The Identity Shift That Made My Photography 10x More Enjoyable
What’s poppin’, people? It’s Dante.
Today I want to talk about the identity shift as a photographer and what that means.
So essentially, in the past, I separated my identity as a photographer and just myself personally—Dante living my everyday life.
I used to put the camera on my neck and go out there to practice photography. I’d make dedicated trips. Go to specific locations. Try to create frames with visual and emotional impact.
And it worked… for a season.
But eventually, that approach got in the way of just living.
When Photography Becomes a Burden
At some point, it stopped being fun.
Instead of enjoying life—looking at flowers, noticing small details, exploring the mundane—I was chasing photos.
It became a chore. A burden. Even a bore.
Going to “interesting” locations, making “strong” frames—it all became repeatable. Predictable. Easily digestible.
And I even hit a point where I wanted to quit.
The Shift: Photographer vs Human Being
Now?
I don’t separate the two anymore.
I’m not a photographer sometimes.
I’m just… living. With a camera.
That’s it.
On a practical level, it’s simple:
- Compact camera
- Sometimes on the neck
- Mostly in the pocket
That’s where everything changed.
The Power of a Compact Camera
Using a small camera unlocked everything.
You can just:
- Take it off your neck
- Throw it in your pocket
- Keep moving
No friction.
This Ricoh camera genuinely makes life better.
And I mean that.
Because now I’m not “going out to shoot.”
I’m just living.
From Shooting to Living
There’s no scheduled time.
No blocks.
No pressure.
Just waking up, stepping outside, and photographing whatever shows up.
I don’t even want to call it photographing anymore. I’m just living.
And because of that…
I’m having a blast.
Longevity Over Intensity
I’m 29, turning 30 soon.
And now it feels like I’ve set myself up for a lifetime of practice.
The goal?
Never stop playing the game.
No burnout. No pressure. Just flow.
And since this shift…
I’ve become insanely prolific.
Like—opening the door and shooting all day type of prolific.
Finding Beauty in the Mundane
Now I see everything differently.
Especially with the high-contrast black-and-white workflow.
Stripping away color gives me:
- More surprise
- More serendipity
- More ambiguity
I’m not chasing perfect frames anymore.
I’m embracing:
- Imperfection
- The unknown
- The wonky
- The spontaneous
Let the chips fall where they may.
From Documenting Reality → Interpreting It
Before, I was documenting life as fact.
Now?
I’m photographing what life could be.
That’s the shift.
It’s not about what’s in front of me.
It’s about my curiosity.
The Only Question That Matters
When I’m out shooting, I ask one thing:
What will the camera see?
That question keeps me going.
It keeps things fresh.
It keeps me curious.
Embracing Abstraction
Right now, I’m shooting:
- Macro mode
- Out of focus
- Light glimmering off flowers
The result?
Textural. Ethereal. Surreal. Abstract.
And that’s way more interesting to me.
Photography as a Visual Diary
I don’t take photography seriously anymore.
I treat it like a visual diary.
And honestly…
Why does it have to be so serious?
Why do we need:
- Big projects?
- Galleries?
- Audacious goals?
Why not just… photograph?
Curiosity Over Everything
This is what it comes down to:
- What is that?
- Why is that?
- How is that?
Just being curious like a kid again.
The camera is just the tool that fuels that curiosity.
The Result
Now?
It doesn’t matter where I am.
Side of the highway. Random path. Middle of nowhere.
I’m already 100 frames deep.
Just having fun.
Flow State in Real Life
Like the other day—
Guy riding an e-bike doing a wheelie.
I bump exposure +1.3 EV.
Catch the shadow.
Is it the best photo?
No.
But that’s not the point.
I’m just in the flow.
Final Thought
Forget everything you think you know.
Let life come to you.
Be ready.
Make the frame.
And most importantly—
Never stop playing the game.