“It seems that all of the people in Dana’s photographs are her friends.”
– Chris Johns, Editor in Chief, National Geographic Magazine
I am an award winning photographer, film director and cinematographer, a visual anthropologist, fluent in Spanish, an athlete, a journalist, an advocate for women and girls, a mango fanatic.
I believe photography and film can break down barriers and build bridges be it across oceans or between backyards.
I excel at crafting authentic, character and issue driven stories that connect people.
I welcome the opportunity to work with clients in the humanitarian, editorial, branded content and commercial world.
Whether I’m sleeping on animal skins in Ethiopia, hunting with tribes in the jungles of West Papua, driving around with gang bangers in the U.S. or summiting 19,000 foot peaks with adaptive climbers, my work is intimate, layered and soulful and creates relationships and reveals inner lives. I have received prestigious awards and recognition for tackling significant social issues including my recent film “Noah" which was featured on Upworthy, The Guardian, The Atlantic, RYOT and National Geographic Digital Showcase and won awards at the 2017 W3 Awards, Telly Awards and Communicator Awards and the 2017 Spirit of Activism Special Jury Award at the Crested Butte Film Festival. As co-Director and Director of Photography of National Park Experience, an independent film series celebrating diversity and youth in the National Parks, our docs are broadcast on PBS and Smithsonian Channel. “Confluence” a feature length doc released in 2018 is currently winning awards touring festivals and universities. Another short film, “Canyon Song” won the 2017 Director’s Choice Award at Flagstaff Mountain Festival, 2017 Award of Merit in the Best Shorts Competition and the 2017 Social Awareness Award at Wasatch Mountain Film Festival. I have a M.A. in Visual Communications from Ohio University and an interdisciplinary B.A. from the University of Rochester and was the 2017 Visiting Artist at Colorado School of Mines. My work is syndicated with Getty Reportage and I am a Getty Global Assignments Photographer, Blue Earth Awarded Photographer and a Director working with Stept Studios and Blue Chalk Media.
Clients
National Geographic Magazine
Cochlear Americas
Casio
GEO
T Brand Studios
New York Times
National Park Conservation Association
National Wildlife Federation
American Rivers
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Covidien
Esquire
CF Leads
Community Foundation Serving Boulder County
Forbes
GQ
Global Greengrants Fund
Latina Magazine
Men's Journal
National Geographic Traveler
Novo Nordisk
Origin Magazine
T Brand Studio
The Sunday Times
USA Today
UNICEF
Womens Foundation of Colorado
5280 Denver's Magazine
Accolades
2018 Adventure Film Festival Headlining Award "Make Your Own Legends" "Confluence"
2018 Winner, Award of Excellence, IndieFEST Film Awards, "Confluence"
2017 Crested Butte Film Festival Special Jury Award "Spirit of Activism in Cinema" - "Noah"
2017 Telly Awards, Bronze Award, Online Video/Documentary,"Noah"
2017 Communicator Awards, Award of Distinction, Online Video/Documentary, "Noah"
2017 W3 Awards, "Noah" 2017 Director's Choice Award Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival, "Canyon Song"
2017 Cannes Film Festival Shorts, Best Score "La Cumbre"
2017 Award of Merit Best Shorts Competition, "Canyon Song"
2017 Wasatch Mountain Film Festival Social Awareness Award, "Canyon Song"
2016 Silver Gavel Award from the American Bar Association, recognizing outstanding work that fosters the American public’s understanding of law and the legal system. “No Man’s Land” Denver’s 5280 Magazine
2016 Adventure Filmmaker Title Nomination, Adventure Journal
2015 Second Runner Up “Best Environmental Film” for “Love in the Tetons”Film Festival Flix Mountain & Adventure Film Festival
2015 First Place National Council on Foundations Video Contest for “Rubens Story”
2014 FearLess Women Leading Green Award 2013 Society of Professional Journalists Top of The Rockies, Feature Photography
2011 Blue Earth Alliance Award
2011 The Aftermath Project Grant, Finalist
2010 Anthropographia Multimedia & Human Rights Award
2010 Open Society Institute Audience Engagement Award, Finalist
2010 LOOKbetween Featured Artist, Charlottesville, VA
2009 Center’s Review Santa Fe
2008 Pulitzer Prize Finalist - Part of The Charlotte Observer team for story: Sold a Nightmare
2007 LOOK3 Festival of the Photograph presentee
2007 Young Photographer Award -VISA Pour L'Image, Nominee
2006 Virginia National Photography Association (VNPA), Various awards
2006 Photographic Resource Center, exhibition of 30 artists changing the future of photography
2006 Magnum's Inge Morath Award, Finalist
2006 National Geographic Magazine Internship
2005 Society for News Design, Award of Excellence
2005 Atlanta Photojournalism Contest, 2nd place: Portrait
2005 Eddie Adams Workshop
2004 cPOY 1st place: Pictorial; Honorable Mention: Pictorial
2004 Student Enhancement Award, Ohio University
2004 Graduate Student Senate Grant, Ohio University
2003 POYi Editing in papers under 75,000.
2003 NPPA Women in Photojournalism Juried Exhibition
2000 National Conference for Undergraduate Research
denver colorado photography and video for corporate, editorial, commercial and humanitarian aid clients. with a focus on multimedia and authentic storytelling and documentaries abour women, girls, public health, immigration, international and human rights issues.