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Brian Christie
@brianmchristie
Photographer based in Denmark
Seven years ago I was traveling through Europe and spent some time in Denmark along the way. It was then that I met my now fiance, also a visual creative. After 3 years of long distance, traveling back and forth between California and Denmark, I was finally able to move to Denmark on a student visa. Although I had already studied photography and design in the U.S. and then gone on to study EMT and Paramedic after that, applying for yet another education was one of my only hopes of coming to Denmark to be with the person of my dreams.
Here in Copenhagen I also met Tobias, who is now a good friend and business partner. Woosh Studio is our creation together and it is alive and well. Our main focus is storytelling through still and motion images for individuals and brands that are sustainable or vegan, and on the side we have a poster and preset shop.
"Denmark has influenced my craft, my life and my way of thinking through its beauty, charm, people and the love I found here."
However, my journey began much earlier, and I have been guided by many other persons and experiences to get where I am now.
“This is off limits! It’s expensive and it’s only for mom and dad to use.”
It was calling to me. I could feel it. The gray bag tucked in the back of the cabinet. It was off limits for me but something about it intrigued me. My dad was away and my mom was out front gardening. I just had to get into that bag. I was nervous but while I began to open up the bag my curiosity and excitement took any worries away. I was only about 7 years old, and here I was holding a Nikon N2000 35mm SLR with absolutely no idea what to do but it felt so exciting. At first I was just looking through the eyepiece, still standing in the living looking out at the birds in the backyard. I was pretending like I was taking photos, it was just too fun. I pressed the shutter release, that shutter slapped and the electric motor whined quickly as the film advanced. At the time I didn’t know what any of this meant other than I had just taken my first photo. This little family of quails was running around in the grass in my backyard and I can remember I thought they looked so pretty. After a few more photos taken through the window, I quietly stepped outside to get a closer, more clear view. I was so lost and fascinated, capturing nature, I was in my element. Before I knew it the sound of the electric motor carried on for some time and then shutter release stopped working. Nervous and scared, I snuck the camera back in the bag and put everything just how I found it.
"Thankfully, I never got in trouble for that and I believe the photos are still in a box somewhere safe."
Fast forward about 12 years. I was sitting with the same camera in my elective photography class away at college. I had the idea that I wanted to study architecture, maybe business… it just sort of seemed like something I was supposed to do that would have made my family happy. I can still remember the moment, I was sitting in that class, I was almost 20 years old at this point but that 7 year old was jumping up and down in my heart with joy for every moment I spent on photography. Whether it was with the camera in my hand or in the amber glow of the darkroom, I was alive! It hit me, all at once while I was sitting there. I stepped outside during break and called my mom.
“Mom?”
“Hi, what’s going on? Everything ok? Aren’t you in class right now?”
“Yes mom but I need to talk to you about something. I think I found my passion! I think I found what I really want to do. And I really want to follow it. I really love photography and I want to change my studies to photography.”
I could hear her smile through the phone as she spoke.
“I know. And it’s ok. You’ve got to follow what you love.”
Man, was I relieved!?
As my mom told me later, she knew that I had it in me to be successful at anything I wanted to but that I needed to find for myself what that was going to be. She could see the passion in me but she just wanted me to see it for myself. And that was how it all started, but of course there is a bit more to the story. Twists and turns, ups and down, important people, and… genetics? … all leading to where I am today.
The history of photography within my family is quite interesting. My grandpa on my dad’s side has had a passion and eye for photography for many years. My favorite is his underwater photography. He became a master scuba diver and captured beautiful sea creatures and coral reefs on slide film that we used to view on the projector when I was a kid. My dad and brother also took up photography as a hobby and have quite some beautiful work to show. The craft continues on my moms side as well. Her father was a photographer in the Navy for some years. This is how my mom also got into photography. She told me about the dark room that her dad built in the house. She would shoot and develop her own work.
"By looking at my family, one could maybe argue that photography is in my genes, I’m not sure I really had a choice in all this."
Neither is it surprising I particularly loved landscape photography. With our family trips, my excitement for travel quickly leveled that of my mom’s. On every kind of trip we went, she was never caught without her camera while wandering through new lands. My mom is very creative and she was the first person to teach me about golden hour. Everytime we go on vacation we are up at sunrise and out with our cameras and we are out again at sunset. These moments I get to spend with her are absolutely priceless. We chase the light. We awe at the beautiful colors, nature, architecture and scenery. We get nerdy over composition, we laugh and run around acting completely goofy… this is what living is, this is pure joy.
"This is just another wonderful thing photography has brought to my life and one of the many reasons why my mom has been such an important part of my growth."
I have been reflecting a lot about my journey lately, in life and as an artist. Sometimes we spend all this time running for the finish line but we forget to stop and take notice of where we are. I am so grateful for where I am today and all of the wonderful people and experiences that surround my life. I think it is so important to acknowledge our progress no matter the amount and to be grateful for the experiences that got us here. I look back on my life and see a scared me. Terrified to show himself to the world. Terrified to open up. Fearful of ridicule and rejection. I also see an artist just beginning to express himself but judging himself far too much. Comparing himself to the best and feeling on countless occasions like I wanted to give up.
"When I reflect, I remember the people who stepped into my life and guided me. They gave me hope, they believed in me, they encouraged me, they accepted me."
Reflecting is a way that I feel I can honor these people. Reflecting brings me so much happiness because I see I have come a very long way and have some absolutely amazing people in my life, I feel like I am one of the luckiest people in the world.
This world is filled with miracles. All around us, every moment, everything is filled with miracles. It is a miracle that we are alive and that we get to experience all the beauties the world and universe has given us. I had some pretty rough periods in my past. I struggled with depression and self worth. Because of my sexuality and what I felt the world was telling me, I nearly ended my life. This is a bit dark but this is reality for me. For many years I went through ups and downs, made poor choices and sometimes fell flat on my face.
"When I am photographing, when I am out in the middle of nature staring at all of its beauty, all my worries and pain just completely fall away."
What I realized in these moments is that I am “marveling at the beauty and becoming lost in happiness,” I am soaking up the beauty and miracle that is life. Photography gave / gives this to me. I have really tried to take this lesson and implement it more in my life by simply thinking about and feeling grateful for all that I have in my life and everything that surrounds me. Photography is like my meditation, it puts me right in the middle of the beauty and forces me to pay attention to nothing else but the beauty. This is where I become lost in total happiness. But also when I don’t have my camera in hand, I try at least a little bit everyday to practice gratitude. Not just saying thank you but really actually thinking deeply about the people, experiences and things I have in my life and feeling grateful for them.
"Photography has given me insight to the magic of life - when we see through eyes of gratitude - and now I practice regularly."
"One of the things that I hope for is that my photography offers this to the viewer, I hope they get these moments when worries and stress and negativity fade away."
To get this moment in peace filled with happiness. I know my currently displayed style can be called “moody” but I’m really trying to take out any negative meaning behind that. Moody doesn’t need to mean sad or depressing. To me, moody is intriguing, it is mysterious, and it is dreamy. I like it when it is thoughtful, using dark tones, desaturated colors. Maybe it is a bit scary for a second but some of the best moments in our life were scary just a second before we took the leap into something new. Moody should be a journey that pulls you in slowly – not too bright or colorful for distraction (although I do also love this style). Moody is the dream you didn’t know you wanted to have, that turns out better than you would have expected, as long as you allow it the space.
"Sometimes less color speaks more."
I really like to focus on my blues and oranges as I’m sure you can tell those are my favorite colors at the moment. I love, what I call, dusty blue and dusty orange. Saturation down, luminance down and then play with the hue until it’s just right. In real life we have seen the bright and vibrant sunset with intense, almost neon colors, and yeah – it is absolutely stunning. I guess I just wanted to imagine it a little different. What’s deeper? I want the viewer to think more than “wow that’s gorgeous.” I want to offer a perspective that’s not too unrealistic, but to bend reality just enough to enter a new world where your imagination can expand…
Still, I struggle quite a lot as an artist with confidence regarding any of my work. My work, for me, is the moment. My work is being there, seeing this beauty, finding that perfect moment that resonates within me and capturing it through the lens. Sometimes I won’t even look at my images for weeks (if it’s not client work). I live in the memory of the shot. I’m in my head remembering the sounds, the smells, my emotions at the moment of capture, I’m remembering all of the beauty I saw and felt. Sometimes I am frightened to view my images because I’m not sure my skills were able to live up to the task of capturing all that I felt and saw. However, I know that I am putting my heart into the process, I know I am doing my best and I know I am constantly growing. So, that gives me confidence to share, to try to show the world what I see. When I work with clients, my favorite and most cherished thing is when they find joy in the end results.
"When I see the smile on their face and hear the happiness in their voice about the results we have achieved, there is not much in life that can top this feeling for me."
It was seeing the true happiness of others, of some kids playing in the “slums”, that was the beginning of change in my life. I was 15, my mom and stepdad took me on a trip to Mexico. There were white sandy beaches, the most clear and gorgeous water I had ever seen in my life, but this wasn’t what made an impact on me. At the time I was struggling with depression, there were many contributing factors to why. I was certainly stuck in my own little world and felt isolated. I remember as we drove away from the airport, after almost an hour we got off the main highway which was the only paved road around. Driving down the dirty roads was an adventure in itself. Bouncing everywhere, dust clouds blinding most of our vision, sun high in the sky lighting the tops of cacti that towered over the roadside.
"We began to slow down, the dust started to settle and I could just barely start to make out some small buildings ahead."
As we approached, the buildings began to look like ruins. I saw crumbling cinder block boxes just tall enough to stand in. Some looked only a few meters by a couple meters. There were no opening and closing doors and windows just cutouts void of blocks. The floors were dirt. These were not ruins, there were people’s homes. Laundry hung on a line strung from the corner of the house to a small tree or bush in the yard. Not much in some of the yards other than a few plants and dirt. I will never forget this moment, the image is burned into my mind. As we passed by one of these houses, two children were playing out in the yard. They were kicking a ball back and forth, that ball was old and worn out with bits of fabric shredding and hanging off. These two children maybe around 10 or 12, they were laughing and chasing each other around, kicking the ball and having fun together.
"I can still see their smiles, so genuine and pure."
This was a moment that would change my life forever. It was a lesson that helped bring me out of depression and become deeply interested in the power of gratitude. In my simple, narrow mind at the time, these kids had nothing and they had all the reason to complain. But it was that moment that showed me, they had far more than I had. They had gratitude and joy for life and each other. They didn’t need all these external things to give them that joy. They truly inspired me to change my outlook on life. Although I admit this was no overnight cure for me and in fact it is something that I feel is an ongoing practice. It is something I hold with me and cherish as it is a reminder that all the joy and happiness we seek comes from within. This is the image I wish most that I would have captured and this is certainly the most impactful moment of all my travels.
"Beauty comes from within and gratitude reveals the beauty all around us."
While that uncaptured moment a long time ago inspired me and was the beginning of a new approach to life, “Into the Sunrise” is an image I captured recently and is representing where I am now and where I will go. The symbolism it parallels to my life and journey as a photographer is what makes this my favorite shot at this moment.
I was with my mom that day; I was visiting California, staying at her house which is quite close to this beach. I hadn’t seen her in over six months and I remember the first morning I woke up at her place after almost 20 hours of travel, we both grabbed our cameras while everyone else was sleeping and snuck off. We ran down the path, along the cliffs and to the beach. When we took our first steps onto the sand, we both stopped and admired the very beginning of the morning light illuminating the bay. We had so much fun that morning, and the sunrise seemed more gorgeous than ever. In the image, we see footsteps through the sand, the ocean on one side, trees and cliffs on the other, a seemingly endless calm beach that wraps around in front of the mountains all in silhouettes and barely illuminated by the first light of the subtle orange sunrise.
"Of course, the sunrise got more colorful and vibrant. Also, neither my mom or I or anyone else for that matter are depicted in the image but this is how I see the connection to my life..."
My mom has always been behind the scenes supporting me and cheering me on, sharing her passion and encouraging to chase mine. This beginning of the sunrise is the glimpse of my passions and dreams realized. It is unknown what lies in the distance but this beauty is calling me forth. I set off and I have no idea where I am at times, completely lost with only the trace of my footsteps to remind me of where I was. I know that no matter how lost I am, I have the love and support of people like my mom, my fiance, my family and my friends. Even though I cannot see myself, I know that if I keep following that beauty, if I follow my heart, everything will work out. This image is that journey for me, it is gorgeous but it hasn’t fully flourished yet, there is still much to come out of this gorgeous journey into the sunrise, it has only just begun.
"I would like to say to anybody with a dream, just go for it!"
I would like to say to anybody with a dream, just go for it! Embrace and enjoy the journey, the good, the bad, the happy, the sad, the ups, the downs, it’s all there to teach you and help you grow. But most of all, be kind, be grateful, and never give up. It will all work out. Dream big and know you deserve it, you’re worth it!
Words of gratitude
I cannot take the credit for where I am today. I would not be who I am or where I am in life without some very special people to guide me, teach me and support me in my dreams. I must give my gratitude to:
My mom of course for not getting me in trouble when I took that camera and wasted a whole roll of film when i was 7. For sparking and fueling my love for travel and photography. Also for believing in me and supporting in anything and everything I have ever done as long as I was happy.
My brother Eric Christie who is a creative genius and who has inspired me as long as I can remember. He has this attention to detail that is untouchable, something that I really admire and strive for. My brother is an extremely talented artist who has many outlets which all reveal his mastery of creativity. His style shines through in everything he creates. I am very grateful to have watched my brother and learn so much from him as an artist and a person. He has always given me constant support and encouragement, which has helped me immensely in my growth. On top of all this, my brother taught me something long ago that I still carry with me and think about every time I create. I was in awe at this gorgeous motorcycle he was customizing into perfection. He could see my admiration and curiosity as to how he was creating such a masterpiece. He looked at me, stopped what he was doing and said, “less is more… does it NEED to be there? Let the simplicity and the clean lines come through and take away the things you don’t need.” In my photography I feel I translate this to having clear leading lines, sometimes slightly desaturating many or all colors, and avoiding too much clutter in my scenes. I feel there’s just an elegance that speaks when you don’t try to over power it with things that aren’t needed.
My sister Amanda for dressing up and letting me do portrait shoots of her in the driveway.
My dad and my grandpa for photo equipment hand-me-downs and encouragement that allowed me to carry forward in my pursuit.
My fiance, Andreas, who has been nothing but supportive and an inspiration for me. We love dreaming about creative ideas together, he’s always up for a spontaneous photoshoot and we are always planning our next trip together.
My mentor and friend Dave Medal. Dave is a photographer in San Francisco (where I used to live). Dave took me under his wing when I very first started and showed me the ropes of the wedding photography world. Dave taught me a great deal about natural light and how to see light, how to scout a location in 30 seconds and find the best possible spot. He also taught me the great value of creating a comfortable environment when working with others. Dave is responsible for such a large part of the photographer and person I am today. He lifted me up, gave me confidence, pushed me, taught me a huge amount and trusted me not to screw up his medium format film while I swapped rolls on the go. I only hope that I can be as great a mentor to someone as he has been to me.
My main photography instructor Douglas Highland. Doug, as my instructor obviously gave me a lot of technical knowledge which I use every time I shoot and am super grateful for. But more than that, Doug tediously pulled the artist out of me. He stuck around the lab longer than he needed to in order to push me with feedback and guidance. He prepared me with knowledge to use in the real world. He got me involved and kept me going during all the times I was ready to give up. He showed me I was worth something, he believed in me. I am forever grateful for everything that Doug has done for me, he changed my life.
A very talented and special person named Pily Ottesen. He introduced me to the world of fashion here in Denmark and I got the, still unbelievable, honor of learning from him and working with him on Denmark’s largest fashion show not just once but twice now. Pily remains a friend today and I can’t thank him enough for being such a great mentor.
My paramedic instructor Brian Smart for showing me that it is ok to chase my dreams even if it meant walking away from something else I had worked hard at. Also for showing me I was valued and for giving me tools for life that I use almost everyday.
My dear friend and current business partner Tobias Glud. As Tobias and my friendship grew, our excitement for photography brought us into some exciting adventures. We have now traveled around Denmark and Sweden taking photos and exploring the land. Tobias has helped me discover new perspectives, helped me slow down a bit in my approach and to see beauty in simplicity.
All of my family and friends for their constant love, support and reinforcement. I don’t think you even understand how much even your “smallest” compliments mean to me.
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