David Tesinsky

19/07/2026

The Right Fight

If you’re fighting for something good, don’t fight carefully. Fight hard.

One day, your struggle will be someone else’s inspiration.
If your cause is worth defending, fight with everything you have.

Be someone worth remembering.

15/07/2026

YOU CAN’T WIN AN ARGUMENT WITH A MIRROR

Never Tell a Manipulator They’re a Manipulator

Not because you are unsure of what you experienced.

But because a person who constantly distorts reality will rarely use your words for self-reflection. They will use them as another weapon.

Tell them they are lying, and they will begin telling people that you are the liar.

Tell them they are manipulating you, and they will call you the manipulator.

Tell them they hurt you, and soon they may be standing in front of everyone else, presenting themselves as your victim.

A manipulator behaves like a mirror.

They take everything you try to name, turn it back against you, and magnify it. They are not searching for understanding. They are searching for control over the narrative — over who appears innocent, who appears guilty, and who gets believed.

At first, they may overwhelm you with attention, understanding, affection, and intensity. They learn what you long for, what you fear, and where you are most vulnerable.

Then the atmosphere begins to change.

Your words are rewritten. Your memories are questioned. Your emotions become evidence against you. The problem is no longer what they did, but how you reacted to it.

And the most dangerous moment comes when they stop trying to convince only you.

They begin convincing everyone around you.

Because they do not need to destroy the truth.

They only need to create enough doubt around it.

That is why strength is not always found in another confrontation, another explanation, or another desperate attempt to be understood.

Sometimes strength means keeping evidence.

Protecting your memory.

Maintaining your dignity.

Creating distance.

You do not have to win the battle over the story in front of every person watching.

You only have to make sure you do not lose yourself.

Photo: young American cries over Trumps victory in Prague

12/07/2026

I Share to Care, Heal, and Inspire. Forgotten Images. Timeless Stories.

Thank you so much for the incredible feedback on my recent interview. I truly appreciate every message and every bit of support.

Thank you also for caring not only about the stories I photograph, but about my own journey. It means a lot that we can share this world together.

For years I’ve focused on social issues, mental health, overcoming personal demons, burnout, broken families, manipulation, and, above all, how to stay grounded no matter what life throws at us. Because all of it is part of our individual journey.

I’ve learned that it’s far more important to focus on what is going well than on what isn’t. No matter who you are or what you do, you’ll never succeed at everything, and life will never be perfect.

Life is good.

There will be many more interviews-Including in print.. about my work, my life, my travels, my exhibitions, my film, and my journey as a father. About fighting for my daughter, her happiness, a peaceful childhood, and healthy development. About doing everything I can as her dad to make sure she grows up surrounded by love, safety, and respect-and to protect her, as much as possible, from manipulation, confusion, and experiences that can leave lasting scars well into adulthood. And to help her heal eventually.

Thank you for being here. ❤️

Locations: NYC, Thailand, Greenland, Morocco, Prague, Macedonia, Netherlands, Ukraine, Guatemala

07/07/2026

Dnešní rozhovor na Refresheru 👇

https://refresher.cz/205895-David-fotil-gangy-i-LGBT-komunitu-v-Iranu-Muj-nejvetsi-boj-je-ted-ale-o-dceru-rika

07/07/2026

Nějaký novější i starší věci v dnešním rozhovoru 👇

David Těšínský je fotograf z Prahy, který se věnuje dokumentární fotografii s kreativnějším podtónem. Jeho tvorba prošla v průběhu let magazíny nejen u nás, ale i v The Guardian, VICE nebo Vanity Fair.

06/07/2026

The Most Expensive Costume

Imagine how much creativity, joy, love, and courage disappear every single day-not because people lack them, but because they’re busy trying to look acceptable.

Imagine a world where nobody had to spend years pretending.

How many artists would create more freely?
How many children would grow up with less shame?
How many relationships would become more honest?
How many people would finally breathe?

We learn surprisingly early that fitting in is often rewarded more than being authentic. So people edit themselves. They hide parts of their personality, dreams, appearance, identity, opinions, emotions… until they become a version that feels safer for everyone else.

The tragedy isn’t that people are different.

The tragedy is how many never allow themselves to find out who they really are.

“Normal” has probably consumed more human potential than failure ever did.

The greatest freedom isn’t becoming extraordinary.

The world doesn’t need more copies.

It’s realizing you were never supposed to audition for acceptance in the first place.

Some wear a suit. Some wear makeup. Some wear silence. Some wear confidence they don’t actually feel.

Photo locations: Czech Republic, Ghana, Philippines, Detroit, Berlin

04/07/2026

Love Needs No Title. Children Grow. So Does the Truth.

Sometimes a child has two mothers. One gave them life. Another gives them something just as important: emotional safety, encouragement, and the freedom to be themselves.

Biology creates a bond, but it doesn’t automatically create the healthiest environment for a child to grow.

The people who leave the deepest mark on a child’s life are often not those who spent the most time with them, but those who made every moment feel safe, meaningful, and unconditional.

A child may not understand that while growing up. But children grow into adults. With time, they begin to see relationships through their own eyes, not through the stories of others.

They start recognizing who consistently protected their heart, supported their growth, and put their well-being before pride, conflict, or personal interests.

You can separate people. You can manipulate stories. You can steal time. You can steal joy. You can even try to steal one of their most basic rights-to love and be loved by the people who truly care for them. But you can never steal genuine love, because children eventually learn the difference between those who demanded their loyalty and those who simply loved them and truth have one thing in common: they always find their way back.

In the end, children don’t remember titles nearly as much as they remember how someone made them feel.

Some of the most meaningful conversations I’ve had recently were with social workers and people supporting children and families. They inspired me to share this perspective-especially for parents.

Locations: Cambodia, Nepal, Malaysia, India, Ghana