Photography is My Will to Power
What’s poppin, people?
It’s Dante, walking around the Centennial Arboretum on this beautiful morning. Check out this big tree.
Rooted and Reaching
This tree is incredible. When I look at how a tree grows—planting its roots deep in the ground, extending its limbs into the sky, always seeking sunlight—I think:
We too can grow.
Like the tree, we can stand firm and stretch toward the light. We can grow through our photography.
Right now, I’m watching a squirrel leap from branch to branch. So elegant.
Movement as Art
As photographers, our movement can become art.
The way we walk, the way we talk, the way we press the shutter—it can all be part of a living work of art.
Live your life like it’s a living work of art.
Through photographing, we grow.
Through photographing, we learn.
Through photographing, we discover why we even wake up in the morning.
The Photographic Frenzy
I treat photography as a way to augment reality.
To extend my limbs outward through the creation of new photographs.
Growth doesn’t come from making “better” photos—it comes from simply photographing.
To grow as a photographer is to photograph.
Not about good or bad images. Just more images.
Daily images. Images from your soul.
I call this state the frenzy.
The Will to Power 🌱
Like trees competing for light, we too compete—through creation.
Photographing is my will to power.
In the gym, growth comes through hypertrophy: lift heavy, tear muscles, recover with food, sleep, and sunlight.
As humans, we need:
- Water
- Nourishment
- Rest
- Sunlight
And I believe:
You too are undergoing photosynthesis.
Elevate the Mundane
Photography is not just clicking.
It’s the act of elevating the everyday—finding godliness in the ordinary.
Creation is a godlike ability.
That’s why I love photographing with the Ricoh GR, using the high contrast black and white preset. It strips away distractions.
Cherry Blossoms and Death 🌸
I’m looking at cherry blossoms now.
They bloom quick, randomly, beautifully—and just as quickly, they fall.
Amor fati. Love your fate.
Just like the cherry blossoms, we are finite.
But if you embrace death, truly embrace it, then every morning becomes a gift.
You move through life with gratitude.
You wake up with purpose.
Vitality is the Goal
To remain curious, one must be full of vitality.
The only life worth living is one full of vitality.
Walk with:
- A strong gait
- Head held high
- Shoulders back
- Chest open
Treat life like an arena.
And through vitality, you can fend off distractions—the media, the noise, the hate.
Clarity is Sacred
Mental clarity.
Physical strength.
Spiritual curiosity.
This is sacred.
Success in photography flows from physical health and sharp visual acuity.
Push yourself—mentally, spiritually, physically—every single day.
Growth = Creation
Photography is hypertrophy for the soul:
- Recognize patterns
- Observe deeply
- Walk endlessly
- Stay curious
Photography is the act of growing larger.
Use Technology to Augment Yourself
With the Ricoh GR and small JPEG files, you can produce endlessly.
Augment your life easily.
Old ways like film and darkrooms are cool, but they’re limited.
Digital = Infinite.
The Internet = The new frontier.
Think of your website as digital land. Go conquer it.
Create Your Own Space
Delete your Instagram.
Go to WordPress.org.
Host your name on Bluehost.com.
Use the Astra theme like I do.
Give yourself a blank canvas.
Maybe I’ll even make a tutorial on how to do all this. It changed my mindset completely.
Learn Through the Lens
I snapped a photo of the Friedrich Schiller statue.
Typed it into ChatGPT and learned everything about it in seconds.
AI is a teacher in your pocket.
Photograph > Ask > Learn > Grow.
Photography becomes a learning tool.
Final Thought: Strive Upwards
Walking around, photographing, existing…
Yes, I’m a human bound by gravity, but I’m also:
Striving upward through creation.
Take the ordinary.
Make it extraordinary.
Catch the dewdrops in the morning.
Create. Grow. Evolve. 🌿