The thing about living in an island is that there is usually no exposure for young talent, especially in the arts and creative field. Society tends to emphasize math and science, leaving more creative and expressive areas of interest on the back burner, classifying them as "hobbies." Photography, to me, is just as important as science and math. Photography allows people to communicate how they see the world, from what angles, and what is important to them. I could probably devote an entire article to the importance of photography. However, this article is devoted to four young (under 25) photographers from Barbados who I believe deserve more exposure for their talents and dedication.
1. Shane Leacock - @shaneleacock
Shane's Instagram feed is a perfect balance between landscape and portraits. His photos are truly captivating and sometimes really out of the box! For example, he did an underwater pregnancy shoot, which I'm sure is probably a "thing" but I didn't know it was a thing until he made it a thing. Does that make sense?
2. Kyle Babb - @scenesofbarbados
This account is best for those with wanderlust. Kyle's photos truly capture the essence of life in Barbados. From the crystal clear waters of the South and West coast beaches, the Kadooment costumes, to the rigid coast of the East. If you're looking for places to travel to, or you're a Bajan living abroad and need to fill the hole in your heart from being away from home, Scenes of Barbados' is the quintessential Instagram account.
3. Kamilah Ellis - @kweenkamilah
Kamilah's Instagram is a perfectly curated feed filled with captivating portraits of many people throughout the island. The people that she chooses to captivate all have a different "something" about them. Also, I have had personal experience with Kamilah and shooting with her is a decent mixture between professionalism and fun! She was very professional and new what she was looking for, yet she left room for me to do my own thing and her personality helped to create a vibrant atmosphere.
4. Naphtali Cave - @ca.ve
Cave's photographs are so intensely detailed that I found myself picturing many of them blown up and hung in frames around my house. That's pretty impressive to me. He incorporates unconventional landscapes, or places where the average person would not see the beauty in. He makes places beautiful through his photographs. What really drew me to Cave's profile though, was his Black History Month series. In the month of February of this hair, he showcased many black Barbadians with the symbolic black power fist in black and white, which made for more simple, yet breathtaking shots. These photos were also accompanied by quotes from the subjects which I thought was a beautiful touch.
