Bio
Daniel Franc creates fine art photographs with a drone, offering a new perspective on both external and internal worlds. He acquired his first drone more or less by chance in 2017 and since then has visited places in the most common parts of the world around us, as well as more exotic destinations. He has always been fascinated by the hidden possibilities in the world around him and was an innovator in areas that were new or off the beaten path. He has also always been close to nature, spending some time as an instructor of outdoor experiential activities in South Africa, Australia, and then in the Czech Republic.
He has been published by National Geographic and British Royal Geographical Society, had 2 solo exhibitions and has participated in many group ones, and he is a multiple recipient of various international and Czech awards.
Photography is his creative project. In his other work, he focuses on globally connecting people around big technological topics.
11 pages feature in National Geographic Czech Republic, January 2024
The Creative Statement
My aerial photos are about capturing new universes in the world around us as well as exploring our inner worlds. They are expeditions into unknown territories right under our feet, which we can discover just by changing our perspective. They also invite personal interpretations and introspection, leading us to the inside of ourselves.
We only know a fraction of the world - especially the world near us. Even in the most familiar environments, a change in perspective can reveal that they offer endless opportunities for explorations of the unknown. While part of my work takes place in rather exotic places, what really fulfills me is revealing the richness of the world where we live here and now; finding new things here by distancing from the usual perception of reality - literally rising above it.
My primary perspective is represented by photos that offer a unique and thought-provoking perspective of the world, creating a play between the image and the viewer and provoking introspection and personal interpretation. They capture the world in a way that transforms familiar landscapes into intriguing visual art challenging traditional perceptions and provoking curiosity to take a closer look. They open up the possibility for a deeper emotional and intellectual connection, allowing the audience to explore their own thoughts and feelings as they engage with the photo. This new interpretation of reality is an offer for liberation from our expectation of the world around us and an inspiration to relax stereotypes about everyday life.
I also take a more outward-focusing approach where I showcase the beauty of the world around us from a more direct yet engaging perspective, offering new perspectives on landscapes, nature and human activity. These photos are like a gallery of new angles to the wonders around us, where the viewers can immediately dive into the visual qualities of familiar environments and be drawn to their unique features from the aerial perspective. Each of these images presents the world in an accessible, yet striking manner, highlighting the wonders of nature and human activity from above.
My approach to photo editing
I am not a documentary photographer. I don't aim to create an "objective" representation of what the world is - partly because, who knows what that is anyway? My photography begins with reality as its foundation. From above, I witness landscapes as they are: intricate, untamed, and beautifully complex. But my intent as a fine art photographer isn’t to document; it’s to interpret and reveal the deeper energy, mood, the things I sense and feel within each scene. I simply see reality as my canvas, and my approach allows me to work beyond the constraints of the illusion of pure representation, which I don't really believe that exists anyway. I invite viewers to look beyond the familiar and experience these landscapes through my eyes—seeing not just the place itself, but the wonder, awe, and intensity that it inspires in me.
So it may be via saturation and color that I enhance elements that reflect my emotional experience of these places, sometimes I may play with saturation even to a great extent— to bring out the moods, energies and beauty that resonate with me in these moments. In other works, I might subtly alter the overall perspective or ratios subtly, allowing forms to shift slightly to emphasize flow, energy, or space as I perceive it. Some photos may be panoramas or composites from various perspectives, which is also aligned with my belief in the importance of multiple angles on a single subject. And I also use other common techniques to pull out what's important to me, incl work with contrasts, brightness, and cleaning the photo or removing minor noise elements. But I don't change the placement of elements or their individuals shapes in the photos, I don't add external elements to the photos, or create collages from unrelated images.
Interview for CEWE Fotolab about drone photography, especially for beginners. (Czech only)
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
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"Invisible Worlds", Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece, September 2022
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"With a Perspective", Třeboň, Czech Republic, 2019
Group exhibitions
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Glasgow Gallery of Photography, Glasgow, June, UK
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Royal Geographical Society, London, June-Sept, UK
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indoor exhibition at Dalby Forest, Sept 2022-Jan 2023 North Yorkshire, UK
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Outdoor exhibition at Haldon Forest, Oct 2022-Jan 2023, Devon, UK
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Outdoor exhibition at Fineshade Wood, Nov 2022-Mar 2023, UK
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Indoor exhibition at Grizedale Forest, Dec 2022- Apr 2023, Lake District, UK
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" Silence ", Budapest, Hungary, April
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" Quiet Landscape" , Vermont, USA, April
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Chania Int'l Photo Festival, Crete, Greece, June
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"Of the Earth ", Online, April
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"Keep it Green" , Los Angeles., USA, April
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" Purely Abstract ", California, USA, June
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"Czech Nature Photo" , Czech Republic, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
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" Color ", Vermont, USA, August, 2021
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" Contrasts ", Rome, Italy, August, 2021
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"Abandoned", Los Angeles, USA, September 2021
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" Van Gogh Photo Award ", Utrecht, Holland, September 2021
Awards
Competition placement (selection)
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1st place, ND Awards (Fine Art Landscape), 2023
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1st place, Czech Nature Photo (Landscape), 2022
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1st place, International Photography Awards (Fine Art - Nature), 2022
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1st place and Title "Aerial Photographer of the Year", Minimalist Photography Awards (Aerial Photography), 2022.
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1st place, Earth Photo by Royal Geographic Society UK (category Places), 2022
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1st place, Tokyo International Photo Awards (Nature Aerially), 2021
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2nd place, Minimalist Photography Awards 2022, Abstract
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2nd place, ND Awards (Water Bodies), 2023
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2nd place, Minimalist Photography Awards (Aerial Photography), 2022.
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2nd place, Czech Nature Photo (Landscape), 2023
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2nd place, Czech Nature Photo (Animals), 2024
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2nd place, Czech Nature Photo (Landscape), 2022
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2nd place, Tokyo International Photo Awards (Nature), 2021
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2nd place, ND Awards (Drone), 2021
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3rd place, Czech Nature Photo, 2022 (Landscape)
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3rd place, Annual Photography Awards (Drone), 2022
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3rd place, International Photography Awards (Oneshot - Color), 2022
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3rd place, IPA - International Photo Awards (Abstract), 2022
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3rd place, Minimalist Photo Awards (Abstract), 2023
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Top 5 Jury Selection, IPA - International Photography Awards, 2021
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"50 Best BnW Minimalist Photographers", 2021
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Top 5 Jury Selection, Tokyo International Photo Awards, 2021
Honorable mentions and nominations (selection)
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2 honorable mentions, ND Awards, 2023
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Highly Commended, Commended, Sienna Drone Awards 2023
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honorable mention, International Photo Awards 2022, Abstract
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honorable mention, Minimalist Photography Awards 2022, Abstract
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5 honorable mentions, Annual Photo Awards, 2022
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Special Jury Award, Vienna Photo Awards, 2022
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3 honorable mentions,Minimalist Photo Awards, 2022
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6 honorable mentions, ND Awards, 2021
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10 honorable mentions, IPA Photography Awards, October 2021
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3 honorable mentions(Abstract&Aerial), Minimalist Photography Awards, 2021
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3 honorable mentions, 5 official selections, Tokyo International Photo Awards, 2021
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9 nominations, Fine Art Photography Awards, 2021
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Honorable mention of the jury, exhibition Color, USA 2021
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Finalist Nature Photographer of the Year, Slovenia, 2021
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Finalist Nature TTL Photographer of the Year, 2021
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Finalist in Van Gogh Photo Award, 2021
Media, publications
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National Geographic Czech, Jan 2024
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Geographical (Royal Geographic Magazine), 2022
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Interview, Athens's Voice, 2022 (Google translation)
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Edge of Humanity, July 2021
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Daily, November 2021
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Expats.cz,November 2021
(and dozens of articles based on releases from exhibitions and competitions in UK, Czech Republic, Greece and globally)
Magazines and Journals
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BNW Minimalist Photography Prize Annual Book, 2020, 2021, 2022
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Minimalist Photography 2021 Annual Book
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Czech Nature Photo 2022
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Czech Nature Photo since 2020
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35Wards Top 100 Photographers
Selected Books and Catalogs