Emerging talent sets her sights on mastering photography

Dani Watson may have only just picked up a camera in late 2016, but in this short time she has gone on to become “one to watch” in the photography world. 

Since first capturing images on her family’s farm, Dani stepped away from her work as a full-time tennis coach, studied photography at RMIT, and worked as a photographic assistant for well-known Australian landscape photographer Ken Duncan.

While she still travels for her photography work, she can now be found pursuing her masters at the Photography Studies College (PSC), through a hybrid arrangement.

“I really want to make a difference in photography, and it is part of the reason why I am doing my masters,” Ms Watson said. 

“I have been out teaching photography in central Australia and working with Indigenous communities, and with my masters I want to apply for funding that will hopefully instil some change through allowing me to train up young photographers, particularly girls, who can then stay in their community and work.”

“A lot of photographers may focus on themselves and their work without giving back in some way, where I see it as a small way in which I can help make a difference.”

Dani is not only ambitious in her studies and goals for the future, but also in mastering every genre of photography. 

Describing herself as a “generalist photographer”, Dani can be seen shooting everything from fashion, to still life, landscape, aerial shots, and architecture. 

“I probably class myself now as more of a destination photographer, which encompasses a lot of genres, and is everything rolled into one,” she said.

And while the saying may go, “a jack of all trades, master of none”, this is not the case for Dani, who has been very successful with winning renowned photography awards in multiple categories. 

Recently as part of Capture Magazine’s Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographer Awards, Dani was awarded first place in the art category, runner-up in architecture, and third place in landscape.

On top of this, Dani also finished fourth in the Australian Photography’s The Landscape Awards, presented by EIZO; all acknowledgements she was “very proud” to receive. 

“Having photographers that I really look up to acknowledge my work, across multiple genres, in such a positive way was great,” she said. 

“I just aim to do better than the previous year, through learning how to refine my craft and continually push the boundaries, and the projects I was doing this year were pushing the boundary a little and were very different.”

Despite receiving multiple awards for her work, across multiple genres, it is only the beginning for Dani.

For more information: daniellewatson.com.au •