Biography & Artistic Statement

About

A portrait of Dan MacDonald
Dan MacDonald
Photographer & Educator

I capture rural and coastal landscapes of the Maritime provinces and teach introductory photography in the Moncton area. Learn more in my biography a little further down.

Details of exhibitions, residencies, and grants can be found in my artist's C.V., which is available for download in PDF format.

Download C.V.
Biography
A little about me

I am a landscape photographer and photography instructor from Moncton, New Brunswick. Self-taught, I started with film in 1990 before switching to digital in 2006. Like many beginners, I dabbled in several genres as I tried to find my footing. Thanks to my children and their activities, I discovered a niche in sports action and dance photography. For over a decade, I photographed sports at various levels from youth to elite, photographed recitals for two of Moncton's youth dance companies, and provided sports and editorial services to media and government. I have also taught introductory photography, in both classroom and one-on-one settings, since 2011.

I was the 2015 Port Bickerton Lighthouse artist-in-residence. The residency provided the opportunity to dedicate two full weeks to landscape photography as well as a personal project on lobster fishing. That same year, I was awarded a creation grant from the New Brunswick Arts Board, which allowed me to further develop my landscape work. Since 2007, I have had several prints accepted into juried exhibitions in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Québec.

My current work concentrates on rural and coastal landscapes within the Maritime provinces.

I live in Moncton, where I continue to work, teach, and hone both my craft and my vision.

Artist's Statement
A little about my work

I strive to create work that is both timeless and relatable to as large an audience as possible.

I stay close to home, highlighting the natural, rugged, and inherent beauty of the Maritimes. I am particularly drawn to coastal areas and to the merger of land, sea, and horizon.

Whenever possible, I prefer minimalism, negative space, and the ability to isolate my subjects within both their surroundings and the final composition. I often work in black and white. I use a minimum of post-processing - I capture scenes, I don't create them.

I try not to make statements about individual works or series. They are recorded through my lens but should be experienced through yours.

Prints

Limited and open edition fine art and photographic prints.

Courses

Private photography lessons and photography-related workshops.

Your world, my vision, one image at a time.