Daniel Franc

My photos are always about the wonder of discovering something hidden in an otherwise ordinary or seemingly familiar world. About the perspective that allows us to see beauty or tension where we wouldn't expect it. About mapping inner worlds through visions of the external ones. But also about admiring the landscape from a new perspective.

We only know a fraction of the world – and not just in the sense that we are unfamiliar with many foreign countries. Even in the most accessible environment around us, a change in perspective can reveal that the everyday world offers endless opportunities for exploratory expeditions. Part of my work took place in more exotic places and countries, but what really fulfills me is seeking the richness of the world where we live here and now. To find new things here by distancing from the usual perception of reality - literally rising above it. To marvel at unexpected rhythms, meanings, stories.

Looking at the world from this perspective, I often find myself questioning standard labels and categorical evaluations of what is beautiful and what is not, what is interesting and what is not. In the liberating chaos of a new view of reality, I see inspiration for relaxing stereotypes everywhere in everyday life.

This way of looking at the world also opens up new perspectives on inner worlds as a reflection of the external ones. A photo of the world around us is then a way for me to map the regions within. A way to use a photo of a landscape to visually describe emotions and the play between them that takes place inside.

Finally, drone photography for me is also a way to simply connect with nature. Part of my work is about a straightforward view of the landscape from a new perspective. I have always been close to nature, once even working in the outdoor industry for a while. Drone photography brings me back to nature, even though it's no longer about multi-day expeditions and living in the bush.

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People often joyfully comment that it takes them a while to "figure out" what they are looking at, that they have to navigate through the image themselves... Yes, this is a way for me to take others on an expedition through a new world. I enjoy engaging viewers in a collective game of "what is this", to go through that exploratory path together - and often each person ends up going through it by themselves. For this reason, I do not give titles to all photos, sometimes I want the journey to be very much about the viewer and do not want to influence it too much.

I often get asked how the photos are edited. In short: they undergo regular developing and post-production but what you see in the photo was in the photographed world. I use standard photographic adjustments including work with contrasts and color saturation, cleaning, and sharpening, but I never change the location or shapes of elements, do not add other elements to the photos, nor create collages or compositions from different shots. It is crucial for me that the photo is a reflection of reality, and its processing emphasizes what I see in it - and to offer that to others.

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I offer all my photos as prints. I am pleased to open these new views of the old world to anyone who is interested, so most photos are offered in an affordable open series, meaning with an unlimited number of prints and with a wide selection of sizes and media. At the same time, some of my photos are offered in a limited edition of 42 pieces. These are usually photos that are special to me in some way, and where it is important to me that they are only available in a limited number of prints.