Judge of our 2026 Travel Award (now 现已开放报名), Daniel Kordan captures atmospheric images that perfectly convey the grandeur of our planet.
At the core of Kordan’s practice is a profound connection to nature. This ethos is evident throughout his work, notably in his ongoing projects across Indonesia and his long-term Red Sails expeditions, which explore remote Arctic and Antarctic landscapes through light, composition, and immersive fieldwork. His connection to the natural world is not just deep but enduring, rooted in the quiet, wild landscapes of his early childhood.
“I grew up in a beautiful lake region surrounded by wild forests and deep morning mists. As a boy, I loved wandering outside at sunrise, watching the landscape completely transform under heavy fog and winter hoarfrost—it sparked a deep desire to document those fleeting moments.”
Initially, however, he pursued a radically different path, studying quantum physics at university. Yet, while balancing the immense academic pressure of his studies, he constantly found himself drawn back to the wild, working as a guide for a mountain climbing club to lead trekking groups high above the clouds. It was during these high-altitude expeditions that his true calling intervened, prompting a full-time transition into photography.
“Witnessing alpine sunrises high above the clouds made me realize that my passion for capturing the emotional weight of nature was stronger than any academic path.”
Right from the outset, his approach remained heavily tethered to a classical art background rather than traditional camera technicalities, having spent six years in art school during his youth. This rigorous instruction instilled an enduring fascination with the interplay of light and dark, drawing deep inspiration from the masterful light of painters like Monet, Caravaggio, and classical landscape masters.
In photography, it was 安塞尔·亚当斯 who taught him how to manage extreme contrast via the Zone System, while Galen Rowell’s adventurous spirit proved that to capture truly exceptional light, one has to brave the elements.
Kordan’s photographs have a captivating, painting-like quality, balancing immense, graphic scale with a sense of quiet, poetic intimacy. There is a distinct rhythm to the way he frames the earth, capturing the sweeping, abstract architecture of braided river systems and volcanic craters from above.
Yet he remains equally adept at stepping directly into the cultural fabric of a place, photographing local figures amidst woven lotus patterns, temple doorways, or rice fields with a gentle sense of care and reverence.
Kordan credits his photographic evolution to his travels, spending nine to ten months of the year navigating the globe’s most demanding environments to run workshops and expeditions. Now based in Bali, he spent years charting remote polar coastlines on a sailing boat, testing both physical and creative boundaries by maneuvering through wild seas to position his lens perfectly in front of colossal icebergs.
“Running my photo tours and expeditions is an emotional exchange of energy. The ultimate reward is witnessing that exact moment when a student’s eyes light up because they truly see the light for the first time. It is incredibly fulfilling to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with someone on a remote shore and watch them capture a scene they never thought possible.”
His talent, curiosity, and commitment to connection have seen him win numerous awards and accolades. An official Nikon ambassador, his commercial portfolio includes major clients such as Apple and Red Bull, while his work has also been published in numerous prestigious publications and platforms, including National Geographic. He has also built a global community of engaged photography and travel enthusiasts (with over 2 million followers on Instagram alone). Yet, despite his relentless nomadism, certain landscapes consistently draw him back, providing endless inspiration for his artistic practice.
“The silent, massive fjords of the Arctic under the endless, golden glow of the midnight sun are a deeply humbling experience. The second is Japan, a place I return to constantly for its exquisite seasonal harmony. Whether I am framing the soft pink canvas of blooming sakura, exploring deep mossy forests, or tracking a solitary gate in the sky on Shikoku Island during a gentle sunset, Japan offers a profound sense of composition and artistic balance.”
Yet, for Kordan, it is about much more than the landscape; his images are the result of a deliberate study of how a scene is completely transformed by the conditions. This focus flows directly from his classical art background, leading him to carefully study weather systems rather than just geography, offering a crucial lesson for those following in his footsteps.
“Stop chasing famous locations and start chasing light. Study light like a dedicated craft. Keep a light journal where you log weather systems, wind directions, and cloud patterns; over time, you will begin to predict magical atmospheric conditions before they even happen.”
Yet, despite this meticulous approach to equipment and post-production, the core of Kordan’s work remains remarkably simple. It brings him right back to what first drew him to the medium: ‘the genuine, raw experience of being out in nature.’
所有图片版权所有 丹尼尔·科丹