Daniel Shea is an American photographer and filmmaker based in New York City. He is best known for his documentary-style photography, which often focuses on the intersection of culture, politics, and the environment.
Shea was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1985. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied photography and film. After graduating in 2007, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in photography.
In 2009, Shea began working as a freelance photographer for publications such as The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal Magazine, and The Fader. His work has also been featured in exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the International Center of Photography (ICP).
In 2012, Shea released his first book of photographs titled "The West," which documented his travels through the American West. In 2014, he released his second book "The Middle," which focused on his travels through the Middle East. Both books were critically acclaimed and received numerous awards including a Lucie Award for Best Photography Book of 2014.
In addition to his photographic work, Shea has directed several short films including "The Last Days of Shishmaref" (2015) and "The Unseen" (2017). He has also collaborated with musicians such as Bon Iver and Sufjan Stevens on music videos and live performances.
Shea's work has been featured in numerous publications including The New Yorker, TIME Magazine, National Geographic Magazine, Vogue Italia, GQ Magazine UK/US/France/Germany/Japan/Spain/Italy/Australia/China/Korea/Taiwan/India/Mexico/Brazil/, Harper's Bazaar US/UK/, WIRED Magazine US/UK/, Der Spiegel Germany/, Stern Germany/, El Pais Spain/, L'Espresso Italy/, La Repubblica Italy/.
Today Daniel Shea continues to travel around the world creating documentary-style photographs that explore culture and politics while highlighting environmental issues.