Ah, that smile. The one we only give when we feel truly ourselves and seen by a friend. A slight twinkle in the eye. An ease with how we carry our shoulders. A glimpse of our true selves that radiates joy from our faces. That’s the smile Darryl Moore captures with his photography.
A professional photographer for nearly a decade, Moore has a gift for putting folks at ease and getting them to show their genuine selves in his photo sessions for his company Phocused by Darryl.
“I love the reactions that I get from clients. They’ll say, ‘That’s me? What kind of magic did you do?’” laughs Moore. “My magic, my job is to first and foremost make anyone in front of my camera feel extremely comfortable. During the shoot, we’re going to laugh, we’re going to have fun. You’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing.”
Moore is also a senior business analyst at Optum Health Services. His career path has been varied and steady following his time as an undergrad in food and nutrition science at UNCG. He gained experience in retail management and the business end of healthcare, all the while nurturing his love for photography. The key to his success: allowing himself to have more than one interest and give them both his focus and drive.
“You hear people say, ‘follow your passion,’ and it’s singular. Have multiple passions. That’s how I look at it,” says Moore. “I work in the medical field, and I truly enjoy it, but I also have a passion for making people feel great in front of my camera. Both bring me joy and satisfaction.”
He encourages UNCG students to embrace their varied interests and pursue multiple things.
“Don’t worry about being tied to your major. Each experience will help you get where you want to go,” he says. “Go after what makes you happy.”
Story by Alice Manning Touchette
Photography by Martin W. Kane
