DAN SHIRAY PHOTOGRAPHY
ABOUT
I was introduced to photography as an art for the first time during a long trip to the United States and South America. I was a young man with endless freedom at the beginning of life.
I found myself looking at the world differently. Everything was new to me. I met a variety of types - different than I knew. I followed their lifestyles and customs with curiosity. At first, photography was just a record of my experiences. I photographed "from afar" without communicating with the subjects. Still, as the trip continued, I wanted to get closer to the people I met, listen to them, and move along with them through the stories they told me. Slowly I brought the camera closer to them to see them from the inside too...
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In New York, I met my friend Diane Dreyfuss, a local artist. It was she who advised me, after seeing the photos I took, to turn the hobby into a profession.
I started my photography studies in Israel, at the "Camera Obscura" school, and continued in New York. There began a fascinating and exciting journey to the highest levels of the world of professional photography.
I have been photographing in Israel, the United States, and Europe for over two decades, mainly in fashion and portraits.
People are my main subjects, and with them, in common harmony, photography becomes a creative and profound experience.
A little photogenic philosophy...
"I'm not photogenic," "the camera doesn't like me," "I don't take good pictures." known to all? If such a thought occurs, you are making a big mistake, and it is time to erase it from your thoughts and feelings.
For me, there is no such thing as "non-photogenic." The facial features of each of us are a map of the stories of the soul, the twists and turns of life. There is a fascinating story hidden in each person. To me, photographing people is a combination of technique and psychology - and, ultimately, teamwork between the photographed and the photographer.
In addition to a high level of technical skill, a profound human understanding is required from the photographer. There is a unique intimacy between him and the photographed, and in order for it to be created, the day of the photo shoot takes place in harmony and with positive energy.
I enjoy creating thought-provoking and creative photographs in the studio and outdoors. The choice of location is adapted to the photographer and the required result.
It is important to me that the day of photography is remembered as an exciting and enjoyable experience for those photographed. Ultimately, we will enjoy an optimal result and photos full of visual sensitivity that tell a story of truth and beauty.