I'm sad to be sharing the news that Daniela Bowker, known to many as @smallaperture, the photographer-writer and member of the DCW extended family, has sadly passed away after a brief battle with cancer.
Her online handle might have been 'small' but the impression she left with the hundreds and thousands who encountered her books, through the Photocritic photo school and – including attendees at The Photography Show in its previous guise – I don't doubt she left a much bigger impression.
The tribute from fellow writer Haje Jan Kamps (who not only first introduced us, but passed on this news to me), was understandably raw:
"Daniela was one of my closest friends since 2002 or so. It boggles the mind that she's no longer at the other end of a text message. She brought so much love and compassion to my life. She'll be sorely missed. I love you, Ella. 💔 #fuckcancer"
Daniela wrote books which were sold in the UK, US (and translated into other languages) including Social Photography: Make All Your SmartPhone Photos One in a Billion and Surreal Photography.
Daniela also partnered with Michael Freeman on Photo School: Composition. The title had a certain irony since she had, herself, moved from a career as a school teacher to sharing her photographic knowledge and writing, or, as she put it "Author of books; taker of photos; baker of cakes. Previously disillusioned secondary school teacher, now a freelance writer and editor."
Because they were books I helped create, I have known Daniela for over ten years (for that is what I did before I joined Digital Camera World; I edited and commissioned books on photography at Ilex press).
Not only can I say she was a consummate professional, but she brought a spark of joy to work which really is one in a billion. Ilex would often invite authors to join us for book signing events at The Photography Show, for example, but Daniela turned our few square meters into a more joyful space when she joined us.
It also says a lot about Daniela that I opted for the word 'join' there. She became part of the team, not an author at the end of the booth, expecting posh coffee and promoting only her own works. She would learn how to use our point of sale systems, help out, and keep everyone smiling in her ineffable way.
For anyone who knew her they'll know this was an attitude repeated in other areas of life, and it's genuinely heartbreaking to share this news because of it – she truly was one in a billion.
