“It seems that all of the people in Dana’s photographs are her friends.”
– Chris Johns, Editor in Chief, National Geographic Magazine
I am a world-renowned photographer, film director and cinematographer; a visual anthropologist, an athlete, a journalist, an advocate for women and girls, fluent in Spanish, and a mango fanatic.
I believe photography and film can break down barriers and build bridges whether they are across oceans or between backyards.
I excel at crafting authentic. cinematic and soulful stories.
I began my career as a photojournalist tackling significant social issues for newspapers and magazines. I use those same skills of diving into a story, developing relationships and creating impactful visuals to tell stories with motion. Recent clients include Budweiser, Facebook, Columbia Sportswear, Honeywell, Conservation International and Cochlear Americas. I have a M.A. in Visual Communications from Ohio University and an interdisciplinary B.A. from the University of Rochester. For me it's about connecting with people. Whether hunting with tribes in the jungles of West Papua or summiting 19,000-foot peaks with adaptive climbers, my work is intimate, layered and soulful and creates relationships and reveals inner lives.
Highlights
My Father's Day film for Budweiser was the #1 search on YouTube that day and had over 3+ million impressions and 75 PR spots.
My short film “Noah" about a young man turning his life around in Flint, MI won awards at the W3 Awards, Telly Awards, Communicator Awards and the Spirit of Activism Special Jury Award at the Crested Butte Film Festival. It was featured on Upworthy, The Guardian, The Atlantic, RYOT and National Geographic Digital Showcase. Most importantly, it helped Noah to continue in his positive path forward.
From 2013 - 2018 I was the Co-Director of National Park Experience (NPX), an independent film series celebrating diversity and youth in the National Parks, whose films are screened on PBS, Smithsonian Channel, National Geographic, REI and tour film festivals winning awards including the Director's Award for "Canyon Song" at the 2017 Flagstaff Mountain Festival.
In 2017 I was the Visiting Artist at the Colorado School of Mines where I developed and taught the class "Photography As Activism."
My work filming in West Papua for Conservation International, Blue Sphere Foundation and Indonesian Ocean Pride was part of a major media campaign that lead to legislation establishing the worlds first conservation province setting aside massive reserves to protect West Papua’s land and ocean, and return resource rights to indigenous people.
I am a Commercial Director represented by Stept Studios. Check out this interview with Little Black Book to learn more.
Clients
Budweiser
Facebook
National Geographic Magazine
Honeywell
Cochlear Americas
Conservation International
Columbia Sportswear
Casio
Colorado Dpt of Agriculture
GEO
T Brand Studios
New York Times
Wall Street Journal
National Park Conservation Association
National Wildlife Federation
American Rivers
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
CF Leads
Community Foundation Serving Boulder County
Forbes
GQ
Latina Magazine
Men's Journal
National Geographic Traveler
The Sunday Times
Sierra Magazine
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.