Beyond Expertise: Nature Photographer Dan Dinu

What inspired you to become a photographer and documentary filmmaker?

The love for nature, which is the best teacher. I am learning from it, I am relying on it, I am inspired by it. It has always been a close friend. For me, photographing and filming nature have become a way of life. But even though I sneak into its secrets every time, I am always trying to give something back.

You have mentioned that you stay committed to nature photography despite trying other genres. What drives this decision, and what is the biggest challenge?

It was a journey. As every beginner I’ve tried different genres, but after not such a long time I discovered that my focus shifted to just nature, wildlife, and travel. Those three genres are somehow connected because in order to discover wildlife or beautiful landscapes you need to travel in very interesting areas all over the world. Also, when I see people living in close connection with nature, I like to document their way of life as proof that we can still live sustainably and in harmony with our natural environment.
 
Regarding the challenges, I think that the most complicated part is to find your subject, especially if you think about wildlife. You have to understand your subject and to really love what you are doing because you will spend a lot of time out of your comfortable home.

Could you please tell us about the upcoming documentary you're currently working on?

What are the details that you would never compromise during your work?

One of the things that I will never compromise is the ethical conduct. No image or footage should be more important than your subject. Sometimes you are tempted to push things a little bit forward for a good shot, but you should have always in mind that you should not be intrusive and you should respect the wildlife. Another thing, I will always compromise on technical aspects for the story. Maybe the image is not the sharpest one, but if the story is there or if you got a special moment, I will value that.

Are there any occupational injuries as a photographer?

I did not think about this till now. The only things that you might experience mainly will be from working in the field. If you choose nature photography you should be also a fit person and you should like hiking. I am always saying that landscape photography is about 80% trekking and just 20% photographing, and all this in a good day. Of course, if you are searching for animals, you should be aware of the species around you and how dangerous they are. But in all my career I did not have any problem with dangerous animals and I have encountered a few. If you respect them and don’t push things too far you should be on the safe side.

When editing in front of a computer, do you use any tools or gadgets to improve work efficiency, and how do you manage eye strain and handle difficult lighting situations?

I don’t like to edit my images too much and I like to spend more time in nature and less in front of the computer. I don’t have special gadgets that I use, but I try to be very organized. Building a good archive and a good backup system will help your workflow a lot.
 
As I said before, I like to limit the time in front of the computer as much as possible. I like also to edit during the day, when I have sufficient natural light around and this helps the fatigue to the eyes. One cool trick that I used to have, was to relax my eyes by looking at a big aquarium that I had home. It really helps and is quite relaxing. Because I was always away, I didn’t have time to keep up with the maintenance of the aquarium though, so now I really need to find another trick to have this small moment of relaxation.

How long have you been using ScreenBar Pro now? What do you think about it?

It is a really cool smart gadget, easy to use and very intuitive. I had it for some time now and I am trying to find new and better ways to implement it in my workflow.
 
The most interesting thing is that I can emulate a little bit of the natural light in front of my computer when is dark outside. This allows me to work more naturally and with less eye fatigue due to the contrast of a bright monitor in a dark room.
 
I like the fact that you can adjust the intensity and the white balance. Like this, you can truly emulate natural light. Also, is interesting that you can quickly adjust the light if you need to use a pencil and a paper for some notes, or to illuminate your face better in an online meeting.

What advice or insights would you like to share with those who want to become photographers?

I have always said that to be a good nature photographer you need three things: luck, perseverance, and knowledge. Exactly in this order. Is useless to know things if you are not persevering enough to go out into the wild to find the subject. And you can be very perseverant, but it will not be enough if you don’t have luck. I will through some patience in the mix also. Good things come in time, and your skills also. Invest first in you, and after that invest in the equipment. But you know, is easy to give advice when you learn from mistakes… so make mistakes, experiment, and be curious. This makes us humans and good photographers.

What does photography mean to you, and what are your goals for the future as a photographer?

It is a way of life. I cannot imagine traveling without my camera. It’s also a way to discover things. When you are behind the lens is not just about the photo that you can get, but the process that brought you to that moment. Photography gave me the chance to discover the world and, nevertheless, it gave me a job that I truly love. Along with this, it also gave me the chance to bring something back to nature and to support nature conservation with the images that I’ve made.
 
In the near future, I will focus on another two photo books that I work on, and also on some new travels. The work around the conservation projects is also very important to me, and I am supporting a foundation to make the highest mountains in Romania a national park. Big dream, so no pressure!