Photographer Shows His Artistic Vision Through Shadow Photography (10 Pics)
His portfolio is a testament to his keen eye for detail and an innate understanding of how shadows can transform an ordinary scene into a breathtaking work of art.
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Image source: Dominic Dähncke
How long have you been creating these shadow photos?
"I can't say the exact year, but since I got my iPhone 8 I started to be curious about my shadow. But when this type of photography took a more conscious form was during the COVID confinement. I live in a building. My apartment has a small balcony but it wasn't enough for me to get out and move around. So every day I went up to the roof of the building to walk, listen to podcasts and get some air. It was then when —thanks to the sun that is almost always here in El Médano (where I live) — I began to play with the projection of my shadow."
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Image source: Dominic Dähncke
What influenced or inspired you to pursue this particular art form?
"I have to say that (consciously) I don’t have an artist who has been my inspiration in the past. But I know that somehow everything we see inspires us. That's why it’s very likely that the photographic work of many people on Instagram and other social networks has inspired me. But I wouldn't know how to name the inspiration for these photos with shadows.
There is a person who, although not directly related to shadows, I feel has inspired me in some way. I'm talking about the Spanish photographer Chema Madoz. Surely I owe a lot of part of this project to him. The other part corresponds to my childhood need to want to play constantly. Listen to my inner child and allow him to go out and play in the yard."
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Image source: Dominic Dähncke
Could you please share some insights into your creative process?
"I think that to be creative you have to follow two very important steps—among many others:1. Not wanting to be creative 2. Know that we are ALL creative (that’s why you don't have to want to be). We are obsessed with being creative. It's not all our fault. It is normal, because in magazines, books, and articles we read that we have to be creative. But we have to be aware that this obsession takes us in the opposite direction to the discovery of our creativity. Then what do we do? My opinion is that we should learn to listen to ourselves: what do we like to do? What do we like to photograph or create? Why do we like that? And for this it is highly recommended to stay away from the noise of social networks and their trends. Be aware that what these tendencies achieve is to homogenize us, to involve us in "the herd." We have to be more aware of ourselves. How do we achieve it? I’m going to talk from my personal experience, there are many other ways.
A few years ago I discovered the book "The Artist Way" by Julia Cameron. From that book I incorporated an extraordinary dynamic into my routine: “the morning pages." Every morning, as soon as I get up, I take my notebook and I write down all the thoughts that cross my mind: from "I have gas, I have to go to the bathroom, there's a fly on the wall" to more philosophical questions. These pages have helped me in an extraordinary way to become aware of myself and to know myself better. And this in turn has helped me discover that I don't really have a logical creative process. I don't plan. Everything flows from somewhere inside me to the outside and suddenly I find myself saying "voila!"."
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Image source: Dominic Dähncke
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Image source: Dominic Dähncke