Durrance was born in Seattle, Washington state, USA, in 1942 but grew up in Aspen, Colorado.
[2] After studying at Phillips Academy Andover, Durrence entered Dartmouth College where he majored in art.
[3] Following his military service Durrance joined the National Geographic in January 1969, remaining there for seven years.
While at National Geographic, he photographed stories across the globe, including South Africa, the Soviet Union (Leningrad), Brazil (São Paulo), and the North Sea region, while also covering topics closer to home in Alabama and Aspen.
With his wife, Drinker, Durrance produced portfolios of panoramic photographs from the quieter areas of US National Parks that were published as images on postcards and posters.