My name is Darrin Rigo – I was born in Terrace BC, moved up to Prince George for University in 2009. I now work for the University in Student Recruitment – a job that I really love because it allows me to travel and help connect high school students with access to higher education. I've been around photography for most of my life through my dad who used to shoot film SLR photography when I was a kid, and then through my sister who was a wedding/family photographer as a side job for my teen years. I bought my first camera in 2005 with my first paycheck from Dairy Queen – an old digital Pentax point and shoot and have always come back to photography as a hobby in one way or another for the last 12 years. About six months ago, I wanted to commit to taking my hobby to the next level and created my profile to showcase my art as well as hold myself accountable to actually get out and shoot. I can honestly say it was one of the best choices I've ever made – it's made me fall in love with photography all over again.
Why do you use Instagram?
The main thing I love about Instagram is how easy it is to discover new photographers who are doing new and exciting things. Whenever I'm feeling a lack of motivation, I hop into the Explore tool or click through some of my favourite hashtags and I'm usually inspired and ready to get back out shooting in just a few scrolls. I've met some really cool photographers, models and fashion bloggers who I get to message often and try to make an effort to check in on their posts/updates.
What will people see on your feed?
My feed is a mix of lifestyle or adventure photography, with a few product/brand/portraits blended in. Kind of an "all you can eat buffet" profile because I really do love shooting all kinds of different photography. I try to blend in some pieces of learning and include some thoughts on what went into the composition and editing as well. In the past, I've done series on Lightroom (before/after edits), product photography (how to make your product pop), and how to remove pesky distractions from clean images.
Does your page have a specific style?
As diverse of a profile as it is, I do try to bring a consistent tone to every picture and a style that is distinctly my own. I love shooting really cinematic shots with lots of colour and then using Lightroom to desaturate and mute some of the colour to give a really moody look to some of the scenery.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow?
Some famous photographers that I really admire are @petermckinnon @dannmace @alenpalander. That being said, we have some AMAZING and talented adventure style photography happening right here in Northwest BC region that inspire me all the time: @sgreimer @dav.sak @deklanc @ryan.maclellan_.
How do you decide on your location for shoots?
Deciding on a location is the most fun part! If I'm travelling for work, that can be a really exciting opportunity to shoot in a city like Toronto or Vancouver. When it's something closer, I love using the NorthwestBC hashtags and scrolling through other peoples' photos to see what kind of exciting spots are nearby Prince George to go discover. Even just asking around groups of friends can help uncover some of the most amazing little gems we have hidden around the city or the surrounding areas.
Biggest Instagram moment?
One of the coolest "Instagram moments" for me was running into my favourite photographer @petermckinnon when I was in some small camera shop in the Greater Toronto Area. I took a selfie with him, and uploaded it and he gave me a little shout out. It's probably one of my favourite "life moments", not just "Instagram moments". Another one that comes to mind was having one of my photos of @barkervillebeer featured on a massive craft beer channel which attracted a really big audience to my profile!
Favorite hashtags?
#northwestbc #travelnorthernBC #helloBC #instagood #depthobsessed #lensbible
Why do you follow PrinceGeorgeNow?
I love seeing the beautiful photos from our super talented photographers. It's helped me discover some of the up and coming talent in Prince George and add them to my feed. I am always inspired to get out and shoot when I see one of those beautiful shots. It's a reminder that I don't need to go far from home to get some beautiful grams. 🙂
