Danielle Jené Christian

CREATIVE DIRECTOR | PHOTOGRAPHER | ARTIST

Long Island, NY

Favorite musical artists of all time?

1. Stevie Wonder

2. Erykah Badu

3. Anderson Paak

4. D’Angelo,

5. Steve lacy

6. Tank and the Bangas live

How do you keep your creative drip going? 

I make sure I do a photoshoot, create a painting, or make a dress from my idea book at least once a month so I don’t lose motivation when I haven’t been hired in a while.

If you could talk to your favorite creative for an hour, who would it be and why? 

Tracee Ellis Ross—she is a doer and has been consistently bringing her ideas to life for years. Her style inspires me daily and her personality and story make me feel connected to her without even knowing her.

What is the last thing you learned?

The last thing I learned was how to dodge and burn photos in photoshop and add a golden hue to portraits using hue and saturation adjustment layers. I’ll be practicing on my next set of portraits.

What advice would you give to your younger self? 

I would say to take time for you and not compare your work or your timeline to other people, because you are you and no one can encompass all that you do if you don’t compromise yourself.

What advice would you give to creatives of color looking to pursue their passion full-time?

Keep moving forward, but allow time for yourself to recharge. If you aren’t charged up, your output can never be 100%

What do you do?

I specialize in portraits that are intimate and dreamy, but always have an accent of my artistic freedom (whether that be face paint or one of my designs being modeled)

What are you working on right now?

I am working on lookbooks of my best photography from 2019 so that I can get more bookings in 2020. I am also working on a dress for Miss Melbourne who will be competing in the Miss Florida competition this year.

What inspires you?

I daydream a lot, so most times I try to bring those dreams to life in a picture, painting, or new outfit. I’m definitely inspired by my ‘humbled version’ of the runway and Vogue as well as celebrities like Logan Browning, Tracee Ellis Ross, Wayman and Micah, and Yara Shahidi

Describe your dream job. 

I would love to be a freelance photographer/stylist on set for Essence Color Bloc, Vogue, Shea Moisture etc. and be commissioned to create photos with my artistic vision. I would like to travel to capture different aesthetics and cultures to represent a variety of brands and companies.

What skill(s) would you develop of you had more time?

Editing portraits faster—so I can send them out more efficiently. Makeup application— so I can style my models, do their hair and do their makeup. Lighting setup—so I can get my area set up easily for shoots.

What industry blogs/websites/podcasts do you enjoy?

• Small Doses

• Tracee Ellis Ross’s new Pattern Beauty website,

• Vogue

• Color Bloc Magazine

What do you think the future holds for people of color in creative industries? 

I think we are on our way to defining a new segment of opportunity that highlights our lives and isn’t based on Eurocentric values and beauty standards.