Spotlight on readers’ excellent images and how they captured them
About Dan
Dan shoots commercial office projects for developers. See more of his work at www.danevansjr.photography
Favourite subjects
I try to keep an open mind about this – I already doubt my skills enough!
How did you get into photography?
I learned how to develop and print in high school in the 1970s. I drifted away from it, but in 2004 my wife encouraged me to enter the Costco International Photo Contest and gave me a Nikon D70. My entry was awarded first place out of 45,000 entries. I’ve been shooting ever since.
What do you love about photography?
That it gives me the opportunity to express ideas visually. And it’s so rewarding to capture an image that brings a smile to my face.
Favourite photographers
Robert Doisneau, Ansel Adams, Helen Levitt, Imogen Cunningham.
Favourite photo books
I have Ansel Adams’s The Negative, The Print and The Camera. All fantastic resources, even if you don’t shoot film.
First camera
Olympus OM-1. I still use it at times.
Current kit
Nikon D850 and D750, Fujifilm X100V, Apple iPhone.
Favourite lens
My 24-120mm Nikkor, for its versatility.
Favourite accessory
Peak Design Capture Clip for backpacks.
Dream purchase
Leica Q2 Monochrom, for the discipline of only shooting in monochrome.
What software do you use?
Lightroom, Photoshop, Silver Efex Pro.
Favourite tips
Just shoot, damnit! If you have a smartphone, you have a camera. Try different shots of the same subject. Colour vs black & white. Close up vs super-wideangle. Abstract vs a portrait. Keep trying.
Where do you find inspiration?
Most anywhere. I catch myself at a stop light, walking a trail or driving the highway visualising a composition.
Tell us about your pictures
Several years ago, my wife started bringing home blooms from a neighbour’s magnolia tree, which stuck out over the sidewalk, and I was taken by the layers of detail. They don’t last more than a few days when cut, and each stage offers many opportunities to capture something new.
