Dan Milligan is a talented young photographer from Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. He's taken a few photos for us, so we sat down to find out more about his story.
Hi Dan! How are you?
I’m doing great!
How long have you been practicing photography, and how did you get into it?
Where do I start! Photography has been a part of my life ever since early high school, so about 10 years, professionally about 5. Even as a child, lines and form always attracted me. I used to line up objects in a row, running toy cars, pens or stones from one side of the house to another, I'm sure my parents loved that!
I think my mind has always been more stimulated visually and by experiencing something, which has been a huge way for me to understand it. The more I took pictures, the more I started understanding that it was a way for me to express storytelling and feeling, being able to celebrate people and places.
I ended up sort of falling into it as a job because I wanted to create photographs that other people could treasure, pictures that could tell their stories, not just mine.
(All images have kindly been taken and supplied by Dan, pictured above. What a nice guy!)
What is it about photography that you love?
I’ve always been curious. I think photography has a sense of wonder, connection and emotion that draws people in to finding it pleasing. Everyone feels a sense of connection to something in most photographs.
I always tend to refer to something I like to call unfamiliar nostalgia, having a feeling of connection and memory for somewhere you've never been or someone you've never met.
In our society we are all visual and photos are used in almost every form, and through that, having the freedom to be able to be creative in my job has been amazing. Being able to do something and share that with others in a beneficial way.
You practice a lot of wedding & travel photography; we see the common theme there as ‘life’. What is it about life that you love to capture through your lens?
Life is a central interest in all our lives; we live on the same earth and breath the same air so we connect on many of the same things. Emotions, people, places, situations, feelings, laughing and crying are all relevant to us.
So when it comes to my job as a photographer, I want to be able to really connect with those things, and bring them out in my work. Being able to show everyone the journey and the moments life evokes, the things that usually go unnoticed because they are a part of everyday life, but they are usually the most important moment.
We really love your travel snaps; does photography drive you to explore the world or does your wanderlust come from somewhere else?
I’ve always been fascinated by other cultures and landscapes. The world is ever changing and unique.
My photography has been heavily encouraged and inspired by the undeniable beauty and diversity in our world. Each country having its unique characteristics, whether it is the landscape or the people, it gives us the opportunity to experience something new and different. To me, the earth was created for us to find joy, I’d like to think my work reflects the joy I appreciate in people and places around the world.
What s it about photography that inspires you?
I don’t know, all of it! Haha. Mentioning before, I think in our minds we are all inspired in one way or another by images. For me being able to look at a photo and feel connected and to understand the story in it inspires and encourages me to think differently.
When I get inspired by images its not just because its visually pleasing but because it talks, not only about something the photographer is feeling or thinking, but also evoking a story from the person or place in the picture.
Where do you hope to go with your photography?
I hope to continue to tell stories and connect with people in new and better ways.
Photography has been an amazing journey for me and I think its shaped how I see the world and even people in many ways for the better.
Weddings are so unique and I’m continuing to develop that because it is so special to so many people, its important to be able to tell every unique story in that part of their lives.
Travel wise, I’d like to make a difference and grow that too, hopefully my photography can be used for more life changing things as the years go on!
Thanks for chatting to us! We love catching up & can’t wait to work together again soon.
Connect with Dan here:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/danielmilliganphotography
IG: @danny.millo
Website: www.danielmilliganphotography.com