THE PICTURE | THE STORY

I find great joy in portraiture. The human interaction while making a portrait leaves me with the deep satisfaction that one can receive through collaboration-- even though some sittings happen at a whirlwind pace.

I first photographed Senator Barack Obama on March 5th, 2008 in San Antonio on the morning after the Texas Presidential Primary, which he lost to Senator Hillary Clinton. I had been commissioned by TIME Magazine to shoot a cover portrait of him.

At 25 years old, Dan Winters moved from his home state of California to New York. During these personally and artistically formative years, Winters took in the city which has inspired and captivated so many artists who came before him. The photographs that comprise The Grey Ghost include the timeless icons of the city that we all know well, including the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. However even at a young age, Winters’ signature approach is palpable, and the images that emerge are technical, delicate, and surprising despite our familiarity with these landmarks.

Among the icons of the city, Winters captures the fleeting, beautiful, and strange happenings one experiences on the streets of New York. The serendipitous moments that only become visible to those comfortable with a city, when the bustle and noise begin to fade and one can truly begin to see what makes the city so remarkable. The Grey Ghost becomes an ode to the city-as-muse, one that eternally captivates and inspires.