I had been asked to shoot an editorial for a magazine’s premiere issue, they told me to go crazy and do what ever I wanted. Needing inspiration I grabbed a dictionary, opened it up to the word fate, and that began the journey into the shoot. I researched the 5 rivers of Hades as written about in Dante’s Inferno.

The Ferryman: The story starts off with the ferryman.

The River Styx: This is the river of hatred, the place where you pay your obelisk to cross the river. Without payment you are eternally left on shore with the three-headed dog.

The River Lethe: This is the river of forgetfulness, the river where heroes go. Heroes always feel obligated to save others, their work is never done. In this river they forget their former lives so that they may easily pass into death.

The River Phlegethon: This is the river of sinners, sexual deviants, robbers and criminals.

The River Cocytus: This is the river of traitors against God, country, and family. Dante called this river the river frozen by the wings of Satan.

The Drink: It is said when you were told to drink from the river if you were true of heart you would become immortal, if you were not, you would loose your voice for eternity.

On the Way to Acheron: Here the ferryman brings the soul to the final river.

Acheron: This is the river of sorrow and woe. This river is the river that the other rivers empty into. For me, the definition of woe would be to lose my sight. Therefore, she is blindfolded and her lanterns, almost like scales from lady justice are tipped.