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One Bad Video a Day: Why Perfectionism Is Killing Your Creativity

Perfectionism isn't about quality, it's about fear. Fear of being judged, fear of not matching the thing in your head, fear of putting something out there that isn't ready.

After 15 years of making things, l've learned that nothing is ever really ready. You just decide to ship it.

So today I grabbed my phone, went to the park, and hit record. No plan, no script.
Because one bad video leads to one less bad video... and eventually one that actually surprises you.

Action Cures Anxiety.

What's YOUR version of one "bad" video? Drop it in the
comments.

Sharper Sensei, Calmer Flows, New Library
presentOS May Update:

⊹ Flow sounds now keep playing when you lock the screen or switch apps

⊹ Present Sensei now searches the whole Present Cosmos semantically, grounded in real pieces, quoting from chapters of the upcoming Do The Thing. Same warm voice, more nuance behind it

⊹ Four new Magazines in the Library: Hung La (LU'U ĐẠN), Tricia & Terry Jones (i-D), Etienne Diop (Tareet), and Oliver Urman. Plus four new Present Principles

⊹ iPad version runs beautifully on any tablet now

⊹ New menubar on desktop, so you can access core features even when the app is hidden

Restart your app, or download at present.zone/os
Full notes on Substack, link in bio.

If you've been using presentOS, the most helpful thing you can do is leave a review on the App Store💫

This sequence of twelve deep breaths is one of the most reliable and easy ways I’ve found to practice being present, for every situation in life:

⊹ First, take three breaths to relax.
Drop your shoulders. Unclench your jaw. Let your body release whatever tension it’s holding. Drop everything and simply fall into being.

⊹ Then take three breaths to let go of the past. 
Whatever you’re still replaying in your head, the conversation, the project, the mistake: Let them go. You’re not there anymore.

⊹ Then take three breaths to let go of the future. 
The launch. The reception. The judgment. Stop rehearsing what hasn’t happened yet. Worrying solves nothing. Be here, now.

⊹ Lastly, take three breaths to remind yourself how easy it is to take a vacation in the present. 
You don’t need to be anywhere or do anything other than what you’re doing 
in this moment. Real generosity towards the future lies in giving all to the present.

Then gently open your eyes and choose to be present. Choose to start for just five minutes.

When I first learned this, my monkey mind would sprint back into the past or leap ahead into the future almost immediately. It’s much easier now, 
but it does take some rewiring of your brain. And if you stick with it, it works.

Resistance, the force that keeps us from doing the thing we know we should do, lives in the past and in the future. In the past, it whispers: you’ve tried before, you’ve failed before. In the future, it warns: what if it’s not good enough, what if no one cares.

But Resistance can’t survive in the Present. When you’re fully present, there is no thinking, only flow.

Those twelve breaths can become a complete reset. Remember that you already have everything you need. Just get started. Stay present. You got this.

—
Image: How to Be in the Moment by Friedrich Kunath

This sequence of twelve deep breaths is one of the most reliable and easy ways I’ve found to practice being present, for every situation in life:

⊹ First, take three breaths to relax.
Drop your shoulders. Unclench your jaw. Let your body release whatever tension it’s holding. Drop everything and simply fall into being.

⊹ Then take three breaths to let go of the past. 
Whatever you’re still replaying in your head, the conversation, the project, the mistake: Let them go. You’re not there anymore.

⊹ Then take three breaths to let go of the future. 
The launch. The reception. The judgment. Stop rehearsing what hasn’t happened yet. Worrying solves nothing. Be here, now.

⊹ Lastly, take three breaths to remind yourself how easy it is to take a vacation in the present. 
You don’t need to be anywhere or do anything other than what you’re doing 
in this moment. Real generosity towards the future lies in giving all to the present.

Then gently open your eyes and choose to be present. Choose to start for just five minutes.

When I first learned this, my monkey mind would sprint back into the past or leap ahead into the future almost immediately. It’s much easier now, 
but it does take some rewiring of your brain. And if you stick with it, it works.

Resistance, the force that keeps us from doing the thing we know we should do, lives in the past and in the future. In the past, it whispers: you’ve tried before, you’ve failed before. In the future, it warns: what if it’s not good enough, what if no one cares.

But Resistance can’t survive in the Present. When you’re fully present, there is no thinking, only flow.

Those twelve breaths can become a complete reset. Remember that you already have everything you need. Just get started. Stay present. You got this.

—
Image: How to Be in the Moment by Friedrich Kunath

This sequence of twelve deep breaths is one of the most reliable and easy ways I’ve found to practice being present, for every situation in life:

⊹ First, take three breaths to relax.
Drop your shoulders. Unclench your jaw. Let your body release whatever tension it’s holding. Drop everything and simply fall into being.

⊹ Then take three breaths to let go of the past. 
Whatever you’re still replaying in your head, the conversation, the project, the mistake: Let them go. You’re not there anymore.

⊹ Then take three breaths to let go of the future. 
The launch. The reception. The judgment. Stop rehearsing what hasn’t happened yet. Worrying solves nothing. Be here, now.

⊹ Lastly, take three breaths to remind yourself how easy it is to take a vacation in the present. 
You don’t need to be anywhere or do anything other than what you’re doing 
in this moment. Real generosity towards the future lies in giving all to the present.

Then gently open your eyes and choose to be present. Choose to start for just five minutes.

When I first learned this, my monkey mind would sprint back into the past or leap ahead into the future almost immediately. It’s much easier now, 
but it does take some rewiring of your brain. And if you stick with it, it works.

Resistance, the force that keeps us from doing the thing we know we should do, lives in the past and in the future. In the past, it whispers: you’ve tried before, you’ve failed before. In the future, it warns: what if it’s not good enough, what if no one cares.

But Resistance can’t survive in the Present. When you’re fully present, there is no thinking, only flow.

Those twelve breaths can become a complete reset. Remember that you already have everything you need. Just get started. Stay present. You got this.

—
Image: How to Be in the Moment by Friedrich Kunath

This sequence of twelve deep breaths is one of the most reliable and easy ways I’ve found to practice being present, for every situation in life:

⊹ First, take three breaths to relax.
Drop your shoulders. Unclench your jaw. Let your body release whatever tension it’s holding. Drop everything and simply fall into being.

⊹ Then take three breaths to let go of the past. 
Whatever you’re still replaying in your head, the conversation, the project, the mistake: Let them go. You’re not there anymore.

⊹ Then take three breaths to let go of the future. 
The launch. The reception. The judgment. Stop rehearsing what hasn’t happened yet. Worrying solves nothing. Be here, now.

⊹ Lastly, take three breaths to remind yourself how easy it is to take a vacation in the present. 
You don’t need to be anywhere or do anything other than what you’re doing 
in this moment. Real generosity towards the future lies in giving all to the present.

Then gently open your eyes and choose to be present. Choose to start for just five minutes.

When I first learned this, my monkey mind would sprint back into the past or leap ahead into the future almost immediately. It’s much easier now, 
but it does take some rewiring of your brain. And if you stick with it, it works.

Resistance, the force that keeps us from doing the thing we know we should do, lives in the past and in the future. In the past, it whispers: you’ve tried before, you’ve failed before. In the future, it warns: what if it’s not good enough, what if no one cares.

But Resistance can’t survive in the Present. When you’re fully present, there is no thinking, only flow.

Those twelve breaths can become a complete reset. Remember that you already have everything you need. Just get started. Stay present. You got this.

—
Image: How to Be in the Moment by Friedrich Kunath

Wisdom from OG Present Sensei’s.

The people who dedicate their lives to making things know that every breakthrough begins with a tremor, that fear is often the doorway, and that the work only becomes real when you stop hiding from the parts of yourself that feel raw. Passion is not a luxury but a survival instinct and failure is not the end but the beginning of becoming honest. Follow your curiosity, trust the mess long enough for meaning to emerge, choose the path that scares you because that’s where your life actually expands.

Imagery via the great @ archived.dreams
For education purposes only!

Wisdom from OG Present Sensei’s.

The people who dedicate their lives to making things know that every breakthrough begins with a tremor, that fear is often the doorway, and that the work only becomes real when you stop hiding from the parts of yourself that feel raw. Passion is not a luxury but a survival instinct and failure is not the end but the beginning of becoming honest. Follow your curiosity, trust the mess long enough for meaning to emerge, choose the path that scares you because that’s where your life actually expands.

Imagery via the great @ archived.dreams
For education purposes only!

Wisdom from OG Present Sensei’s.

The people who dedicate their lives to making things know that every breakthrough begins with a tremor, that fear is often the doorway, and that the work only becomes real when you stop hiding from the parts of yourself that feel raw. Passion is not a luxury but a survival instinct and failure is not the end but the beginning of becoming honest. Follow your curiosity, trust the mess long enough for meaning to emerge, choose the path that scares you because that’s where your life actually expands.

Imagery via the great @ archived.dreams
For education purposes only!

Wisdom from OG Present Sensei’s.

The people who dedicate their lives to making things know that every breakthrough begins with a tremor, that fear is often the doorway, and that the work only becomes real when you stop hiding from the parts of yourself that feel raw. Passion is not a luxury but a survival instinct and failure is not the end but the beginning of becoming honest. Follow your curiosity, trust the mess long enough for meaning to emerge, choose the path that scares you because that’s where your life actually expands.

Imagery via the great @ archived.dreams
For education purposes only!

Wisdom from OG Present Sensei’s.

The people who dedicate their lives to making things know that every breakthrough begins with a tremor, that fear is often the doorway, and that the work only becomes real when you stop hiding from the parts of yourself that feel raw. Passion is not a luxury but a survival instinct and failure is not the end but the beginning of becoming honest. Follow your curiosity, trust the mess long enough for meaning to emerge, choose the path that scares you because that’s where your life actually expands.

Imagery via the great @ archived.dreams
For education purposes only!

Wisdom from OG Present Sensei’s.

The people who dedicate their lives to making things know that every breakthrough begins with a tremor, that fear is often the doorway, and that the work only becomes real when you stop hiding from the parts of yourself that feel raw. Passion is not a luxury but a survival instinct and failure is not the end but the beginning of becoming honest. Follow your curiosity, trust the mess long enough for meaning to emerge, choose the path that scares you because that’s where your life actually expands.

Imagery via the great @ archived.dreams
For education purposes only!

Wisdom from OG Present Sensei’s.

The people who dedicate their lives to making things know that every breakthrough begins with a tremor, that fear is often the doorway, and that the work only becomes real when you stop hiding from the parts of yourself that feel raw. Passion is not a luxury but a survival instinct and failure is not the end but the beginning of becoming honest. Follow your curiosity, trust the mess long enough for meaning to emerge, choose the path that scares you because that’s where your life actually expands.

Imagery via the great @ archived.dreams
For education purposes only!

Wisdom from OG Present Sensei’s.

The people who dedicate their lives to making things know that every breakthrough begins with a tremor, that fear is often the doorway, and that the work only becomes real when you stop hiding from the parts of yourself that feel raw. Passion is not a luxury but a survival instinct and failure is not the end but the beginning of becoming honest. Follow your curiosity, trust the mess long enough for meaning to emerge, choose the path that scares you because that’s where your life actually expands.

Imagery via the great @ archived.dreams
For education purposes only!

Wisdom from OG Present Sensei’s.

The people who dedicate their lives to making things know that every breakthrough begins with a tremor, that fear is often the doorway, and that the work only becomes real when you stop hiding from the parts of yourself that feel raw. Passion is not a luxury but a survival instinct and failure is not the end but the beginning of becoming honest. Follow your curiosity, trust the mess long enough for meaning to emerge, choose the path that scares you because that’s where your life actually expands.

Imagery via the great @ archived.dreams
For education purposes only!

Wisdom from OG Present Sensei’s.

The people who dedicate their lives to making things know that every breakthrough begins with a tremor, that fear is often the doorway, and that the work only becomes real when you stop hiding from the parts of yourself that feel raw. Passion is not a luxury but a survival instinct and failure is not the end but the beginning of becoming honest. Follow your curiosity, trust the mess long enough for meaning to emerge, choose the path that scares you because that’s where your life actually expands.

Imagery via the great @ archived.dreams
For education purposes only!

Wisdom from OG Present Sensei’s.

The people who dedicate their lives to making things know that every breakthrough begins with a tremor, that fear is often the doorway, and that the work only becomes real when you stop hiding from the parts of yourself that feel raw. Passion is not a luxury but a survival instinct and failure is not the end but the beginning of becoming honest. Follow your curiosity, trust the mess long enough for meaning to emerge, choose the path that scares you because that’s where your life actually expands.

Imagery via the great @ archived.dreams
For education purposes only!

Florence Tétier is the co-founder and creative director of @novembreglobal, former creative director at Jean Paul Gaultier, and founder of her own jewellery brand @tetierbijoux.

She was one of my first creative role models, and one of the original reasons I wanted to study design at @ecal_ch back in the day. Florence has also been part of the PRESENT world since Issue 2, where she shared with us a visual diary of her life.

What I admire most is the way she juggles it all while refusing to stay inside one lane. Magazine, fashion house, classroom, jewellery bench: she keeps building her own worlds and playgrounds and invites others in. A true Modern Maker if there ever was one!

_
Photo Credits:
1. From Florence Tétier
2. From Novembre reimagines Moonboot
3. From Tétier Bijoux
4. Portrait Svet Chalssol
5. From Tétier Bijoux
6. From Florence Tétier

Florence Tétier is the co-founder and creative director of @novembreglobal, former creative director at Jean Paul Gaultier, and founder of her own jewellery brand @tetierbijoux.

She was one of my first creative role models, and one of the original reasons I wanted to study design at @ecal_ch back in the day. Florence has also been part of the PRESENT world since Issue 2, where she shared with us a visual diary of her life.

What I admire most is the way she juggles it all while refusing to stay inside one lane. Magazine, fashion house, classroom, jewellery bench: she keeps building her own worlds and playgrounds and invites others in. A true Modern Maker if there ever was one!

_
Photo Credits:
1. From Florence Tétier
2. From Novembre reimagines Moonboot
3. From Tétier Bijoux
4. Portrait Svet Chalssol
5. From Tétier Bijoux
6. From Florence Tétier

Florence Tétier is the co-founder and creative director of @novembreglobal, former creative director at Jean Paul Gaultier, and founder of her own jewellery brand @tetierbijoux.

She was one of my first creative role models, and one of the original reasons I wanted to study design at @ecal_ch back in the day. Florence has also been part of the PRESENT world since Issue 2, where she shared with us a visual diary of her life.

What I admire most is the way she juggles it all while refusing to stay inside one lane. Magazine, fashion house, classroom, jewellery bench: she keeps building her own worlds and playgrounds and invites others in. A true Modern Maker if there ever was one!

_
Photo Credits:
1. From Florence Tétier
2. From Novembre reimagines Moonboot
3. From Tétier Bijoux
4. Portrait Svet Chalssol
5. From Tétier Bijoux
6. From Florence Tétier

Florence Tétier is the co-founder and creative director of @novembreglobal, former creative director at Jean Paul Gaultier, and founder of her own jewellery brand @tetierbijoux.

She was one of my first creative role models, and one of the original reasons I wanted to study design at @ecal_ch back in the day. Florence has also been part of the PRESENT world since Issue 2, where she shared with us a visual diary of her life.

What I admire most is the way she juggles it all while refusing to stay inside one lane. Magazine, fashion house, classroom, jewellery bench: she keeps building her own worlds and playgrounds and invites others in. A true Modern Maker if there ever was one!

_
Photo Credits:
1. From Florence Tétier
2. From Novembre reimagines Moonboot
3. From Tétier Bijoux
4. Portrait Svet Chalssol
5. From Tétier Bijoux
6. From Florence Tétier

Florence Tétier is the co-founder and creative director of @novembreglobal, former creative director at Jean Paul Gaultier, and founder of her own jewellery brand @tetierbijoux.

She was one of my first creative role models, and one of the original reasons I wanted to study design at @ecal_ch back in the day. Florence has also been part of the PRESENT world since Issue 2, where she shared with us a visual diary of her life.

What I admire most is the way she juggles it all while refusing to stay inside one lane. Magazine, fashion house, classroom, jewellery bench: she keeps building her own worlds and playgrounds and invites others in. A true Modern Maker if there ever was one!

_
Photo Credits:
1. From Florence Tétier
2. From Novembre reimagines Moonboot
3. From Tétier Bijoux
4. Portrait Svet Chalssol
5. From Tétier Bijoux
6. From Florence Tétier

Florence Tétier is the co-founder and creative director of @novembreglobal, former creative director at Jean Paul Gaultier, and founder of her own jewellery brand @tetierbijoux.

She was one of my first creative role models, and one of the original reasons I wanted to study design at @ecal_ch back in the day. Florence has also been part of the PRESENT world since Issue 2, where she shared with us a visual diary of her life.

What I admire most is the way she juggles it all while refusing to stay inside one lane. Magazine, fashion house, classroom, jewellery bench: she keeps building her own worlds and playgrounds and invites others in. A true Modern Maker if there ever was one!

_
Photo Credits:
1. From Florence Tétier
2. From Novembre reimagines Moonboot
3. From Tétier Bijoux
4. Portrait Svet Chalssol
5. From Tétier Bijoux
6. From Florence Tétier

"I control what I can control. The rest, I release." —Kyrie Irving

I mapped it out a while back, the small circle of what's actually ours to shape, and the wide field outside it that isn't.

Your actions. How you show up, how you respond, how you learn when things break. That's the work. The rest is the flow of the universe.

Have a great week💙

"I control what I can control. The rest, I release." —Kyrie Irving

I mapped it out a while back, the small circle of what's actually ours to shape, and the wide field outside it that isn't.

Your actions. How you show up, how you respond, how you learn when things break. That's the work. The rest is the flow of the universe.

Have a great week💙

presentOS in now available in the Apple App Store for iPhone and Desktop.

After months of work presentOS just got accepted to the App Store and is now available in 175 countries. It’s been a journey but feels like a beginning. Android version is almost ready and coming soon as well!

I hope this can become a daily companion for Modern Makers.

This is the first walkthrough focusing on flow sessions with a sound mixer, breathing techniques with haptic guidance, a library of essays and practices, the community spacd, and Present Sensei, your personal guide, based on my upcoming book Do The Thing and trained on Present Principles.

I will tell you more about The Future of Present in an upcoming letter, which will introduce Present Pro to help keep this project alive.

It’s completely free for now. If it resonates, a quick App Store review would help enormously in these first weeks. And if anything feels off, let me know.

I hope you enjoy it!
Love & talk to you soon, Hugo

_
iPhone version in App Store → Link in bio
Desktop version download on → present.zone/os
More info in my latest newsletter → hugohoppmann.substack.com (link in bio)
Music: Final Save by Trashiii, Zorrovian, papa zen

Massimo Vitali is a legendary Italian photographer, best known for his large-scale beach scenes that turn everyday crowds into quiet studies of contemporary life. His generosity, humour, and unshakable curiosity have stayed with us ever since we first spoke.

Massimo joined the PRESENT world back in 2020, when Sarah and I interviewed him from his 14th-century church in Lucca for Present Issue 2. We talked about morning rituals, bicycles, lockdown lessons, and why long-term plans keep you alive.

What I admire most is how he treats being a photographer and being an artist as the same simple act: showing up, staying curious, and making the work. At 74, still planning decades ahead, he's a reminder that it's never too late, and never too early, to do your Thing.

Present People Profiles showcase our favourite Modern Makers and members of the PRESENT community, contributors and friends.

_
Photo Credits:
1. Portrait by Settimio Benedusi
2. Portrait by Alberto Zanetti
3. Massimo Vitali: Porto Miggiano Blue Raft (2011)
4. Massimo Vitali: Beach & Disco
5. Still from a film by Flora Del Debbio
6. Photo by Stefano Baroni
7. Massimo Vitali: Monopoli Sunrise, (2020) + Portrait by The Socialite Family
8. Massimo Vitali: Picnic Allee (2000)
9. Massimo Vitali: L'Île de Porquerolles (2015) + Portrait by Hermes Mereghetti

Massimo Vitali is a legendary Italian photographer, best known for his large-scale beach scenes that turn everyday crowds into quiet studies of contemporary life. His generosity, humour, and unshakable curiosity have stayed with us ever since we first spoke.

Massimo joined the PRESENT world back in 2020, when Sarah and I interviewed him from his 14th-century church in Lucca for Present Issue 2. We talked about morning rituals, bicycles, lockdown lessons, and why long-term plans keep you alive.

What I admire most is how he treats being a photographer and being an artist as the same simple act: showing up, staying curious, and making the work. At 74, still planning decades ahead, he's a reminder that it's never too late, and never too early, to do your Thing.

Present People Profiles showcase our favourite Modern Makers and members of the PRESENT community, contributors and friends.

_
Photo Credits:
1. Portrait by Settimio Benedusi
2. Portrait by Alberto Zanetti
3. Massimo Vitali: Porto Miggiano Blue Raft (2011)
4. Massimo Vitali: Beach & Disco
5. Still from a film by Flora Del Debbio
6. Photo by Stefano Baroni
7. Massimo Vitali: Monopoli Sunrise, (2020) + Portrait by The Socialite Family
8. Massimo Vitali: Picnic Allee (2000)
9. Massimo Vitali: L'Île de Porquerolles (2015) + Portrait by Hermes Mereghetti

Massimo Vitali is a legendary Italian photographer, best known for his large-scale beach scenes that turn everyday crowds into quiet studies of contemporary life. His generosity, humour, and unshakable curiosity have stayed with us ever since we first spoke.

Massimo joined the PRESENT world back in 2020, when Sarah and I interviewed him from his 14th-century church in Lucca for Present Issue 2. We talked about morning rituals, bicycles, lockdown lessons, and why long-term plans keep you alive.

What I admire most is how he treats being a photographer and being an artist as the same simple act: showing up, staying curious, and making the work. At 74, still planning decades ahead, he's a reminder that it's never too late, and never too early, to do your Thing.

Present People Profiles showcase our favourite Modern Makers and members of the PRESENT community, contributors and friends.

_
Photo Credits:
1. Portrait by Settimio Benedusi
2. Portrait by Alberto Zanetti
3. Massimo Vitali: Porto Miggiano Blue Raft (2011)
4. Massimo Vitali: Beach & Disco
5. Still from a film by Flora Del Debbio
6. Photo by Stefano Baroni
7. Massimo Vitali: Monopoli Sunrise, (2020) + Portrait by The Socialite Family
8. Massimo Vitali: Picnic Allee (2000)
9. Massimo Vitali: L'Île de Porquerolles (2015) + Portrait by Hermes Mereghetti

Massimo Vitali is a legendary Italian photographer, best known for his large-scale beach scenes that turn everyday crowds into quiet studies of contemporary life. His generosity, humour, and unshakable curiosity have stayed with us ever since we first spoke.

Massimo joined the PRESENT world back in 2020, when Sarah and I interviewed him from his 14th-century church in Lucca for Present Issue 2. We talked about morning rituals, bicycles, lockdown lessons, and why long-term plans keep you alive.

What I admire most is how he treats being a photographer and being an artist as the same simple act: showing up, staying curious, and making the work. At 74, still planning decades ahead, he's a reminder that it's never too late, and never too early, to do your Thing.

Present People Profiles showcase our favourite Modern Makers and members of the PRESENT community, contributors and friends.

_
Photo Credits:
1. Portrait by Settimio Benedusi
2. Portrait by Alberto Zanetti
3. Massimo Vitali: Porto Miggiano Blue Raft (2011)
4. Massimo Vitali: Beach & Disco
5. Still from a film by Flora Del Debbio
6. Photo by Stefano Baroni
7. Massimo Vitali: Monopoli Sunrise, (2020) + Portrait by The Socialite Family
8. Massimo Vitali: Picnic Allee (2000)
9. Massimo Vitali: L'Île de Porquerolles (2015) + Portrait by Hermes Mereghetti

Massimo Vitali is a legendary Italian photographer, best known for his large-scale beach scenes that turn everyday crowds into quiet studies of contemporary life. His generosity, humour, and unshakable curiosity have stayed with us ever since we first spoke.

Massimo joined the PRESENT world back in 2020, when Sarah and I interviewed him from his 14th-century church in Lucca for Present Issue 2. We talked about morning rituals, bicycles, lockdown lessons, and why long-term plans keep you alive.

What I admire most is how he treats being a photographer and being an artist as the same simple act: showing up, staying curious, and making the work. At 74, still planning decades ahead, he's a reminder that it's never too late, and never too early, to do your Thing.

Present People Profiles showcase our favourite Modern Makers and members of the PRESENT community, contributors and friends.

_
Photo Credits:
1. Portrait by Settimio Benedusi
2. Portrait by Alberto Zanetti
3. Massimo Vitali: Porto Miggiano Blue Raft (2011)
4. Massimo Vitali: Beach & Disco
5. Still from a film by Flora Del Debbio
6. Photo by Stefano Baroni
7. Massimo Vitali: Monopoli Sunrise, (2020) + Portrait by The Socialite Family
8. Massimo Vitali: Picnic Allee (2000)
9. Massimo Vitali: L'Île de Porquerolles (2015) + Portrait by Hermes Mereghetti

Massimo Vitali is a legendary Italian photographer, best known for his large-scale beach scenes that turn everyday crowds into quiet studies of contemporary life. His generosity, humour, and unshakable curiosity have stayed with us ever since we first spoke.

Massimo joined the PRESENT world back in 2020, when Sarah and I interviewed him from his 14th-century church in Lucca for Present Issue 2. We talked about morning rituals, bicycles, lockdown lessons, and why long-term plans keep you alive.

What I admire most is how he treats being a photographer and being an artist as the same simple act: showing up, staying curious, and making the work. At 74, still planning decades ahead, he's a reminder that it's never too late, and never too early, to do your Thing.

Present People Profiles showcase our favourite Modern Makers and members of the PRESENT community, contributors and friends.

_
Photo Credits:
1. Portrait by Settimio Benedusi
2. Portrait by Alberto Zanetti
3. Massimo Vitali: Porto Miggiano Blue Raft (2011)
4. Massimo Vitali: Beach & Disco
5. Still from a film by Flora Del Debbio
6. Photo by Stefano Baroni
7. Massimo Vitali: Monopoli Sunrise, (2020) + Portrait by The Socialite Family
8. Massimo Vitali: Picnic Allee (2000)
9. Massimo Vitali: L'Île de Porquerolles (2015) + Portrait by Hermes Mereghetti

Massimo Vitali is a legendary Italian photographer, best known for his large-scale beach scenes that turn everyday crowds into quiet studies of contemporary life. His generosity, humour, and unshakable curiosity have stayed with us ever since we first spoke.

Massimo joined the PRESENT world back in 2020, when Sarah and I interviewed him from his 14th-century church in Lucca for Present Issue 2. We talked about morning rituals, bicycles, lockdown lessons, and why long-term plans keep you alive.

What I admire most is how he treats being a photographer and being an artist as the same simple act: showing up, staying curious, and making the work. At 74, still planning decades ahead, he's a reminder that it's never too late, and never too early, to do your Thing.

Present People Profiles showcase our favourite Modern Makers and members of the PRESENT community, contributors and friends.

_
Photo Credits:
1. Portrait by Settimio Benedusi
2. Portrait by Alberto Zanetti
3. Massimo Vitali: Porto Miggiano Blue Raft (2011)
4. Massimo Vitali: Beach & Disco
5. Still from a film by Flora Del Debbio
6. Photo by Stefano Baroni
7. Massimo Vitali: Monopoli Sunrise, (2020) + Portrait by The Socialite Family
8. Massimo Vitali: Picnic Allee (2000)
9. Massimo Vitali: L'Île de Porquerolles (2015) + Portrait by Hermes Mereghetti

Massimo Vitali is a legendary Italian photographer, best known for his large-scale beach scenes that turn everyday crowds into quiet studies of contemporary life. His generosity, humour, and unshakable curiosity have stayed with us ever since we first spoke.

Massimo joined the PRESENT world back in 2020, when Sarah and I interviewed him from his 14th-century church in Lucca for Present Issue 2. We talked about morning rituals, bicycles, lockdown lessons, and why long-term plans keep you alive.

What I admire most is how he treats being a photographer and being an artist as the same simple act: showing up, staying curious, and making the work. At 74, still planning decades ahead, he's a reminder that it's never too late, and never too early, to do your Thing.

Present People Profiles showcase our favourite Modern Makers and members of the PRESENT community, contributors and friends.

_
Photo Credits:
1. Portrait by Settimio Benedusi
2. Portrait by Alberto Zanetti
3. Massimo Vitali: Porto Miggiano Blue Raft (2011)
4. Massimo Vitali: Beach & Disco
5. Still from a film by Flora Del Debbio
6. Photo by Stefano Baroni
7. Massimo Vitali: Monopoli Sunrise, (2020) + Portrait by The Socialite Family
8. Massimo Vitali: Picnic Allee (2000)
9. Massimo Vitali: L'Île de Porquerolles (2015) + Portrait by Hermes Mereghetti

Massimo Vitali is a legendary Italian photographer, best known for his large-scale beach scenes that turn everyday crowds into quiet studies of contemporary life. His generosity, humour, and unshakable curiosity have stayed with us ever since we first spoke.

Massimo joined the PRESENT world back in 2020, when Sarah and I interviewed him from his 14th-century church in Lucca for Present Issue 2. We talked about morning rituals, bicycles, lockdown lessons, and why long-term plans keep you alive.

What I admire most is how he treats being a photographer and being an artist as the same simple act: showing up, staying curious, and making the work. At 74, still planning decades ahead, he's a reminder that it's never too late, and never too early, to do your Thing.

Present People Profiles showcase our favourite Modern Makers and members of the PRESENT community, contributors and friends.

_
Photo Credits:
1. Portrait by Settimio Benedusi
2. Portrait by Alberto Zanetti
3. Massimo Vitali: Porto Miggiano Blue Raft (2011)
4. Massimo Vitali: Beach & Disco
5. Still from a film by Flora Del Debbio
6. Photo by Stefano Baroni
7. Massimo Vitali: Monopoli Sunrise, (2020) + Portrait by The Socialite Family
8. Massimo Vitali: Picnic Allee (2000)
9. Massimo Vitali: L'Île de Porquerolles (2015) + Portrait by Hermes Mereghetti

Sari Azout is the founder of Sublime, one of my longtime favourite makers, and the newest guest on the Present People Podcast.

I've been following Sari for a long time and I admire her ability to name things many of us feel but can't quite put into words. Whether she's writing her newsletter, building Sublime, or giving a talk about what it means to become “un-LLM-able”, there's always this clarity and honesty that cuts through the noise.

Now available on YouTube and Spotify (links in bio)

@wwwsublimeapp

Everything around you was made by people no smarter than you.

The book that changed you. The track on repeat. The phone in your hand. The cafe you love. All created by regular humans who had doubts, dealt with shit, and were figuring it out along the way.

The only real difference between you and the person who made the thing you admire? They decided to start. They gave it a go without being fully ready.

So what are you not creating because you think someone else is smarter than you?

The world doesn't need another genius. It needs you to stop waiting and start working on your thing: the thing only you can create.

You already have everything it takes.

✨If you want to learn more check out my upcoming book Do The Thing (link in bio!)

A monk sharing words of wisdom to a traveler through Google Translate 🍃

“I was waiting for my ride during my last day in bangkok when this monk approached me. We communicated through Google Translate. He asked where I was from and shared some wisdom and prayers for me.”

Source: TikTok/hysh33, via hiddenny

A monk sharing words of wisdom to a traveler through Google Translate 🍃

“I was waiting for my ride during my last day in bangkok when this monk approached me. We communicated through Google Translate. He asked where I was from and shared some wisdom and prayers for me.”

Source: TikTok/hysh33, via hiddenny

A monk sharing words of wisdom to a traveler through Google Translate 🍃

“I was waiting for my ride during my last day in bangkok when this monk approached me. We communicated through Google Translate. He asked where I was from and shared some wisdom and prayers for me.”

Source: TikTok/hysh33, via hiddenny

A monk sharing words of wisdom to a traveler through Google Translate 🍃

“I was waiting for my ride during my last day in bangkok when this monk approached me. We communicated through Google Translate. He asked where I was from and shared some wisdom and prayers for me.”

Source: TikTok/hysh33, via hiddenny

A monk sharing words of wisdom to a traveler through Google Translate 🍃

“I was waiting for my ride during my last day in bangkok when this monk approached me. We communicated through Google Translate. He asked where I was from and shared some wisdom and prayers for me.”

Source: TikTok/hysh33, via hiddenny

A monk sharing words of wisdom to a traveler through Google Translate 🍃

“I was waiting for my ride during my last day in bangkok when this monk approached me. We communicated through Google Translate. He asked where I was from and shared some wisdom and prayers for me.”

Source: TikTok/hysh33, via hiddenny

A monk sharing words of wisdom to a traveler through Google Translate 🍃

“I was waiting for my ride during my last day in bangkok when this monk approached me. We communicated through Google Translate. He asked where I was from and shared some wisdom and prayers for me.”

Source: TikTok/hysh33, via hiddenny

A monk sharing words of wisdom to a traveler through Google Translate 🍃

“I was waiting for my ride during my last day in bangkok when this monk approached me. We communicated through Google Translate. He asked where I was from and shared some wisdom and prayers for me.”

Source: TikTok/hysh33, via hiddenny

A monk sharing words of wisdom to a traveler through Google Translate 🍃

“I was waiting for my ride during my last day in bangkok when this monk approached me. We communicated through Google Translate. He asked where I was from and shared some wisdom and prayers for me.”

Source: TikTok/hysh33, via hiddenny

I'm writing a book.

DO THE THING is a Modern Maker Manifesto for anyone who's been sitting on their favourite unrealized project for too long.

You know the one. The Thing you are procrastinating on, the project you keep putting off. The Thing you’re too afraid to start, but you know would change your life for the better.

This isn't a productivity hack or another "find your passion" guide. It's a battle-tested framework built from 20+ years of making things, to help you find, start, focus, cultivate, and ship your Thing.

Whether you haven't started yet, can't stay consistent, or are terrified to put it out there, this was built to meet you where you are.

Link in bio 🦋
Stop postponing yourself.

I'm writing a book.

DO THE THING is a Modern Maker Manifesto for anyone who's been sitting on their favourite unrealized project for too long.

You know the one. The Thing you are procrastinating on, the project you keep putting off. The Thing you’re too afraid to start, but you know would change your life for the better.

This isn't a productivity hack or another "find your passion" guide. It's a battle-tested framework built from 20+ years of making things, to help you find, start, focus, cultivate, and ship your Thing.

Whether you haven't started yet, can't stay consistent, or are terrified to put it out there, this was built to meet you where you are.

Link in bio 🦋
Stop postponing yourself.

I'm writing a book.

DO THE THING is a Modern Maker Manifesto for anyone who's been sitting on their favourite unrealized project for too long.

You know the one. The Thing you are procrastinating on, the project you keep putting off. The Thing you’re too afraid to start, but you know would change your life for the better.

This isn't a productivity hack or another "find your passion" guide. It's a battle-tested framework built from 20+ years of making things, to help you find, start, focus, cultivate, and ship your Thing.

Whether you haven't started yet, can't stay consistent, or are terrified to put it out there, this was built to meet you where you are.

Link in bio 🦋
Stop postponing yourself.

I'm writing a book.

DO THE THING is a Modern Maker Manifesto for anyone who's been sitting on their favourite unrealized project for too long.

You know the one. The Thing you are procrastinating on, the project you keep putting off. The Thing you’re too afraid to start, but you know would change your life for the better.

This isn't a productivity hack or another "find your passion" guide. It's a battle-tested framework built from 20+ years of making things, to help you find, start, focus, cultivate, and ship your Thing.

Whether you haven't started yet, can't stay consistent, or are terrified to put it out there, this was built to meet you where you are.

Link in bio 🦋
Stop postponing yourself.

I'm writing a book.

DO THE THING is a Modern Maker Manifesto for anyone who's been sitting on their favourite unrealized project for too long.

You know the one. The Thing you are procrastinating on, the project you keep putting off. The Thing you’re too afraid to start, but you know would change your life for the better.

This isn't a productivity hack or another "find your passion" guide. It's a battle-tested framework built from 20+ years of making things, to help you find, start, focus, cultivate, and ship your Thing.

Whether you haven't started yet, can't stay consistent, or are terrified to put it out there, this was built to meet you where you are.

Link in bio 🦋
Stop postponing yourself.

I'm writing a book.

DO THE THING is a Modern Maker Manifesto for anyone who's been sitting on their favourite unrealized project for too long.

You know the one. The Thing you are procrastinating on, the project you keep putting off. The Thing you’re too afraid to start, but you know would change your life for the better.

This isn't a productivity hack or another "find your passion" guide. It's a battle-tested framework built from 20+ years of making things, to help you find, start, focus, cultivate, and ship your Thing.

Whether you haven't started yet, can't stay consistent, or are terrified to put it out there, this was built to meet you where you are.

Link in bio 🦋
Stop postponing yourself.

I'm writing a book.

DO THE THING is a Modern Maker Manifesto for anyone who's been sitting on their favourite unrealized project for too long.

You know the one. The Thing you are procrastinating on, the project you keep putting off. The Thing you’re too afraid to start, but you know would change your life for the better.

This isn't a productivity hack or another "find your passion" guide. It's a battle-tested framework built from 20+ years of making things, to help you find, start, focus, cultivate, and ship your Thing.

Whether you haven't started yet, can't stay consistent, or are terrified to put it out there, this was built to meet you where you are.

Link in bio 🦋
Stop postponing yourself.

I'm writing a book.

DO THE THING is a Modern Maker Manifesto for anyone who's been sitting on their favourite unrealized project for too long.

You know the one. The Thing you are procrastinating on, the project you keep putting off. The Thing you’re too afraid to start, but you know would change your life for the better.

This isn't a productivity hack or another "find your passion" guide. It's a battle-tested framework built from 20+ years of making things, to help you find, start, focus, cultivate, and ship your Thing.

Whether you haven't started yet, can't stay consistent, or are terrified to put it out there, this was built to meet you where you are.

Link in bio 🦋
Stop postponing yourself.