Interview with Dan Martland, by Rambod Radmard
If you’ve ever scrolled through Instagram and paused at a photo of lightning splitting the Manhattan skyline, or the moon perfectly balanced atop the Statue of Liberty, you’ve likely encountered the work of Dan Martland. But behind these viral images is a photographer whose story is as electrifying—and as grounded—as his pictures.
A Reluctant Viral Star
Dan Martland’s journey into photography began, as many do, with family. “My dad was a photographer as well as a hobbyist, and he was a Canon guy, so I decided to go with Nikon, just to be awkward and difficult and just to annoy my dad,” Dan laughs. From those early days, Dan’s approach has always been about curiosity, experimentation, and a willingness to learn from mistakes.
His professional life has been spent behind the camera, working in television for ITV in the UK and later in LA and New York. “They kind of mirror each other. It’s the same kind of concept with composition and lighting and framing and lenses, but it’s in the video world, so they do go hand in hand,” he explains. But it’s his hobby—photography—that has brought him the most joy and, ironically, the most viral attention.
The Art of the Unseen
Dan’s Instagram is a portfolio of New York’s most dramatic moments: Manhattan Henge, the moon perfectly aligned with the Statue of Liberty, and aviation shots that seem to freeze time. But behind every “lucky” shot is hours of planning, patience, and sometimes, a bit of risk-taking. “You’re not seeing all the failures. You’re not seeing all the times I go out and get absolutely nothing, apart from getting drenched,” he says. “The biggest thing is trying to stay dry and safe.”
Dan is a self-confessed gearhead, but he’s quick to point out that expensive equipment isn’t everything. “You don’t necessarily need to have, like, the best camera gear in the world to get amazing shots. You can get amazing shots from your iPhone, you know, with the right lighting, right settings on your phone, like even, you know, using your tripod.” Still, for his moon and lightning shots, he relies on his Sony Alpha One and a 200-600mm lens, often pushing the limits of exposure and ISO to get the perfect image.
He’s also a master planner, using weather and astronomy apps to predict the best times and places for his shots. “I tend to sort of watch the apps, and then I have the radar app, so you can see minute by minute at what time it’s going to arrive. And it even shows you if there’s like, electric and like bolts in that particular cell.”
Viral Fame, Real Frustrations
Despite his viral success, Dan is candid about the frustrations of the modern photography world. “Everybody just wants to use your stuff for free and go, oh, we’ll give you a credit. You know, we love your work. There’s be great exposure. Let me give you a credit.” As frustrating as that can sound, it's not always the case however, Dan says. For example, when Jimmy Fallon featured his work on the Tonight Show, the show paid to license Dan's work.
From my conversation with Dan, I could tell it wasn't even about the money, but really about people recognizing that his work is a culmination of years of experience, patience, and taking risks to get one-in-a-million shots.
Dan’s humility is as much a part of his brand as his photography. But some people may mistake humility and class for indifference and think that it's okay to lowball a creator for their work. "I mean it would be nice to make money on the side doing my hobby—to pay for that tank of gas or a new camera bag—I just don’t want to be given assignments, like a job." Dan says.
His concerns are all too familiar for anyone who's done creative work, including myself. Any reasonable person would agree with Dan when he says "Would love for people to pay what’s fair if they want to showcase your work on tv or in news papers etc., all this content just fills their airwaves and they do nothing for it. And even with a credit, it doesn’t really lead to new followers. So it’s a lose lose for the photographer."
For those looking to follow in his footsteps, Dan’s advice is simple: “Never stop learning. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to admit what you don’t know. I’m always learning. I don’t think you ever stop learning. And the moment you start thinking you’re the shit and you know it all, then you must give up, because that’s not a good attitude.”
In a world obsessed with instant fame and viral moments, Dan Martland is a refreshing reminder that the best art comes from passion, patience, and a willingness to keep learning—no matter how many followers you have.
If you're inspired by Dan Martland, be sure to follow him and support his work.
