Daniel Klaas’ love of photography began in childhood, and he still has fond memories of taking photos with a Polaroid SX-70 when he was around eight years old. While his initial career inspirations did not see him as a professional photographer, there’s no doubt that his childhood explorations influence his current work. “There is something about the tones and softness with Polaroid films,” he said. “There is a dreaminess to the images, which I try my best to recreate when shooting digital”. He aims to take the viewer into the beauty of the photo, so they understand and connect with the image.
A move to Europe in late 2007 saw Klaas pick up a camera and really start to gain an interest in the medium. While living in Innsbruck, Austria, Klaas’ interest in photography grew, inspired by the freezing temperatures, the people, and the mountains. It was a new and fascinating environment that he felt compelled to capture. “It was a surreal environment,” he says, “and because it inspired me, I had to document it. “In 2010, Klaas moved back to Melbourne, and for the last two years he’s been working as a professional photographer.
Klaas’ primary focus is on weddings and portraiture. His style is characterised by darker backgrounds and shallow depths of field, permeated by a sense of intimacy and vulnerability. “I love a sense of melancholy in images, a realness or softness,” he says. “And I try to make my work as intimate and honest as possible.” Between his commissioned work, Klaas focuses on personal projects. Currently, he’s working on a project about breastfeeding, the aim being to show how natural, and important a bond it is for mother and child. He has been published in The Mammoth Book of Erotic Photography, Vol. 4.
danielklaas.com
