Photography Is Bliss
What’s popping people? It’s Dante. I’m currently going for a walk here in Center City Philadelphia. Today, I’m filming with the GoPro Mini in 720p 30fps, and shooting with the Ricoh GR IIIx. Check it out—outside of Chili’s, the radio is blasting. Beautiful day. Beautiful weather. Labor Day. What a great day to be alive.
Movement and Joy
I hear the train moving below my feet. There’s something about the movement of your feet, the rhythm of your legs—it inevitably makes you feel happy. When I think about photography, I think about pure bliss.
Photography is happiness, and the reason is simple: it’s all about the process. Walking, observing, creating. There’s a rhythm to it.
“Photography is drawing with light.”
The sun itself provides pure bliss. Just being out in the sunlight, moving your body, and feeling the contraction of muscles in your legs—it’s transformative. That movement releases dopamine, the hormone that makes you feel good. And through movement, you find more opportunities to photograph.
Motivation is movement.
By walking more, you see more. By seeing more, you photograph more. The goal is to create more pictures, and through that act of creation comes success in photography.
On the Front Lines of Life
A photographer must position themselves on the front lines of life.
“Photography is about being close to life—both emotionally and physically.”
Engaging with humanity, new places, and unique experiences uplifts the soul. The ultimate goal of photography is to uplift the human spirit to new heights, to champion humanity in all its multifaceted complexity.
Finding Novelty in the Everyday
There’s something magical about the ability to articulate the world in novel ways. Even if I walk the same lane every day, I always find something new. Within the mundane, there is always novelty.
Photography turns the seemingly monotonous routine of walking into a source of endless creativity.
The Physicality of Photography
There’s a deep correlation between physicality and happiness. Photography may be the most physical medium within the arts—it demands movement. To photograph, you must walk, explore, and engage with the world.
The simple act of moving your legs and experiencing life is powerful. It uplifts the soul in ways that are both profound and direct.
“Is this not the ultimate goal in life? To be happy?”
Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. But I do know this: Photography makes me happy.
Gratitude for the Craft
I’m just really grateful for photography. It’s not just about the pictures—it’s about the journey, the connection, and the process. Photography is happiness. Movement is life. And life is beautiful. Let’s capture it.