Ryan Daniel had no prior professional photography experience when he decided to buy his first camera.
But within six months of roaming the streets of Portland, Oregon — and with the help of a few online tutorials — Daniel developed a surprisingly unique photographic style: capturing free portraits of strangers.
Under the alias Pale Blue Wave, Daniel launched an Instagram account several years ago to share his work with a wider audience. The 40-year-old grew his following from roughly 100 to more than half-a-million across his social media accounts.
Daniel says his photography is rooted in a mission to make people feel truly seen. His thoughtful, conversation-based approach disarms even the most camera-shy individual – from an older dog walker, head-down in a hurry, to a young woman waiting at a bus stop.
His artistic process is refreshingly simple: he wanders the city’s streets, seeking people who spark his curiosity. When he finds someone who catches his eye, he offers them a free, impromptu photoshoot, aiming to spark a brief yet meaningful conversation.
The entire encounter is filmed on Daniel’s GoPro, which offers his followers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the moments that inspire his photography.
But what draws Daniel to his subjects is difficult to explain — it’s more of an intuition than a conscious decision.
“It’s really a feeling I get… there’s definitely things that will draw my attention like certain types of hair or certain types of style… but I would say I actually don’t think about it,” he told CNN.
Daniel is also highly selective about the subjects he approaches because of the time and energy each session requires. Whether the encounter lasts for ten minutes or an hour, the core of his work is the connection he creates with the community.
“I’m not a volume person… I think more about the experience and the quality, versus just putting out a video every day,” he added.
An unlikely encounter
Of the more than 150 interactions Daniel has filmed, one of his most memorable occurred during a rainy evening walk along Southeast Hawthorne. There, he met a woman sitting alone, smoking a cigarette and writing in a journal. With her striking style, reminiscent of “40s Hollywood” she immediately caught his attention.
As Daniel approached her to ask if she would be interested in a shoot, the woman — whose name was Daria — responded in a way that left him speechless: “I trust you,” she said.
“I feel like I’ve heard a lot of things doing this, but… (it was) so surprising and shocking… had to take a few seconds before I could respond,” he said.
Daniel recalled Daria’s expressiveness and ease in front of the camera.
When he presented his favorite shots to Daria, she thanked him. “Thank you, honey, for glancing over and seeing me as a viable subject. That honors me,” she said.
It wasn’t until later that evening, when Daniel was reviewing the footage at home, that he realized something extraordinary: the woman he had just photographed was the same radio host, Daria Eliuk, he loved when he was younger.
“I googled her name, and it ended up being that person I would listen to every morning on my way to high school.”
Daniel was not the only one moved by this chance encounter. The video featuring Eliuk has garnered more than five million views on TikTok with many comments praising her warm, inviting energy.
Pale Blue Wave
Daniel’s social media handle Pale Blue Wave carries a deep personal significance for him. The “Pale Blue” part of the name is a nod to Carl Sagan’s “Pale Blue Dot,” a book that profoundly impacted him in his early twenties. Sagan’s novel, which reflects on the vastness of the universe and the fragility of humanity, shaped Daniel’s perspective on life.
As for the “wave,” it’s a metaphor that speaks to the ebb and flow of his own journey, he said.
“Sometimes you’re high on the wave and things are going amazing, and then sometimes you’re getting smashed against the rocks and it’s painful and brutal,” he said.
Three years ago, Daniel’s life took an unexpected turn when an injury left him struggling with chronic pain. He faced physical issues that were difficult to diagnose, which contributed to his anxiety and depression.
But things began to change when Daniel sought treatment for his hip and was encouraged to incorporate walking into his daily routine. Each day he walked for two hours, reconnecting with the world around him and rediscovering a long-neglected part of himself: his creative spirit.
Since then, Pale Blue Wave has served as a lifeline for Daniel, allowing him to tap into his true passion.
“I realized there was a portion of myself that I had no idea existed before I started doing all of this,” he said.
For Daniel, it’s the people of Portland who continue to inspire his work. And the energy he gets from his photoshoots is like “a runner’s high but in an extroverted kind of way.”