I’m staying inspired by looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. There are aspects from a photography perspective that have certainly been suppressed due to the pandemic. Once we collectively get through this, I’m excited to take advantage of those things that I haven’t been able to do these last 9 months.
-Darryl Miller Christensen

From 2015-2020, the Fashion Denver office was inside co-share workspace, Green Spaces and it was there that I got to connect with some absolutely amazing individuals! Darryl’s desk was right around the corner from mine and when you are in close proximity to creativity, you can’t help but be inspired! I knew that Darryl was a software developer by trade, but it wasn’t until I kept seeing these amazing photos that he took, pop up on his instagram, and I knew I wanted to experience and be part of the brilliant work that Darryl does.

I pulled out some of my favorite outfits and we had one of the most fun shoots at our downtown loft. Shooting with Darryl was so much fun and it truly was a gift for my soul to have this shoot. You can see the entire shoot at the end of the interview…

Darryl is one of those people that when you get to know him and see his work, you want EVERYBODY to know all about him! I’m so excited to be able to share this interview with you all!I specialize in portrait photography and offer services for lifestyle, fashion, couples, and headshots.  Enjoy!

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Where did you grow up and go to school? 

I was born in Oakville, Ontario, Canada and moved to Colorado with my family when I was 8 years old. We lived up in Evergreen for about 5 years and then we moved to Littleton where I went to high school. After high school I jumped around the front range working different jobs and going to school, eventually graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Information Systems from CSU. I’ve been in Denver since 2014.

When did you first feel that flame of a new passion and what was / is that passion? 

I took photography classes throughout high school and really enjoyed it, but never really explored the passion outside of that. In 2015 I picked up a polaroid camera before a trip to Mexico and that ignited the spark again. In a world where there are an infinite number of ways to obtain instant gratification through digital mediums, film was a reprieve for me.  Since then I’ve expanded my interest from instant film to 35mm film, which is mostly what I shoot today. I do work with digital, but my primary focus is anything analog.

What do you do for your day job and how does your day job bleed over into your passion? 

I’m a software developer by trade. What I think about a lot when I’m building software systems and also when taking pictures is the balance between the technical fundamentals and the expression/creativity of the craft. In software you want to build things with the right tools that meet the business requirements. You want something that make sense to human beings, both with the end product and the code contained inside. The same rules apply with photography. You want to make sure that you are setup properly from a technical aspect (lens, film stock, lighting, etc.) but you also need to consider the end result. Is that photograph going to spark some sort of emotion? It’s a blend of the left brain and right brain, which I appreciate.

What are your favorite subjects to shoot? 

I love photographing humans and working with models and other artists. Anything fashion, lifestyle, or concept. There is no better feeling than when you click with the person on the other side of the lens and can create something that you’re both excited about.

You capture a mood with your lighting. What do you feel like it is that connects you to that mood to create your lighting? 

Lighting is such a challenge and something I think about a lot. When we see an image, our brains are able interpret and assign a feeling to it within a split second. Is this appealing or not? What emotion, if any, does it spark? When I shoot, I really try to break down those aspects and adjust them to trigger a different mood or feeling depending on the vision for the shoot.

What is the most challenging part of photography?

Getting to the first shot. There is a lot of planning, communicating, and organizing that takes place before you even load a roll of film. The better you are at checking those boxes before going into a shoot, the easier it will be once you are there with a camera.

Who are your influences in photography? 

Analog friends here in Denver/Colorado.

William Notman. He was my great-great-great-grandfather and a prominent Canadian photographer in the late 1880’s. His legacy kept an artistic thread alive through the generations of my family.