This page is not about me, for the success of a person is directly associated with the people who supports him/her. These are people I would forever be grateful to and I wouldn't be where I am if not for them. All of them are very special to me, each of them makes up a special piece of me as an artist.
My Mom and Dad
I can't ask for anything more for parents.
My Mom and Dad
I can't ask for anything more for parents.
I will start by thanking the two people that has always have been supportive to me. The two people that never seized to believe in me, my mom and dad. Thanks to you both for raising me well with fear in God and great respect for everyone. It may not have been that obvious that I appreciate everything you have done for me... yes I admit I was a stubborn child. If not for both of you, I wouldn't even be half the man I am now. Thank you. My dad taught me to draw at an early age and inspired me to be an artist. My mom for telling me as it is without sugar coating if my work is horrible and the best compliments ever when my work is awesome. I can't thank you both enough...
Frances "Cheska" Dator
my gorgeous wife, business manager and co-photographer
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Frances "Cheska" Dator is my gorgeous wife. She is first and foremost my ultimate inspiration, my exclusive model...anywhere I go she's there always ready for a session. Cheska is a very talented photographer as well, she has great eye for details.As bias as it might sound I truly consider ourselves the ultimate husband and wife photography team.
I can certainly go on and on about how amazing my wife is but this is not the place for it. She is certainly the pillar of Dodgie Dator Photography, providing me insights on various things artistic and business related. I value her opinion greatly because her own photographs are quite strong and she provides some opinions on new portfolio images that I add. She is my greatest critic and my biggest fan at the same time. She selects models for my Davao City workshops and organizes various logistics together with my Philippines Coordinator Jeff Abrasaldo.
Thanks Cheska for everything, for being always there for me.
Thanks Cheska for everything, for being always there for me.
Jeff Abrasaldo
my bestfriend and Philippines workshop co-instructor
Davao City, Philippines
mobile: 09175746184
Jeff Abrasaldo is my bestfriend ever since my high school days, keeping in touch even if I am half the world away. I regularly visit Philippines and he is my go to guy for a lot of things. He always goes out of his way and work to accommodate me...and by the way he is a well known architect by trade.
Jeff is a very talented photographer and not a lot of our friends know that he was a camera nut before I even got interested in this art form. Jeff was my official wedding photographer, a natural choice since I would trust my entire life with him. He is my co-instructor on most of my mentorship sessions and workshops, his very fundamentalist style of teaching is very helpful for my students to learn the very core of photography. He is a key in developing or improving lesson plans for my teaching sessions, since he knows what other Davao photographers are interested in. He is my Philippines coordinator since he is very well travelled and knows various locations that will be ideal for our photo sessions.
So anyone interested in booking personal mentorships and workshop schedules in the Philippines please contact Jeff.
Thanks Jeff for such an amazing friendship and unrivaled support.
Thanks Jeff for such an amazing friendship and unrivaled support.
Eva Monica Dator
my everdearest sister and Winnipeg co-photographer
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Eva Monica Dator is my everdearest sister...and my greatest protege and a co-photographer on a few of my projects here in Winnipeg. I am very proud of my sister because she is an accomplished artist herself...her poems have been published nationally here in Canada. She is an amazing culinary artist...and a fine art photographer.
Her visions are really cutting edge...it's something that you would expect from someone in photography for years...but she's only been in this artform for a mere 2 years(2008-2010)...I started mentoring her 2 years after I started...making sure that I can teach her something useful...lol.
Her photographs are reminiscent of my own work but only has a different style...her quality of work sometimes rivals mine but hey I am not perfect myself and I learn with her as we do some concept sessions.
Thanks Sis for all the support.
Karen Jean Webster
amazing friend, location scout and owns the largest collection of my work
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Karen Jean Webster owns the largest collection of my fine art prints outside my home... She literally can start her own exhibit and would fill up a gallery space. She loves my photographs but she can be very brutal if she hates an image. She has an eye for photographs...and she is one of my proteges here in Winnipeg...and by far one that I am very proud of. She has what it takes to be a really amazing photographer...she just needs guidance in the technical side. As we work on her technical side...she can easily be an equal...her creativity is a brand on its own.
Jean as I call her, is a fun model to work with...always a fun time. We usually hang-out for pool every Saturday night but as I started people photography she shifted as one of my concept models. She became my business coach...helping me grow my business...a critic as I need one to improve my technique.
Thanks Jean for everything...and for all the support.
Heather "H" Bergthorson Awender
my amazing friend and primary concept model
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba
One of my biggest fan is probably Heather Bergthorson Awender...she always admired my photographs from the day we got introduced. She always compliments me for all the "gorgeous" images I create. And I've always been thankful to her for that.
One of the biggest vote of confidence Heather has given me was to volunteer her time to get my feet wet on portraits, with her I got to practice and develop my own flavor of contemporary portraits. With her I get to explore different concepts...she never yet complained about anything.
Heather is the official face of Dodgie Dator Photography because of the very reason that she was my first model and through her I learned to direct models/clients, with her I learned a lot about photographing people.
People always compliment me on my "orange hair" model...and I always proudly say... That's Heather.
Heather thanks for all the support... more concept sessions to come.
Mar Louis Dator
the best brother one can have
Mar has always been a very special guy in my life, not only because he is my brother but because he is one amazing guy. Mar and I have been sparing partners for karate, team mate in basketball, cycling buddy and karaoke nemesis...lol, and all other guy stuff in between. Mar may not have been that instrumental in my start in photography but I can't deny that he is a very special person in my life and I just have to say thanks to my awesome brother. Thanks bro for all the fun times growing up and all the times we might not have clicked completely. All my life experiences made me who I am and you have been one big part of my life.
