Dylan found work at the local UPS shipping
center.
Photography
remained
a
But eventually it all comes down to passion,
personal
because otherwise I don’t see why you’d do it.
endeavor; he would shoot the occasional friend
It’s a lifestyle decision. I’ll sleep in my car at the
or coworker’s wedding, but UPS wasn’t a bad
trailhead, wake up, and just look at the morning
gig. His workday would start at 3 a.m. and
fog. It’s where I want to be.”
finished at 9 a.m. It was perfect for Dylan and his
photography.
following
And there are plenty of passionate people in
Dylan’s
wake.
“Social
media
“If I had a 9-to-5, I would be trying to shoot
photographer” has become a legitimate career,
in bad light,” he says. “In the summer, it’d be too
and Dylan is one of the pioneers. He’s not,
harsh, and in the winter, it would be dark when I
however, in it for the popularity. While social
got to work and dark when I got off.”
media may have made his career, it all stems
Dylan
diligently
posted
his
work
to
from an appreciation of the environment in which
Instagram and Tumblr, a daily feed of his foggy,
he works.
soggy surroundings. It was the early 2010s, and
the moody vibe of his imagery resonated in the
it’s beautiful,” he says. “That’s why I’m taking
“I want people to respect nature, because
“Everyone wants to get out of here because of the weather. I’m like, ‘Well, look around, it’s beautiful.” still-young world of social media. After four years
pictures of it. Not because it’s going to get you
with UPS, Dylan found himself with a sizeable
Instagram likes. But a lot of my fan base is all over
following, and a choice: Keep climbing the ranks
the world, as far away as the middle east where
at his job, or dive into a realm where “followers”
the landscape is totally different. For them, I feel
had yet to translate into income.
like looking at my photos is almost a fairytale.”
“I guess I’ve always done things this way,
And Dylan is also reviving a high school
but I decided to go all-in with photography,” he
passion—making
says. “I never intended to make money from it,
hop beats—and combining his talents into a
but I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t try.”
production company, all with a distinctly Pacific
Northwest mood.
It was the risky option, but Dylan has
music,
particularly
hip-
always been creatively driven and his hometown
proved an endless source of inspiration. What
and a lot of the beats I made were a little
in his youth had been a playground turned into
darker,” he says. “That vibe just makes me feel
his studio, and his following—especially on the
something. It’s the same with photos; you can
increasingly-popular Instagram—exploded. Still,
see a pretty landscape and it’s great, but if it has
Dylan didn’t see photography as a potential
more emotion, that’s what I love. I strive to bring
“I’m kind of into the darker side of things,
career until an international granola company
that emotion out.”
reached out about a paid shoot. Then a whiskey
company. Then a clothing company. Three years
Bellingham a little more permanent by buying
later, Dylan has well over a million Instagram
a house just a short distance from the cabin in
followers and is one of the Northwest’s most
which he grew up. It’s the perfect basecamp for
wide-reaching photographers. And he did it all a
his adventures, because while his travels have
short drive from home.
taken him from Australia to Iceland, it’s only
increased his appreciation for home.
That’s a uniquely challenging achievement,
Dylan recently made his connection to
considering the inclement conditions of the
Northwest. Dylan usually covers his camera
Bellingham,” he says. “Out here I feel I’m always
while shooting with a neoprene shell to protect
finding new stuff. I’ve seen some of the most
it from moisture, which is an ever-present issue.
amazing landscapes in the world, but there’s
But when it’s 6 a.m., the skies are still dark, it’s 34
something about this place I can’t really put my
degrees Fahrenheit and raining an inch an hour,
finger on. I love the rain. I love the fog. As funny
technical considerations are perhaps the least
as that sounds, there’s just something about it.
challenging part of Dylan’s style of work.
It’s who I am.”
Comfortable on any adventure. Waterproof and breathable with easy-access chest pockets, an articulated fit keeps you moving towards the next photo opportunity.
“I think the biggest difficulty is just making
it happen in general, finding the motivation to get out there,” he says. “It means working hard, having patience and being persistent.
24
“It’s just something about this area and
MEN’S PATROL SOFTSHELL
STORMTECH SPRING 2018
Although he’s now known as an outdoor photographer, Dylan’s early photographic inspiration came from urban environments. Exploring Vancouver, BC in 2017.