"Expose" article's aim is to uncover talented photographers who contribute to the deviantART community. I will be writing future Interviews with many photographers who deserve the extra recognition, and not just for their photography, but for their continual efforts and contributions to dA. This means that they have inspired many others with their works, helped them, critiqued, and so much more. Many of us could learn a few things from these deviants, and I will be interviewing each one of them to find out about their skills, inspiration of their own, and advice they have for aspiring photographers (such as myself).

I am also taking requests, so feel free to note me if you know of a photographer who really does deserve an interview!

I have chosen to interview =dandelgrosso for the first article. Daniele is a young photographer of 19 (it's his birthday today too, so wish him a happy birthday!), and he has a strong passion for what he does. When I first visited his gallery, I was stunned at how beautiful his macro shots were. He continues to grow and improve with every submission, dazzling us all with his ability to capture nature in such a beautiful way. With his photography unlike anyone elses, I am delighted to interview him.


When did you first start photography?
I started photography only in 2006 when I started to get interested in deviantArt. I remember one evening I thought to myself "Oh yeah I've got that dA account, I wonder what I can do on there!" so I logged on and from there I started to think about improving my photography skills and appreciating art from other deviants.

What camera did you use initially?
I started off with a Panasonic DMC-LZ5 digital camera. It is such a wonderful camera (I still use it today) and can produce excellent photographs for a digital camera. One thing I never had control of when taking photos was the focus; my camera only had auto-focus so I spent quite some time experimenting with what I could do to take photos like a DSLR.

What inspired you to do photography?
My inspiration has come from all excellent artists on deviantArt, when I started using the site I wanted to learn how to take good photographs - I would look at the "popular" categories for each art subject and dream to one day take a photograph as good as those. At first, I started off taking photos of anything (which wasn't very good) but then one day I noticed many photos of water drops and now I believe I have found my main area of 'expertise'.

Which deviants have inspired you?
There have been three deviants who have inspired me over the past few years. The first is Gilad Benari (`gilad) who I have to say is one of the best in terms of conceptual photography - he always manages to capture beautiful photos with the focus on the colours, unusual patterns and emotions.

Bruno Pantone (`dibbi) has given me inspiration in terms of how you can make art from a clean and simple canvas. His work is always very simple and minimalist but portrays emotion excellently.

Tina (^hellfirediva) is the main inspiration for macro photography for me. Her works of art are always fantastic and provide me with great knowledge on the tricky business of macro photography and how to get in closer to get that perfect shot.

In your childhood, were you interested in any other art forms?
I love modern architecture and paintings, I used to visit my nearest art gallery every other week (The Tate Modern in London). I am a big fan on Kandinsky and Picasso because they love to provide the viewer more than just a piece of art, they want you to think about their creations. When I was taking my art exam back in 2005, thats when I started to enjoy other famous artists' works. I used to paint with acrylics, but I preferred watercolor paintings (and I still do a bit of watercolor paintings today).

What advice would you give to other aspiring photographers who want to learn?
My only advice is to never follow the rules of art If someone says "You can't make a good photograph from that subject using that lens, exposure blah blah blah" don't listen to them, because the fact is art that never follows rules is great art!

What is it that you love about dA?
I love how the community works on deviantArt, how people from hundreds of miles apart can share their creations and comment on their personal opinions and tastes. I have made many friends from dA and I will never leave this site. I admit I have turned into one of those people who has to check their account every few hours, but every time I log on I am excited to see what other artists have created and what other artists have said about my own work. Apart from art, I also love how dA has become a place where people can 'chill out' and talk about what's on their mind, and also a place where you can talk and learn about new cultures. When I started on dA I only had one friend from here in the UK; but now I have many friends covering the entire planet and it is so cool!

Have you had any formal training?
Nope, I just picked up my camera and started shooting away!

Could you see yourself doing photography as a professional career in the future?
I don't think I will ever get to the "professional" stage in photography where I can rely on it to provide me with a salary. I am very happy to keep it as a hobby, but developing my skills over time.