Photo Credit: Chillee Vaivaka – street photographer.
I have spent a number of hours in the last two days watching every video and looking at every photograph on @dino.serrao ‘s account on Instagram. If you somehow haven’t seen them yet, go there now. I am late to the party as well as apparently he has 2.1 million followers between Instagram, tiktok and YouTube. He is the talented, observant director of “Street Portraits” and he goes around the world photographing ordinary strangers on the street. (This, by the way, is not a sponsored post or advertisement).
To say that his work has gotten my attention would be understating what I’ve been feeling since immersing myself in his videos over the last 48 hours. There are things we hear, read and see that reach right inside of us and we know that we’ve been given a glimpse of something that only the angels see every day. You know this because of the way your heart speeds up, your breath catches and tears show up unbidden in your eyes. It’s recognizable because suddenly you want to do better, be better, and you find yourself wondering when you went blind. His body of work is stunning and has made me determined to look up and look around despite my intense introverted tendencies to avoid eye contact and conversations with strangers. His portfolio on social media, the interest in it, and his large number of followers has me knowing that I’m not alone in recognizing the gift he has offered. Maybe a lot of us are realizing we’re like the frog in the pot who doesn’t notice he’s either boiled or entirely too comfortable in the heat he doesn’t remember choosing.
The messages we receive about beauty are relentless, invasive and powerful. They are driven by an insatiable capitalist machine and we are steeped in them, absorbing their standards through our very pores like the expensive creams they sell us. There are few people shown on Dino’s page that live up to the impossible messages we receive and yet, I found beauty and perfection in every face. I was drawn in, intrigued by their lives and what led to the wisdom, challenge or twinkle in their eyes or created their shy, confident or grudging smiles. I paused on so many of the faces, ruminating on the circumstances that determined their stories, locales, livelihoods, companions and even fashion choices. I felt curious about which of the creases and wrinkles were caused by struggle or laughter, and if asked, if they would say they considered themselves interesting and attractive. In fact many of them were reluctant, disbelieving beauties.
I found myself appalled to realize that I had been largely overlooking and avoiding amazing opportunities and trying to grapple with lame excuses for it like life being too busy, unsafe, overwhelming, distracting or full already. I don’t want to be a person to whom others are invisible or somehow not “worthy” of my attention. We encounter people every day and we look past or walk by, not noticing how spectacular they are, how interesting they might be, what they could teach us or if we might be capable of lifting their spirits through a brief connection in which they feel seen. Dino’s interactions with the people he photographs seemingly last less than 30 minutes. In most of the videos he assures them he will only take 2-5 minutes of their time. It was striking to me, that just by paying attention to a hairstyle, a fashion look, a job, a pet, a location, an interesting face or an intriguing smile, that he is then able to perform magic. The recipient of his attention is at first confused, suspicious, pleased, and then willing, which allows him an opportunity to show them to themselves. It is inspiring to watch. The most touching thing to me is how surprised and delighted they are by what is reflected back to them in the photographs he takes. Through his eyes and his lens he astonishes them with a sense of how captivating they really are. Watching their reactions took me out, over and over again.
Finding his videos and his page in the first week of a new year seems serendipitous to me. Getting out of the boiling pot, the one that dictates and advertises beauty AT me and insidiously bombards me with information about who is worth noticing and focusing on, is something I didn’t know I was failing at. Now, I am paying attention. I know what to be “obsessed” with in 2024 and it’s not what any Influencer is peddling. I recognize the irony in the fact that I found Dino on social media but feel he’s teaching something vital rather than selling a product. His exquisite photographs, videos and interactions with fascinating strangers has reminded me of something I didn’t know I had forgotten. Alchemy is possible when we look up, from our phones, our own lives, our grievances, our work, our own families, and we look into the eyes and faces of those who walk along with us. There are stories to be heard, lessons to be learned and hearts to be lifted when we turn our gaze outward. I want to be curious about a planet full of fascinating people who are waiting to be seen and known. I admit to starting the year feeling like the world is currently a hotbed of conflict and uncertainty and that there was little splendor to be found. I was wrong about that. What I have learned from Dino and his crew is that it’s all around us. If our filters are bona fide interest, courteous goodwill and audacious generosity then our fellow travelers are innumerable, beguiling,and splendid indeed.
If you find yourself in a new year looking for something to uplift and inspire you or if you just want to spend a few hours bathed in light and goodness, you can find him on all platforms by googling his name, Dino Serrao.
Something to Shay 