About Me
I am a fine art and documentary photographer living in San Diego. Born and raised in Chicago, I still cling to my Midwestern sensibility.
I am drawn to imagery related to time, memory, atmosphere, a sense of place, and a subtle sense of humor. I like to expand my vision by going beyond the straight photographic print. Through interventions with the physical print and the use of grids, collages, and 3-dimensional constructions, I can ceate an interplay between the rational/objective and the emotional/metaphorical. In addition, my approach to photography is informed by my background as a writer. I like to examine ideas from a variety of perspectives and find a narrative thread.
I’m a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and my career has included writing and photography for newspapers, magazines, book publishers, and corporate clients. My fine art photographic studies include workshops with distinguished photographers Aline Smithson, scott b. davis, Susan Burnstine, Todd Hido, Michael Crouser, and others.
My work has been included in exhibitions at The Center for Fine Art Photography, Plaxall Gallery, Dab Art, and PhotoPlace Gallery, and the Los Angeles Center of Photography, among others. I have been featured in publications including Shots Magazine, The Hand Magazine, Lenscratch, Aint-Bad, and Float. My work is included in collections including the wall of my neurosurgeon's office. As a writer, I am a contributing editor to PhotoBook Journal.
Curriculum Vitae
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Stacey Prince & Wayne Swanson, Photographer’s Eye Gallery, curated by Donna Cosentino, 2020
Contemporary Landscape, Southeast Center for Photography, Adam Monohon juror, 2020
Living & Photographing in the Time of COVID-19, Photographer’s Eye Gallery, Philipp Scholz Rittermann juror, 2020
Project XV: New Perspectives on Photography, Los Angeles Center of Photography, 2020
Vend Arts: Material Zones, Porto Vista Hotel, curated by Laurel Siry, 1805 Gallery, 2019
Rfotofolio Call 2019, Top Selections of jurors Sally Davies and Rfotofolio, 2019
(s)Light of Hand, Photographer’s Eye Gallery, Suda House juror, Director’s Choice award, 2019
Urban Landscape, Texas Photographic Society, Jamey Stallings juror, Honorable Mention selection
Somerville Toy Camera Festival, Gordon Stettinius juror, 2019
Open Show San Diego at MOPA #13, 2019
Black and White, Center for Fine Art Photography, Geoffrey Koslov juror, Director’s Honorable Mention selection, 2019
Los Angeles Center of Photography Members' Exhibition, Douglas McCulloh juror, 2019
Urban Dance, Plaxall Gallery, Jonathan Blaustein, Alexa Dilworth, and Aline Smithson jurors, 2019
The Life of Water, Center for Fine Art Photography, Jennifer Shaw juror, 2019
Flawed Beings, Light Leaked, Michael Kirchoff juror, 2018
Seeing Is Believing, Lenscratch, Drew Nikonowicz juror, 2018
Click_Bait, Dab Art, 2018
Still Life: Elevating the Mundane, PhotoPlace Gallery, Honorable Mention, Kimberly Witham juror, 2018
Los Angeles Center of Photography Member’s Exhibition, Catherine Couturier juror, 2018
FOTO Fourth of July Contest, Getty Images, finalist, 2018
Shift, Light Leaked, Melissa Kreider juror, 2018
PUBLICATIONS
Shots Magazine, Issues 145 (Fall 2019), 144 (Summer 2019), 140 (Summer 2018)
The Hand Magazine, Issues 25 (July 2019), 20 (April 2018)
Click_Bait, Dab Art Quarterly, October 2018
Photobook Cali, Photo District News, 2011
File Magazine, 2010
EDUCATION
B.S. in Journalism, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University
Workshops with fine art photographers including Aline Smithson, scott b. davis, Susan Burnstine, Todd Hido, Michael Crouser, Sean Duggan, Carlan Tapp, and Philipp Scholz Rittermann
Press
Rfotofolio, "Interview", March 25, 2020
Lenscratch, “Project XV: New Perspectives on Photography," January 2, 2020
Lenscratch, “Wayne Swanson: From the Workshop,” January 23, 2019
Float Magazine, “Portfolio: Wayne Swanson,” January 12, 2019
aPhotoEditor, “The Best Work I Saw at the Medium Festival of Photography," January 11, 2019
Aint-Bad, “Interview: Wayne Swanson,” November 27, 2018
aPhotoEditor, “The Best Work I Saw at the LACP Exposure Portfolio Review,” September 21, 2018