Introduction
Of course, there are many routes to becoming an entrepreneur, but this is the story of how Darwin Christian Jr., also known as Jun the Creative, turned what started out as an early childhood passion into his wildest dreams. Today, Darwin manages a successful production business that specializes in photography and videography. Darwin’s journey is a testament to his perseverance and instilled Virgin Islander resilience. He has had his path shaped by his early life and upbringing, learned invaluable lessons along the way, while accomplishing many spectacular milestones that will set him up for future expansion.
Early Upbringing and Childhood
Darwin grew up in the same neighborhood that has bred several other popular artists and creatives that has influenced Virgin Islands’ music and culture. He credits his neighborhood, Mon Bijou, for having a substantial impact on who he is. Growing up in Mon Bijou taught him resourcefulness and also that there is nothing void of hard work. Darwin was raised in a single parent household and refers to his mother, Triffany, as his role model. He says he gets his entrepreneurial spirit from her, because she too runs a business on the island called Nestor Trucking. She taught him from a very young age to always strive to be the best at what you do. In fact, it was his mother who purchased him his very first camera, a Canon PowerShot, feeding into his creativity. Darwin says he used it to take many different kinds of pictures, but his favorites were with his dogs, Blitz and Champagne. Even with the initial passion for photography, Darwin was still unsure of a career path.
He first attended Alfredo Andrew’s Elementary School, where he learned to dance quadrille, was a class president and enrolled in an advance placement program for academics. He then attended John H. Woodson for middle school and went on to Free Will Baptist. He excelled at and ultimately graduated from the St. Croix Central High School. During his time at Central High, he ran cross country, participated in the FBLA program, was the National Honor Society’s president as well as senior class president.
Darwin ended up continuing his education at the University of the Virgin Islands, where he first had plans to become a veterinarian. However, during his freshman year he was reintroduced to photography and started hosting photoshoots for friends. Two of his earliest models, Danah-leigh Suarez and Keshaudia Quinn, helped him to build his portfolio. Realizing he was a natural, Darwin remembered how much he loved bringing his visions to life. He names his biggest inspiration as Chad Lawson, because of “his focus on realism and his keen eye when it comes to color, composition, and saturation.”
Lessons Learned
When asked to describe his artistic style, Darwin explains it as being “natural and realistic, embracing images for what they are by not overly editing, but merely enhancing images to produce a clean cut look.” He continues to say, “I pay close attention to colors and hues, using them to evoke particular emotions.”
Any form of art’s success is based heavily on outside perspective and opinion; the continuous positive response and growing popularity Darwin has had as a photographer on island played a vital role in his growth. The main turning point that made him realize that this was the career he wanted was his enjoyment of being his own boss and the financial freedom associated with running a successful business, something he doesn’t take for granted.
Early in his business when there was not enough capital and limited resources, Darwin got creative for his photo shoots like using natural sunlight to his advantage, heavy rocks to hold down props, and family members and friends to help execute his vision. Darwin also told a story of a business deal going sour, because he “stood on business and refused to tolerate anybody trying to play” with him. He emphasizes how if anything, one must stay true to themselves. When asked to name one key to stay on top, he says that he doesn’t just stay current on trends, but rather tries to create his own. He says his new ideas and constantly developing editing skills is crucial to “staying ahead of the game.”
Accomplishments
From producing music videos to photographing celebrities, Darwin points out that networking in his field is critical to his growth and development as a creative producer. He says “I’ve always remained humble and true to myself. Confidence is key when you network and make that initial connection, because it can be the difference between you being stagnant or leveling up in life.” Networking has put him in the path of working with people like Monea, Janeisha John, the late Ah’Millian, Bugzbugz, Tarpley Brooks Jones, Bethany Wei, Shenseea, and more. He’s photographed and done videography for the two largest carnival costume troupes on St. Croix, Regal Dynasty and Simply Sophisticated Fun Troupe. “Delilah” by Monea, “Higher” and “Stand Still” by Bugzbugs, and every music video shot for the late Ah’Millian was produced by Jun The Creative. One of his favorite photoshoots to date was his project with Monea for her hit single “Stutter”. Another favorite that comes to mind was being booked for a shoot with beauty and lifestyle influencer Bethany Wei in Houston, Texas. He’s also worked during New York Fashion Week when he was allowed to photograph a show for Tarpley Brook Jones and captured some editorial photography for Janeisha John, Reality TV show host and Executive Producer at Zeus Network. Darwin’s portfolio is trendsetting and continues to evolve every year.
Future Aspirations
Even with his current accomplishments, Darwin continues to dream of bigger and hopes to continue inspiring his fellow Virgin Islanders. He hopes to one day continue his work with local sensation, model, and beauty entrepreneur, Jenna-Monet, as well as new collaborations with companies such as Puma, Adidas, and Nike. Darwin is a jack-of-all-trades and knows what he wants. He says, “I am not opposed to working with anybody or doing any type of shoot. I love seeing visions come to life – the more unique or ambitious, the better.” Darwin wants to continue to influence others by offering one-on-one photography lessons. When asked what advice he would give to people who wanted to pursue this field? He says that “practicing continuously is the biggest thing to perfecting your craft.” He wants everyone to know how important it is to be as authentic as possible and to find your style/niche to set yourself apart.
Conclusion
Overall, Darwin’s story is a powerful reminder that success is attainable for those who dare to dream big and work even harder. He attributes his motivation for success to the unwavering support and love from his friends and family. Darwin is grateful for the education he received in helping him develop leadership skills that allow him to succeed as an entrepreneur. Any obstacles Darwin faced along the way were lessons learned and opportunities for personal and professional growth to help him accomplish so much. His achievements range from producing viral music videos to shooting at New York Fashion Week. The legacy Darwin wants his legacy to read: “I’ve lived a great life.” He desires to leave behind his “digital footprint” that will “captivate people’s hearts and make them smile.” Lastly, he was asked to give a phrase that would best summarize his journey and where Jun the Creative is headed. “The only way is up,” he said.
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