Rising Stars: Meet Christian Marcy-Vega of Denver

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Marcy-Vega.

Hi Christian , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
So it really all started as a dream. I bought my first camera when I was just 20 years old and living on the Central Coast of California, in San Luis Obispo. It was a Canon T6i. I always had a passion for photography from the beginning. I’d take my camera out and photograph anything and everything.

During my first five years navigating this new hobby, I worked at an event company called Freestyle Events—we did concerts, private events, and more. I got a lot of practice during that time. I was also working as a bartender in downtown San Luis Obispo, which gave me access to the nightlife scene, where I could shoot as well.

It took me a long time to feel comfortable with photography and to even consider turning it into a business. It wasn’t really until about ten years later, when my partner and I moved to Colorado. We both started working at a restaurant called Black+Haus—I was a bartender, and she was a server. I approached the owner with a proposition to take over the restaurant’s social media, and that moment pretty much ignited my photography career.

I started to really fall in love with food photography, and my work began reaching a wider audience. Word got around, and soon I was freelancing for a few local magazines. That’s when I officially started Digital Exposed Media.

Starting this business has always been about pushing myself out of my comfort zone—and by that, I mean learning to shoot in new styles like portraits, real estate, pet photography, events, and more. Now it’s 2025, and I feel like my business is booming. My vision is stronger than ever, and the quality and consistency of my work only keeps improving.

I owe it all to the handful of people who believed I could do it.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not been a smooth road. I mean, photography equipment is not cheap, and I didn’t really feel comfortable starting a business until I had met my personal requirements. I’ve always been my own worst critic, so learning to love my work was one of the hardest parts.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
specialize in hospitality and real estate photography. If you were to ask someone about me, I feel like that’s what they’d say. I’m most proud of achieving a handful of cover shots for Avid Golf magazine. As a photographer, I think that’s everyone’s dream—to have their work seen by millions of people.

What sets me apart from others is that I truly do this because I love it, not just for the money. Of course, I still have to make a living, but I also want to make my services accessible to everyone. I’m not going to charge you an arm and a leg for family portraits or to come to your restaurant and shoot your full menu. In a way, I want to help businesses grow and be able to afford quality photography.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Well, I never thought I’d own a business, and I think that might be surprising to some people. I also struggle with some serious A.D.D., and anyone who’s an adult dealing with that knows it’s not easy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.digitalexposedmedia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalxposed_media/