoin’s Future
Bitcoin at $100K
Saylor projects that Bitcoin will surpass $100,000 per coin due to:
Mass Adoption: Individuals, corporations, and governments adopting Bitcoin.
Network Effect: As more people join the Bitcoin network, its value increases exponentially.
Store of Value: Bitcoin’s role as a store of value will cement its position as a “savings technology.”
Global Financial Revolution
Saylor predicts Bitcoin will fundamentally reshape the global financial system:
Decentralized Economy: A shift away from centralized fiat systems.
Financial Inclusion: Bitcoin enables billions of unbanked individuals to participate in the global economy.
Disruption of Gold: Bitcoin will replace gold as the leading store of value.
Challenges Ahead
Regulatory Uncertainty
Saylor acknowledges potential regulatory headwinds but remains optimistic:
Clarity is Key: Clear regulations will encourage institutional investment.
Global Coordination: Countries must align policies to foster innovation while addressing concerns like money laundering.
Volatility
Bitcoin’s price volatility remains a hurdle for mainstream adoption:
Patience is Required: Saylor compares Bitcoin’s early years to the Internet’s nascent stage.
Focus on Long-Term Trends: He advises focusing on the decade-scale trajectory rather than short-term fluctuations.
Learning from Saylor’s Vision
Why Bitcoin Matters
Saylor’s insights reinforce Bitcoin’s importance as a technological breakthrough:
Store of Value: Bitcoin protects wealth from inflation.
Digital Property: Bitcoin democratizes access to property ownership.
Technological Innovation: Its blockchain infrastructure underpins a new era of trustless financial systems.
Practical Takeaways
Hodl Strategy: Treat Bitcoin as a long-term investment, not a speculative trade.
Stay Educated: Keep learning about Bitcoin and blockchain technology.
Be Patient: The journey to $100K and beyond will require time and resilience.
“Bitcoin isn’t just an asset; it’s a movement toward financial freedom,” says Saylor.
Final Thoughts
Michael Saylor’s unwavering belief in Bitcoin’s potential highlights its transformative power in finance and beyond. His strategies for MicroStrategy offer a blueprint for individuals and corporations looking to navigate the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency. As Bitcoin approaches $100K, it’s clear that the revolution Saylor envisions is just beginning.
Stay tuned for more insights as Bitcoin continues to make history.
What’s popping, people? It’s Dante, getting my morning started off here in the Symposium. Welcome, welcome. This is the Pavilion in the Trees—a place I love to be.
Today’s topic: health. Health is wealth and what that means to me.
Health and Vitality as an Artist
As an artist and a photographer, focusing on my vitality is what allows me to cultivate curiosity. Waking up well-rested, eager to start the day, and catching the sunrise—that, to me, is success.
“Increasing my curiosity by 1% each day is my ultimate goal. To achieve this, I must focus on health and vitality at the forefront.”
Health puts life into perspective. I’m simply grateful to:
Walk freely.
Breathe in fresh air.
Drink clean water.
Have clothes that protect me in winter.
Rest in a warm bed each night.
These simple things remind me how much wealth I already have through health.
Gratitude and the Finite Nature of Life
At the end of life, you can acquire all the material things, but what really matters? To me, it’s the ability to wake up in the morning and have another chance at life.
“Any day could be your last. Maybe it’s best to focus on the simple fact that we have another chance—another day.”
We are bound by gravity, creatures of flesh who bleed and will die. But each day we wake up, we have another shot, and that’s wealth in itself.
Fasting: A Path to Clarity and Strength
I learned about fasting during my time volunteering with a Palestinian family in Jericho. It was Ramadan, and we fasted all day and feasted at night. That clarity I felt while fasting stayed with me.
Two years ago, I started taking fasting seriously—removing breakfast and lunch and eating just one meal a day. The results?
More energy
Improved health
A clear connection between mind and body
“The gut is more intelligent than the brain, and as an artist working with spontaneity, having strong intuition is critical.”
There’s also a spiritual component to fasting—something primal. I remember the Eid al-Adha day of sacrifice in Jericho. We fasted, slaughtered goats, and then feasted at night. That gratitude for food, for life itself, was profound.
Now, I only eat meat in the evening. It fuels me with abundance, with energy, and with power. Honestly, I feel healthier than ever.
The Problem With Modern Food
When I was a kid, I’d eat one Oreo, then the whole sleeve. These foods are designed to addict us. But here’s the thing:
You can’t blame corporations.
You can’t blame the food.
You have to take control of your life.
“If you view health as the ultimate sign of wealth, the decisions you make each day will be different.”
You’ll avoid junk food, skip sugary sodas, and instead fuel your body with protein, fat, and nutrients that give you vitality. Feeling low on energy is the ultimate defeat, and I refuse to accept that.
Extremes Over Moderation
Moderation doesn’t work for me. I’m an extreme person, and I want extreme health and extreme vitality. For me, the carnivore diet and fasting have honed my everyday life into something supreme.
“The ultimate way to live life is by maximizing joy. And to maximize joy, you must maximize your health.”
Take Control of Your Life
If this inspires just one person to stop eating junk food, start fasting, and take control of their health, it would make my day. Don’t let sugar and processed food poison you.
Instead:
Focus on increasing vitality.
Go to bed as if it’s your last night.
Wake up feeling grateful for another chance.
“If I were to die tonight in my sleep, so be it. But if I wake up tomorrow, full of health, vitality, and power—let’s go.”
Recognize That Health Is Wealth
Health is wealth. It’s about feeling good, knowing your family is healthy, and waking up each day full of vitality. For me, it’s the ability to walk out my door and feel good—physically, mentally, and spiritually.
“With health at the forefront, everything else falls into place.”
Walker Evans is a name synonymous with the documentation of American life during the 20th century. His work transcends time, offering viewers a lens into the everyday lives of ordinary people. One of his most compelling bodies of work comes from his series of subway portraits, a revolutionary approach to candid street photography that influenced generations of photographers. Let’s explore the significance of Evans’ subway series, his impact on street photography, and how he managed to create these evocative images.
The Subway Series: Capturing Unfiltered Humanity
Walker Evans’ subway portraits, primarily shot between 1938 and 1941, remain one of the most iconic projects in the history of street photography. These portraits were taken secretly, capturing passengers as they traveled on the New York City subway. The result was a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the faces of everyday people.
Evans sought authenticity. He wanted to photograph individuals as they truly were, without the self-consciousness that often accompanies being in front of a camera. His subjects ranged from the working class to children, to immigrants, offering a mosaic of life in mid-20th century New York.
The series was later published in his 1966 book Many Are Called, which presented these subway photographs alongside text by James Agee. The title emphasized the universal nature of the human condition, highlighting the anonymity and vulnerability of city life.
A Revolutionary Approach to Street Photography
Walker Evans’ subway portraits were a pioneering effort in street photography for several reasons:
Candidness and Authenticity: Evans captured people in unguarded moments, free from any performative behavior. This approach set a precedent for the candid nature of modern street photography.
Use of Concealed Equipment: To avoid detection, Evans used a small 35mm Contax camera, hidden under his coat. He attached a cable release to the camera, allowing him to take photographs discreetly. This technique was revolutionary for its time and demonstrated the lengths to which Evans went to preserve the natural behavior of his subjects.
A Focus on the Everyman: While street photography often seeks dramatic moments or aesthetic compositions, Evans celebrated the mundane. His portraits emphasized the beauty and dignity of everyday people, providing a deeper, more emotional connection.
A New Perspective on Public Spaces: Evans transformed the subway into a stage, where each commuter became an actor in the silent theater of urban life. This perspective encouraged future photographers to explore the emotional depth of public spaces.
The Impact on Street Photography
Walker Evans’ subway portraits reshaped how photographers approached candid photography in public spaces. Here’s how his work continues to influence the genre:
Pioneering Discretion: Evans’ hidden-camera technique inspired later photographers, like Helen Levitt and Garry Winogrand, to explore methods of capturing candid moments without interfering with their subjects.
Empathy Through Observation: Evans’ focus on the unvarnished realities of life influenced street photographers to seek emotional authenticity over dramatic scenes.
A Democratic Vision: By photographing ordinary people in ordinary settings, Evans democratized street photography, proving that every subject has a story worth telling.
Technical Innovation: His creative use of hidden equipment foreshadowed modern techniques like shooting from the hip or using compact, discreet cameras like the Ricoh GR series.
The Legacy of Walker Evans
Walker Evans’ subway portraits are a testament to the power of street photography as a medium for truth-telling. By capturing unguarded moments in the lives of strangers, Evans revealed the quiet poetry of urban life. His work reminds us that even the most mundane settings can be filled with beauty and emotion, provided we take the time to look closely.
Today, Evans’ influence can be seen in the work of countless street photographers who aim to capture the world as it is—unposed, unfiltered, and profoundly human. His subway portraits continue to inspire, reminding us of the power of observation and the endless stories that unfold in public spaces.
Key Takeaways
Evans’ subway portraits celebrate authenticity and the beauty of ordinary life.
He pioneered hidden-camera techniques to capture candid moments.
His work profoundly shaped street photography, emphasizing emotional truth and democratic representation.
Walker Evans didn’t just document life—he revealed it. His subway series serves as a timeless reminder of the power of photography to connect us with the humanity around us.
What’s popping people? It’s Dante. This morning started off here in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, as I headed to work at the Horticulture Center. My job? Tending plants, clearing land, pruning, deadheading, planting, shoveling dirt—getting my hands dirty.
Today, I thought about this idea: designing your life. What does it mean to design your life, and why does it matter?
A Life of Curiosity and Exploration
I’ve always been a curious person, someone who loves to explore. I’ve traveled the world, volunteered on a kibbutz in Israel, worked with farmers landscaping, gardening, milking cows. I’ve spent time with a Palestinian family at their hostel, where I shared meals of hummus, eggs, dates, chicken, pigeon, rice, and potatoes. After breakfast and family time, I’d work on my personal photography.
I even spent time in Zambia as a Peace Corps volunteer in aquaculture, learning fish farming. I love being physical—gardening, farming, landscaping. I love seeing the world change and grow, knowing I had a hand in it.
Self-Sufficiency and Unconventional Paths
“The experiences we have along the journey in life are ultimately what we’ll look back on before our deep sleep of death—not the things we’ve acquired.”
In my 20s, I followed an unconventional path. I spent most of the decade volunteering without pay and working on my personal photography. I was self-sufficient—washing clothes by hand, cooking over fire, slaughtering chickens and goats, digging fish ponds, and learning new languages like Ichi Bemba.
I integrated myself into communities and tribes, experiencing life in its rawest form. This journey might seem foolish to those who value money as the measure of success, but for me, the memories and experiences are what truly matter.
Returning to Philadelphia
Now I’m back home in Philadelphia, the city where I was born and raised. It’s been hard to find my place here, especially when it comes to work. Finding something worthy of my time—something interesting—has been a challenge.
Working in horticulture has been uplifting. It’s seasonal, so I’ve been at it since May. It’s December now, and while my time here may be temporary, it resonates deeply with me. There’s joy in the solitude, in cultivating plants, and in seeing the fruits of my labor.
At the same time, I get to work on my photography—taking macro shots of plants, enjoying nature walks, and letting my mind wander. I listen to podcasts and lectures about Bitcoin, ancient philosophy, and history while I work.
Designing My Everyday
I’ve realized that life isn’t about the money or the things you acquire. It’s about the everyday lifestyle—the process, the journey.
“If I were retired today, how would I spend my time?”
That’s the question I asked myself. The answer led me here, working in the park, creating, and learning. I’m not working for money—I’m working because I genuinely enjoy my day.
Lessons in Simplicity
Here’s the truth:
Money doesn’t define success.
Happiness comes from joy in the process.
Invest your time wisely.
For me, it’s not about maximizing income but about maximizing creativity, learning, and flourishing.
“Design your life in a way that allows you to learn, grow, create, and flourish.”
What Works for Me
By designing my life around what brings me joy, I’ve found a balance: working in horticulture, enjoying nature, and creating art. This might not work for everyone, but it works for me.
Find what resonates with you. Life is too short to spend it chasing things that don’t matter.
The holidays are a perfect time to share your work as a street photographer. If you’re looking for a simple, thoughtful gift idea, here’s an approach that’s easy, affordable, and allows you to showcase your photography beautifully. Let’s dive in.
MCS Format Picture Frames These frames are inexpensive (around $23 for a 12-pack) and perfect for 4×6 prints. They allow you to either hang or prop up your photos.
4×6 Photo Paper Compatible with the SELPHY CP1500 for crisp, glossy finishes.
How to Create Your Gift
Follow these steps to turn your photos into framed gifts:
1. Print Your Photo
Connect the Canon SELPHY CP1500 to your phone via Bluetooth.
Open the Canon SELPHY app and choose a photo from your library.
Customize the print:
Add a white border.
Select the glossy finish.
Hit print and watch the printer work its magic. It’s fast and easy.
2. Prepare the Frame
Take the back of the MCS Format Picture Frame and pop out the acrylic cover.
Place your printed photo on the black backdrop included with the frame.
Secure the acrylic cover back into place.
3. Display Options
You have two ways to display your framed photo:
Hang It: Use command strips or a nail to easily hang it on the wall.
Prop It Up: Use the frame’s built-in stand to display it on a desk or shelf (though I personally prefer hanging).
Why This Makes a Great Gift
Personalized: Sharing your street photography connects your creative vision with your loved ones.
Affordable: With materials like the Canon SELPHY printer and MCS frames, you can create multiple gifts at a low cost.
Simple: The process is quick and doesn’t require professional tools or expertise.
Final Thoughts
This 4×6 framed photo idea is a fun and meaningful way to share your work. Whether it’s a photo from Mumbai, Zambia, or your local streets, these gifts carry a piece of your art.
So, grab your printer, some frames, and start creating. Happy holidays, and happy gifting!
Walker Evans’ American Photographs, first published in 1938 by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), stands as a cornerstone in the history of photobooks. This masterful work not only defined documentary photography but also cemented the photobook as an essential art form.
A Vision of America
Evans’ photographs in American Photographs offer a stark yet poetic view of the United States during the Great Depression. His work reveals a nation grappling with economic hardship, capturing the essence of American identity through storefronts, signage, rural architecture, and ordinary people.
“His images are not merely documentation but profound expressions of the cultural and social landscape of the 1930s.”
The sequencing of the photobook emphasizes his ability to balance form and content. Every image invites contemplation, leading viewers through a journey of American life with subtle narratives woven into each photograph.
The Photobook as Art
MoMA’s decision to publish American Photographs was groundbreaking. By presenting Evans’ images in book form, they elevated photography to the status of fine art. The photobook allowed for a controlled, intimate viewing experience, with each page turn revealing a new layer of Evans’ vision.
Design and Layout
The design of American Photographs is minimalist, allowing Evans’ work to speak for itself. The book is split into two sections:
The First Section focuses on public spaces, exteriors, and the interplay between people and their environments.
The Second Section delves into the private, intimate moments, emphasizing portraits and domestic settings.
This division mirrors the duality of American life: the public and the private, the collective and the individual.
Inspiration for Future Street Photography
American Photographs profoundly influenced the evolution of street photography. Evans’ approach to capturing the mundane details of daily life—billboards, shop windows, and passersby—established a framework for observing the world with both objectivity and emotional depth.
“His ability to find beauty in the overlooked became a blueprint for future generations of photographers.”
Photographers like Robert Frank (The Americans), Lee Friedlander, and Garry Winogrand drew directly from Evans’ methods. They adopted his unflinching gaze and his fascination with the interplay of people and their environments.
Evans’ style also anticipated the spontaneous, candid nature of street photography that emerged in the mid-20th century. By showing that the ordinary could be extraordinary, he opened the door for a genre that thrives on the unpredictability of life.
The Significance of American Photographs
The significance of American Photographs extends far beyond its historical context. It reshaped how photography was perceived—not as mere documentation, but as an art form capable of revealing profound truths about society.
“Evans captured not just a moment in time but the enduring spirit of a nation.”
Through his lens, America’s struggles, resilience, and identity are immortalized. His work challenged viewers to see the world differently, highlighting the dignity of the ordinary and the complexity of seemingly simple scenes.
Evans’ photographs also serve as a time capsule, preserving the textures, faces, and structures of a bygone era. Yet, their themes—poverty, community, and the tension between progress and tradition—remain universally relevant.
Timeless Relevance
More than 80 years later, American Photographs remains profoundly relevant. Its influence extends beyond photography into contemporary art, design, and visual storytelling.
“To see Walker Evans’ photographs is to see America itself.”
Photographers today continue to draw inspiration from his ability to find beauty in the mundane and significance in the overlooked. His work reminds us that every street corner, every face, and every detail tells a story worth preserving.
Legacy and Impact
The Museum of Modern Art has continued to honor Evans’ legacy with multiple reprints of American Photographs, ensuring its place in the canon of photographic literature. For anyone passionate about photography, art, or American history, this photobook is essential.
American Photographs is more than a book—it’s a lens into the soul of a country. Walker Evans didn’t just document America; he helped define it.
“His work laid the foundation for generations of photographers to come, proving that the ordinary can be extraordinary.”
The Christmas Light Show at Macy’s Center City in Philadelphia is a cherished holiday tradition that has delighted audiences since 1956. Hosted in the historic Wanamaker Building, the 2024 show runs daily from November 29 through December 31, with performances at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m.
This free event features over 100,000 LED lights creating festive scenes, accompanied by classic holiday music played on the renowned Wanamaker Organ. Visitors can enjoy illuminated snowflakes, dancing snowmen, and other holiday figures during the show.
In addition to the light show, Macy’s offers the Dickens Village, an animatronic retelling of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” located on the third floor. This immersive experience is also free but requires advance reservations, which can be made starting November 19 for dates from November 29 to December 31. Santa Claus will be available for visits in the village until December 24.
Macy’s Center City is conveniently accessible via public transportation, with nearby SEPTA stops including Jefferson Station on the Regional Rail, 13th Street Station on the Market-Frankford Line, and City Hall Station on the Broad Street Line. Several public parking options are also available in the vicinity.
For the most current information and to make reservations for the Dickens Village and Santa visits, please visit Macy’s official holiday celebrations page.
What’s up, people? It’s Dante, walking around Philly with my Ricoh GR3, filming with the GoPro Mini at 1080p, 30fps—exported to 720p for that crispy HD. Just thought I’d share some thoughts while I wander.
Recognizing Mortality
Every day, I wake up and remind myself: I’m human, just flesh and blood. One day, I’m gonna die. Life is short. And instead of that being some sad, heavy thing, I see it as motivation—a reason to get out there and live fully.
“When you wake up knowing life is finite, it changes how you move. You start thinking: What will I do today? Who will I meet? What will I create?”
This perspective forces me to treat every day like it’s my last. Stepping out the door becomes an adventure, a chance to embrace the beauty of the unknown.
Photography as a Passport
For me, photography isn’t just about taking pictures—it’s my excuse to experience life.
“This little camera—it’s like a passport, a reason to explore the world, to see more, to create more.”
It’s about getting out there, into the strife and chaos, and capturing the rawness of life. Using photography as an excuse lets me connect with the world in ways I wouldn’t otherwise.
Thinking About the Archive
When you realize you’re going to die, it changes how you think about your work. What happens to your archive when you’re gone?
Are you gonna leave it all on Instagram or some hard drive somewhere? Then someone’s stuck pulling a crappy JPEG from your account after you’re gone? That’s not for me.
I’ve started backing up everything—Google Photos, cloud storage, open-source files—just making sure it’s all preserved.
“Artists face this ultimate conundrum: What happens to your work after you die?”
We might not have all the answers, but while we’re here, we can do what we can to protect and share our creations.
Focus on the Now
Thinking about mortality has taught me to focus on what’s in front of me. The power is in the now.
“Stop wasting time on TV, gossip, celebrities, or other people’s business. Who cares about all that? Focus on yourself. Focus on the moment in front of you.”
Life feels more grounded when you remember that you’re human and will die one day. It’s not something to fear—it’s something that pushes you to live.
Go Demigod
Yeah, we’re flesh and blood, but that doesn’t mean we can’t push ourselves.
“You can still push yourself—go demigod with it. Strengthen your body, eat good food, do the things that make you feel alive.”
Maybe we’ll live to 120. Who knows? But at the end of the day, we’re human, built of flesh. And that’s what makes life beautiful.
Currently getting the morning started with a nature hike in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, I’ve been thinking about snapshot photography and why you should give it a try.
What is Snapshot Photography?
Snapshot photography, to me, is about simplicity, spontaneity, and authenticity. For the past two years, I’ve been using cameras like the Ricoh GR III and GR IIIx to shoot in high-contrast black and white with small JPEG files. Everything is automated: the P mode ensures that settings like exposure and processing are baked directly into the camera. This eliminates the need for post-processing and allows me to focus solely on the act of creating.
“By making a photograph and clicking the shutter, I’m saying yes to life itself.”
This approach isn’t about precision or technical mastery—it’s about letting the camera work for you and embracing imperfections. Snapshot photography is democratic and accessible to anyone, stripping away the barriers often associated with traditional photography.
Why I Love Snapshot Photography
Here are some of the reasons why I’ve embraced this process of making pictures:
It’s democratic. Anyone can pick up a camera, use automatic mode, and create something beautiful without needing extensive technical knowledge.
It affirms life. Having a compact camera on me, like the Ricoh GR III, reminds me to embrace and appreciate the world around me.
It’s freeing. With everything baked into the camera, I don’t need to worry about tweaking settings or editing later.
It’s about curiosity. The act of creating photographs increases my curiosity and brings me closer to life itself.
“Through the snapshot approach, I’m slowing down and letting life flow toward me, prepared with my camera to press the shutter.”
Photography as a Way of Life
In a world full of distractions and endless consumption, creating something—like photographs—is a powerful way to spend your time. Treat photography like a visual diary, a self-portrait of your soul reflecting how you perceive the world around you.
“It has nothing to do with making a great photograph but simply sharing your journey through life itself.”
By disconnecting from the outcome and focusing on the process, photography becomes a joyful act of creation. For me, it’s not about the photographs themselves—it’s about life.
Embracing Play and Impermanence
Photography doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need to master compositional rules or perfect exposure. Instead, embrace the spirit of play:
Point and shoot.
Move your body with curiosity.
Let the camera do the work.
Focus on the journey, not the result.
“To me, it’s all about increasing curiosity, having fun, and enjoying the journey of life itself.”
Life is fleeting and full of change—like the foggy morning light casting shadows on the trees or the flowing river. Snapshot photography allows me to embrace this impermanence and channel the spontaneous nature of life.
The Power of Snapshot Photography
It makes life more joyful. Disconnecting from social media and external validation has freed me to create purely for myself.
It brings meaning. The act of creating photographs helps me affirm life and connect with the world around me.
It’s liberating. By remaining an amateur and treating photography as play, I’ve become a happier, more curious artist.
“Through snapshot photography, we can live on through the work we create, giving our lives deeper meaning.”
At the end of the day, whatever brings you happiness is worth pursuing. For me, embracing the snapshot aesthetic has been transformative. It’s a joyful, freeing, and meaningful way to approach life.
“Simply affirm life through the click of the shutter.”
What’s poppin’, people? It’s Dante, and I’m here to share a quick tip for anyone using the Ricoh GRIIIx (or GRIII) to simplify your street photography workflow. This one’s all about snapshotting with speed, ease, and precision. Let’s dive in.
The Setup
Camera: Ricoh GRIIIx (works with the GRIII too).
Mode: P mode.
Snap Focus: Set to infinity.
Image Style: Small JPEG file with high-contrast black and white cranked to the maximum.
Exposing for Highlights: With highlight-weighted metering, the camera exposes for the brightest areas in your frame.
When you point the camera at a glowing scene, the highlights pop while the shadows stay dark.
Locking the Exposure:
Point your camera to a darker area (e.g., the street or sidewalk).
Half-press the shutter to lock the exposure.
Recompose by pointing back to your subject or scene and fully press the shutter to capture the photo.
Why It Works: This technique allows you to quickly adjust exposure without relying on aperture, shutter speed, or fiddling with the exposure compensation lever. It’s fast, efficient, and keeps you in the flow.
Snapshooting in Action
When you’re on the streets, speed is everything. Let’s say you see a subject walking quickly:
Step 1: Point the camera at the ground or a shadowed area.
Step 2: Half-press to lock the exposure.
Step 3: Recompose to your subject and take the shot.
It’s that simple, and it lets you focus more on capturing the moment instead of fumbling with settings.
Why Snapshotting Rocks
Snapshotting is about freedom and spontaneity. It’s my go-to method for:
Creating dynamic, unplanned compositions.
Capturing scenes without overthinking.
Embracing the fun and loose nature of photography.
For example, I’ve used this approach to photograph foggy construction sites, bustling streets in Rome, and even rooftops in Baltimore. The simplicity of the technique lets me stay in the moment and make images with ease.
Give It a Try
This method works wonders for everyday scenes, street photography, or even landscapes. Half-press, lock the exposure, and shoot. Play with it, experiment, and see how it changes your workflow.
Photography should be fun and effortless—this tip might just help you get there.
I think cold showers are great all year round, but in specific conditions like the winter time, when it’s really cold outside, taking cold showers train your body to withstand the cold conditions outside better. When you get out of the cold shower, your blood vessels constrict and dilate, which ultimately warms you up as your blood circulates.
It’s also a good mental challenge, a simple way to prepare your mind and your body for the conditions. You won’t be as shocked when you go out there into the freezing cold temperatures.
From wandering alone in the forest as a child, to skateboarding at FDR Skatepark, snowboarding down black diamond mountains, swimming with sharks, conflict photography, and living off the grid, I’ve always followed the call to adventure. A life without danger and taking risks is a life not worth living.
The Problem of Maintenance
Yesterday a coworker was talking about their car and how they had to shell out a couple hundred dollars to have the oil changed or something done to maintain the vehicle. Apparently, they still have to do more work on the car, and who knows how much this will cost. During the summer, I used to ride my bike to work, but because of the roads being so poorly kept, with trash and glass smashed everywhere, I ended up getting flat tires about two times in two weeks. I had to buy new tubes, go to the bike repair shop, and spend a couple of hours waiting, just to be able to get back out there and use my bike for transportation. Because of this, I’m no longer going to use my bike for transportation, but for leisure only, in the summer months, when I just want to get out there and listen to an audiobook or something.
These very small, simple hiccups do annoy me. It reminds me that less is more, and anything that requires maintenance is worth avoiding.
I think this is the appeal of living in a condo or an apartment, as there are people who work for the building who will come up and repair anything that breaks down immediately. For instance, if you get a clogged toilet or sink that you can’t fix on your own, you don’t need to call a plumber, as the building already has one ready to help you.
When I arrived at my mud hut in Zambia, Africa, as a Peace Corps volunteer, I got ready to take a bucket bath, boiling some hot water, and was looking for a place to hang my towel. I didn’t want to place my towel on the ground and get it dirty, so I decided to grab a rock, a nail, and hammer the nail into the wall. A piece of the brick from the wall wound up getting into my mouth somehow while I was hammering, and that small piece of brick chipped my front tooth. I lived with it for about a year, not really thinking too much of it. When I came home and went to my regular dental appointment, they suggested bonding the tooth, and I agreed. Because the bonding failed numerous times, they wound up damaging the tooth even further. Because of this, they had to put a cap on my tooth, and now I have this looming dread over my head that one day maybe it will fall off and I’ll have to get it recapped again. Honestly, I should’ve never listened and just kept the small chip, as it was simply a cosmetic issue and really does not matter.
I’m sharing this for somebody who needs to hear it: don’t do what I did, and don’t give yourself any more problems than you already have.
Bring on the Heat
Yesterday, while pruning plants at the Horticulture Center during work, I was in the zone—clipping the dead, shaping the bushes, and keeping the area clean and beautiful. The problem I’m learning during this winter month is that indoor plants require very particular temperatures to live in. The heat went out for a day or two, and the plants didn’t have the necessary temperature to survive in proper conditions. I’m noticing that many of the plants I potted are starting to die, and a few of the new ones went into shock. There are so many cracks in the glass of the greenhouse, or small gaps between the walls, where I can feel the cold winter air seeping into the area where we keep our plants.
Once it started getting really cold, my coworker and I began insulating the walls in the back area where we do lots of the potting and work with soil. We grabbed a tarp, I climbed on a ladder, and we hung the tarp in the middle of an open doorway to prevent the cold wind from blowing in from outside. It surprisingly does the job to a degree, keeping a lot of the heat in—but maybe that wasn’t enough.
The Gift of Fire
Michael Saylor is a visionary. I love the way he uses first principles to describe technology, evolution, society, money, and especially Bitcoin. He describes Satoshi as the equivalent of Prometheus, who gave fire to civilization, allowing us to advance with technology.
The Bitcoin network is like a fire in cyberspace, that will never go out, but will continuously burn for eternity.
When I consider the United States economy, especially the fiat currency that we use as a technology, I believe it’s experiencing significant heat loss. This heat loss causes the depreciation of the value of our dollar, and the growing gap between the wealthy and the poor diminishes the purchasing power of the dollar for everyday people. The system is broken, and it’s time to find the portal and create a new world!
Level Up
I’m very new to Bitcoin and only started buying at the beginning of this cycle in 2024, but after putting 100% of my money into Bitcoin, I’ve increased my gains by 50% in just a few months. This to me feels like a miracle, and it’s giving me so much hope.
It’s almost like Satoshi is Jesus, taking a small amount of bread and fish—a small amount of currency—and dividing it into 2.1 quadrillion satoshis.
Bitcoin seems like a great idea after all.
It’s almost like playing Super Mario Bros, the original one for the Game Boy or the NES. Once you get to level two and go underground, it becomes much more challenging to advance, as there are lots of pitfalls, piranha plants, spiky turtle shells, etc. However, every gamer knows that if you ride the elevator on the second level of Super Mario Bros, you can get on top of the map and simply sprint and jump over every obstacle without anyone getting in between you and the next level. Actually, when you run across the ceiling, you can access a warp zone portal that advances you into the next world, skipping so much of the gameplay and allowing the player to speedrun the game.
This is what Bitcoin feels like to me: a way to advance to the next level without having to deal with intermediaries, like the piranha plants, spiky turtles, and pitfalls of traditional investing or central banks.
Honestly, when you want to invest your money, it almost becomes a full-time job—if you want to play the stock market, learn about how to diversify your portfolio, etc. You could argue that it’s the same with learning about Bitcoin, but once you understand what Bitcoin is, you really don’t have to think about it too much.
Why should I have to pay somebody to invest my money, or why should I have to work to invest my money, when I already worked to earn it?
To me, Bitcoin makes sense because I know, with 100% certainty, if I put my money there, it will increase in value over time, as it has been engineered this way. I appreciate Bitcoin because it’s engineered, it’s a technology, it’s something that’s been designed for people to use, without the fear of it breaking.
That’s the problem with a lot of investments, especially real estate—things break, and there are things to maintain in the physical realm. However, Bitcoin requires zero maintenance—all you have to do is set it and forget it.
For instance, the central banking system could easily break. All it will take is one really intelligent hacker to shut down the computers of central banks. However, because of the power and resilience of the Bitcoin network—the hundreds of thousands of nodes across the world powering this thing—if for whatever reason the Bitcoin network were to be shut down, if all the electricity in the world was shut down, one individual with a computer and a solar panel or a generator could bring the network back to life. The power is within the hands of the people, and no one person controls the network.
Does it take some risk to take the elevator and fast travel in Super Mario Bros? Sure, if you stay on the elevator too long, you’ll die. However, if I jump off that elevator and take the perfectly engineered bridge to the warp zone, I can advance not only to the next world—1, 2, or 3—but to world 4!
Just think about that. If you invest your money in a traditional way, like the S&P 500, you’re only maintaining your money. As the money supply increases every single year and the value of the dollar depreciates, traditional investments are only a way to stop the heat loss. It’s kind of like putting on a cheap sweater from a thrift store. However, Bitcoin is like putting on a high-quality Canada Goose down jacket, with Uniqlo HeatTech tights, and alpaca wool socks.
Not only are you keeping the heat in, but you are building a fortress of warmth and protection against the elements. Just as Mario’s leap of faith from the elevator to the Warp Zone requires precision, timing, and a willingness to take a calculated risk, so does investing in Bitcoin. I’m not looking to play it safe—I’m looking to advance to the next level and take a risk.
Every morning, I start my day off with a nature hike. When I look up beyond the horizon and watch the sunrise, I remind myself how open this world is, how much there is to see, to do, and to explore. As a photographer, I find myself on the frontlines of freedom. No matter how mundane life may seem, I’m always seeking to go beyond the mundane. I believe that with an open mind, two legs, and a camera in hand, life becomes more beautiful. Maybe this modern world tries to sit us back—or literally just sit us down—in a system of conformity, of slavery, of both the mind and the body, and I seek to go beyond this, to seek simplicity, a path to freedom.
Embracing Simplicity and Self-Sufficiency
After a decade of traveling the world, I’ve come to the conclusion that I really don’t need much from this world. Everywhere I go, I simply pack a backpack with only my essentials: clothing, my camera, and a passport. I enjoy spending at least one month, three months, six months, up to a year or more in new locations while living nomadically. As a Peace Corps volunteer, I learned how to become self-sufficient by washing my clothes by hand, slaughtering chickens and goats, cooking food on the fire, drawing water from a well, and living in a mud hut.
One strange thing about me is that I’ve never owned a car and can only count on one hand the number of times I’ve actually driven. I remember there was a period in college where I would drive so that I could get groceries and stuff like that, but then I realized I could just order them on Amazon or simply walk or take the light rail in Baltimore. I enjoy having fewer possessions because I’ve realized that they wind up owning you. The more stuff you own, especially in the context of a vehicle, you wind up becoming a slave to the system, with car insurance, payment plans, and the simple fact that you’re stuck in traffic for 30 minutes to up to multiple hours per day. I do not seek to own a car and have zero desire to. I think the path to true freedom is by removing more clutter from your life, not adding unnecessary burdens to it. The car is simply not my interest in life. Most people look to increase their money so they can purchase a nicer or better car, but this means nothing to me and never has. I simply see it as a way to give yourself more headaches than you really need in life. Honestly, the more I contemplate the future, nobody is going to have to drive. There’s bound to be millions of self-automated driving Tesla cabs everywhere. Even now, I simply use the bus to get to work, or if I need an Uber in a pinch, I simply use my iPhone and hail a taxi. It feels like I’m in a video game when I call an Uber—simply clicking a button and a car arrives.
I think the biggest problem with work and life is that we simply live to make money in the hopes of spending it in the future or retiring when we’re 65 and can finally do the things we’ve always dreamt of, but we’re simply not as healthy. This, to me, is a scam and not how I want to live my life. Honestly, I just want to live my life. I only want to do things that I want to do in my life. I find that anytime I’m doing something that I genuinely am not interested in with 100% of my focus, I feel like I’m wasting time or simply not enjoying myself. If I’m not enjoying myself, if I’m not happy with my everyday life, well, this, to me, is a life of misery and dread and regret.
Reflections on Mortality
I’m currently 28 years old, and I’ve already accepted death. I’ve lived such a full life, I have zero regrets, and honestly, if I die tonight in my sleep, I would die happy and fulfilled, knowing that I did everything I dreamed of. I’m simply so excited for the next day because I know that I can go out there one more time and live my best life. I’d rather live a short life full of experiences than a long life with regret at the end of my last years. Of course, I seek to optimize my health and live as long as humanly possible because I simply just love life too much. I know how much there is out there to see, do, and explore, and I can’t get myself to stop being curious. Ultimately, at the end of our lives, we’re not going to look around at the possessions we own or the money we acquired and say, “Yes, I’m so fulfilled.” We’re most likely going to think back on our memories, our experiences that we’ve had along our journey. At the end of the day, I believe it’s the journey itself that provides meaning.
Nature, Humanity, and the Balance of Life
The reason why I love the city of Philadelphia and am so proud to be born and raised here is because we have the perfect balance between nature and society. We have so many green spaces, parks, rivers, and trails all throughout the city. I grew up with the Wissahickon Forest in my backyard in my youth, playing alone or with friends, exploring caves, building forts, climbing trees, and spending all day riding my bike on the dirt paths. I still feel like I have this inner child within me and spend a lot of my time throughout the day on the outskirts of the city, in the woods, the parks, or by the river.
As much as I have a passion for nature, I also love society and especially humanity in general. As a photographer, I believe it is my duty to uplift humanity through the photographs that I create. No matter if I’m in my hometown or on a trip to Rome, I look to make pictures of humanity—of what it means to be alive. I find that through the act of making photographs, I become closer to life itself, closer to understanding human nature, behavior, and society at large. I feel as though society is one of the greatest phenomena of modern life, and it’s a miracle that we all coexist at the same time, in this particular year, 2024. I find similarities between Philadelphia and Rome, considering the architecture, history, as well as the tourism. When I was in Rome for about two months last summer, I felt so at home, as I am a dual citizen between Italy and the United States. I absolutely love walking around these ancient streets, surrounded by beautiful people, places, and buildings. When I’m in a city full of rich history, like Philadelphia or Rome, I feel like I’m connected to something greater than myself—like I’m a part of history in the making and the societies and civilizations that have come before me.
Taking Risks and Pursuing Adventure
I’ve always been a risk taker. I remember when I was a young boy, and we all rode our bikes down the hill at Kelly Park. One after the other, we tried to jump a ramp—this little dirt mound—falling, getting back up again. I remember going to FDR Skatepark, scaling these tall, looming concrete walls with my board, falling down, scraping my knees, and continuing to push myself, taking risks.
There was this one particular instance during my travels in Israel and Palestine where I made a very quick decision—a dangerous decision—one of the biggest risks I remember taking in my life. My friend Matthew and I were photographing together, traveling the road from Jerusalem to Jericho during our time studying abroad. When we arrived at the checkpoint of Jericho, Israeli soldiers guarded the path, and fire was rising as conflict broke out. The soldiers told us that we could not enter, and so we got into a random man’s car to get us as close to the borders as possible and see if there was another way in. As we arrived at the border, we snuck through the barbed-wire fence, pushing ourselves through the desert, ducking and running, making our way to the city of Jericho as quickly as possible. As we arrived in the village, we strapped our cameras around our necks, pushing to the frontlines of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. I remember inching closer and closer during this particular conflict, getting to the frontlines of the battle, hiding behind a concrete barrier. As I stood behind this concrete barrier, I turned to the left of me as fire rose from a tire in the background, and a man with a looming and scary mask stared back at me in the foreground. I pressed the shutter, made the photograph, and returned to Jerusalem the next day.
There are countless stories like this amongst my journey traveling the world, but this one, in particular, was one of the most powerful and dangerous experiences with the most risk involved. What I realized is, the more the risk, the more the reward. For instance, this photograph that I made, as I reflect on all of my past work, is honestly probably my best photograph of all time. I remember continuously going back, traveling the road from Jerusalem to Jericho time and time again, feeling so alive each time my body descended to this low-elevation city. Your ears would pop, and the sight in front of you was so vast and wide as you looked out towards the Dead Sea and the Jordanian mountain range. I spent so much time here amongst a group of brothers, sleeping on the floors of mosques, and even taking day trips to the top of the Wadi Qelt mountain range with a family who shared tea and coffee with me, dancing and singing on the top of the mountain.
The experiences we have will always be more important than the possessions we acquire along our journey of life.
Questioning Modern Systems
Why do we work 40 hours a week? When I consider hunter-gatherers, they would probably just spend a couple of hours out there getting the things they need, like food or water, and then for the rest of the week, just relax by the campfire with their family. I feel as though we live this very hustle, work-hard, productive way of life that doesn’t make sense to me. We prioritize productivity and being busy worker bees over things that matter in life, such as family, sharing stories, and experiencing life in general. We sacrifice all of our time in the modern world, in the present moment, in hopes for a better future, but in reality, this is merely an illusion. You could die tomorrow and still have not lived today. The point is, I want to live fully each day, knowing I’m doing things that I actually want to do.
Of course, you need to work, and I’m not saying that we shouldn’t. I’m just trying to challenge these modern societal norms that we’ve decided upon, which, in my opinion, is self-slavery. Not only are we slaves of the mind, believing we have to conform to the way Hollywood, the media, or the news tells us, but we also become enslaved in the body, confined to the four corners of a room, caged in like zoo animals in this beautiful open world. The trend towards spending time indoors, sacrificing your physical health by sitting on your butt, miserable, for the pursuit of money, to me, is a fool’s life.
I find it funny that we have to jump through so many hoops just to have a piece of meat and a place to sleep at night. When I consider the Native Americans that dwelled in Philadelphia before me, they didn’t believe that anybody but God owned the land. Then some guys with top hats came, gave the Native Americans some gold coins or whatever—maybe even some paper—and said, “Hey, this is ours now,” built some trains, some beautiful buildings, and infrastructure, and created the system that we currently live in today. Once again, I’m not saying that we need to go back to being Native Americans living in the woods or whatever; I’m just challenging the fact that this way of life is not natural. It’s not natural to sit inside all day. It’s not natural to take orders all day. What’s natural is being out in the world, exploring, spending time with people you love, and living life in a way that aligns with both nature and your passions in life.
Critique of Consumerism and Financial Systems
Even if you own land or a property, you don’t technically own it 100%. You’re still paying taxes to the United States government. I find that these systems we adopt, like credit cards, are another thing that enslaves us. We wind up having money loaned to us, thinking that the banks are cutting us a deal, when they’re actually just keeping you a slave to their system. The more that you’re spending credit, the more you’re a slave to the system. I don’t use credit cards, and when I go to stores and want to purchase something, the only times I go out and actually buy anything is once per week when I have a bowl of Vietnamese pho, and I always spend cash. Not to mention, these restaurants only accept cash, and I understand why—because they actually want to keep their money and not have to give it to the government. The Vietnamese are very clever.
The more I learn about Bitcoin, the more I realize it might just be the only thing in the universe that you can truly own with 100% certainty. It’s a place to store your time and energy. Bitcoin is not necessarily a thing that you would adopt so that you can get rich quick, but to me, it is a path of freedom and autonomy, disconnecting from the system at large. If I’m spending hard days laboring physically and mentally to acquire fiat currency that will depreciate in value over time, and I do not want to spend it, well, then I might as well store it in a place that will preserve that time and energy for me in the future. My current plan is to store 90% of my money in Bitcoin and then use the extra 10% to actually live my life. This way, if I want to go for a trip somewhere, I will simply use that money to experience things, to travel places, to spend a month or two here and there, to work on my art and my photography. I’m not going to spend my money buying shit that I don’t need but simply store it in an immutable place—in Bitcoin—a place that I can trust with no intermediary between me and my capital.
Breaking Free
So my ultimate goal in life is to be free. Is this not a simple idea? I don’t understand the idea of playing life safe, living by the rules, and doing things the same way as everybody else. For instance, why do we subscribe to these bullshit services like Netflix, Hulu, or whatever other subscription services there are? It seems like the only subscription service worth having is for ChatGPT, as it actually provides value in your life. My goal is to disconnect and break free from the system so that I can go and live my best life. I don’t want to live my life simply to make money. I want to do things that I love in my everyday life.
For instance, working in horticulture at my seasonal job is so freeing. I get to spend time in solitude, working in a park, surrounded by beautiful plants, engaging in contemplation, reading, writing, and making art. I’m actually spending my time during the day in fresh air while simultaneously making money. To me, there’s no other job that I can personally see myself doing. I have learned over the years through experiences such as volunteering on a kibbutz, working on farms, doing aquaculture in Africa, milking cows, tending gardens, and landscaping, that I’m a very physical person. I prefer to live a very simple life, working in nature, making less money, than spending my entire day locked away in a cage making $100,000 per year. Again, the goal is absolute freedom—freedom of your mind, your body, and your time.
Health, Pain, and Listening to the Body
I currently have lower back pain, but it’s a clear sign that I did something wrong in the gym. I find pain to be the ultimate teacher in life. I was hanging from my pull-up bar, thinking about how long I could last, testing my grip strength, and whatever. However, my finger was strained the next day, and my lower back is in pain. Because of this, I’m practicing yoga more, trying to align my spine once again. I think that your body is like a temple and that aligning it and putting things into place each morning and before you go to bed at night brings peace.
For instance, I think a lot of bodily pain leads to anxiety or even disease. When I consider the spinal cord, the nervous system, and the connection between our mind and our body, simple things like lower back pain can impede the way you think and feel throughout the day. Maybe it’ll make you more anxious, and having bad sleep will make you feel a little bit angrier the next day. So for this, I listen to pain and let it guide me. I know that I need to take rests, to not go so hard, to slow down, and to align my mind and body through simple practices like stretching.
Spirituality and Trust in God
About a year ago, I was working as a photographer and was absolutely miserable. I didn’t like having to go to an office, check my email, be on call, and work on projects I did not care about. I thought to myself, “Will I live this way for the rest of my life?” And the answer was absolutely not. Because of this, I took a year off from working, had trust in God, and listened to my soul in silence. What happened was, as I decided to leave this job, I became closer with God. By walking alone on nature paths each day, I became more aligned and in tune with who I am.
This journey led me to return to Rome, as I began to pray more. I spent maybe every single day praying in churches while also working on my photography. To me, it was a spiritual journey of enlightenment that brought me to Rome. I find that by listening to God, you can align yourself with how you must be in life. I’ll never forget spending my time in the gardens in Rome, realizing how much I love nature, and how, when I returned, I must work in some capacity in nature. Now I’m working in horticulture, spending my days in gardens, and absolutely loving my life. I believe there is something about this journey—of disconnecting from modern societal expectations of what you should be doing with your life—and just putting your trust in God.
Confronting Truth and Seeking Freedom
As I became more critical about how I am and how I would like to spend my time during the day, I decided that I cannot just make photographs for a living. Frankly, I can’t just focus on photography throughout the entirety of my day. I can’t spend all of my time walking the streets, as the chaos can become overwhelming. I decided to design my life in a way where I can practice something else besides photography—that being horticulture, which, to me, is an art form besides photography.
I needed that time at the beginning of my days in solitude and peace because that’s just what I need. I have no other way of explaining it other than understanding that this is the way I am. Speaking of needs, maybe we need to need less, because the more that we need in life, the more desires we have, the less free we become. I find that by being content with what I have, without seeking more, I am on the path of freedom. I feel like I had to confront the truth of who I am to embrace authenticity. By disconnecting from social media, comment sections, and feedback, I no longer need external validation for anything I do in life. I do not need praise, and I do not seek it. To me, this is also a path of freedom, as I can focus on my true and honest curiosities without the need to impress other people. If anything, I seek to impress myself with the things I do in life. My goal is to take charge of my life as a leader of my own life, eternally growing each and every day.
Philosophy of Life
The meaning of life is in the process itself. For me, as a photographer, the meaning of life isn’t to make the best pictures. The goal of a photographer is to continue making pictures without any attachments to the outcome. As long as I’m curious and waking up each day with openness, I consider myself successful. I think that you shouldn’t have to ask what the meaning of life is. You just know that you’ve found it when you find it. There’s really no way of explaining it.
Maybe we can live our lives like it’s our own odyssey, our own journey of coming home. But I feel as though it’s on a more metaphorical front, where I’m not necessarily coming home physically, but mentally, into my essence—into who I truly am. Through photography, exploration, creation, writing, reading, and thinking, I become closer to myself, my soul, and the photographs I make become a reflection of that. I seek to understand who I am by coming home into my essence. My goals are to make photo books, of course; I do seek some sort of outcome from my photographic process. But this does not keep me up at night. It’s simply not my concern. My concern is curiosity, creation, and remaining in the spirit of play.
Observations on Modern Society
Why are people so serious these days? Yesterday, I saw this lady with pink hair walking down the street with a shirt that said “Kill All Men.” Could you imagine if I walked around with a shirt that said “Kill All Christians”? You could tell that she was serious about wearing it too, because she looked so pissed off at the world around her, marching with such a serious and stern stride.
We’ve become so divided from one another, and maybe we just generally have a lot of mental illness in modern society? Just think of the television and the amount of pharmaceutical commercials that pop up every single time. Or think back to when you were in public school, in high school, and the amount of students that were prescribed ADHD pills just to keep them still. Maybe a lot of people are medicated, and because of this, you will see mental illness on display throughout the streets. I’m not really sure what we can do about this, but just laugh in the face of chaos and embrace it openly. As much as I love society, I can’t help but recognize these flaws and strange things in human behavior.
Onwards and Upwards
As I walk along the trail towards the Philadelphia Museum of Art, I contemplate freedom and what that means. If I were to step to my left, I would fall into the river and drown. If I go right, I’ll get hit by a train and die. However, if I continue on the straight and narrow path, onwards and upwards to the cliffside behind the museum, a beautiful vista awaits. A view of the horizon and the sun shines upon the cliff for me to gaze out. And when I stand there, I feel unbounded, unburdened by modern society, by the chaos, and all of the noise. I feel connected to something greater, something larger than life itself, that keeps me pushing onwards and upwards to freedom.
What’s popping, people? It’s Dante. I got my morning started with a nature hike—my absolute favorite way to begin the day. Peace and solitude, man. This is where I thrive.
I’m just snapshotting my way through life, thinking about how to make better photos. The secret? Just point and shoot. Shout out to Daniel in Mexico City—you know the deal. Just point and shoot. I’m showing you the way, man.
The Eternal Now
The ultimate goal in life, for me, is to increase curiosity. Waking up each day eager to explore, eager to get the day started. I don’t like to delay. The moment I wake up, I want to get outside. Being inside? That’s where my soul slowly dies. Outside? That’s where I thrive.
When I’m moving my physical body, I exist outside the passage of time. Sure, we have a past and a future, but when you’re in the act of creating—whether it’s making photos, writing, reading, or doing something physical—you exist in the eternal now. That’s where freedom lives: in open spaces, with a clear mind and an unobstructed horizon.
Maybe the meaning of life doesn’t need to be questioned. Maybe it comes to you through the process of living—through creating, moving, and coming closer to life itself. Meaning finds you when you’re immersed in the moment.
The Problem with Cars
This morning, my bus was late, so I called an Uber. The driver? Distracted. Checking his phone, emails, texts. His laggy GPS took us off course, extending the ride. And as usual, I got motion sickness—something I’ve dealt with since I was a kid.
Driving feels so confining, so hateful. I’ve driven a handful of times and even have a license, but it’s not for me. I used to drive out to Amish country, park, and just walk around their communities—people who don’t even drive! It’s funny, right? Me trying to escape cars by driving to where they aren’t.
Here’s the thing: cars, and everything tied to them—loans, insurance, gas—are just tools of enslavement. The less you own, the freer you become. A car as a symbol of freedom? I think it’s the opposite. Real freedom is about stripping away distractions.
A Flawed System
Sitting in traffic, watching people in their cars—they’re eating, on their phones, honking horns. It’s chaos. I’m looking forward to the day when transportation is solved, maybe with automated, self-driving cabs. That would free up so much time.
But even deeper, I think about how strange the 40-hour workweek is. The natives who lived on this land before us didn’t believe anyone owned it. They believed the land belonged to God, shared communally. Now, we work to survive, not to live.
Hunter-gatherers spent maybe 10-15 hours a week hunting, gathering, making clothes, and the rest of their time was spent with family, in spiritual practices, or storytelling. Compare that to now, where productivity and busywork dominate our lives.
Designing a Life Worth Living
I’d rather work a seasonal position in a garden, earning less but living freely. If someone offered me $100,000 to sit in an office, I couldn’t do it. I don’t need much from this world. I’d rather maximize experiences over materials.
At the end of our lives, are we going to cherish the mansions, yachts, and cars? No. We’ll remember the experiences, the memories, and the things we created. That’s what matters.
If we think critically about how we live, maybe we can find ways to balance work, play, and life. I want to disconnect from the systems that enslave us and design a life of simplicity—one that maximizes creativity and happiness.
Lessons from Self-Sufficiency
Traveling has taught me so much about freedom. Volunteering on farms in Israel, milking cows, drawing water from a well, washing clothes by hand, and preparing food over a fire—I’ve tasted true freedom.
There are so many unconventional paths in life, ways to carve meaning and joy that don’t align with societal expectations. Maximizing joy and minimizing pain isn’t a bad philosophy. Pain is a great teacher, but we don’t need to seek it.
Aligning with Nature
The other day, I strained my finger hanging from a pull-up bar. Painful, yes, but it reminded me how alignment—physical and mental—is everything. When your body is out of balance, your mind suffers too.
Maybe that’s the path forward: aligning ourselves with what brings us joy, what feels natural, and avoiding what doesn’t.
Continuously Exploring
I’m on a journey to explore and seek new experiences every day. Freedom isn’t about what you own—it’s about how you live. For me, it’s about simplicity, creativity, and living in alignment with my values.
Anything that makes me feel poor of health is hateful? For instance, I always get carsick if I’m sitting in the back of a car, especially. Also, just sitting down, in general, always makes me yawn, when in a car. It’s always specifically when I’m in a car, that I feel unwell, like I’m caged in, Tired, or even sick…
