As I delve into the lives around me, each have an amazing story that points to a bigger picture and a gift - self-discovery. Documentary photography has become my medium because it allows me to share these stories with others. I am determined to inflict people with empathy, a trait semi-precious in this society, and by creating a backdrop to individual stories with the bigger picture, I can humanize statistics such as the working class, violence and aging.
With my camera, I am allowed access to people and their stories to document a moment, an emotion, a certain atmosphere. My photographs seek to uncover the world I live in, sometimes through illumination, sometimes only trusting the shadows. I believe that the simplicity of portraiture - the face, the body language, wrinkles, eyes - reflect a person's essence and I have come to be more curious in exploring just how close I can get. I also believe a person is affected by their environment, and I try to give that perspective as well, perhaps that is giving too much away - there is magic in what is not shown, or ironically what is not shown can tell more - but how and where people are at the moment we interact also reflects their essence therefore I try and show this as it is. I am a witness.

Dana Ullman is a documentary photographer based on the West Coast (San Francisco/Portland). She has studied photojournalism at the University of London and at the Danish School of Journalism. In 2008 she graduated with a B.A. in Journalism at San Francisco State University.  She is available for assignments - anywhere.