I Made a Photo Book in 12 Hours
What’s poppin’, people? It’s Dante.
Today we’re hitting the streets of New York City with the Ricoh GR monochrome, shooting small JPEGs, high contrast black and white.
The goal: make a full book in 12 hours.
No overthinking. No preconceived ideas.
Just show up, follow the light, and see what happens.
The Premise
I’ve made around 13,000 photos over the past 3.5 years using this exact system.
Volumes of books. A full visual diary practice.
So the question is simple:
Can I go from zero → full published book in a single day?
Starting the Day (Central Park First)
I arrive in New York and immediately head to Central Park.
I don’t start shooting street right away.
I need to orient my body first.
Nature. Walking. Light. Gratitude.
Photography has nothing to do with photography. It has everything to do with how you feel about life.
If I start the day grounded, everything else flows.
If I chase light, I find photos.
Following Light
That’s it.
That’s the whole practice.
Light is both the medium and the subject.
Photography = drawing with light.
So I follow it.
- Light on faces
- Light in tunnels
- Light on textures
- Light cutting through shadows
Every frame is just a response.
A reaction.
A surprise.
Ricoh GR = Freedom
The Ricoh GR changed everything for me.
Because I don’t bring it to my eye.
I hold it out.
I get close.
Really close.
I’m not photographing objects. I’m photographing the texture of life.
Macro details. Shadows. Surfaces.
No hesitation. No friction.
Just movement and instinct.
Street Shooting (Grand Central)
Now we’re in the chaos.
Crowds. Movement. Energy.
And I’m doing one simple thing:
- Find a patch of light
- Stand with my back to the sun
- Wait for people to walk into it
Click.
High contrast black and white.
Faces emerging from shadow.
I don’t need something interesting to happen. The light makes it interesting.
The Workflow (iPhone Native)
Before I even get on the train:
- Lightning to SD card
- Import to iPhone
- Start selecting immediately
Small JPEGs = speed.
On the train:
- Cull
- Sequence
- Organize
By the time I get home…
The book is basically already there.
Back Home (Same Day)
6:50 PM.
Photos printing.
- 87 images
- 4×6 sheets
- Canon Selphy
I lay everything on the floor.
Shuffle.
Sequence fast.
This is not a precious process.
No story arc.
No overthinking.
Just instinct.
Making the Book
Cover:
- Made in Procreate
- No sizing, no precision
- Just collage and go
I don’t take this seriously. I just play.
Then into InDesign:
- Blurb plugin
- 5×8 trade book
- 100 pages
- $8 total
Drag. Drop. Fill frame.
Done in under an hour.
The Philosophy
This isn’t about making “good photos.”
There is no such thing as good or bad photos.
It’s about:
- Volume
- Consistency
- Instinct
What you need is more photos.
This is a visual diary.
A record of your day.
A reflection of how you lived.
Why This Matters
What if the point… is the act itself?
Not validation.
Not outcome.
Not approval.
Just:
The joy of making something.
The Result
One day.
18.5 miles walked.
A full book.
Ready to print.
Final Thought
The goal is to never stop photographing.
Enter the stream.
Keep producing.
Stay in motion.
Peace.