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Capturing Happily Ever After with Davion Forbes Photography

Published:Sunday | August 18, 2019 | 12:00 AMKrysta Anderson -

There’s nothing more romantic or enchanting than witnessing pure nuptial bliss. And one photographer has made it his creative mission to capture the merriment of happily ever after, one click and snap at a time. Beyond the Lens takes you on a journey behind the scenes and in front of the flashing lights with Davion Forbes Photography.

Forbes got into a serious relationship with photography five years ago, if you count their one-year courtship during university. For him, the new interest was directly affiliated with one of his first loves: the arts. “Growing up, I was always the artistic child and I liked the idea of capturing moments. But I made the decision to take things to the professional level in my third year of university, while studying quantity surveying. I realised I was getting good and I could actually make a business out of this.” he told Outlook.

After leaving university, he held down a summer job in 2012 that, he said, aided in the phone purchase that kickstarted his photography journey. “I used my degree for about three days,” he shared with a laugh.

He described his passionate pursuit thus far as one filled with ‘awesomeness’. Though the road has been rocky, he is grateful for the lessons along the way. An unfortunate incident which took place at the start of his career in January 2015 stood out as the biggest lessons of all. He explained, “I left my stuff at home and they went in and took what they wanted: laptop, phones, camera and lens. I was robbed of everything: they just left the bag.” That major setback did not stop this young photographer from continuing his dreams. He was out of commission for maybe two weeks, borrowing camera gear from friends when I had jobs. Little by little, he started from scratch, until he got back on his feet. The bounce back was bigger and better than he had anticipated.

Forbes primarily specialises in weddings and portraits, dabbling in conceptual art at times for fun. “I chose this area of photography because I love capturing special moments. Each wedding is similar yet so very different and the thought of preserving or documenting someone’s significant day is such a wonderful feeling,” he shared.

For weddings, each couple is different and he treats them as such. He remains in the moment, feels out their energies, getting a sense of what he can and can’t do with them and works accordingly. “As it relates to shoot concepts, I will think of an idea and find inspiration to support the idea, creating a mood board before deciding locations that will complement the look. Only then, do I execute.” Editing, he said, is the game changer for both genres. Shooting with a particular editing in mind, when the time is right, he may have a different vibe and feed off that vibe to create tones: the mood of everything.

Getting consistent business is this photographer’s primary obstacle,“Photography is still seen by the masses as something you do when all else fails. They are used to ‘pitcha man’. Photography is a business: the equipment is very expensive and it is a very time-consuming task. Case in point: I shoot a 12-hour wedding. They may not see it as hard work, but I am easily making 20,000 steps. And that is just the easy part. It may take another 40 hours to edit those photos.”

He also pointed out that people won’t always see the value of the work, so sometimes he ventures out to where it is appreciated. He has shifted his focus on the international scene, working for clients from America, Canada, Europe, Australia and Scotland. But remains steadfast in providing excellent services locally for those who requests his skills and expertise.

This amazing voyage for Forbes has unveiled several of the island’s hidden gems. He has made many friends and learned to appreciate photography as a career path because it carries more work than just pressing a button. “The fact that I get to create art is a wonderful feeling, coupled with the fact that I am doing something I truly love.” Intrinsically motivated, he asserted that his peers always motivate him as well. Also, the fear of failure keeps him on his toes. “I hope to continue to grow my business and improve my craft.”

He has entertained thoughts of actually using his degree, flirting with the idea of being a project manager. With construction being his first love – he attained a City and Guilds diploma in construction management – he hopes to one day explore that area of expertise as well. He has recently fallen in love with refreshing and fun adventures, facilitated by photography

His advice to aspiring photographers is to start where you are and use what you have. “Don’t compare yourself to others, but use their success and a guide, learn from their mistakes and do this because you love it. If you have a camera, don’t worry about upgrading to the latest and greatest. Grow with your gear and master it, then upgrade.”

If you want to live happily ever after and beyond with Davion Forbes Photography, you can check out his website: www.davionforbes.com or follow him on Instagram: www.instagram.com/df_photography_

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com