Self-introduction and Photo Essay (with dogs!)

Let me tell you a story about a man and his best friends. This is the story of Brentano (me): https://www.instagram.com/brentano1/

But first, let me say I have no idea how to make money on Steemit, and I hope for the community to help me out with that. I am a fledging entrepreneur, with many other projects. I have found its very hard to get people's attention on the internet, but I'm looking at transitioning all my projects to blockchain/cryptocurrency funding, so I can consolidate, find the right followers, get more traction, and make a difference in the world.

Brentano is much like Diogenes, the cynic philosopher from ancient Greece who was often compared to a dog. Dog-like Diogenes was a friend to animals, and them to him, because he understood something deeper than his fellow thinkers. That there was more humanity in a dog than in a man, and that through their creation (by man) they came to reflect the best within us.

From a young age Brentano always had an affinity with animals. He was also an artist at heart, although this was not nurtured and Brentano was a very late bloomer when it came to art and self-expression. At some point in his pursuit of acting, Brentano decided it would be a great idea to take headshots with dogs. It was a passion project, purely motivated by love, but a hidden hope was that it would get enough attention to fund his animal activism (and human rights activism). This did not happen.

I started this photography project over 7 years ago (2009), and posted a few pics on Facebook. It was more popular than anything I'd ever posted, but still not good enough to compete with my Facebook friends banal updates about their shower thoughts, dad jokes, or personal events. I also reached out to some dog magazines, but received no replies. I felt my efforts were not being acknowledged adequately. Then in 2012, someone I vaguely knew for a bit told me that they saw my pics on Reddit. I had no idea. What happened was somebody else that I vaguely knew (through an acting class) took my pictures off Facebook and posted them to r/ladyboners (via Imgur).

Here is the link: "A friend of mine posts intense looking pictures on facebook with various tiny dogs that he fosters. I thought that you ladies might appreciate."
https://www.reddit.com/r/LadyBoners/comments/104na7/a_friend_of_mine_posts_intense_looking_pictures/

I had over 2000 upvotes. I was at the top of the front page of r/ladyboners, a place usually reserved for meme-hunks like Ryan Gosling. The Imgur link had over 100,000 views in one month. The fickle nature of the internet had proven itself definitely. I had worked hard to promote lots of my own ideas and ventures for years, but nothing stuck, nobody really shared anything. So for this to happen spontaneously was a pleasant surprise but also frustrating. I got some 15 minutes of fame, but none of it traced back to me, and nobody really cared. I'm pretty sure part of the hook was that somebody else (and not me) posted about it; "a friend of mine posts...". I even reached out to her and thanked her, but since there was no consent, asked if she might want to help me with the project. She ignored the offer. The reddit episode faded, and the moment passed, never to return.

But Brentano carried on with the project. Most of the dogs he's photographed with are rescues (or in shelter at the time), many of them from the Dhana Metta Rescue Society (for tiny dogs, mostly). Here is their website:
http://www.dhanamettarescuesociety.org

Despite my best efforts, I never raised my own profile or a dime of charity to forward to Dhana Metta. Rather, I incurred costs for many of my projects, including this one. I would very much like to continue in this artistic niche (perhaps hold a Guinness World Record one day for the most headshots with animals). Success in this regard would allow me to engage in more animal activism and also fund my other startups.

Brentano is mysterious in many ways. Many people ask what the story is with the dog photos. I tell them, the photos are the story. Make of it what you will. There is a quote on the Instagram account that is very telling.

“Dogs and philosophers do the greatest good and get the fewest rewards.” ― Diogenes

I am a philosopher, very unrewarded for my efforts at the greatest good. Likewise, my furry friends diligently serve mankind, doing double duty as diplomats for the animal kingdom, and many are still mistreated or homeless. This is unacceptable, and easily rectifiable with a little compassion and education. It seems people want some entertaining anecdote about the photos, not the truth. The truth is its art, and worthy of your contemplation.

But one can still read into the photos another story, about the intimate relationship between human and animal, perhaps owner and pet. I tell people they are just pictures of Brentano hanging out with his friends. Not his friend's dogs, but his friends. The idea is that the animals are his peers, spending quality time together.

Some are big, some are small. Some are long, some are tall. But they all love me, and I love all.

With photography, you don't always know what you're going to get. Models/photographers take hundreds of pictures of different nuances and different angles, then they select and edit the best ones. It is no different with animal photography, except that it is even more complicated, because the animals aren't always responsive and cooperative to the needs of the shot. Nevertheless, they are willing subjects, and playful partners for the time being.

Brentano likes to portray different looks and poses, taking on different clothing styles, and inner moods, but in most of the photos Brentano maintains a subdued, stern, thoughtful, or stoic look. This is after all what models strive for.

Brentano's passion for animals goes beyond dogs. While dogs are 'man's best friends' and the main theme of the Instagram, there is also the occasional other species. So far, there is a butterfly, a cat, and a goat.

This photo essay has featured 9 photos, but the Instagram so far has 28 posts, so check that out. With your help, it could have a lot more. Or if you want to know about my other projects, we can talk about that too.

Please like and share and steemit!

Thank you,

Brentano