It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that 24-year-old photographer Evan Murphy is making a profound impact in the art world. Evan’s portrait project I.D. explores the journeys of LGBTQ individuals, navigating themes of identity, societal pressures, and self-liberation. In 2024, Evan’s work gained international recognition and was featured at the Venice Biennale, the Head On Photo Awards, and the 1839 Awards, where the project earned Discovery of the Year.
Evan’s passion for visual storytelling has been a lifelong pursuit, evolving into a mission to amplify the voices of others. Since moving to New York two years ago, his work has taken on a deeply personal and observational quality. DIYP was thrilled to have the chance to chat with Evan about his beautiful work and find out more about what inspires him and what he plans to do next.
DIYP: Tell us about your photography background. How did you get started?
Evan: Photography has always been the most natural way for me to tell stories. It allows me to capture emotions, experiences, and narratives in a way that words sometimes can’t. What drew me in initially was how photography could freeze a moment while still leaving room for interpretation—it doesn’t just document reality, it shapes it.
Growing up in Las Vegas, I was constantly surrounded by dramatic visuals—bright lights, grand architecture, and carefully curated spectacle. But beyond that, I noticed the contrast between all of that vibrancy and the quieter, more intimate moments in between. That duality influenced the way I see the world and, in turn, how I compose my images.
As I got older, photography became more personal. At first, it was a way to express my own experiences, but over time, it evolved into a tool for observing and understanding others. Moving to New York deepened that shift—I started focusing more on capturing identity, emotion, and connection in ways that felt both personal and universal. That’s what led to I.D. and continues to shape my work today.
DIYP: Tell me a little about your I.D. series project, What inspired the concept of “I.D.” and the exploration of identity in this series?
Evan: I’ve always loved conceptual photography—the process of planning an image with the intent of telling a specific story. I.D. was inspired by two things: the way queer people have historically been photographed, often in a raw documentary style, and the people I was meeting in New York City. Their stories shaped the way I approached this series. I wanted to create conceptual work that felt modern—something that hadn’t been done before in terms of exploring queer identity and romantic connections.
Many of the images in I.D. reflect emotions and experiences that are deeply tied to queer identity, such as longing, discovery, self-acceptance, and the complexities of relationships. My goal was to take those themes and visualize them in a way that felt both cinematic and personal, offering a contemporary perspective on identity and intimacy within the LGBTQ+ community.
DIYP: Can you walk us through your creative process for this series? How do you select your subjects and settings?
Evan: The process for I.D. was very intentional. Many of the images were already fully formed in my mind before I even started shooting—I knew what I wanted them to look like, the emotions they should evoke, and how they should feel.
The subjects in I.D. are people whose stories inspired the work. Some portraits represent a specific part of their identity or journey, while others are more abstract, visualizing broader emotions tied to queer experiences. Finding the right settings was one of the biggest challenges. I scouted each location carefully, often shooting the space beforehand without models to test the lighting and overall atmosphere.
I wanted every environment to feel like an extension of the emotion in the image. For example, in When Morning Came, I spent days searching for the right pickup truck because it was crucial to the mood of the shot.
Ultimately, everything—lighting, composition, subject, and setting—was chosen to reinforce the themes of identity, intimacy, and self-discovery that run throughout the series.
DIYP: Did you face any challenges while working on I.D.? How did you overcome them?
Evan: Because I produced everything myself, there were a lot of logistical challenges, especially when it came to locations. I had very specific settings in mind, and sometimes it took weeks to find the right space.
For When Morning Came, I was looking for a pickup truck to use in the image. I reached out to people and even considered renting one, but nothing felt quite right. Then, by complete chance, I saw the exact truck I had imagined while walking through Brooklyn. I ran up to the driver, explained my project, and he ended up letting me use it.
Another challenge was making sure the images stayed authentic to the stories they were inspired by. While I.D. is conceptual, it’s still deeply rooted in real experiences. I wanted to balance the cinematic elements with the raw emotions behind them, ensuring the final images felt honest and grounded.
DIYP: Many of your images in I.D. feel deeply personal and introspective. Are these self-reflections, or do they represent broader human experiences?
Evan: While I.D. is not autobiographical, all of the images are based on real people and real stories. Some portraits represent a specific moment or part of someone’s identity, while others capture emotions that are universal within the queer experience—self-discovery, longing, isolation, connection.
Even though the series is deeply personal to the subjects, I wanted the emotions to feel accessible to anyone viewing the work. The goal was to create images that invite interpretation, allowing different people to find their own meaning in them.
DIYP: How do you hope viewers will interpret or connect with the images in I.D.? Have you had any surprising or insightful reactions to it?
Evan: I want people to engage with the emotions behind the images in a way that feels personal to them. Some may relate to the experiences, while others may see the work as a way to better understand perspectives they haven’t considered before.
Beyond just individual connections, I hope I.D. contributes to broader dialogues about identity, intimacy, and the human experience. Queer stories are often framed in very specific ways in media, and I wanted this series to highlight a wider range of emotions—ones that aren’t always at the forefront of representation. Themes like longing, self-discovery, and connection aren’t exclusive to queer identity; they’re universal, and I hope the series encourages conversations that go beyond the images themselves.
One of the most interesting aspects of sharing I.D. has been hearing how different people interpret the images. Some viewers have pointed out details or themes that I didn’t even consciously think about while creating them, which is always fascinating. It’s a reminder that once an image is out in the world, it exists beyond my original intent, opening up new dialogues and perspectives.
DIYP: Do you have a preferred camera or technique that you used for this series? What’s typically in your bag when you shoot?
Evan: For I.D., I used a Canon 5D Mark II with a mix of 50mm and 24mm lenses, both with a 1.4 f-stop. These lenses allowed me to create a balance between intimacy and depth, keeping the focus on the subjects while also capturing enough of the environment to add context to the story.
I also use LED light panels to light my shots and create cinematic scenes. Lighting plays a major role in my process, and for I.D., I would shoot the location beforehand without models to test how the lighting interacted with the space. This helped me determine how I wanted to shape the scene before introducing subjects.
DIYP: What has been the most memorable or impactful moment in your photography career so far?
Evan: Showing my work in exhibitions and creating pieces that align with a specific theme has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career. It has allowed me to see my work in a new context and engage with people who connect with it in their own way.
Exhibiting in Paris, New York, Milan, Sydney, and Venice has been a meaningful experience. Having my work displayed in a curated space where people take the time to interpret it has made me feel seen as an artist. Those moments of engagement and conversation around my work are what I’ve found most fulfilling.
DIYP: Are there any new themes or projects you’re currently working on or planning to explore in the future?
Evan: Right now, I’m working on new work for upcoming exhibitions throughout 2025. While I.D. focused heavily on identity and romantic connections within the queer community, I’m interested in expanding my approach and exploring different themes in my upcoming projects.
My current work explores themes of solitude, nostalgia, and coming of age. Each new body of work allows me to refine my storytelling and experiment with new ways of visually communicating emotions and narratives.
DIYP: What advice would you give to emerging photographers who want to explore deeply personal or conceptual themes in their work?
Evan: Focus on what feels honest to you. The strongest work comes from a place of authenticity, so trust your instincts and don’t worry too much about whether something has been done before.
I still feel like I have a long way to go, but working on I.D. and seeing how people connected with it has helped shape the way I think about my photography. At the same time, I think it’s important to keep learning—whether that’s from other photographers, films, or just paying attention to the way stories are told visually. Understanding what draws you to certain images can help refine your own approach.
Photography is always a process of growth. Experiment, stay curious, and create work that resonates with you.
You can see more of Evan’s work on his website or on Instagram.
