Dalanie is a combat veteran who uses photography as a form of healing. He bought his first camera while deployed on his second tour to the Middle-East in 2008. It was the last one in stock, and pink, so he named it “Pinky”! This is how the journey of capturing good and bad memories for himself and his fellow soldiers started, Pinky went wherever Dalanie went. In 2012 he was medically discharged from the Army for the injuries that he sustained during his service. Like many other veterans, after leaving the military he felt he was out on his own, the medication and therapy not giving him any real relief. It appeared that the traditional solutions were more like bandaids that helped temporarily but did not address the core issue. He was close to ending it all because he kept his battle with life private until his first DSLR camera was purchased in 2013. Upon taking his first “civilian” photo he immediately felt something different, a feeling of peace, the mind finally stopped racing and being able to focus on the present moment. Photography continues to be his guide in his journey of healing, learning about himself every day and how to accept setbacks and celebrate wins. He is an ambassador for exploring alternative solutions to medication like meditation, yoga, Qi Gong, etc.
