Derek Juntunen is a Photographer and Creative Director based in Ann Arbor.

juntunen.cmp@gmail.com
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As far back as I can remember, I’ve always sought out a creative community, and since I started taking photography seriously in 2020, that network has grown, and with it, my happiness and sense of belonging.

I originally bought my current camera, a Fujifilm x100v, days before pandemic lockdowns began. Suddenly, my decision to turn that year’s tax refund into a short-term materialistic purchase felt very silly, given that my dreams of street photography disappeared before my eyes, as no one was to be found on the streets. I took pictures around the house, noting with each photograph how the light came in at different times and under different conditions. Then, I began taking it on set with me, as our video production company pretty quickly pivoted to find safe ways to film again. And, because our job takes us to a wide variety of places, documenting these shoots stirred up some intuitive sense to keep doing so. I got faster with my camera and adjusting settings quickly to my surroundings (using a film camera for three years prior is also a great crash course in manual adjustments), and my confidence in capturing fleeting moments grew. Then, with a full white backdrop at my disposal for a week, I took some self-portraits (which was as much a sign of my improving mental health at the time as it was my excitement about using my camera). My friends reacted positively online, I took some pics of them with the backdrop, eventually some reached out for projects, and next thing I knew, my free time was becoming all about planning photoshoots, editing daily taken photos, and engaging with other creatives about collaborating. I haven’t looked back since.

Pinpointing one influence is a fool’s errand - there are so many films, tv shows, artworks, artists, photographers, and undefinable influences guiding me that I’m often not aware of them until well into editing, as they often work on the subconscious level. As an only child, I’m silently, endlessly observing the world around me, and I shamelessly find so much beauty in what others pass by and ignore due to seeming mundanity. This benefits my street photography. I love making photoshoots the least stressful place imaginable, so I strive to make models comfortable with themselves, myself, and anyone present on set - because this industry has a too well-known history of abuse of power that I’m uninterested in contributing to. Every photoshoot is a collaboration - I am not an auteur with an unbending vision. I very much welcome input from anyone around me on a shoot on different takes, concepts, angles, etc.

Let’s make art together!