LOVE FOR NATURE - NIKON Romania interview

Dan Dinu is a young photographer from Brasov whose achievements seem to defy his age. In order to realize who he is we should remember his beginner photography course he teaches, his workshops and photographic expeditions which he takes and, latest, the first Romanian magazine – Photo Travel – orientated to nature photography, traveling and wildlife that he gave her life and he administrates it. And we haven’t mentioned yet his photography awards and exhibitions.

Nikon Romania: Mr. Dinu, you are a lover of nature and it easy to understand why you chose nature photography as a way of artistic expression. Yet most photographers do not choose this way in their professional career, preferring other fields, let call them more “commercial”, of art of photography, leaving nature photography on the second place. What were the reasons to make you dedicate your career this kind of photography?

Dan Dinu: I have always tried to do only what I like, making as few compromises as possible, whether it was my school, my job or my daily life. It is obvious that I haven’t always succeeded, but I think that concerning my career I made the most significant effort. It wasn’t, and it is still not, easy to find solutions every time. I have never been attracted by commercial photography, whatever it was, and I hope not to ever be forced to do that.

The main reason that impulsed me to implement nature photography was the love for live creatures that surrounds us. Since I was a little boy I’ve enjoyed traveling and to learn about animals and that passion integrated perfectly in nowadays photography. I remember fondly of camping of my childhood and days when I and my friends forgot to come back home, although we know that would be seriously admonished. I can not imagine life without photography and nature that offers me so many interesting shots and the pleasure of a side track as well.

Nikon Romania: In Romania nature photography is rather perceived through the motto “The right man at the right place” than a proof of photographer’s talent. Why do you think this prejudice persists and how is it possible to improve it?

Dan Dinu: I often hear saying that nature photography is the easiest to approach. You pass over a landscape, stop the car, push on the button and the photo is taken. Well, it is not so simple. Indeed you have to be “the right person”, but you also have to know to choose “the right place”. It is useless to arrive in front of a landscape if you don’t know to approach it. Landscape photography means to wake up first hour in the morning, no matter what season is, as well as walking many kilometers a day, regardless of weather. It is necessary to do that if you want to catch for nature photography the most interesting moments of the day, the lateral light that rise and sunset offer you. I was forced sometimes to walk in mud that covered my boots, just for lurking some aigrettes, or to enter under a waterfall in order to obtain an angle to advantage the composition, not to mention about numerous rocks that needed to climb to have a better shot. It is interesting that, most of the time, photos taken in such conditions are the most beloved.

I don’t know if we can change the prejudices that some people have concerning this kind of photography. Perhaps the only alternative is to put them a camera in their hands and to send them in the middle of nature. In my opinion, it is the only way they will understand that landscape photography means much more than a simple “occurrence” that arrives randomly in front of your lens.

Nikon Romania: Mihai Moiceanu is, for sure, the most well-known nature photographer in Romania. Considering the fact that you both are members of the same photo club, what was his influence on your career?

Dan Dinu: If I think at my first contacts with Exdeco photo club, I was certainly a little bit restrained by members’ reputation, looking at them partly scared and partly envy. In the end they proved to be good friends and colleagues. Mihai Moiceanu is a photographer from whom you have a lot to learn and, perhaps, involuntarily I did this thing, too. We went together to a photography expedition and he proved to be an excellent travel partner. As for my career, I don’t know if I can say whether he influenced me or not, probably just an objective viewer can affirm that. Everyone contributes differently and at a different level at photo movement of this segment. The better we work, the more followers will gain. And that’s a good thing.

Nikon Romania: In October 2008 the first issue of Photo Travel magazine appears; you are its initiator and chief-editor. How was born the idea of this magazine and what does it represent in Romanian publishing area?

Dan Dinu: Even though it is hard to believe, the idea of this magazine was born in a parking car while I was discussing with a friend about various future projects. We co-opted a third friend and using this team we set up the basis of our future project. This thing happened at the beginning of this year and at the very moment, while I am answering to these questions, I have just found out that the magazine is on print. Perhaps when you read this interview it will have already been on sale. We do not propose to reinvent the wheel with this magazine, but just to bring readers interested in nature photography, traveling and wildlife something to belong just to them. Another interesting aspect is the interactivity that we’ll maintain with our readers. They dispose of two columns to participate at. We want to be an open publication that involves in photo movement, not a rigid one. The magazine is a first step of a more ample project that we’ll hope it will be well received by targeted photographers, but everything when it is its time, step by step, slowly, the same as citizens of Brasov, Transylvania.

Nikon Romania: A good magazine doesn’t characterize only by the quality of articles and the printing, but the fact that it succeeds to enter in people’s conscience interested in its themes. What are your expectations for Photo Travel magazine?

 Dan Dinu: It is hard to answer to this question. Personally, I am a cureless optimistic person, hence, I can not believe than in its success. Nature photographers will offer us the best feedback, because only they can be those who’ll judge and appreciate our work. Photo Travel project can not resist without my redaction colleagues, who try hard to bring for our magazine content a distinct design, as well as qualitative articles and, of course, without readers to sustain it. We generated a path that we hope we’ll walk on together.

Nikon Romania: You attain a course of photography initiation in Brasov. How big is the interest in photography and what are expectations of those who step in the room in which you teach the course?

Dan Dinu: When I begun the course I didn’t imagine that I would have such a substantial success. I didn’t believe that in Brasov were so many persons eager of photography. At every course I am taken by surprise of the number of people willing to enlist. For almost two years I have been preparing this course and I think it’s time to take a step forward. Soon, those who’ll enlist will attend a more interactive course, more evolved and updated. There will also be a site dedicated to these courses where you can enlist and that it will bring additional information. I prepare a version for those who don’t live in Brasov, followed by some workshops; hence, there is only good news for people who are interested in it.

Most of my students are beginners and they are eager to learn, but I also have some trained attendants. It seems that the reason for which most of students enlist is perfectibility in an organized framework, with a feedback at what you are creating to. I keep in touch with almost all participants to my courses and we talk frequently, the course doesn’t finish at the end of the last session, but it continues after that. During these meetings many friendships are brought to life and this is probably my biggest satisfaction.

Nikon Romania: What can you tell us about “Danube – from the Black Forest to the Black Sea” photo expedition you accomplished in August 2008?

Dan Dinu: There are so many things to tell about and you will be able to read more about it very soon within magazine columns and on my personal website as well. It was an interesting experience from every point of view. It is not easy to get through 2800 km, along 8 countries, through tens of villages and cities and four capitals; not to mention the paths, bridges and winding channels. I have to sincerely confess that this expedition was harder than the mountain ones. Every day we had to take photos of different things such as architecture, landscape and wildlife, people and daily life. It was a challenge. As concerning landscape, it was a little bit difficult, because one can not find any wild areas along the river and due to the landscape dominated by water you had to try totally different approaches. We are still working on selecting and arranging photos of expedition, but I hope we’ll manage to end it all with an exhibition and a video projection as soon as possible.

Nikon Romania: Most professional nature photographers use Nikon against other camera brands. Why do you think this thing happens?

Dan Dinu: The most likely for the solidity of the camera. Most nature photographers have to face badly conditions and they cross areas where the equipment endures numerous shocks. You have to rely on a camera that doesn’t let you down in such places. If I show you the scratches on my tripod, you will understand why it is necessary to use solid equipment for landscape photos and I am by far the person who doesn’t take care of it. It had sometimes happened the camera to fall down or I hit it and it never damaged. I don’t like the present trend to minimize the camera bodies; they rather loose some of handhold that bigger cameras have – another important advantage of Nikon equipment. The last aspect is the photos’ colors. I observed at my colleagues’ photos that these are less saturated than those I obtain. For me, as a landscapist, this fact can be nothing else than an advantage.

Nikon Romania: What are the dominants that convinced you to remain faithful to Nikon brand over the years?

Dan Dinu: I can not say that I have changed too many cameras over the years. I begun with a classic film camera, then I continued with an APS film camera and now I work with a SLR camera. My first contact with Nikon was the very moment when I switched to digital photography. The choice was not necessarily one well studied, but rather one of circumstance, but I am glad that it happened this way. I cited the characteristics that convinced me to use the camera and I think it will be impossible for me now to change the brand. This camera suits me very well and it is the best choice for what I am doing.

Nikon Romania: If you have to change your camera, what type of DSLR would choose? Why?

Dan Dinu: Even though the question concerns the future, I will answer it in a more practical way. I am going to purchase a new camera right now, videlicet a D300 camera. And this way, my old D100 camera will become a back-up camera, although it is hard for me to break up with it. This time my option is one good studied. I need a higher resolution to provide me a better quality for images that will follow to be printed; I also need a superior speed as I begun increasingly to take wildlife photos and finally, but not the last, I need a camera with the capacity to work at high ISO values for taking photos of animals. These three characteristics convinced me to choose this camera and although there are also some of them, they aren’t so important.

Nikon Romania: Mr. Dan Dinu, we thank you for your time and we wish you best of luck.

Interview published on www.nikon.ro in October 2008.