Darby Elyse, creator of Nebulae Photography, talks about her career as a model and influencer while opening a photography business.
For women in male-dominated fields, it’s always valuable to have another woman on your side. To have someone who understands you and is looking out for you is a luxury most women don’t have in their work environments. Darby Elyse provides that camaraderie and comfort to all her female clients. She lives an adventurous life as a model, influencer, and businesswoman and hopes to inspire other women. Since she was young, Darby has loved active and spontaneous activities like jet skiing, dirt biking, horseback riding, and more– and her fearlessness translates into her business ideas. Darby says modeling for Sherri Hill really set her career in motion. It was one of her most notable experiences in the industry and she capitalized on the opportunities that followed. Afterwards, she modeled in national commercials for lingerie brands and managed a team of influencers. Darby gained exposure and knowledge about the industry throughout her time as a model. As a manager, she learned the ins and outs of influencer lifestyles and what it takes to be one. She developed a greater appreciation for the creativity and passion she was surrounded by. These tools helped kickstart Darby’s independent business, Nebulae Photography. Nebulae Photography provides high quality photoshoots dedicated to empowering female clientele. Darby knows firsthand what characteristics are essential in a photographer on set. “I fondly remember the first few photographers I ever worked with as a model, and they made me feel on top of the world during the shoot and with their edits,” Darby said. “This made ALL the difference in my modeling, my posing during the shoot, and my overall confidence.” Darby’s support comforts her clients and allows them to step into their full identity as a model. She loves making clients feel like the best versions of themselves by showcasing their uniqueness.
For Darby, what makes the experience art is when a client sees beauty that goes beyond what they would normally see for themselves. Darby has always loved models and creatives that could tell a story with their work. “They showcased themselves and their lifestyles as art and marketed themselves as their own brand which inspired a lot of people including me,” Darby said. “I wanted to be able to inspire and influence people with my work and art.” People are finding art in their everyday lives and sharing their experiences through social media. Darby believes in content that elicits real feelings from the audience, inspires people to explore new places, and try things they haven’t done before. Darby’s content and work at Nebulae tries to mimic the feeling she’d get from her peers’ ability to communicate with audiences through images. While Darby embarks on new business ventures, ambitions for her own influencer and modeling career still run high. This summer she’ll be competing in the Miss Nevada USA pageant. She hopes to diversify her audience and include more people that share her interests. Training for the pageant takes up most of her free time, but Darby doesn’t mind working hard. “If you work hard, you can achieve anything that you set your mind to. Everything is all about perspective and how you deal with situations internally,” Darby said. “How you talk to yourself with your inner voice is so important for positive perspectives in my opinion.” Coming from different professional backgrounds, Darby believes her experiences offer a fresh perspective in the workplace. “I feel like I have an ability to see the bigger picture on a lot of different things,” Darby explained. “I enjoy unique activities and love to share these experiences with individuals who share the same interests. I think it can inspire people to go after goals or experiences they never imagined before.” Life in the modeling world hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Darby; throughout the years she’s struggled with anxiety and insecurities. Although social platforms have propelled Darby into success, they have also negatively affected her mental health. Not everyone agrees with Darby’s opinions or relates to her content so she reminds herself that she can’t please everybody. Darby is cautious about the amount of time she spends online to protect her emotions. “It was hard for me for a long period to live in the moment and not be worried about my ‘next step’ or what I was maybe ‘missing out on’,” Darby explained. “I realized that worrying all the time and trying to preplan every little thing didn’t have much difference in the outcomes of the situations at hand.” When she’s feeling stressed or angry, Darby will write down 3-5 things she’s grateful for to remind her of all the good surrounding her. Letting go of her fears and doubts was a daunting task, but with the love and support of her family and friends, Darby can go with the flow and have faith in the bigger picture for her life.
www.instagram.com/darbyelyse/
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