What’s poppin’, people? It’s Dante. Today, we’re going to be discussing how to take self-portraits in street photography. Now, you may be thinking, why would you take self-portraits on the streets? Why not make photos of strangers? Isn’t that the ethos of street photography?
Why Turn the Camera on Yourself?
When it comes to practicing street photography, we often don’t know what it really feels like to be on the other side of the camera. Most of the time, we’re photographing strangers. But by photographing yourself—by putting yourself on the other side of the lens—you gain a better understanding and develop more empathy towards the subjects you capture on the street.
Street photographers should turn the camera on themselves to understand that relationship, that dynamic between photographer and subject. As we photograph others, it only makes sense to photograph ourselves. For me, photographing myself fuels my everyday life with joy.
Exploring Creative Angles
Self-portraits allow me to:
Experiment with creative angles.
Explore vertical frames.
Make a photograph even when no other subjects are in sight.
I can place myself in the light, frame my composition, and create something intriguing. For example, I once made a self-portrait outside of City Hall, where the way the building framed the composition and the light cast across my face made for an interesting shot. These moments allow me to play, experiment, and tinker with photography.
“By photographing myself, I’m experimenting more. I’m playing with lighting, I’m playing with different situations where I can essentially plug myself into a composition.”
Self-Portrait as a Visual Diary
For me, photography is a visual diary of my day. I simply bring my camera along for the ride and take photos of myself sometimes. Turning the camera on myself plugs me into my own narrative. It makes me an active part of my photographic process. It’s a fun and interesting approach because as street photographers, we often only photograph strangers.
But by positioning your body in the frame in a way that feels candid, the shot almost blends seamlessly with your other street images. Embracing the selfie as a part of my street photography journey fuels my lust for life itself.
“This is, to me, why I practice street photography. It simply brings me joy. It’s a way for me to plug myself into my own work.”
Practical Approach: Using the Ricoh GR III
When making self-portraits, I use the Ricoh GR III, a compact digital camera. My setup is simple:
Program mode set into the camera.
Single-point autofocus.
Flip the camera upside down and point and shoot.
Natural light is my go-to.
I look towards the sun, press the shutter, and move on. The Ricoh makes it effortless to capture self-portraits because of how small and flexible it is. It lets me hold the camera out in front of me like a human tripod. This technique is unique to the Ricoh, and if you shoot with one, I highly encourage you to give it a try.
Boosting Confidence Through Self-Portraits
One of the best things about making self-portraits is how it boosts my confidence. It’s about making myself into art.
“We were all created and we all have our own unique facial features, our own unique bodies that we embody each and every day.”
The simple act of making a photograph can boost your:
Joy
Confidence
Courage to approach strangers
For instance, the other day I was trying on a tuxedo. I never wear formal clothing, but I looked in the mirror and thought, I look good. So I made a portrait of myself. It was an interesting experience, and it just boosted my confidence.
The Freedom to Create
Self-portraits are a tool for creative expression:
You can make them anywhere.
You can use different lighting conditions (sunrise, sunset, window light, etc.).
You can experiment with gestures, side profiles, and perspectives.
If I’m not feeling inspired to shoot, I turn the camera on myself. That act alone gets me back into the flow state of making pictures. It’s a simple and accessible way for anyone to start creating.
“There’s something about this process of photographing yourself that will ultimately give you more possibilities to create.”
Experimenting with Light and Gesture
When making self-portraits, I experiment with:
Light and shadow play
Vertical vs. horizontal composition
Expressions and candid gestures
For instance, one morning in Rome, I was just waking up, relaxing in bed, and decided to frame an interesting composition. By tinkering with gestures and lighting, I made something intriguing.
“If there are no subjects in sight, I can just plug myself into the composition.”
Why Self-Portraits Matter in Street Photography
Many past photographers rarely made self-portraits, but in the modern age, the selfie is a part of the culture. We can put our own twist on it by using dramatic lighting, composition, and storytelling.
“At the end of the day, our photographs are a reflection of our soul.”
Treat this process like a visual diary. Bring your camera along for the ride and see what happens. Don’t limit yourself to what you think you should be photographing—just photograph. You are always a subject worth capturing.
Final Thoughts
Experiment with angles, gestures, and lighting.
Use self-portraits to break out of creative blocks.
Treat self-portraits as a way to enhance your photographic voice.
Use self-portraits in your blog or website to put a face to your work.
By incorporating self-portraits into my street photography, I’m always in the process of creating. And that’s what it’s all about—finding inspiration, liberating yourself creatively, and capturing the essence of everyday life.
So next time you’re out on the streets and there’s no subject in sight, turn the camera on yourself. You are always a subject worth photographing.
What’s poppin’, people? It’s Dante, getting my morning started here in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia. The more you love life, the more you photograph life.
Courage, Motion, and Photography
So today, I’m thinking about why this matters and how we can apply this to our everyday lives as photographers. I believe that ultimately, motivation derives from your legs, from the physical movement of your body. You know, I like to think that I’m driven by courage.
My body is the vehicle. And when I make a photograph and look back at it, it’s a reflection of my heart—core meaning heart. It’s a reflection of my courage. Because ultimately, it requires courage to be out here in the world, exploring endlessly.
“The world is the ultimate arena.”
There’s just so much out here—so much to do, to see, to explore, to experience, and to photograph. And at the forefront of our practice, courage is required—the courage to wake up in the morning, to get out of bed, to move your body, to go out there and experience life on the front lines of life.
This, to me, is the ultimate joy of photography.
Curiosity and the Act of Photographing
I’m thinking today about how—how to get this across. This simple notion of falling in love with life through photography, and how this inspires me to make photographs every single day, no matter how mundane things may seem.
One question I like to ask myself is very simple:
What will reality manifest to be in a photograph?
What this means is—I’m simply curious about what the result in the photograph will be. What will the camera see? I’m not necessarily looking at life for what it is, but for what it could be.
So when I make a photograph of something, I’m simply asking why. I’m putting a question mark on life itself.
Through this act of photographing—of going out there each and every day, looking at life intensely, seeing all the details and complexities—I become more in tune with my perception of reality. And ultimately, perception determines everyday life, thoughts, and feelings.
Light as the Subject
Photography is a way to cultivate curiosity. A way to wake up each day with openness and eagerness.
For me, what it all comes down to—photographing, making pictures—is curiosity.
How curious can you be each and every day? How curious are you to go out there and make photographs, to make sense of things? These discarded little moments—trash on the ground, a crack in the sidewalk—become my canvas to draw upon.
And one of the biggest creative unlocks for me recently?
Treating light as my medium.
Photography is drawing with light—from fos (light) and graphia (writing/drawing). So, light becomes my subject.
The way the light changes throughout the day, throughout the seasons.
Cloudy days, rainy days, golden hour, blue hour.
Light carving into surfaces, textures, people, places, and things.
By treating light as my subject, I no longer depend on a theme, a project, or a specific thing to photograph. Instead, I follow the light. Light itself gives me the ability to articulate the world—to put order to the chaos.
This is the most empowering mindset shift I’ve adopted as a photographer.
Photography and Vitality
If you want to go out and photograph on the days when you don’t feel like it, I think it’s simple. For me, it’s about vitality.
“The only life worth living is a life full of vitality.”
The more photographs I make, the more it reflects my vigor, my passion, my drive.
The more sleep I get, the more power I have.
The more sunlight I absorb, the more energy I have.
The better I eat, the more I want to move my body and photograph.
So, to stay inspired, I keep my body sharp:
I get 8-10 hours of sleep.
I eat the right foods.
I stretch, do yoga, drink water.
I drink coffee and step out into the world ready to go.
The better I feel physically, the more I find myself photographing.
The Physical Joy of Photography
To improve as a photographer, one must fall in love with life itself. And to fall in love with life, one must feel good, feel powerful, feel physically capable of moving through the world.
Making a photograph is a physical pleasure—walking, exploring, observing. My philosophy of photography is rooted in the physicality of it all.
“The everyday experience of being out in the world is what brings life meaning.”
Walking, listening, smelling, touching, thinking, watching—all of these things bring me joy in photography.
Cultivating Curiosity
If you’re looking to stay inspired, think about more ways to cultivate curiosity.
Slow down.
Look at everything around you as a potential photograph.
Free yourself from good vs. bad photographs.
Follow that inner child. Embrace play.
When you detach from the outcome—from whether the photo is good or bad—and just embrace the flow state, you’ll find yourself infinitely inspired to make new images.
“Each day is new. There are infinite things to see and photograph.”
And at the end of the day, it’s the process and the journey that bring meaning.
Returning to Day One
I’ve photographed for over a decade. I’ve traveled the world. I’ve mastered street photography.
But the key to joy? Returning to day one.
By embracing an amateur mindset—photographing with curiosity, with spontaneity—I liberate myself. I photograph in a radical new way. And in doing so, I find more joy in my life.
“Use photography as a way to fuel your lust for life. Find joy and meaning in the mundane.”
Because at the end of the day, this moment—right here, right now—is all that matters.
We’re all gonna die one day. Maybe we can’t live forever.
For the past year, I’ve been working as a horticulturist in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia. Now that it’s officially spring, I’m starting to see the flowers bloom, watching the daffodils flourish as the seasons change and the bulbs I planted come alive. I find it fascinating to live in a city like Philadelphia with so much green space. It reminds me of my childhood, spent in the Wissahickon forest, blazing my own paths and trails, building teepees with sticks, bridges with stones, and exploring the unknown—all on my own. I thrive in solitude and find peace amongst the chaos of urban life here in the park. I feel like I’ve finally returned home, to my essence, to the inner child within me, finding my place in a chaotic city.
Prune the dead
It seems that one of the easiest ways to allow plants to flourish is to simply remove the dead parts. By grabbing a pair of pruners and clipping off the dead limbs of the trees, the dead leaves from branches, or diseased stems and parts of the indoor plants, you give the plant a fresh breath of life—another opportunity to regrow again. When I walk through the park and listen to the sounds of the birds sing, I can’t help but join them. I love singing when I walk into the park, tuning into their frequency. I watch the squirrels run around and jump from branch to branch, watching the leaves wiggle from the trees, observing the patterns of the branches, and how much beauty there is in God’s creations.
When I think of nature as the ultimate creation, and God as the ultimate creator, I remind myself that I too am His creation. Just like the branches looming upon the trees, they reflect back within me—in my lungs, in the shape of the branches that are growing through the veins in my body, similar to the veins of the leaves, where our bloodstream carries nutrients just like the veins within the leaves carry nutrients throughout the trees and the different plants around me. Everything is connected, and we are all one, despite how much the modern world separates us. When you zoom into the tiniest atom within your body, and then zoom out to the galaxy—to the cosmos at large—you realize how divine life truly is, and how magnificent it is to be a part of it. Despite how insignificant you may seem, as a small speck of dust in an open vast galaxy, we all have a role to play.
Reborn again
I recently attended a Bible study in an Amish home in Lancaster, and we joined together, singing for about an hour. With such pure souls, it felt like an unreal movie. I couldn’t believe that they were so open in inviting me into their space to join them. After singing, we talked about different topics from the Bible, etc. But what struck me was this idea of being born again.
I find that being born again is simply removing all the dead parts from your soul and allowing yourself to regrow again, similar to the plants and the way they grow throughout the change of seasons—or when you tend to a greenhouse and prune the dead. I think in order to wake up, in order to be born again, one must recognize the finitude of our lives—that we are flesh, that we cut, we bleed, we feel sorrow, pain, and greed. We lust for the flesh of others, we shout, we pout, and we are imperfect in nature.
We are divinely imperfect, however, and through embracing that imperfection—through recognizing suffering and going through it—we come out from the other side of the fire, born again. You have to be born of the fire, of the spirit, within, by connecting with your inner daimon, as they call it in Ancient Greek philosophy—the essence of who you are.
Strip everything away
You know how when you start a new video game and you design your character from the ground up—giving yourself facial features, clothing, body type, etc.? I think that we should go back to that default video game character selection scene and build ourselves from the ground up. It’s like you have to purge yourself of all toxins, whether they’re physical foods or digital media that you consume.
By removing all the superfluous distractions of the modern world—all of the toxic stuff and all the sludge that we consume—you can purify yourself through stripping away the superfluous. When you strip away the superfluous things and detach yourself from the material things around you, whether it’s the desire for a fancy car, a fancy watch, a particular thing, or a goal of acquiring something, you can rebuild yourself from the ground up, from within.
I feel like we all go through our own trials, our own sufferings, but it’s up to you to use that suffering in order to be grown into something new. I recently read Dante’s Inferno, and I feel as though this epic poem lays out the clear path to that. Dante would’ve never ascended to Paradiso if he hadn’t descended into the Inferno. Or if you even look at the myth of Hercules, and the way he had to be purged through the fire before rising to Mount Olympus—after completing his 12 labors—through suffering, he ascended.
The power of art
For the past two years straight, I’ve listened to the Wanamaker Organ every single day at 5:30 PM. I find the trifecta of art to be the combination of music, sculpture, and architecture, as I believe them to be the highest forms of art. There’s something so special about the Wanamaker building, that unfortunately just closed this past weekend. I remember being a little boy, sitting under the Eagle sculpture, watching the light show. My grandmother also worked in the beauty department.
However, this daily show became my muse—my main source of inspiration recently. Looking up at this high ceiling, in front of an eagle, it felt like the bird was flying my body up to a transcendental height, like I could climb up Jacob’s Ladder or something, haha. I think this is the power of beautiful art. When a man decides to build a giant sculpture or a piece of architecture, they’re striving to ascend upwards. Through building something beautiful and grand, it can inspire greatness in humanity itself.
When I stand in the center of the Wanamaker building and listen to the organ sound and look up at the high ceiling, it reminds me that I can strive to move upwards—despite being bound by gravity. There’s something so special about art and its ability to uplift humanity to a new height.
The street is a mirror that reflects back at you
When you photograph life, of course you’re putting four corners around it—but recognize that the image is a reflection of you. The images we make are a reflection of our inner soul, let alone a depiction of reality. I think the power of street photography is the ability for the individual to have a voice.
You may feel like you have nothing to say, or no special ability to create, but through simply picking up a camera and going out there in the world—like a big kid, just photographing your inner-child-like curiosity—you can reveal your soul and give yourself this powerful voice through the medium of photography.
This, to me, is the beauty of art—and specifically photography—as it is so easy. All one needs to do is pick up the camera and walk out their door. There’s just so much to do, to see, to explore, to photograph in our life. So pick up a camera and champion that simple fact. Go somewhere new today. Talk to a stranger. Photograph in a new way. Embrace the spirit of play through the act of making a photograph. Through that spirit of play, your soul will reflect back at you from the streets itself.
Build a strong foundation
So for the past two and a half years, I’ve been building a strong foundation. I’m just getting started. When I think about a foundation, I think about our abdominal muscles—our core. Perhaps this is where all of our strength truly lies. Of course, we have two legs that carry us through the world, but it is our core—that tight abdomen area—that holds our spine upright and gives us the ability to stand, move, and do all the different things that we carry out in our everyday lives.
Yesterday at work, I was removing a tree trunk from the ground. You have to get a shovel and dig around it, revealing the roots that connect to the soil. By grabbing a pair of pruners and clipping the roots—or a chainsaw and trimming the dead—you can wiggle that strong trunk out from the earth and pull it from the ground. It really does require a lot of physical force to remove the foundation from the tree—the trunk itself.
The trunks of trees are what hold them standing upright for decades, and even perhaps hundreds of years for certain trees. It’s quite fascinating how strong a tree is, and the way the trunk and its core are rooted in the ground through a network of veins and roots—like arteries in our heart—keep everything together.
Agility and mobility
I recently enrolled in a boxing class, and I’m blown away by how much it works your core. Punching the bag and moving left and right requires a lot of agility and mobility in your core and in your physical body. There’s a lot of coordination involved with boxing, as I’m starting to learn after only two classes, and it’s very much a new practice that I’m looking forward to mastering.
I think what I seek most in life are more grand physical challenges. I want to take on new physical challenges, because as my muscles grow, as I become physically stronger, I become mentally sharper and spiritually more awake—and have the ability to go out there to create.
Through physical movement, agility, and the ability to go out there to explore—with power at the forefront—you can become the ultimate creator, or the best photographer you can possibly be. Because ultimately, the more you walk, the more you see. The more you see, the more you photograph. And the more you photograph, the more curious you become, to go out there and continue pressing the shutter.
And so, with that said, as much as photography is a visual game of putting together the foreground, middle ground, and background—as we have two eyes connected to our brain that allow us to see and perceive the world with sharp visual acuity—at the end of the day, photography is a physical pleasure. It requires you to move your physical body out there in the open world, on the front lines of life, close to humanity.
And the stronger you become—the stronger your core, your foundation, both physically, mentally, and spiritually—the more you possess the ability to move with agility and mobility throughout the world, and to articulate the chaos and put order to it with your frames. So what I’m trying to say is: create a strong foundation. Get in the gym. Do some push-ups, some pull-ups. Do something. Move your physical body. And through that movement—and through increasing your strength—everything else will fall into place.
We are human batteries
Our body is the battery. Just like a phone that needs to get charged each night, we too need deep sleep. I can’t help but stress the difference I feel between getting deep, good sleep as opposed to restless nights. I can’t remember the last time I had an off day of sleep, as I’ve been making it such a priority to just simply get to bed as early as possible.
By getting to bed early, I wake up with vigor and vitality—and I’m ready to conquer the day. One of the things I’ve realized about myself is that my mental battery gets drained way more easily than my physical battery. For instance, you can give me a shovel and I’ll go dig 100 holes in the ground right now. But if I have to sit in a meeting for two hours, I’ll be completely mentally exhausted and feel like I need to take a nap.
It’s quite fascinating, really—maybe we’re all built differently—but this is just my personal experience. I think it’s important to be mindful of how you spend your time, what you pay attention to. This is the ultimate currency in the universe. It’s the reason why we call it “spending” time and “paying” attention.
Perhaps it is ultimately our perception that shapes our reality. So by perceiving and viewing beautiful things—with beautiful art, having beautiful conversations, surrounding yourself in beautiful nature—you will have a beautiful and flourishing life. But if you’re paying attention to doom and gloom, boring celebrity gossip, negative news, etc., you’ll be living in a living nightmare.
I honestly think we create hell for ourselves on earth—but you can create paradise on earth through what you pay attention to, how you spend your time, and whether or not you get good sleep at night.
I think the craziest modern-day phenomenon is how little time we spend in nature, under the sun. We sequester ourselves inside the four corners of rooms, cubicles, offices, in order to generate money—as this is our currency. But we neglect the way we’re spending the time to actually generate that currency. Because ultimately, we’re degrading our physical bodies by sitting down for eight hours a day and not even getting the sunlight that charges our soul and gives us the power to go out there and live our lives.
It’s quite dark when you look at it this way—almost like the city is this big prison, and we’re all so comfortable in our little prison cells, like zoo animals. Or maybe the new idea is “Zoom animals”—stuck in Zoom calls inside all day.
You are a creator being
We were all born artists, but the modern world sucks it out of you. Reclaim your innate ability—the DNA qualities that you possess as a creator. Pick up a camera. Start making things. Start tinkering. Start experimenting.
What I’ve realized in my personal journey is that I needed to destroy my old ways of doing things in order to become creative again. For instance, I feel like I hit a wall with my photography, shooting in color. But ever since switching back to black and white, I’ve tapped into an infinite way of making new photographs.
It’s like I tapped into this endless stream of becoming—and have the ability to create at any time of the day. By carrying a Ricoh GR digital compact camera in my pocket all the time, I never have an excuse not to make something. It’s like I had to cut all the dead limbs from myself—all the dead parts—in order to grow new fruits again and produce new photos.
Treat photography as life affirmation
When I photograph, I’m simply saying yes to life itself. If you treat photography like life affirmation, everything becomes rich with meaning. I think we’re all seeking “the meaning of life,” but I believe it is up to us to give life meaning. It’s you who gives life meaning.
Through photography, every fleeting moment becomes rich with meaning. It does not matter how mundane or boring things may seem—I can always find something to uplift in a photograph, a new way to say yes to life itself, giving meaning to the most mundane situations, people, places.
What I’ve found is, by reminding myself each and every day that I will die—or could die any moment—life becomes so much more rich with meaning. If you simply treat each day like your last, almost like each night when you go to sleep is a miniature death, and each morning, a miniature birth, you become filled with gratitude. And this abundant feeling puts you in a flow state of production—not just in terms of making photographs, but also in how you carry yourself throughout your everyday routine in life itself.
You stop taking everything so seriously and find yourself moving full of purpose, with vigor in each step—saying yes with each click of the shutter.
What’s poppin’, people? It’s Dante. Today, we’re diving into practicing street photography at parades and events. Just yesterday, I was out shooting during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and I’ve got some thoughts on this.
Why Shoot at Parades and Events?
The first question we should ask ourselves: Why even shoot at parades and events?
As street photographers, we’re not necessarily interested in telling the story of the parade itself. Instead, our selfish interest is in the moments in between—before the parade starts, after it ends, or the hidden interactions that don’t scream parade shot.
A great example: During the Thanksgiving Day Parade, I made a photograph that captures the energy of the event without actually depicting the parade itself.
“I try to photograph the energy of the parade, but not necessarily the parade.”
I get there early—before the floats go up, before the flags are raised—and I look around the periphery. That’s where the hidden gems are.
Looking for Moments Beyond the Main Event
For example, during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, I found myself seeking those same peripheral moments.
I once captured a child playing on the Logan Square fountain sculpture here in Philadelphia. His hand was outstretched, mirroring the gesture of the sculpture. It’s a strong image because:
It focuses on gesture and form.
It feels natural, almost like a daily moment.
You wouldn’t even know it was taken during a parade.
That’s the key. A moment like this doesn’t happen on a regular day in the city. Kids don’t usually climb sculptures unless there’s an event happening.
“I look for moments that don’t necessarily depict the event itself, but instead, the people observing the event.”
The Power of the Peripheral
One of my favorite approaches is photographing flag-raising ceremonies at City Hall.
We have a flag raising for nearly every country.
There’s traditional music, speakers, and dancing.
The best moments happen after the flag is raised—when people disperse.
This is when I start wandering. I avoid the obvious shots of people standing still, watching the flag. Instead, I catch them as they leave—that moment of transition.
Example: At the Kosovo flag-raising ceremony, I photographed a simple interaction:
A man in traditional clothing.
A child playing with the flag.
It’s a wonky composition, a bit more street, if you will. The moment is subtle, yet it tells a deeper story.
How I Approach Events Differently
I was once assigned to photograph the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in 2016. Politicians were on stage, speeches were happening—so boring to shoot. The standard event photography is:
Zoom in.
Make sure the speaker isn’t swallowing the mic.
Get the standard event shot.
But the best photo I made that day? Not of the politicians. Instead, I captured kids climbing a tree at Penn’s Landing.
“I came home with a much more interesting photo than anything happening on stage.”
This is why I never treat myself as an event photographer. I’m always looking for my own curiosities—the moments happening outside the main stage.
Strategies for Shooting at Parades and Events
1. Linger on the Outskirts
Instead of fighting the chaos, I look for:
Quiet interactions on the edges.
People watching from a distance—in alleyways, windows, or side streets.
Isolated subjects away from the crowd.
Example: During the Italian Festival in South Philly, I found a great moment of a boy high-fiving a giant hand. This wasn’t during the parade itself—it was a tiny interaction on the sidelines.
2. Capture the Crowd’s Reaction
The best way to tell a parade’s story? Don’t shoot the parade—shoot the people watching it.
During the Mummers Parade, I found an incredible shot not in the parade, but where the performers were unloading from buses.
A man stepping out of a limousine (a rare sight to capture).
His eye peeking out from the tinted glass—mysterious, intimate, cinematic.
The moment before or after the parade is often more interesting than the event itself.
3. Focus on Playfulness and Small Gestures
Parades are full of energy, but capturing that energy is tricky.
Most people are standing still, watching.
The crowd is often too chaotic to isolate a subject.
I find kids at parades the best source of spontaneous energy. Climbing, playing, reacting—these moments add a human touch.
“To find the moments of joy, energy, and dynamics at an event is actually tricky.”
4. Find a Clean Stage
The hardest part of shooting parades? Separating subjects from the chaos.
Look for clean backgrounds.
Use light and shadow to create contrast.
Let the details speak.
Example: During Chinese New Year, there’s so much happening—dancing, confetti, smoke. I used that smoke as a backdrop, placing a hat in the foreground to create contrast.
Another time, I noticed Shabbat dancers celebrating. Instead of a direct shot, I used a puddle reflection—a more abstract way to capture the energy.
Breaking the Rules: Getting Into the Action
Sometimes, you gotta break the rules to get the shot.
During the Chinese New Year parade, I pushed my way into the crowd to capture the Dragon Dance. You’re technically not supposed to, but I had to get that shot.
“Is it worth it? I don’t know. But I had to get it.”
Why You Should Shoot Parades (Even If You Don’t Like Them)
If you’re new to street photography, parades are the best training ground because:
People are used to cameras. No one will question you.
You can get close without confrontation.
It’s a great place to experiment with new gear or techniques.
I don’t typically plan to shoot parades—I just run into them. Sometimes my mom will tell me about one coming up (she knows I love street photography). But usually, I stumble upon them.
My Favorite Parade to Shoot
If you want a truly unique street photography experience, come to Philadelphia on January 1st for the Mummers Parade.
You can literally walk in the parade and shoot from within.
It’s chaotic, lively, and full of energy.
One of the best events to photograph, hands down.
Final Thoughts
If you’re interested in practicing street photography at events, my advice:
Look beyond the main action.
Photograph the outskirts.
Capture the crowd’s reactions.
Find clean backgrounds and isolate moments.
Experiment—parades are the perfect place to push yourself.
Hopefully, these ideas help when you’re out there shooting. Get out, explore, and look for the moments that happen in between.
Plato’s dialogues are foundational texts in Western philosophy—offering timeless insights into justice, beauty, truth, the soul, and the ideal form of the state. The Complete Works, edited by John M. Cooper and D. S. Hutchinson, collects all of Plato’s surviving texts into a single volume. It is a book to read slowly, wrestle with, and return to for a lifetime.
This post serves as a master guide to Plato’s complete works, including every dialogue in order as found in this edition. Each entry will eventually be linked to a dedicated post exploring that specific dialogue—its key ideas, themes, and impact.
Who Was Plato?
Plato (c. 427–347 BCE) was a Greek philosopher and a student of Socrates, teacher of Aristotle, and founder of the Academy in Athens—the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. His writings, composed almost entirely in dialogue form, laid the groundwork for Western philosophy and continue to influence metaphysics, ethics, politics, epistemology, and aesthetics to this day.
Plato’s most frequent character is his mentor Socrates, who never wrote anything himself. Through Plato’s pen, Socrates becomes a symbol of reason, dialectic, and the relentless pursuit of truth.
Plato’s dialogues aren’t just relics of ancient Greece—they’re living documents that challenge, provoke, and enlighten. Whether Socrates is debating the nature of justice, questioning the gods, or facing death with poise, each conversation sparks deeper reflection on how to live.
Reading the dialogues in order gives structure to Plato’s evolving philosophical vision:
The early dialogues center on Socratic questioning and ethical inquiry.
The middle dialogues (like Phaedo, Symposium, and Republic) introduce the theory of Forms, the soul, and the philosopher-king.
The late dialogues become more abstract and technical, refining Plato’s metaphysics and political theories.
How This Guide Works
This post will serve as a hub to the entire series. As each individual post is written, it will be linked above. You can either read along in order or jump around based on your interests.
Each dialogue will have its own blog post covering:
A short summary of the work
Major philosophical themes and arguments
Key quotes and commentary
Connections to other dialogues
Final Reflection
Plato’s philosophy isn’t a system—it’s a lifelong dialogue. Every page invites us to pause, reflect, and rethink what we thought we knew.
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” — Socrates, in Plato’s Apology
These dialogues are not answers—they are an invitation to ask better questions.
What’s poppin’ people? It’s Dante. Set your body in motion without any preconceived notions of what you will find. Today, I’m thinking about what it means to see the world with the eyes of a child and why this matters in the realm of photography.
Infinite Ways to See
Over the years of photographing, I’ve found a breakthrough: recognizing that there are infinite ways to photograph everything. Everything is truly photographable, but one must go outside with fresh eyes each day, in the spirit of play, to achieve a flow state of creation.
“What will reality manifest to be in a photograph?”
Let go of preconceived ideas of what a photograph should be. Forget the photo books. Forget the polished images. Even a pile of trash holds potential.
The Spirit of Play
What does it mean to play? What does it mean to be a kid? A kid breaks the rules. A kid sees the world differently.
“What would a child photograph?”
Pick up the camera and photograph through childlike curiosity. It’s easy to make a strong photograph. It’s easy to provoke a sensation in a viewer—whether through strong content, a decisive moment, or form. But the real challenge is letting go.
Letting Go of Control
When you release control and simply go with the flow, you find more joy in the process. You find more meaning in making photographs.
Too many people put four corners around life and say:
“Look at this! I did it. I made the photo. This is the decisive moment.”
But life is beyond those four corners. Our photographs are merely a reflection of the life we live and our lust for it.
Photography and Joy
Want to be a better photographer? Be more joyful. The more joy you feel, the more you’ll photograph. Think about a kid—
They scream, shout, laugh, cry.
They react to the world around them.
They follow their whims.
To truly enter a creative flow state, you must tap into that childlike energy. The rational mind can only get you so far.
Beyond Form: The Essence of Light
Go beyond form. Return to light.
“I remember being a kid, just eager for the day. The sun’s coming up—I’m ready to go out and play.”
As an adult, I live that dream—spending all day under the trees, photographing, exploring, playing.
Work as Play
Society says, “Grow up.” But what if work is play?
When I dig a hole with a shovel, cut back a tree, or plant a flower, it’s a dance. It’s choreography. The same applies to photography. The way I move my feet, raise the camera, press the shutter—it all becomes natural.
“When you enter that flow state, you’re really just in the spirit of play.”
Effortless Action
When you stop taking yourself so seriously, everything becomes effortless. Each click of the shutter, each step, each new project—it all flows.
The Key to Growth
Embrace play.
Tap into your inner child.
Stop forcing it.
If you’re not inspired to pick up your camera, maybe it’s not for you. But for me? The camera is glued to me. I can’t cut it off my wrist.
Return to the Garden
Look at the flowers. They bloom effortlessly.
“Wow. It’s only been a few weeks since these were planted, and here they are. The cycle of life.”
Photography, like life, isn’t something you can just talk about—you have to do it.
“I can assure you with 100% certainty: if you stop taking yourself so seriously, you will improve your photography.”
Are you investing your time, or simply spending your time? When I think about time this way, as currency, or money, and whether or not you spend it, or save it, it reframes the way in which I think about wealth.
Freedom of mind
I know for myself personally, mental freedom is much more important to me than anything else in the world. Having the mental freedom to think, to read, to write, and to spend time alone, it’s like the ultimate modern-day privilege in the world right now. In a world where we’re constantly bombarded with advertisements, notifications, emails, Zoom meetings, deadlines, etc., simply having the freedom of mind, the freedom of thought itself, to think for yourself, is the ultimate freedom.
Are you on the frontlines of life or the sidelines of life?
The other day, I went paintballing for the first time with my friend. What was incredible about the rush in the beginning of the match was how low to the ground you get, ducking, bobbing, and weaving your way to the cover, as you fire towards the enemy at the other side. It seems like the goal is to rush as close to the front lines as possible, while putting pressure on the other team so that they cannot advance any further. Those first 30 seconds, the first rush in the beginning of the match, basically determines the outcome of the game. If you simply sit back on the sidelines camping, you’re not gonna have a clear sight of the enemy, and the distance will be too far for you to attack. But when you muster up the courage to rush as close as possible to the enemy, without the fear of the pain that the paintball provides from getting hit, you can position yourself on the front lines, as close to the enemy as possible, and strike fear in the opponents.
I think about how I can relate this in the context of photography, where in order to create a strong photograph with impact, one must have zero hesitations. If you wanna get close to the subject and make the shot, you simply have to do it, in that fraction of a second, without overanalyzing or overthinking things. I remind myself of the time I photographed on the frontlines of conflict in Jericho, and how I simply had to go out there with courage, without using the rational side of my mind. I think there’s an irrational side that you have to tap into while practicing photography or participating in anything in life that requires courage. I think the older we get, the less risks we take, as the brain fully develops at around 25. But as time goes on, maybe it’s most wise for us to be a bit more reckless, take more risks, and then think about it through the rational lens later down the line.
We all die, so why waste your time?
At the end of the day, we all die, it’s simply a matter of time. And so with this thought in mind, perhaps it’s most wise for us to not waste time. I think wasting time, spending time doing anything that you simply do not want to do, is extremely foolish at best. Why sacrifice 10 years of your life doing something you hate, when inevitably you’re going to die anyway? It could happen today, tomorrow, next week, next month, or within that 10-year timeframe, as life is unpredictable. And so because of this, I simply treat every day like it is my last. When I go to bed, I assume I will not wake up in the morning. So that way, when I wake up in the morning, I’m simply filled with abundance and gratitude for the day itself, for another chance to take another breath.
Why does everybody ask what you do for work?
In between matches, a super nice young man that was on my team during the paintball match kept asking about what our jobs were, how we make money, etc. I think it’s kind of amusing to me. Of course it’s something that we should all be curious about, as money is power and blah blah blah. But ultimately, if you simply look at money as a tool—something that we utilize that provides us the ability to acquire food, shelter, plane tickets, camera equipment, etc.—it’s much more simple. Money is a tool, but time is the true currency. Let’s say you work in an office, from 9 to 5, and are stuck within a cubicle for the entirety of the day—would you say that this is a wise way to spend your time? If you’re working in finance, but you’re stuck inside, working for money itself, it doesn’t seem like a very good return on investment. Why?
I love the scene from the movie 300, when King Leonidas asks the Spartans what their profession is, and they simply chant back “AOOH AOOH AOOH”—whereas the Persians are all tied down to their identities, whether they are blacksmith, a potter, an architect, etc. One side of the battlefield are slaves to their professions, whereas the other side—the Spartans—are free men, simply due to their physical power. The declaration is that you should simply increase your physical power first, and then everything becomes effortless. If you’re full of an abundance of power, in your body, your bones, your muscles, your mind will be strong, and anything that comes your way—you have complete control over. Where everything becomes play, everything becomes easy, and nothing can break your spirit.
Health is wealth
If you’re spending eight hours of your day seated, under fluorescent lights, inside, with unclean air, ruining your back, your posture, your spine, and degrading your physiology for the pursuit of money—all of the wealth in the world is not worth spending your time living this way. My theory is that we’re kind of living in this dystopian world, where we’ve perfectly enslaved ourselves like zoo animals in controlled systems—soon to be automated systems—a perfectly comfortable prison. However, man is designed to move, as we have two legs, a tall spine, a head on a neck that allows us to swivel, to look around, and to move, to think, and to build. We are creator beings, and in order to create, one must have strong health. I know for myself, if I’m stuck in a Zoom call, or if I’m stuck in a meeting all day and I’m becoming mentally drained, I will not have any physical power within my body. But if I’m physically active throughout the entirety of the day—lifting weights, walking, moving, creating, building—I have a sharper mind, I become stronger, and I actually increase my power. Everything about the modern world simply wants to zap you of your power, both physically and mentally. But if you embrace your physiology, your physical self, your body—at the forefront of your life—and view health as the ultimate sign of wealth, then this to me is all that truly matters.
The days feel long when you move your body along
To be inside is where souls go to die, but when I’m outside, I exist outside the passage of time. I find that through movement, walking, photographing, and doing things physically in the real world, time does not necessarily exist. I personally feel as though the days feel abundantly long, almost like a lifetime, when I’m moving my body along. But when I’m living on standby, sitting down inside, the day just passes you by. Most wise for us to not squander our time indoors, sitting down, taking orders, but to rise up with physical power and simply move. I personally don’t understand this idea where people think that the day goes by faster when they’re in the flow state of doing work or making things, because for myself, personally, it’s the complete opposite—where the flow state removes the illusion of time itself.
Everyone is just curious about how everyone else makes money?
To me, this is the old question I seem to stumble across when socializing these days. People are simply interested in how you make money, what your job is, etc. I don’t know why but it’s just so funny to me. Money is just a tool. We all need a place to sleep, food in our fridge, clothes on our back, but then everything else is the purple is. Why are people so obsessed with how they make money, when money is merely a tool—but time is the true investment? If you’re spending your time doing something hateful to generate that tool, that money, that provides you with the things that you need in life—well, then you’re simply living your life like a donkey, following a carrot on a stick, into your inevitable grave at the end of your life. Wanting more, desiring more, but for the sake of what?
Time is currency because you spend it
There’s a reason why we call it “spending time.” It’s the ultimate currency in the universe. Your time, your intention, where your mind is focused—ultimately determines your perception of reality. If you’re spending your time watching the news, on the sidelines of life, consuming social media—your reality, your attention is towards intangible things that aren’t necessarily affecting your everyday life. However, if you’re spending your time outside, surrounded by beautiful trees, plants, natural things, creating, moving, thinking, reading, writing—you are evolving, you are investing your time, you are conserving your mental and physical power for the sake of creation.
I think the problem with a lot of modern life is that through our work, our entertainment, and even the way that we play—it leads to stagnation. But humans are meant to evolve, to transform, both physically, mentally, and spiritually. In order to become free, one must invest their time towards things that will shape a reality of abundance, rather than scarcity—chasing, desiring, and wanting things. In order to feel alive, one must have connection to their spirit—the essence of who they are—that reminds them that they are a creator being, through investing time wisely. I think ultimately, we all have a divine spark within us, and can strive to ascend to new heights, but the modern world wants you down—low, consuming, stagnant—the perfect docile worker bee. When you have freedom of the mind and body, only then can you truly embrace your purpose: to create.
I’ve only really scratched the surface and built the foundation upon my photography thus far. Now it’s time for true evolution and ascension to new heights!
My full potential and power hasn’t even been tapped into yet. So much more to come…
The saint represents spiritual purity, humility, and contemplation. The Spartan symbolizes physical discipline, courage, and unwavering resilience.
To live like a saint but be a Spartan suggests cultivating an inner life of peace, patience, and love while maintaining the external toughness to endure hardship, confront challenges, and protect what matters. It’s the ideal of the warrior-monk — someone who is both gentle and fierce, compassionate yet unbreakable.
In a chaotic world, that balance feels deeply needed:
Having the freedom of mind to remain in consistent contemplation, with occasional moments of socialization throughout the day, is the ultimate modern-day privilege.
Date: 480 BC Location: Thermopylae, Greece Belligerents: Greek city-states vs. the Persian Empire Result: Persian victory — but a legendary stand
Setting the Stage
In 480 BC, the mighty Persian Empire under King Xerxes I launched a massive invasion of Greece. This campaign was a continuation of his father Darius I’s ambition to subjugate the fiercely independent Greek city-states.
To stop Xerxes’ advance, a coalition of Greeks formed, led by Sparta and Athens. Knowing that a full-scale confrontation would take time to prepare for, the Greeks chose to make a stand at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae — “The Hot Gates.”
The Greek Forces
The defense was led by King Leonidas I of Sparta, who brought 300 elite Spartan warriors — his personal guard. They were joined by troops from several other city-states, totaling around 7,000 men.
The Spartans were chosen not just for their strength, but for their valor and discipline, trained from childhood in the harsh agoge system. They were the backbone of the Greek resistance.
The Persian Army
King Xerxes brought with him a massive force, estimated by ancient sources at over a million men — though modern historians suggest closer to 100,000–150,000.
This army included:
Persian Immortals (elite royal guards)
Cavalry and archers from across the empire
Subject troops from Egypt, India, and the Middle East
Xerxes expected quick submission. Instead, he faced fierce resistance.
The Geography of Thermopylae
Thermopylae was the ideal choke point. The mountains on one side and the sea on the other left only a narrow path, limiting the effectiveness of Xerxes’ superior numbers.
In this bottleneck, Greek hoplites (heavily armored infantry with long spears and round shields) formed phalanx formations, repelling wave after wave of Persian assaults for two full days.
The Betrayal and Final Stand
On the third day, a Greek traitor named Ephialtes showed the Persians a hidden mountain path that bypassed the pass.
Realizing they were about to be surrounded, Leonidas dismissed the bulk of the Greek army, remaining behind with his 300 Spartans, 700 Thespians, and a few hundred others to fight to the death.
They made their final stand, refusing to surrender even when encircled. All were killed — but their resistance delayed Xerxes, allowing other Greek forces time to prepare.
Legacy and Impact
Though a tactical loss, Thermopylae became a symbol of heroic resistance.
It galvanized the Greek city-states, which went on to win decisive victories at Salamis (naval) and Plataea (land), effectively ending the Persian invasion.
The legend of the 300 Spartans continues to inspire:
“Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, That here, obedient to their laws, we lie.” — Inscription at Thermopylae
Fact vs. Fiction
Modern pop culture — especially the film 300 — dramatizes the event, emphasizing glory and hyper-masculinity. While visually striking, it diverges from historical accuracy in many ways:
Leonidas did not fight shirtless.
Ephialtes was likely not a grotesque outcast.
The Persian army was not made up of monsters and beasts.
Still, the core truth remains: a small group of warriors stood against tyranny, knowing they would die, for the sake of freedom and their homeland.
Final Thoughts
The Battle of Thermopylae was not just a clash of armies — it was a clash of values: authoritarian empire vs. free citizen-states. Though the Spartans fell, their sacrifice helped preserve the legacy of Greek democracy, philosophy, and culture, which continues to shape the world today.
What’s poppin, people? It’s Dante. This morning, I’m sharing the advice and ideas I wish I knew 10 years ago when I started practicing street photography. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into it.
Street Photography is a Numbers Game
Persistence is everything. 99.9% of the shots you take won’t be great.
You have to detach from the outcome—stop worrying about the results of each photograph. Instead, find meaning in the process. Photography is about entering a flow state, enjoying the act of making photographs rather than obsessing over perfect images.
“Failure will bring you to success.”
Every single day for the past decade, I’ve been making photographs. This persistence has allowed me to improve, to fail, and most importantly, to learn to love failure.
Finding Beauty in the Mundane
Can you walk the same mundane street every day and still find something to capture? That’s the challenge.
“The simplest moments can become the most beautiful.”
The magic of photography lies in finding extraordinary moments in the ordinary. No matter where you are—whether it’s a busy city street, a small village market, or the mountains—there’s always something to photograph.
Stick to One Camera, One Lens
This is the best piece of technical advice I can give: limit your gear.
It doesn’t matter which focal length or camera you choose—what matters is sticking to it. Through consistency, you’ll develop muscle memory and learn how to position yourself in relation to the scene.
“Movement makes improvement.”
Photography is a physical process. Your body creates the composition just as much as your eye does. The more you walk, the more you see. The more you see, the more you photograph.
Repetition Builds Mastery
Find a busy street in your hometown. Go there every single day. At the same time. With the same camera. For a year.
Patterns will emerge—the way the light falls, the timing of people walking by, the rhythms of daily life. Over time, you’ll intuitively know where to stand and when to press the shutter.
“Through repetition, you build mastery.”
Light and Composition: The Foundations of Photography
Photography is literally writing with light. A bad photograph can be saved with good light, but even a great composition falls apart in bad lighting.
Think of composing an image as solving a visual puzzle:
Foreground
Middle ground
Background
Most of my best photos are actually simple. The key is clarity—making images that are easy to read but visually engaging.
Travel with Purpose
Don’t limit yourself to your hometown. Traveling teaches you to see differently.
“Life is like an ultimate video game.”
Stepping into the unknown—new cities, new cultures—forces you to be present. Chaos fuels creativity. Some of my best experiences happened when I embraced the unknown:
Sleeping on the floors of mosques in Jericho
Documenting baptisms and funerals in Zambia
Climbing the mountains of Mexico City
These experiences enriched my life and my photography. Your camera is a passport—use it.
Champion Humanity in Your Frames
Photography is about more than just aesthetics. It’s about people.
“Treat each person in your frame like a hero.”
Respect, dignity, and uplifting the human spirit—this is what separates a good photograph from a great one.
Take this image: a young Palestinian boy, Ramsay, throwing a stone toward a rainbow. To me, he’s David slaying Goliath. That’s the kind of power photography can have.
Photography Takes Time
A decade into this, I’m still learning. Mastery requires long-term thinking.
You might only take a handful of great photos each year. That’s normal.
Let your photos marinate before judging them.
A photo that excites you today might look different in a year.
“You have a lifetime, but the time is now.”
Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously
Photography should be play.
“I treat the streets like my playground.”
Don’t overthink it. Don’t put on your photojournalist hat and take yourself too seriously. Approach photography with curiosity and joy.
Photography is subjective—there is no universal good or bad. Ignore contests, ignore trends, shoot for yourself.
Curiosity is Everything
If you increase your curiosity 1% every day, you’ll never stop growing.
I don’t see photography as a strict set of rules. It’s not a checklist.
“Street photography is an ethos, a way of seeing.”
There’s no one way to do it. Forget the rules. Forget what people say street photography should be. Make your own game.
Follow Your Joy
For me, photography isn’t about capturing the perfect photo.
It’s about:
Fueling my lust for life
Moving my body out into the world
Following curiosity wherever it leads
Each morning, I wake up excited—ready to see, explore, and create.
“Photography brings me so much joy.”
And if you’re having fun, you’re winning.
Final Thoughts
Go out and shoot.
Embrace movement.
Forget the rules.
Have fun.
There’s no step-by-step guide to street photography. No formula. Just a camera, your curiosity, and a lifetime to explore.
The Complete Works of Plato (in order)
