Framing Connection

Devyn Myles harbors an unabashed enthusiasm for life. Casually reserved in demeanor, her tangible warmth comes through in words. In her portraiture, too, viewers will find signs of her unique outlook, and a distinctly positive view of humankind.

“It’s the genre that suits me,” she muses. “I love to close in on a person’s facial expressions, and examine how a little dimple in their chin does something special when they’re looking at the sun. That’s what really draws me in.”

Photographing during birthdays, graduations, maternity months, and beyond, Devyn craves a bond. Under the right conditions, her subjects bloom. When they do, she’s there to document it as closely as possible. For tied into a tight frame, there is a telling of truth that cannot be ignored.

“If I step back or use a wide lens, I have this entire frame in front of me. You see all these different aspects within the picture, which detract from the subject, in my mind. When I view people closely, it’s very intimate. It’s very vulnerable. I want to share that.

“The individuals themselves are really a cherry on top – especially if I know them well, or they come to me with an interesting story to share. But let it be known that I’m going to get up close! Because I want to see you – the truest version of you.

Ahead of the performance, Devyn found herself in an even more intimate moment with Nicole, with an opportunity to create some posed portraits.

“It was a chance to interact not only with Nicole, but my mentor Kevin, as he was working. I was so excited to see him do his thing,” Devyn effuses. “There was even a moment when he gave me his external flash. He handed it to me with a little bit of an idea where to go but left me the space to bring my own creativity. The photo turned out very cool. So, the time with Nicole was amazing – especially because I got to see it from the perspective of this high-level creative.”

Before long, the singer joined her band on stage to perform a few recent numbers. While the electricity of her performance touched everyone in the room, it was the quieter moments in which Devyn discovered true magic.

“Her switchback was very cool,” she says. “Every artist will start, then something happens, so they have to stop and start back over – and each one has their own take on it. Nicole would smile, tell a joke, but as soon as action was called again, she was right back in it. It was amazing to see that professionalism alongside the personal half of the artist. I saw these glimpses of her human nature and felt I could really connect with her on that level.”

“Nicole was so open in her performance. It could have been dedicated to anyone in her mind, but for those of us in the room, it felt like a personal connection. That was the element that spoke to me. Even if I got an imperfect photo, I felt OK, because I was in a good space,” Devyn admits. “The music was moving me, and I was able to take pictures of all that expression. It’s a universal language. It translates to anybody.”

As a true student of storytelling, this young creative couldn’t be more grateful for the lessons she received. This experience has shaped her image making indelibly and, looking ahead, she’s enthused to put them into practice in the future.

“On my old camera, I often used preset modes. When I started using X-T4, I was amazed by the design. You have all this control at the push of a button or turn of a dial. That command is everything. I made these photos, not a preset, and that’s what I’m most proud of.

“The whole experience has shown me there’s more to learn,” Devyn concludes. “I’ve photographed indoors, and experimented with lighting, but I haven’t used my flash in a long time. It’s something I’d love to bring back in a more knowledgeable way, and with better equipment. Seeing how good the results can be without those additions, during the Artists Den performance, made me so happy. But seeing the different type of lighting set-up they had there made me hungry to bring those added layers back. Connection will always be important to me, but I also want the photos to look good. I want to know how to use all the tools available to bring my vision to life.”