Daniel Ali Photography Daniel Ali Photography

ABOUT

Born in 1985 and raised in London, Daniel Ali's earliest memories are of him behind a camera capturing moments and forming memories.

Drawing inspiration from his multicultural heritage of Pakistan, Wales and Poland Ali adopts a broad outlook on life which feeds into his visual language.  Ali thrives on reframing narratives at the forefront of cultural and societal discussion through heightened and visceral storytelling.  After graduating with a Masters in Artists' Film, Video and Photography, Ali has spent the last 12 years travelling the globe with a camera strapped to his back pursuing his interests in the documentary world and fulfilling his passion for telling real and transformative stories producing several photographic projects after which turning his attention to moving image.

From that moment onwards, Ali has continued to pursue his passion in documentary filmmaking directing several short films including 'A Million Waves' which enjoyed a good run on the festival circuit and was showcased on NOWNESS and WeTransfer.  Alongside his dedication to sharing incredible real life stories Ali works for various brands and clients producing visually stunning films with the aim of establishing a connection with the viewer through empathetic storytelling.

Whether Ali is creating a 30 second spot for social media or a documentary film, his stylised aesthetics offer up a cinematic and stripped down documentary approach to filmmaking, telling intimate stories bridging the gap between viewer and subject.



EDUCATION

MA Artists' Film, Video & Photography, University for the Creative Arts, 2008 - 2010
BA Photography & Media Arts, University for the Creative Arts, 2005 - 2008


AWARDS/SHORTLISTED

Margate Film Festival, Official Selection, November '20
Kendal Mountain Festival, Official Selection, November '20
Short Sighted Cinema: The Shortest Nights, Official Selection, September '20
Lift-Off Sessions, Official Selection, June'19
Commonwealth Stories on Screen, Official Selection, January '18
British Shorts: Berlin Film Festival, Official Selection, January '18
London Lift-Off Online Film Festival, Official Selection, November '17
London Short Film Festival, Official Selection, January '18
Norwich Film Festival, Official Selection, November '17
Aesthetica Short Film Festival, Official Selection, November '17
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, Official Selection, July '17
Short Sighted Cinema: The Shortest Nights, Official Selection, June '17
Hong Kong Arthouse Film Festival, Official Selection, March '17
Hollywood Screenings Film Festival, Semi Finalist, February '17
London Short Film Festival, Official Selection, January '17
Norwich Film Festival, Best Documentary, November '16
Shooting People, Film of the Month, January '16
Reel 13 / THIRTEEN PBS, Short Of The Week, December '15
Film Shortage, Daily Short Pick, November '15
Fotofilmic, Exhibition Winner, 2015
ThePrintSpace & PhotoVoice, Spring Awards, Grand Prize Winner, 2015
Flash Forward, United Kingdom Winner, 2015
Life Framer, Theme 3 / "6 Continents", Shortlisted, 2014
Fotofilmic, Shortlisted #03, 2014
Renaissance Photography Prize, Exhibition Shortlisted, 2013
AMPS/12 Photofusion, Public Choice Award, 2012


PUBLICATIONS

Flash Forward: The Magenta Foundation, October '15
Intern Magazine, Issue 3 Summer '15
Aint - Bad Magazine, Vol. 3 No. 1 - "FROM HERE ON", March '15
Incandescent Zine: Issue 7, Pine Island Press, February '15
Salon /14: Photofusion, Exhibition Catalogue, December '14
No. Zero, Splash and Grab, July '14
Uncertain States, Issue 18, July '14
Portraiture: Through The Lens, Black Box Gallery, 2014
Renaissance Photography Prize Exhibition Catalogue, 2013
AMPS : Photofusion, Salon Exhibition Catalogue, 2012


EXHIBITIONS & SCREENINGS

Kendal Mountain Festival, 'Kukeri', November '20
Margate Film Festival, 'Kukeri', November '20
Short Sighted Cinema: The Shortest Nights, 'Kukeri', September '20
'Pursuit of Happiness' Screening, 'A Million Waves', Exeter Phoenix Cinema, 19th June '19
British Shorts: Berlin Film Festival, 'The Journey of a Stateless Man', Berlin, 13th January '18
British Shorts: Berlin Film Festival, 'A Million Waves', Berlin, 14th January '18
Norwich Film Festival, 'A Million Waves', Norwich, 19th November '17
Aesthetica Short Film Festival, 'A Million Waves', York, 6th-12th November '17
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, 'A Million Waves', Melbourne, 10th July '17
Short Sighted Cinema: The Shortest Nights Import/Export, 'The Journey Of A Stateless Man', London, 18th June '17
Freetown Music Festival, 'A Million Waves', Sierra Leone, 25th March '17
London Short Film Festival, 'The Journey Of A Stateless Man', London, 11th January '17
Norwich Film Festival, 'The Journey Of A Stateless Man', Norwich, 13th November '16
Zero Film Festival, 'The Journey Of A Stateless Man', London, 14th September '16
Pop Ritzy Local Shorts, 'The Journey Of A Stateless Man', London, 7th June '16
Cabriolet Film Festival, 'The Journey Of A Stateless Man', Beirut, 5th June '16
Fotofilmic '15, Space 22 Gallery, Seoul, 11th - 31st March '16
PBS Thirteen, 'The Journey Of A Stateless Man', USA, 19th December '15
Salon / 15, Photofusion, London, 10th December - 29th January '15
Portrait Salon, Embassy Tea Gallery, Lodnon, 19th - 22nd November '15
Fotofilmic '15, Burrard Arts Foundation, Vancouver 5th November - 19th December '15
DOC-CON, 'The Journey Of A Stateless Man', London, 8th October '15
Fotofilmic '15, Sous Les Etoiles Gallery, New York, 17th August - 4th September '15
ThePrintSpace & PhotoVoice Spring Awards, ThePrintSpace, London, 14th - 28th May '15
Salon / 14, Photofusion, London, 11th December - 30th January '14
Human Rights: Through The Lens, The Ritzy, London, 24th - 30th March '14
Portraiture: Through The Lens, Black Box Gallery, Portland, 1st - 20th February '14
Renaissance Photography Prize,  The Wapping Project Bankside, London, 3rd - 7th September '13
POS1T1VE (Collodion Wet Plate Exhbition), The Ritzy, London, 1st June - 7th July '13
AMPS: Photofusion Salon, Photofusion, London, 6th December - 18th January '12
‘Fragmented Moments : Forever Memories’, Window 99, Melbourne, 13th February - 5th March '11
‘Seeing in These Walls’ MA Final Show, George Rodger Gallery, Maidstone, 25th January - 5th February '10
'Cancer Culture’ Untitled 23 Group Show, Royal Star Arcade, Maidstone, 10th - 16th May '07


ONLINE FEATURES

Booooooom TV - 'Bosphorus Cymbal Masters'
WeTransfer - 'A Million Waves'
HUCK Magazine: Shortest Nights - 'The Journey of a Stateless Man'
International Business Times - 'A Million Waves'
Avaunt Magazine - 'A Million Waves'
HUCK Magazine, 'A Million Waves'
NOWNESS: Surf's Up 'A Million Waves'
CNN Inside Africa 'A Million Waves'
5 Great British Photographers, Dodho Magazine
Pylot Magazine
Grolsch Canvas, 35mm Fun
Shooting People, Film Of The Month
Huck Magazine, Perspectives, 'The Journey Of A Stateless Man'
Accent Magzine, Issue 10, The IWF
Intern Magazine, Meet The Team
Life Framer, Featured Photographer
Fotographia, 'Undocumented Living'
Fur Fur
Hashtag Photography Magazine Issue 10
Square Space Magazine Issue 4
Hunger TV, 'Undocumented Living'
Peanut Butter Thoughts, Artist Of The Day
Dodho Magazine Issue 15
Hotshoe Magazine Blog
Dodho Online Magazine
GUP Magazine
Fotografia, Cover Story
Splash and Grab Magazine, 'Sumo School'
Feature Shoot, Photo Du Jour
La Repubblica
Medium, More Than Documentary
Rinse, Telling Stories Behind Photography
Fightland by VICE
VICE, Photographing The Next Generation Of Sumo Superstars
Darwin Magazine
Splash and Grab Magazine, 'The Modernity of Witchcraft'
It's Nice That
Ain't Bad Magazine
Hunger TV, 'Searching for Karachi'