In 1964, Dater met the photographer Imogen Cunningham at a workshop focusing on the life and work of Edward Weston at Big Sur Hot Springs, which later became Esalen Institute.
Dater became part of the community of the west coast school of photography, primarily represented by the photographers Ansel Adams, Brett Weston, Wynn Bullock and Cunningham.
Her career has been long and varied, combining teaching, creating books, traveling abroad and conducting workshops, making prints, videos, and photographing continually.
Mark Johnstone, an Idaho resident whom Dater photographed in the early 80's remarked that “During this time, she never got swayed by or indulged in trends, but moved with her own vision.
She’s one of the few successful women in the art world, especially photography, who never depended on ongoing academic support to fuel and expand her artistic exploration.”[2] While her subject and message remained relatively constant throughout her career, Dater experimented with a variety of compositions as her career developed.
The gains of the women's movement began to slow, and many feminists became discouraged with the continuation of sexist attitudes and behavior.
Through her powerful photography and personal sense of style, Dater was able to surpass these conservative values and was able to effectively convey her views to her audience.
[2] She effectively conveyed these themes and delivered, through her photography, the stories of women's lives, relationships, and personal emotions.
The background is of the hazy Death Valley, the grounds are dry, her hands are weathered, and she's trying to force open a car window.