Dan Krauss

New Celly Pics

2012-01-27T09:42:00.000-08:00

New photos from wandering around with my Droid up on dankraussphoto.com, Portfolio - "Celly Pics."

Ben & Michelle Corser

2012-01-18T21:34:00.000-08:00

A wonderful wedding I helped Felicia Perry photograph before Christmas.

Bouldering at Horse Flats

2012-01-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

Getting High

2012-01-11T21:50:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I had the pleasure of spending a day with some of the best highliners in the world. Alexander Schulz, pictured above, recently sent the world record on a 390' line. All the way from Germany, Schulz and his crew walked 57 lines during their 57 day stay in the states. It was inspiring to be around such talented people that were so humble. I'm also stoked to say that I successfully walked the 70' line at Big Bear, putting two highlines under my belt. Big thanks to David Kingston for rigging it up.

Best of 2011: Entertainment, Features, News

2012-01-06T14:59:00.000-08:00

2011 was my year of new experiences. The first time I lived somewhere forthe entirety of a year. It’s amazing to see how drastically life can change insuch a short amount of time. All of the simple pleasures from growing up in amiddle class American family were stripped away as I burst out of my collegebubble. I fell face first into the harsh reality of a failing economy in one ofthe biggest, and strangest, cities in the world with nothing but a degree inphotojournalism. I had no idea what I was doing.

The year started off in a terrible rut. One I wouldn’temerge from until the tail end of the summer. After watching my grandmotherpass the day after Christmas and moving to my first big city, knowing only myroommates, I sank into a depression. At the same time one of my only 2 clientshad stopped calling completely. The other calls were becoming sparse.

You can’t just sit around and wait for the phone to ring,the first lesson I stubbornly learned. Everything I was taught in school washow to be a great photographer, which proves to be useless when no one knowsyou exist. I had no idea how to market myself, or whom to market myself to. Ispent the next 6 months in poverty while figuring out what to do.

My car had fallen apart after countless repairs on my creditcards. I had to take out a loan for a new one while paying off the repairs onthe old one. I couldn’t pay my rent, let alone a new car, insurance. Sometimesbarely even food. Every time I paid a bill it felt like a tiny miracle. Furtherand further into debt I fell, my student loans putting the icing on the cake.When it rains it pours, and I was bailing myself out with a paper cup. Welcometo the real world.

Somewhere along the line I began to slip out of thedepression, catching glimpses of light at the end of the tunnel. But every timeI thought things were about to get better, the levy would break and I would beright back to zero. From what I’ve gathered, this is pretty typical for anyfreelancer.

After about 6 months, I was about to cash in and leave. Ifelt like I had aged 5 years in that short amount of time. Los Angeles hadbroken me, started to make me cold. It was too expensive and the traffic wasunbearable. Everyone I knew was inconsistent, had drug problems, or moved away. I had grown up my whole life with thisnaïve trust of everyone I met, a character flaw that city-folk know how toquickly identify and exploit. Ihad no idea where else I would go and didn’t expect anywhere else to be anyeasier. No choice but to stay.

Eventually I was getting hang of things. I had startedpersonal projects to keep myself busy. The marketing strategies were beginningto broaden and become fruitful. I had picked up some new clients, beganassisting wedding photographers, wrote contracts and learned how to quoteprices. Around that time I met an intelligent, sweet, and inspiring girl whohelped me regain my confidence. I went to Burning Man and came back with acompletely new outlook on life. A little over a year ago my dreams had seemedimpossible. They now seemed not only possible, but also probable.

My phone was ringing off the hook all of fall and winter,shooting assignments for The Wall Street Journal, LA Times, and the AssociatedPress, as well as picking up field editing gigs for Getty Images. When itrains, it pours. I was not only keeping up with my bills, but paying off debt.I had never realized how much I had taken for granted until I had nothing.

As 2012 begins I hope to keep this humble little cloud ofsuccess afloat. I will strive to keep learning and know I still have a lot tofigure out. Last year was a year for personal and professional growth. Thisyear will be no different, but I want to dream bigger.

After most of my assignments being entertainment featuresand portraiture, my work has begun to feel shallow. This year I am striving to shoot more news, which is why Ibecame a photojournalist in the first place. I miss that intimacy, compassion,and conflict that you get with documentary photography, and I look forward to findingmore opportunity in that realm.

El Centro, CA for The New York Times

Red Rocks, Las Vegas

Tasty Noodles Halloween Party - Mojave Desert

Occupy LA

Los Angeles Triathlon for LA Times

Elizabeth Fraley and Gabrielle Angeles of Fire N Ice Entertainment at Yost Theatre - Santa Ana, CA

The Dragonfly - Hollywood

Bishop, CA

Echo Park - Los Angeles, CA

Mari Sato of Fire N Ice Entertainment at Yost Theatre - Santa Ana, CA

Burning Man - Black Rock City, NV

Cage the Elephant at KROQ Weenie Roast for OC Register - Irvine, CA

Cancun, Mexico

On top of Angels Landing - Zion National Park, Utah

Bishop, CA

Lightning in a Bottle for OC Register - Irvine, CA

Electric Daisy Carnival for Associated Press - Las Vegas, NV

Casa del Mexico for LA Times - Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, CA

Belly dancer at Yost Theatre - Santa Ana, CA

Burning Man - Black Rock City, NV

Charlie Sheen before his Comedy Central Roast for Associated Press - Culver City, CA

Hollywood

Electric Daisy Carnival for OC Register

Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Lightning in a Bottle

Flava Flav of Public Enemy at Sunset Strip Music Fest for OC Register - Hollywood

Los Angeles Arts District

Lunchroom at Newegg fulfillment center for The Wall Street Journal - City of Industry, CA

El Centro, CA for The New York Times

Lazy Sunday in Ocean Beach - San Diego, CA

Mexicali, Mexico

Best of 2011: Portraits

2012-01-06T13:42:00.000-08:00

New Years Eve Party with Benny Benassi

2012-01-03T21:34:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T13:29:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! Check out photo #37 on The Atlantic!

Isla Mujeres, Mexico Part II

2011-12-29T18:04:00.000-08:00

This year didn't feel like Christmas at all, which was a nice change. I spent the holiday with my mom's side of the family in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, which is a small island off the coast of Cancun. It had been years since we had all been together on a vacation, and I had never been anywhere like this. Last year, we lost my grandmother the day after Christmas, and we needed a bit of an escape from the crushing memories. It was great to see everyone in such a beautiful place, free from the cares of the world, and having each others' support. Christmas is a bit of an emotional rough spot for me now, losing such an amazing person so close to me. She would be happy to have seen us all together and her spirit was alive in us. Big thanks to my family for putting this all together, it was a wonderful gift.

Christmas with the family in Isla Mujeres, Mexico Part I

2011-12-28T13:26:00.000-08:00

Miscellaneous Outdoors

2011-12-16T12:29:00.000-08:00

Healthcare Story for The Wall Street Journal

2011-12-14T18:08:00.000-08:00

Rainy LA Wedding

2011-12-08T12:54:00.000-08:00

Haven't had much time to update the blog lately. Been doing editing gigs all week, which explains the lazier, looser edit on this wedding from a couple weeks ago. Waiting for some recent assignments to run so I can post them. Hope you enjoy!

Santa Monica Wedding

2011-11-30T11:40:00.000-08:00

It's hard to ask for a more beautiful beach wedding. Some photos from last weekend shooting for Felicia Perry.

Sport Climbing at Red Rocks, Las Vegas

2011-11-29T12:52:00.000-08:00

Me doing a bat hang on a highline.

Inside a Newegg.com Fulfillment Center for The Wall Street Journal

2011-11-28T11:41:00.000-08:00

You can read the article here.

The Pink Tie - Pogo's Sexy Sideshow at The Dragonfly

2011-11-22T17:40:00.000-08:00

More at Playa Dreaming.

More Climbing at Stoney Point

2011-11-18T17:50:00.000-08:00

Dr. John and Susan Hamil for Purina

2011-11-16T17:43:00.000-08:00

Dr. John Hamil is a veterinarian and Bloodhound breeder with his wife, Susan, in Laguna Beach. These portraits were shot for Purina's "Today's Breeder" magazine in late September at the couple's home. It's always great meeting people who are doing what they love. They also have the #1 Bloodhound in the country, "Kiss."

Weekend in Ocean Beach - San Diego

2011-11-14T17:57:00.000-08:00

Spent an awesome weekend in Ocean Beach. My girlfriend had an aerial hammock performance (top photo) and killed it. Then spent Sunday drinking mimosas, eating awesome food, and hanging out at the beach. Big thanks to Unity and Austin for having us over and putting on the show!

Climbing at Stoney Point

2011-11-11T13:27:00.000-08:00

Interview of Mattel CEO for The Wall Street Journal

2011-11-10T10:40:00.000-08:00

Occupy LA

2011-11-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

Halloween in the Mojave

2011-11-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

Amazing place to revisit on Halloween. More photos at Playa Dreaming.

Terry & Wendy Geer's Wedding

2011-10-24T15:10:00.000-07:00

Portrait of Thomas Lee for The Wall Street Journal

2011-10-21T10:35:00.001-07:00

Thomas Lee will be one of the first to ride the new Boeing Dreamliner, a double decker jet. I did a portait shoot with him at his company, Monogram Systems, in which they were outfitting the jet with the sanitation systems. The giant metal structure behind him in the wide shot is a full-sized mockup of the skeleton of the Dreamliner cabin. It was unreal to see something so big and imagine it flying through the air. You can check out the story here.

OC Weekly's Carnivale with FIRE n ICE Entertainment

2011-10-17T14:26:00.000-07:00

Hollywood

2011-10-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

Misquito bites

2011-10-11T23:54:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Triathlon for LA Times

2011-09-28T12:16:00.000-07:00

Town Hall Meeting Supporting the Irvine 11 for LA Times

2011-09-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

Rainn Wilson at Eyegore Award Ceremony for Associated Press

2011-09-26T11:32:00.000-07:00

Rainn Wilson accepting his "Eyegore" award at Universal Studios for his work in House of 1000 Corpses.

Zebra Attack

2011-09-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I have to shoot some terrible concerts. These are probably the only decent shots from the night, but they keep making me laugh. I hope you laugh too.

Some more from Burning Man

2011-09-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

More at Playa Dreaming.

Comedy Central's Roast of Charlie Sheen for Associated Press

2011-09-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

Burning Man - Rites of Passage

2011-09-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

Well I survived my first Burning Man and have made some serious headway in the editing. Please check out Playa Dreaming for the first batch of photos from my experience and stay tuned for more!

Sunset Strip Music Fest for OC Register

2011-08-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

Jill and Bob's Wedding

2011-08-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

Ashley and Ryan's Wedding

2011-08-18T17:30:00.001-07:00

Randoms

2011-08-10T16:51:00.000-07:00

Sign-eating tree.

Ludacris at Angel Stadium of Anaheim

2011-08-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

This was my first time ever stepping foot on a professional baseball field, and I was watching Ludacris perform. Never thought I'd do something like that. Article and photo gallery here.

Playa Dreaming - Introduction to new project

2011-08-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

If any of you have been wondering what all these pictures of crazy parties and fire dancing, it's about time a shine a bit of light on the situation. I have decided to actively pursue a photographic exploration of the Burning Man community (AKA "burners"). As I have seen thousands of pictures and plenty of books showing the event and the colorful individuals, I have not seen who these people are in the real world. Judging by the pictures, many of them seem to be drug-crazed hippies, but I have found this quite far from the truth. What this project aims to show is what happens when these eccentric, cartoonish individuals leave the playa and go back to their everyday lives at home. A current edit of Playa Dreaming can be viewed on my website and the project can be followed on the new blog as it unfolds. As for now, please enjoy these photos of the San Diego Fire Conclave preparing their seance for the final burn at this year's Burning Man.

Rage Against the Machine and Muse at L.A. Rising

2011-08-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

Fire party in Hollywood

2011-07-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

Aerial silks in a Malibu mansion

2011-07-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

Bloomfest in the Arts District

2011-07-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

Fire dancing at the Fire Groove house

2011-07-22T14:15:00.000-07:00

I had an awesome Thursday night spinning fire at Kamala Mathis and Siri Khalsa's house, local fire performers and yoga instructors with Fire Groove.

Unicorn Pool Party

2011-07-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

After an already exciting weekend, I ended up at a sexy unicorn pool party to raise funds for a burning man art car. The Charlie the Unicorn car is near completion, but needed a little bit more funding to put on the finishing touches. This city just keeps getting more fun.

Malibu Creek Cliff Jumping

2011-07-13T10:00:00.001-07:00

Spirit Hoods with Ekquality Style Hause

2011-07-11T12:43:00.000-07:00

Warped Tour for OC Register

2011-07-07T14:35:00.000-07:00

So much teen angst..

Spirit Hoods

2011-07-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

For anyone who doesn't know, these are called Spirit Hoods. They're a newer company in Los Angeles that has made an incredible product that is blowing up in popularity. It's one of those things that you can't walk down the street wearing without someone asking to take a picture with you. They also introduced me to an awesome group of people called the Yay Life Tribe, led by Tucker Gumber, who provided the hoods for all of the shoots. I have had a blast doing these photo shoots the last few weeks and the ideas just keep flowing. So please enjoy and expect more in the near future.

Part II

2011-06-29T13:30:00.000-07:00

Electric Daisy Carnival 2011 in Las Vegas Part I

2011-06-29T13:13:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had the pleasure to photograph Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas. Last year it took place in Los Angeles and was one of my first assignments on my internship at The OC Register. It was basically my first experience in LA after moving from Ohio, and completely blew my mind. It was moved to Vegas after being banned from LA due to the death of a 15 year old girl. When I heard it was going to be moved to Vegas, I was worried the heat would harm even more people. Luckily I was wrong. They put on the festival overnight, while it was cool enough for people to not overheat and there were no deaths this year. It was actually a pleasant temperature with the dry heat and warm wind. The art installations and stages were beyond this world, even better seen through 3D glasses which I spent a bit of time shooting through. I ended up shooting freelancing for the OC Register and some photos got picked up by AP, The Washington Post and San Antonio Express-News. It definitely exceeded every expectation I had and being in Vegas was incredible, though after working for almost 4 straight days with only a few scattered naps, I'm very happy to be home and get some quiet relaxation. More photos below. Enjoy!

Burner Fashion Show

2011-06-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

Burning Man fashion show for the upcoming debut on the playa

Perish's Studio 69

2011-06-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

The parties I end up at keep getting way more awesome and way weirder. Thank you Perish for the great night!

KROQ's Weenie Roast for OC Register

2011-06-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

This Saturday I had the pleasure of shooting KROQ's Weenie Roast in Irvine. The lineup was great with bands like Foster the People, The Strokes, Bad Religion, The Airborne Toxic Event, and a surprise set from the Foo Fighters. Click here for the story and gallery.

Video for LIB

2011-06-01T01:06:00.000-07:00

Lightning in a Bottle 2011

2011-05-31T10:42:00.000-07:00

This weekend kicked off my summer festival tour with Lightning in a Bottle. It's been called Burning Man meets Coachella and was a beautiful place full of incredibly loving people. Thank you everyone that let me take their picture and looking great! Here's the article and slideshow that ran in Orange County Register.

Deep Creek Hot Springs

2011-05-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

I finally made it to the Deep Creek Hot Springs in Apple Valley this weekend to celebrate a friend's birthday. We spent the weekend camping and running around the desert in our birthday suits and enjoying the burning desert sun and friendly company. Can't wait to go again.

From the Archive - Mayhem Fest

2011-05-19T13:48:00.000-07:00

Been having fun going through my archives and putting a music portfolio together. Here's a few outtakes from Mayhem Fest last summer. The last picture is Rob Zombie's hair. METAL!!!

The Pink Tie @ The Dragonfly

2011-05-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

This was an interesting night.

Paul Simon for the OC Register

2011-05-11T10:56:00.001-07:00

Here's a couple shots from the Paul Simon concert at the Palladium in Hollywood from a couple weeks ago. Such an awesome performer, I'm very glad to have gotten to see him (even though it was only 3 songs from the way back of the theater). Big thanks to the incredible Barbara Davidson for letting me borrow her 70-200 for a couple shots and saving my butt from bad access.

Early morning walk

2011-05-09T17:07:00.000-07:00

Went on an early morning walk with my roommate Sunday morning to try and catch the sunrise. Unfortunately the clouds just got a little brighter while hiding said sun. We decided to chase geese through Echo Park Lake instead.

Starting a new story

2011-05-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

I'm in the beginnings of a new story about Kamala and Siri from Firegroove. They're fire dancers and yoga instructors that are very active in the community as well as incredibly inspiring and loving people. I'll be sure to share more as the project unfolds. These are a few photos from their donation-based yoga class at Runyon Canyon in Hollywood. It's always fun to figure out how to make harsh, afternoon light work with you instead of against.

Viscom Reunion...ish

2011-05-02T14:13:00.000-07:00

I spent my Easter in Zion National Park with a few of my close friends from Ohio University. We had all ended up scattered across the West and decided it was time to plan a reunion. It was great seeing familiar faces and getting back to the inside jokes and pointless bickering as we ventured through unfamiliar territories of the backcountry.

Weekend in Bishop

2011-04-21T12:53:00.000-07:00

2011-04-18T00:14:00.001-07:00

When I walked into the grocery store, I saw a shopping cart sitting there. I made a mental note to take a picture of it when I got done shopping. I came back out and I saw that it made a friend and they had apparently gotten very close.

China Town

2011-04-10T18:29:00.000-07:00

I've hardly touched my camera these last few weeks. I finally went out and took some pictures for absolutely no reason. They're nothing special, but it felt good. Photographically speaking, i've been couch-locked for weeks and I need to get some exercise.

Unemployment in El Centro, CA for NY Times

2011-03-24T10:55:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I got my first call from the NY Times, catching me totally off-guard. They sent me to El Centro, CA where the unemployment rate is the highest in the country. The immigration from Mexicali has over saturated the job market in the agriculturally-dependent area, leaving jobs scarce and unreliable. I spent two 15-hour days mainly driving aimlessly in my car searching for ways to illustrate the problems in the town. I worked a bit with the writer for specific photos of people mentioned in the story, but was basically on my own. All the years of relentless feature hunting for classes or internships was finally put to the test. This was my most memorable freelance assignment to date and hope to have many more like it in the future. The story can be viewed here.

Recycle

2011-03-23T01:10:00.000-07:00

2011-03-17T14:06:00.000-07:00

Hoopjam

2011-03-06T22:02:00.001-08:00

2011-02-25T00:10:00.000-08:00

Tasty Noodlez

2011-02-22T10:15:00.000-08:00

Finally had my first experience in the desert that had nothing to do with rock climbing, though i managed to get my fill of it anyway. Big thanks to Tasty Noodlez for organizing everything and making sure the epic level was off the charts.

Video Reel

2011-02-15T18:03:00.000-08:00

Dan Krauss Reel from dan krauss on Vimeo.

Well I finally made a video reel of all my random video clips. Comments appreciated.

Casa del Mexicano

2011-02-15T13:30:00.000-08:00

Recent shoot for the LA Times about the Casa del Mexicano building in Boyle Heights, whose future remains undetermined due to financial issues. These are some shots of the building and the owners, and a scene from a play being performed inside. Here's the story.

Huntington Gardens

2011-02-08T17:21:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth

2011-02-04T18:55:00.000-08:00

I ended up meeting a wonderful, hip old lady today while having coffee. This is Elizabeth, a pretty rad grandma.

Nothing like short notice

2011-01-18T15:53:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I had one of those mornings. Woke up to a phone call at 8am asking if I could be in Newport Beach for a shoot. I said I'd give it a shot, brushed my teeth, grabbed my gear, and set off into the morning traffic. It wasn't until I got on the freeway that I realized my wallet didn't make it into my back pocket, and I had barely enough gas to make it there. My mind raced the whole way down the road as I tried to figure out how to make it all work. Long story short, I got there on time, found free parking, and caught my wonderful ex-roommate from Huntington Beach, Ali, and borrowed enough gas money to get home. The shoot went well, the sun was shining, and all I had to do was take pictures of Mr. Bonavico, an investor in Apple, on his iPad. I've been missing days like this. Here's the story

Portrait Series for Backdrop Mag

2011-01-13T11:29:00.001-08:00

Photo Shoot

2011-01-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

Did a photo shoot with my friend Lynsey yesterday.

Investor who beat Wall Street.

2010-12-18T17:40:00.000-08:00

This is Corinne, a wonderful lady that I got to spend the afternoon with. She was duped by her broker and lost $20,000 in an investment. Two years later she got her money back in a lawsuit doing all of the legal work herself, filling out the boxes of forms on a typewriter. She was a cheery, optimistic, and spiritual person that pumped out positive vibes. She is an amazing artist and spent the afternoon showing me her watercolor paintings that were surreal and beautiful, filled with meaning. It was one of those days that made me happy to be a photographer because I get to meet people like her. Click here if you'd like to see the story.

Shooting at Sunset and Everett

2010-12-16T16:03:00.000-08:00

I had just gotten back from an assignment early and was watching tv at home, relaxing, only to be brought back to reality by a series of gunshots that sounded extremely close. Squealing tires followed and were shortly greeted by helicopters circling around the area. I ran down the street with my camera and my two roommates. When we got there the body of the man who was shot was being pulled from the car. He was in critical condition from gunshots to the chest and head. Second shooting in the same spot since I moved down here. Welcome to the city!

New Portraits

2010-12-07T17:53:00.000-08:00

Here's some new portraits. I did a huge website overall at dankraussphoto.com with updated galleries and new work.

New Beginnings

2010-12-03T13:24:00.000-08:00

After a 2 week stay in Ohio, split between Athens and Cleveland, I am finally back in California. The last 3 weeks seem to have been making everything in my life fall simply into place. I finished up college, worked through mental hangups, figured out new ways to make art, and found a great new home with a good friend and my cousin Matthew. I am finally settled somewhere for the first time in a few years, right near the heart of Los Angeles. I can't wait to see what happens in these next few months. Here are a few from the trip and the new place.

Startup Companies

2010-12-03T12:23:00.001-08:00

These are a few from my first Wall Street Journal assignment in San Diego a few weeks ago. Here's the story.

Yosemite 2

2010-11-10T02:25:00.000-08:00

Yosemite

2010-11-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

Halloween Weekend

2010-10-31T22:29:00.000-07:00

Randoms

2010-10-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

Well it hasn't been the most photographically exciting month. I hope some inspiration and a interesting, meaningful assignments are right around the corner..

Wet Electric

2010-09-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

Only at The Eagle

2010-09-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

A little bit of culture shock on this one.

Camera phone

2010-09-23T00:11:00.000-07:00

I put a new gallery on my website up called "When I forget my phone"

Roommates

2010-09-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

New portfolio

2010-09-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

Put up a new gallery on my website from my experience in Southern California over the summer.

Hurley Pro-Lower Trestles

2010-09-17T23:30:00.000-07:00

The Hodads

2010-09-15T22:57:00.000-07:00

Food Trucks

2010-09-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

Rodeo

2010-08-30T08:54:00.000-07:00