Taking social media by storm this year, 25-year-old David Iwane brands a visionary approach to outdoor photography, challenging the classical methods commonly seen in nature photography.
His photos are surreal and chromatic. They push the boundaries of modern photography both in approach and in editing. Whether they splash the eyes with their psychedelic bliss or provide a simplistic, unadulterated view into wilderness, Iwane wields a camera like it’s second nature.
After finding his local and urban photography unsatisfying, he began traveling to faraway regions of the American outdoors, eventually settling in Colorado. “When I first started out, I’d explore abandoned house, fields and lakes around my community,” he said. “I grew tired of those subjective themes. Now I venture further and further from home. Fortunately, I live in a beautiful state. There really is an endless amount of beauty to be captured here.”
Alongside his girlfriend Natali Andrade — a centerpiece or silhouette often found in his images — the two often tread off the beaten path. He calls Andrade his “partner in crime” and says she “has been a huge part of my evolution as a photographer and person. She’s pushes me to constantly be more creative.” Fourteeners, forests, lakes, and rivers—the unexplored remains a consistent theme in his photography, the state of Colorado being famous for all of it. He’s also visited areas of Seattle, California, and New Mexico; the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta being one of his favorite events to photograph in recent years. Iwane only hopes to expand when it comes to travel and photography as he ages.
David mainly uses a Nikon D7000. Programs like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop alongside applications Snapseed, Filterstorm, and Luminance add to the vast arsenal of Iwane’s photo-creation. “My walk-around lens is a Tamron 18-270mm F3.5, while my favorite is the Tokina 11-16mm F2.8 wide-angle. I also have a Nikkor 50mm F1.8 for portrait photography,” he continued, “As far as filters go, I recently purchased a gradient filter for shooting sunsets and sunrises. I’ve found it really makes a more dynamic image.”
Over the years, Iwane has managed to amass tens of thousands of followers through social media — a crowning icon of the millennial generation to which he belongs. Through Instagram (@Davie8thebaby, 9,000-plus followers) he presents his surreal photographs to thousands on a daily basis. Scanning the comments, it’s clear that Iwane has admirers—and tons of them. Compliments are abundant for the young photographer, ‘Likes’ even more so.
“I’ve experienced so many life-changing things through photography, and I’ve met so many wonderful people through it as well,” he said with a grin that never left his face.
Follow David Iwane’s photography at…
Instagram: @Davie8thebaby
Facebook
Twitter
–Interview by R. F. Grant
