Danny

Dionysian Photography

Follow your gut and instincts when you shoot. Shoot irrationally. Don’t think “rationally” when you shoot. Think rationally when you’re at home editing (selecting) your photos:

In praise of chaos and randomness

Danny

Dionysus was the God of chaos, drunkenness, and irrationality. Apollo was the God of rationality, logic, and order.

My buddy Nietzsche said we need both the dionysian and apollonian to become “super-human”. I agree.

In the context of photography, this means follow your gut more in photography.

This is also the interesting thing about my photos:

I am a very positive and optimistic person, yet my photos look dark and pessimistic.

But this is my theory:

The tragic photographers who use a dark palette and style, are in fact the most optimistic and positive photographers.

For example, Martin Parr‘s photographs of people and society are bright, colorful, and saturated. Yet his opinion of society is very pessimistic and grim.

When looking at the work of W. Eugene Smith, his photos are extremely dark. Yet his photos proclaim:

Even though there is much pain and suffering in the world, life is still beautiful and worth living!


“Life is a beautiful struggle.” – Mos Def

Life is sometimes hard and shitty, but that is what makes life beautiful. A life without pain and suffering wouldn’t be a life worth living.

Channel the pain and difficulty into stimulants of strength.

And use your photography as a tool to find more beauty in life!

ERIC

PHOTOLOSOPHY 101 >