Meet the Photographer
Dane G
Martial Arts has been a large part of my life for about twenty years. Starting off in the traditional arts realm with board breaking and katas to now teaching and coaching Muay Thai and practicing Jiu Jitsu.
The most interesting people I have come across in life have been people who train in martial arts. You never know who's who on the mat or in the ring until the class is over with and the conversations starts flowing.
In my free time, I like to photograph landscapes and old buildings; the more worn down and abandoned the better. Todd Hido is a huge inspiration for my personal work.
Showcasing the duality of martial artists
Seeing my fellow training partners on the mat is always a highlight of mine. Throughout the years, I've come to have great personal friendships because of martial arts. Seeing the same people over and over again, playing "beat me up and tap me out simulator," creates a friendship that is incredibly unique.
But I often wonder,
"I know Johnny Appleseed as the Jiu Jitsu savant who I talk to and laugh with, who comes in four days a week, wrist locks everyone in the gym and everyone get's mad because he wrist locks and he's kind of unhinged but I don't really know who he is outside the gym."
And that is what I want to show with my photography. Who people are on and off the mat. The duality of a martial artist.