After spending a rip-roaring day photographing the wonderfully charming actor Thomas Haden Church, we quickly hopped in the car and drove up to Aperture to catch the latest attraction. We arrived just in the nick of time to a packed house and the legendary Dan Winters at the podium. Considering that Mr. Winters is hands down the best in the business, I figured it was going to be a quality event, and sure enough, he blew everyone away. His tone was gracious and inviting, his stories were touching and powerful and each image was more beautiful than the next. His fascination with insects and his images of bees were extraordinary. Not to be content with just being a photographer, Mr Winters is also uncanny with a pencil, his precision drawings evoking a classic timeless style, yet so distinctively all his own. But for me the most inspiring images of the night were the B&W Rolliflex “personal work” that he somehow manages to do during his free time. There is something simply magical about what he does with light and composition that is hard to describe. Considering the mess that is going on today with the snapshot esthetic and VICE ruling the roost, its refreshing to know that there still are still thoughtful people like Dan Winters around to keep the tradition of excellence alive.
