This organ is so beautiful! On Sunday, I went inside the Wanamaker building in hopes to listen to the beautiful music, but it seems that the schedule fluctuates on this day. Meet me at the eagle statue at 5:30 for my very own super secret street photography fight club. Register via email today: dante(at)dantesisofo.com
Grip strength as the ultimate determining factor of somebody’s strength? I am starting to think that grip strength is everything. Having no grip strength is the ultimate sign of weakness. I have been doing farmers walks everyday with heavy dumbells as a way to stay physically strong. Without tenacity, I can imagine that you naturally lack courage.
te·nac·i·ty
noun
the quality or fact of being able to grip something firmly; grip.”the sheer tenacity of the limpet”
Rainy days are often seen as obstacles, but for street photographers, they open up new creative possibilities. While rain might keep you from shooting in the open, it presents an opportunity to explore different environments, like underground spaces, where the atmosphere is entirely unique.
“Rain or shine, there’s always a way to keep shooting. You just need to adapt to the conditions.”
When it rains, I head underground with my Ricoh GRIII and a hot Dunkin’ Donuts coffee. The underground offers a wealth of photographic opportunities:
“The underground becomes a playground for light and shadow, offering new ways to explore and create.”
No need for umbrellas or weatherproof gear. Underground locations keep you dry while still offering plenty of action and visual interest.
Artificial lighting in subway stations and tunnels can create striking contrasts and unexpected textures. Use these to your advantage, especially in black and white photography.
Subways are filled with people rushing to and from their destinations, each carrying their own story. The confined space allows you to focus on facial expressions, body language, and fleeting moments of connection.
“Rainy days invite you to slow down and see the world differently. Underground spaces become stages for life’s quiet dramas.”
Rainy days might keep some photographers indoors, but for those willing to adapt, they offer a chance to explore new environments and capture unique stories. Whether it’s the glow of a subway station or the quiet rhythm of commuters, there’s always something worth photographing—even when the skies open up.
“Rain doesn’t stop the hustle, and it shouldn’t stop your photography. Embrace the weather, explore new spaces, and let the streets surprise you.”
First ride with my new E-Bike! I am so pumped about this thing. It can ride up to 150 miles on a single charge using this dual battery system. Uh-oh! How far will Dante go?
The largest working pipe organ in the entire world! Who needs a Spotify account? Come and meet me at the Eagle at 5:30 any day of the week and join me in this Philadelphia ritual!
“Reading Terminal Market opened its doors in 1893. The new Market was approximately 78,000 square feet and held nearly 800 spaces for merchants, each positioned in six foot stalls. The Market was laid out in a grid system similar to the streets of Philadelphia. There were twelve aisles and four avenues. It was the perfect location for easily receiving and shipping goods.”
In the spring and summer of 1776, the Second Continental Congress gathered in Philadelphia to debate declaring independence from King George III and the British Parliament.
Join, or Die. by Benjamin Franklin (1754), a political cartoon commenting on the disunity of the Thirteen Colonies during the French and Indian War. It was later used to encourage the colonies to unite for the cause of independence during the American Revolutionary War.
I remember sleeping on the floors of many different mosques in Jericho City. I travelled throughout Jericho with an Imam named Hirsham. He was a very kind man that showed me the ways of Islam. He taught me Wudu, how to pray Salah, how to eat, how to sleep, how to live in the ways of prophet Muhammad, and ultimately converted me to Islam after a two week journey throughout the city. I was very curious at the time and allowed my natural intuition to follow Hirsham throughout the city. We gathered people everyday to come and join us in prayer and feasted in the evenings.
Jericho is the lowest elevated city in the world- the city of the moon. I even saw the sycamore tree where Zaccheus climbed along Jesus’ path! Jericho is an incredible city filled with rich history and a beautiful place to learn about Islamic culture. After reading the Quran, I connected to the aspects surrounding agriculture and fasting in the second chapter, Al-Baqara.
I think it’s important to learn about all cultures despite your personal beliefs. I have always been a very curious and open minded person. I think it’s important to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and submit to God.
Allahu Akbar
Al·la·hu Ak·bar
exclamation
a phrase meaning ‘God is most great’, used by Muslims in prayers and as a general declaration of faith or thanksgiving.
I share a story about courage, photography, and my journey throughout the past decade of practicing street photography while riding my bike uphill in Philadelphia.
LI-DAR
noun Electronics, Optics.
“light detection and ranging” or “laser imaging, detection, and ranging”. It is a method for determining ranges by targeting an object or a surface with a laser and measuring the time for the reflected light to return to the receiver. A device similar to radar in principle and operation but using infrared laser light instead of radio waves and capable of detecting particles, distant objects, and varying physical conditions in the atmosphere.
The power of Artificial Intelligence and 360 photography! This Insta360 X3 is such a cool camera! It seems like this could be an interesting solution for a variety of applications from 360 video to LiDAR photography and scanning.
One day I was skateboarding at Paine’s Park in Philadelphia and stumbled across this group of people playing with these very interesting Japanese toys called kendama. I approached the group and wound up learning how to play and was gifted my very own kendama! I have been practicing with it everyday since I received this gift as a form of meditation. This toy gives you a way more powerful dopamine hit than any video game I have ever played! Super nice of them to let me play and will keep going back to practice and learn with them in the future.
When you treat life as a video game everything becomes more interesting. Instead of leveling up and getting stat points in game, why not do it IRL? We can increase our charisma, our charity, our strength, etc. in the real world. Doing these things digitally is a huge waste of time. There is nothing better than being in the real world and interacting with other human beings. We need to all stop being so afraid of each other. We need to handshake each other and look at each other face to face when we talk… Not through a cell phone or through a comment section or an email. Meet me on the street! Believe me, you will find me out there! I am always walking, wandering, and looking for the next level to play.
I can’t help but smile when I walk around the streets of Philadelphia. I try my best to share joy through my interactions on the streets with strangers as much as possible. I think in life the goal should be to tinker with the world around you like a video game. How many different interactions can you have in one walk through the mall? A new street photography challenge: talk to people!
I used to spend so much time as a kid playing with nerf guns. I remember modifying the guns to make them shoot further and faster. I miss those days! Tinkering with my toys, shooting guns, and playing. I think we should never let go of our inner child. I want to be like a big kid that innovates and plays on the streets. I think nowadays people fear each other more than ever, but I believe we should ignore this idea. Life is the ultimate video game!
