Local StoriesJanuary 18, 2024

Life & Work with Darius Parker

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Darius Parker.

Darius Parker

Hi Darius, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My photography journey started when I was a junior in high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I started pursuing photography in hopes of expressing myself outside of the sports I participated in. The main thing I aim to do is to tell a story though my photos which are influenced by my emotions or others emotions. As stated before, I pursued photography in hopes of expressing myself, but as time progressed I found beauty in other people and wanted to give them an outlet to express themselves as well. Especially when it comes to clothing style, hairstyle, etc.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been many challenges and difficulties in this journey. But thankfully, I have a family member that is also a photographer who helps me out with the basics. After that, I started to pave my own road and my own brand. All of the things that I have been able to do now have been self-taught. For example lighting, editing styles, posing, iso, aperture, shutter speed, etc.. Also, marketing myself and my work has been one of the bigger challenges of this journey. Having to use many social media platforms and learning their algorithms has been a process in regard to marketing. Another thing I will mention is that some people don’t value the work that I have produced, but at the end of the day, I had to be confident in my work and keep going in order for me to progress. I don’t know everything, and I am still learning, but I am proud of the progress that I have made.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The main types of photography that I specialize in are portraits, editorial, and event photography, whether it be in a studio or a location. I would like to believe I’m known for my studio portraits and my editorial work, which I am proud of. Later on in the future, I want to make editorial studio photography my main niche in the photography business. I think what sets me apart is that I’m very open to different creative opinions, and I’m able to build off of another person’s idea while also creating my own piece of work.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My advice for people starting their own journey in photography is to don’t be afraid to put yourself out their and be proud of your work, no matter what stage you are in. People are going to be opinionated, and that’s okay, but don’t be discouraged, and don’t be afraid to speak up. Take your time and study well-known photographers or artists and how they do things in the photography business; also ask questions, too. One last major thing is that comparison is the main cause of a lot of artists down fall. Work at your own pace; art should not be rushed.

Pricing:

Studio shoot: 1 hour is $150
Location shoot: 1 hour is $80
Headshots: $25
Digitalis: $35

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Parker Photography

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