We were lucky to catch up with Darin “DJ” Davis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Darin “DJ” Davis, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
My optimism comes from my will to become a successful photographer. It comes from the thought of at any time someone can discover my content on Instagram and contact me about that one opportunity that can bring me financial stability while creating what I love. In May 2021 I received my first licensing deal with MTV for 2 photos of Comedian Teddy Ray. It was very unexpected but reassuring to know that I’m one post away from being discovered and helped boost my optimism.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’m a Las Vegas based photographer originally from Washington D.C.. My company title Jetlag.Media came about from my love of traveling and capturing content anywhere in the world. My main focus is capturing moments you can never physically go back to. I’ve captured someone’s first moments and final moments on this Earth which I think is truly magical.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Patience, dedication and attention to detail. Be patient with yourself. Photography is an ever growing skill set you’ll never fully master since it’s over 1001 ways to capture a image. Keep shooting, tamper with your exposure triangle and find the style that works best for you but be open to learning new techniques from other photographers you admire.
Dedicate to the craft. Just like with any other skill set, the more you do it the better you’ll become. Give yourself grace and keep shooting! Put the time in and pay your dues.
Attention to detail is the ability to focus on all areas of a project or task, no matter how small. From location scouting, shooting and post production, it’s going to require the same level of attention to detail. Stay consistent and try not to stray away from the path.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
My current challenge is attracting more clients while living in a new city. I made the transition to Las Vegas 2 years ago in pursuit of nightlife/event photography. Even though I have several years of experience and clientele in other parts of the country, I kind of have to start from scratch and rebuild my reputation. It’s a fun challenge because it reminds me of restarting my favorite video game on a harder difficulty. I’m closer to goal than I am to the starting line. I’ve come to far to just stop. If I keep going I will achieve my goal and get to where I was before moving here. Stay down until you come up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jetlagmedia.darkroom.com/
- Instagram: @jetlag.media
Image Credits
Jetlag.Media
