Judy Dater is a 20th century American photographer who primarily captures portraits, self-portraits, and the figure. Her early work emerged while feminism was erupting in western society, and feminist ideals are prominent in her photographs. She is widely known for the ways in which she portrayed the human form while challenging concepts of sexuality and gender norms. Dater Captures subjects in tight frames to bring the focus on the individual. This captivating imagery brings an disquieting aura to her realistic and emotional portraits. Her early work was primarily shot in black and white on 35mm film, but she adopted digital photography in the early 2000s. Her crisp, detailed photographs show the humanity of her subjects and buck traditional concepts of the female body.
The genre in which Dater works is sometimes termed interpretive portraiture. Dater’s approach is often to confront cultural taboos, presenting prophetic images that are years ahead of broad acceptance.
Dater explores the ways in which women have been held back by society in Self-Portrait with Stone (1981). It depicts her laying in the fetal position, unclothed, surrounded by a barren desert straight. The sparse landscape is haunting and demeaning, showing her in a deep state of vulnerability. Imogen and Twinka at Yosemite captures two women, old and young, encountering each other at a redwood tree. The former adopts a coy expression; latter has a camera in her hands.
Dater’s work was well received by peers and critics alike, and has been displayed in exhibits around the world, including the Krakow Witkin Gallery and the MoMA. In 1979 she received the Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative arts. Her fine art photography has been published in books such as Women and Other Visions (1975), Judy Dater, Twenty Years (1986), and Cycles (1994).
Judy Dater biographical summary
Born: June 21, 1941, Hollywood, California
Education: BA, MA, San Francisco State University.