Dan Hall is a talented young photographer who's work is only going from strength to strength (we can guarantee you, he's going to be a star photographer!) Already staging a successful crowdfunded exhibition on his work 'Eternal Youth' at the age of 18, DIXSY had a chat with Dan to hear about his inspirations, aspiring career goals and much more. Continue reading to find out more!
What do you get your inspiration from?
I am inspired by going to exhibitions, looking through art and photography books, my friends, subjects and surroundings.
Is there a particular photographer that you are inspired by?
I admire Jamie Hawkesworth’s use of natural light, colours and his unique style of photography. I also love Tim Walker’s imaginative sets, props and creativity with his shoots.
When was the moment growing up that made you decide photography was something you wanted to pursue?
I have always been fascinated with the idea of image and film, my father is a cinematographer and I learned the basics from him. I love capturing and creating an image. For me shooting on film instead of digital is a more rewarding and tactile experience. You have to be patient and focus more.
Is there one photo that changed your world?
There are so many photos that I love and inspire me but one of them that has stuck with me is ‘Patricia, Evening dress by Jacques Fath, Paris, 1953’ by Walde Huth. I just love the simplicity of the composition and how elegant and chic the model looks in the outfit by the River Seine.
Are you going to uni?
This year I am going to do a Art Foundation in London
What are your future career goals?
I aspire to be a fashion photographer/videographer
If you could photograph anyone who would it be and why?
I would love to photograph Bjork because I think she is very interesting looking and it would be great to collaborate with her creatively.
You recently held an exhibition 'Eternal Youth' . Can you tell us a bit about how that came about and why you felt the need to stage a physical exhibition?
It started as a series for fun, I was just documenting my close friends in their homes as a small project on teenagers. I then wanted to make a photobook of it and then I thought why not put on a show to get myself out there and show my work to the public and get some feedback. I never thought that I would reach the goal and I am extremely grateful for all those who donated. I decided to donate the money raised from print and book sales to Young Minds and Age UK because it suited the subjects and themes of the project.
Were there times during the process of curating the exhibition that were particularly stressful ?
There were many moments of stress but it all worked out in the end, at the beginning I was preparing to do the show in September but then it got pushed back to March which gave me more time. I found instagram a very useful tool for sharing and fund-raising. Sending the book off to the printers for the deadline was particularly stressful. The day before the exhibition the prints arrived very late in the evening so I only had a few hours to set it all up for opening the next morning which was tense but we managed to do it in time. I was also extremely lucky as it was on display the weekend before most countries went into lockdown so I wouldn’t have had the turnout I did if it was any later.
How would you say growing up in London and Scotland has influenced your photography?
London is a hub of creativity and there is so much to see. Scotland has beautiful landscapes and it is very picturesque especially up in the Highlands.
Do you have any advice for young teens who are starting out in photography?
My advice would be to just take as many opportunities as you can even if they are unpaid as one thing always leads to another and it is important to build lots of connections. I have done jobs for free which lead to paid and exciting work. But at the same time don’t devalue yourself or your work.
Do you have anything coming up soon that we should be excited about?
I have been working on various projects over lockdown which will be released over the coming months.
