Nathaniel Dunn is an educator and a self-taught photographer. He was born in the conservative South, raised by a single-mother, in an uneducated and poor community, along with two other siblings, in Kinston, N.C.
Uneasily influenced by his conditions, he sought ways in learning different tasks; often seen tampering with an inexpensive camera—his mother bought him—was one of them. He eventually began studying photography at 18 years old.
“In a sense, photography is rooted in the deep, visual conscience of human beings and nurtured from everything around us. Then, it is strategically cultivated and experimented,” he shared.
Some years later, he furthered his education at North Carolina Central University. He studied English, took a few photography courses, and taught school.
Chronological Analysis
1987
Nathaniel Dunn was born to his father, L. Huffman, and mother, Susan Dunn. He was raised in Kinston, N.C., rendering a childhood filled with life lessons and struggles.
2006
He graduated from Kinston High School in Kinston, N.C.
2015
He loss his mother, Susan, after a hard-fought battle with breast cancer.
2016
The Dunn Studio was established.
2018
On May 12, 2018, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from North Carolina Central University. He lived with a cousin in Smithtown, New York, for a short time after succeeding college. He even had the privilege of meeting American photojournalist Pete Souza at a public event in Manhattan.
2021
He became a schoolteacher in Durham, North Carolina.