We were lucky to catch up with Dan Baumbach recently and have shared our conversation below.

Dan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I grew up in an artistic household. My father was a painter and was part of the art scene in New York City. Seeing the difficulties artists had with making a living, I decided to pursue commercial photography.

However, taking photographs to sell products ultimately proved to be unsatisfying and I moved into other lines of work.

Once I was settled into a good career, I pursued my love of photography, but this time not for money, but to express myself. I was making a good living and I was able to take photographs just to please myself.

I still look to make money with my images, but I want them to sell because of their captivating beauty rather than selling an object.

Dan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve been taking photographs since my teens. In my early 20s, I worked in advertising and fashion photography in my native New York City before moving on to other interests.

I eventually drifted into software engineering and made a good living allowing me to retire a few years ago, I was now living in Boulder, CO and I was captivated by the beauty of the area.

I started photographing landscapes and gradually moved into more intimate landscape and macro photographs.

I have exhibited throughout Boulder and Denver in Open Studios, Art Fairs and local galleries.

My photographs grace the wall of:

Boulder Community Hospital

The Ritz-Carlton, Beaver Creek, CO

The Sheridan, Avon, CO

Frasier Meadows, Retirement Community

Price Waterhouse

O’Connor Hospital

UCSF Medical Center

Good Samaritan Hospital

UCSF Orthopaedic Institute

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Creativity happens out of time. To be creative we have to give in to it. We can’t make ourselves be creative, we can only give in to the natural creativity that is already part of us.

When we give in to this creativity, magic happens. To really give in, we must let creativity take over and we don’t know where it will lead us. It’s scary, but it’s also totally invigorating.

I’ll pick a location and time to take photographs. I have some idea what I might find there and what I’ll photograph, but ultimately I have no clue till I get there. Then I just look and let things take me in. My mind may be active, but I pay little attention to it unless it’s about operating my camera to get a specific look.

It always surprises me what I come back with. It gives me faith that creativity is much bigger than me and my mind and I can trust it.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Early in my career, I took a course with a well known photographer whose classes were highly looked upon. I was trying something new and I took my prints up to them for critique.

The totally tore me apart and said that I didn’t know what I was doing.

It was devastating and I thought about it for some time. Either they were right or I was. Rather than saying who was right, I decided to neglect what the teacher had told me and to continue on the journey that I had started and see where it would lead me.

This was about 50 years ago.. I have never regretted my decision.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.timelesslight.com
• Instagram: danbaumbach
• Facebook: danbaumbachphoto
• Youtube: Dan Baumbach

Image Credits
Photo of me is by my wife Emily Chaya Baumbach. All other photos are by me.