Meet Darien Mejia Chandler

We had the good fortune of connecting with Darien Mejia Chandler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Darien Mejia, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
The amount of work that wedding industry professionals do behind the scenes. In particular wedding photographers like me who bring artistry, sensibility and expertise to capture the decisive moments and details of milestone events. We pour our heart and soul into the events we document; and invest in resources that helps us create a memorable and effortless experience for our clients.. That is the reason why we charge what some people think as outrageous, but in fact it is just about right to cover the costs of doing business. Also, we are not just “selling photos” we deliver images that become a legacy. The photographs people would take with them in case of an emergency evacuation. Memories are priceless.

A wedding coverage may be 8-10 hours, but the experience of working with your photographer starts from booking, engagement photos, wedding day timeline creation, communication with planners/vendors, getting to know you so that we reflect your personality on your pictures, the list goes on… Also, the work continues after the wedding, processing the photos, editing, telling the story of the day through your online gallery, designing the wedding album that will become heirlooms.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Born and raised in Mexico City and grew up surrounded by creative people, artists and travel-lovers in my family… musicians, painters, photographers, architects, to name a few. I have been passionate about photography since I was a child, thanks to my dad who documented our family life with photography, and my uncle, who was a photographer and gave me my first camera. My favorite subject in High School was Aesthetics. I loved telling my mom going to the movies was part of the curriculum. I have a bachelor’s degree in journalism with emphasis on film.

I immigrated to Nashville soon after I finished college. Later, I moved to NYC and lived there for 4 years, where I continued with my photography education at NYU, School of Visual Arts and the International Center of Photography, before moving back to Nashville, where I’ve been the longest.

I have photographed people and their events for over two decades now. I am a hybrid photographer, combining analog and digital imagery. I learned photography using 35mm film so, my goal is to achieve the timeless natural-look of film in all my work, even when shooting digitally. All this baggage has informed my sensibility to observe and find authentic beauty, investing passion and skill into every single image. That alone sets me apart..

My photography work has been awarded, published and exhibited internationally but what makes me most proud is that I am still photographing people’s love and life stories after all these years. I am excited to learn about the life of my clients, so that I can focus on what matters to them to capture images that make them feel something and they are proud to display.

It has not been a given, I have invested in education, learned about marketing, SEO, website creation, etc. being a solopreneur is not easy, but photography is my passion, so I keep going and learn something new every day.

Something else that sets me apart as a wedding and portrait photographer is that I am not tired of it, I do it because I love it. I enjoy seeing the world through the viewfinder, observing, paying attention to what is happening, but also I am fueled with creativity when I am surrounded by the happiness of the couple and their people, the beautiful locations I get to shoot at, the fashion, and the amazing work of my fellow wedding creative partners (planners, floral designers). Also, I am well travelled, I appreciate different cultures, and I am open to diversity and my photography business welcomes anyone who is truly in love. Love is love.

The most important lesson that I’ve learned over the years, is that what matters the most is people, and relationships are everything. Photography is the silent witness of our presence on this earth.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It would depend on the season, we are lucky to have 4 seasons in Nashville, so you can come and experience a different vibe depending on when you’re here, but I would for sure hit the following spots:

The obligated visit to Downtown Nashville would include the following walk:
Day 1.
Start at the Cumberland park on the East side of the river, walk through the pedestrian bridge to take the skyline view, check the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, visit the Hatch Show Print, then Music City Center and the Country Music Hall of Fame. 3 good options for food depending on time and budget in that area before you hit Broadway would be: Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint, Husk Nashville, or Pinewood Social.
Walk on 3rd avenue to check Goo Goo Cluster and the Cash museum. End your day with a stroll on Broadway to enjoy the lights and listen to some music. Tootsies is legendary, if you can make it to a show at the Ryman you’ll be golden.
If you’re into shopping, and a lot of food options near the Ryman, check Fifth & Broadway mall.

Day 2
Check the not so crowded side of Broadway and enjoy the Frist Museum, make sure to cross the street to check out the Union Station Hotel. From there, walk to The Gulch, enjoy some noodles at Utaku Ramen, or try the best Mexican food Nashville has to offer at Maiz de la Vida, also check out Third Man Records for a taste of music city and make your own vinyl.
Drive from there to 12th South to check all the shops, murals and food in that area, and end your day at the Blue Bird Cafe (the legendary spot where singers-song writers come together in a very intimate setting. It is a must, but you need to be informed before you go, either get tickets or wait in line options. Green Hills Mall is close by if you like shopping.

Day 3
Start your day with breakfast at Pancake Pantry at Hillsboro Village, if you don’t have breakfast there, don’t say you’ve been in Nashville. Walk down 21st street and take in the Peabody Vanderbilt Campus, take a left and cross the pedestrian bridge and walk around main Vanderbilt Campus towards the west, the campus is beautiful and peaceful. Exit Vanderbilt University on 25th Street and check the Vanderbilt Bookstore if you want a souvenir, and there is food in the same strip mall on 2525 West End for every taste if you’re hungry. Across the street there is Centennial Mall and the famous Parthenon, make sure to walk that area.
Drive on Charlotte Pike towards Hattie B’s Hot Chicken – Nashville-West for some hot chicken, and get an ice cream cone after at Bobby’s Dairy Dip. Drive from there on Briley Pkwy to Gaylord Opryland Hotel (insider’s tip: park on the side of the Opry Mills shopping Center, close to the Imax theater side of the Hotel, and walk from there to the Delta entrance so that you don’t have to pay for parking) The hotel is a site to see, explore and have dinner there if you’d like. The Grand Ole Opry is there as well, so pick and choose or do everything.

Day 4

Start with a southern breakfast at The Loveless Cafe, drive the Natchez Trace Pkway towards Hwy 96 (this is a gorgeous drive during the fall to see the foliage and it has a beautiful bridge that is worth stopping to take pictures from the top and bottom) take a day trip to Franklin and enjoy main street, do some shopping, explore the antique stores, and check out Historic sites like Carton, or go back into town driving on Franklin Rd and find Radnor Lake before dusk. The loop around the lake takes about an hour at a nice pace, or longer if you stop to enjoy the views. There are deer, owls, turtles, and more to see there, very peaceful and gorgeous views.

Day 5

Explore Germantown, The farmer’s market, Bicentennial Mall, Tennessee State Museum (free and very informative, beautiful building) Capitol Hill, and East Nashville (5 points, Urban Cowboy, Redheaded Stranger, The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden) if you have time explore Shelby Park too.

Day 6

Drive through Belle Meade Boulevard to see beautiful homes, park at the main entrance of Percy Warner Park Allee and take a small walk up the stairs to enjoy the views. Then, go next door to Cheekwood Mansion and Gardens. This is the most beautiful garden in Nashville. You can spend the whole day, but save some energy for the Belle Meade Mansion and Winery very close by, if you’d like.

Day 7

Explore the Harpeth River during the summer. My favorite place is Foggy Bottom Canoe and Kayak Rental. Or go to Narrows of the Harpeth in any season for an easy hike to a view point and then walk down to the Tunnel.
Another quaint place to explore is Leipers Fork, with unique antique stores, art galleries and a distillery to visit there too.

Check out an article I made of my favorite wedding venues in Nashville. There are so many places there that you can explore, restaurants, and unique things you can do while you’re in Nashville. https://darienphotography.com/50-best-nashville-wedding-venues

Also, if you are coming to Nashville, and want pictures of your adventures, contact me to photograph you and your people! https://darienphotography.com/nashville-portrait-photographer

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Miller Chandler, my husband, he is my greatest fan and was a client before we fell in love. He has encouraged me with his example in the entrepreneurial world and helped me to have more confidence in what I do.

Website: https://darienphotography.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darienphotography_nashville/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darien-mejia-chandler-95004577/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarienPhotography.DarienMejiaPhotographer/

Image Credits
Darien Mejia Chandler | Darien Photography all except the personal photo that was taken by Jenna Henderson