ABOUT
As a photojournalist, invisibility is my only real superpower; however, a reflected visage or shadow does occasionally work its way into the frame. Here I am street shooting in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Darren Phillips)
For some of us, the desire to tell stories — to write, make photographs, capture sound and moving pictures, and to put all these elements together to communicate an idea or a feeling — is wondrously unavoidable.
The work, the tension, the creativity and uncompromising pursuit of truth that spring forth from this compulsion are at once exhausting and uplifting. I, for one, can't see myself doing much else.
My professional background includes shooting and writing for newspapers in California, New York and Johannesburg, South Africa. I also spent more than a decade working as a staff photographer and creative professional at New Mexico State University.
In 2016, I was granted a full-time teaching appointment, which has allowed me to hone my thoughts, sharpen my skills, voyage to new and more disparate worlds, guide, and hopefully inspire.
This site, unlike previous sites I've owned or administered, is not about promoting a business. It's not about marketing, managing, or otherwise toiling in tandem pursuit of truth and profit. No genuflecting here.
This site is about honest self-expression, catharsis, sharing, teaching, learning and listening, too. Listening, after all, is such a big part of what it means to tell stories. Learning and listening are also fundamental components of teaching. With that in mind, please know your feedback here is welcome.
Ex Animo,
DARREN PHILLIPS