Finding ‘D Wright Focus’
Published:Sunday | January 12, 2020 | 12:00 AMKrysta Anderson - Gleaner Writer
Once you discover your why in life, there’s no turning back. For Derron Wright, finding ‘D Wright Focus’ was easy after unearthing his artistic side in photography.
Creativity was the order of the day for Wright, who told Beyond the Lens that he was interested in art from primary school. This passion allowed him to enter an art competition at church. He also used to paint on the walls at home. But it was toying around with photoshop that really revved his engines and drove him into the fast lane of weddings and portraiture.
But what started out as fun and games became a necessary tool for survival. “When I was about to lose my university track and field scholarship, I decided to pursue photography professionally to help cover my tuition and other expenses. I convinced my mother to aid in purchasing my first camera and she asked if I think it would help me to feed myself,” Wright said. It did! Tears streamed when he received his handy instrument. And he went on to finish university debt-free.
Wright established his love for portraits after photographing his friends. As for weddings, he liked the idea of people in love, so he decided to focus on wedding photography as well. A plus? “It
pays,” he said, with a laugh. “It started out slowly because I didn’t have quality equipment or a well-put-together portfolio. And in order to get clients to book you, they will want to see your work first,” he revealed.
But every good company needs a name. One that would stand out and represent both him and the strong brand he is set on building. A combination of his name, Derron Wright, and a common term used in photography, the right focus, created the official name, ‘D Wright Focus Photography’.
Five years into the field, he is happy to pursue his calling. “I think my signature look is that I try to keep my photos looking as natural as possible, but clean at the same time, I avoid over-processing my work. I want a client to look back on a photo and be able to recognise who is in the photo.”
The consummate professional puts aside his introversion, getting out of his comfort zone and interacting with people from different social classes and backgrounds. And of course, he challenges himself to get the perfect shot. “My friends always tell me I’m good at lighting and composition, so I guess those are some of the strengths, along with always being punctual. People normally say, too, they like my humility,” the business-savvy individual highlighted. But he isn’t without flaw: he often experiences creative burnout, which affects the amounts of photo shoots he executes.
Speaking of faults, issues he has faced within the industry include high duties charged by the Customs Agency because, according to him, they charge more than 50 per of the photography equipment prices. As a young entrepreneur, he finds it a bit difficult to acquire the cash to purchase the equipment, plus pay half of the purchase price to clear it. That, he says, was hard to overcome, but definitely a hurdle he needed to jump over.
When in doubt, it is his supportive family, friends and individuals who would normally reach out, whether in person or via social media, to say they admire his work and his growth – some even confess that they are motivated by it. “Most persons believe it’s just the click of a button, which it is not. Whenever I have my camera around and the conversation comes up, I usually mess with the settings and hand them the camera to take a photo. Photography has a lot to do with composition, lighting, and it’s also about having ‘the eye’,” he pointed out.
Asafa Powell was always Wright’s favourite track athlete, so when he got the chance to do his first shoot with him, it was a big deal. That shoot had a defining impact on his photography career. After that, he landed other local celebrities or influencers as clients, namely Denyque, Charly Black, Nicole McLaren Campbell, her husband Agent Sasco, just to name a few.
His favourite camera to use is the trusty Canon, a recommendation made by corporate and sports photographer, Leo Hudson, who used to capture photos of Wright back in the day at track meets.
Studio or outdoors? Both studio and outdoors have their place based on the final product desired, was his answer. He gave the example of a corporate headshot looking perfect in a studio versus a swimsuit photo that would probably work best at the beach. “I personally prefer to shoot outdoors because I get to play around the environment as opposed to just a white background,” he added.
Wright’s main goal is to venture into the film industry. And he hopes to explore other areas of business, such as farming.
His advice to up-and-coming photographers is to try and figure out the type of photography they are drawn to, then do some research on the best camera and lens they would need. “If they can’t afford a camera, start with your phone and watch videos on YouTube because it’s the best university, and also practise, practise, practise!’
You can find D Wright Focus on Instagram and facebook: @DWrightFocusPhotography or email: wrightfocusphotography@outlook.com for more information.