Dan Howell Photography
About
I am a widely published fashion and portrait photographer with over 20 years experience working on photoshoots in studios and on location. Photography has been a passion of mine since my middle school days. My skills were acquired through education, experimentation and experience. Photography has taken me all around the country and exposed me to interesting and dynamic people.
I received a degree in journalism (emphasis in photojournalism) and added to that information base with internships at a commercial photography studio, the Associated Press and the National Geographic Society in Washington DC before moving to New York City. I started working on small magazine assignments and eventually expanded my portfolio to include national magazine, catalog and advertising work in kids and women's fashion and editorial portraiture of business leaders and celebrities.
Along the way I contributed photos to digital photography intructional books and have organized and spoken at photography workshops both in the NYC area and elsewhere. More recently I have contributed photography-based instructional articles to the photo-interest blog FStoppers.com.
My work can be seen on the following websites: www.danhowellphotography.com www.bridalfashionphotography.com www.danhowellkids.com
I look forward to sharing my knowledge of general photography, digital photography and photographic lighting with interested students from beginning to advanced.
No reviews (yet)
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Working process will vary according to students photography knowledge base. Beginning students will learn basic camera controls as they relate to effects on individual photographs in natural light situations. More advanced students will learn theory and practice of controlled lighting, model posing/directing, conceptual communication and other topics that suit their interest. All students will be challenged to combine information with inspiration to grow both technically and creatively.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
In addition to a lifelong interest in photography I have completed these educational experiences:
-Bachelors Degree of Journalism, University of Missouri School of Journalism; emphasis Photojournalism
-Full-time stringer/intern Associated Press Jefferson City MO
-Internship Vedros & Associates commercial photography studio Kansas City MO
-Internship National Geographic Society photography studio Washington DC
-Eddie Adams Workshops invitational photojournalism workshop Jeffersonville NY
-Arizona Shootout photography instructor at semi-annual glamour photography workshop 2004-2015
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
How did you get started teaching?
Initially I shared my knowledge with beginning photographers at informal meetups at my studio where we shared information and experience while photographing models. I later organized workshops in fashion photography and glamour photography in my studio and also on locations in Catskills NY-area and Bangkok Thailand. I have spoken and presented photography workshops at glamour photography meetups and organized group shoots in Nevada and Arizona, including several years working at the Arizona Shootout.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with a range of enthusiastic photographers from beginning to intermediate experience level who were looking to improve their photography skills to have more fun and success at their favorite hobby or gain skills to consider turning their hobby into a business.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I have enjoyed giving model posing/directing workshops to photographers using a method that I came up with from my lenthy experience working with models on catalog and advertising shoots. From that experience I have identified a number of posing cliches that I have named. I often selected silly or unusual names for each pose. In my workshop I show the student photographers how the tried-and-true model poses work to create successful images and have found that the humorous names that I have given to the poses stick in the minds of photographers so that they have an information base of directing suggestions if they ever get stuck on a shoot and need inspiration. I have heard back from several student photographers who have taken this method into their subsequent shoots with success.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
The best suggestion I have is to clearly explain where you are in your photography growth and where you would like to get to. Some skills apply equally to all aspects of photography, whereas other skills apply only to one or a few aspects. Knowing your interests and goals in photography will help any teacher come up with an efficient program to gain this knowledge.