Yves Design: Photography For A Different Image of Haiti

It is 1:10 pm. I have to meet one of the youngest photographers in Cap-Haitien. I am already present for my interview. Impatience is tapping me. I am waiting for the mastermind; the one everyone wants to be photographed by. The room —next to the one from which I am flocking to people— some come to get their photos, other girls are posing. He is being assisted in the meantime by another photographer, a little younger than he is. He is there, sitting in front of me, the famous Yves Design. Smiling timidly, wearing a black and white T-shirt and black jeans, he puts a little order on his small desk on which we see a screen, his smartphone, and his personal computer. He pointed at me; hence, I take out my pen and my phone. It is about time that the interview begins.

Yves Mary Etienne is his real name but better known under the pseudonym, Yves Design, he piqued his comrade Cigey Design with whom he used to engage in long conversations about photography –which has greatly influenced his work. Speaking of influence, he quotes other celebrities in the field as Samuel Dameus, the brain behind “Faces of Haiti” for his dexterity to capture nature in all its splendor, Conrad Schutt, the CEO of “Malfini Photography”and Jameson Thermitus who evolves especially in the field of fashion; they are the main role-models of the youngest photographer in Cap-Haitien. Celebrating great fame only at the age of 20, with an extraordinary talent, Yves has just been among the best in the latest edition of Faces of Haiti held in Port-au-Prince in December 2018.

On December 25, 2018, Yves began a decisive turning point in his career. A dream he had cherished for a long time: opening his studio. He played all the cards, right to say better, to achieve this. Fortunately, his parents supported him in his initiatives, including his father who provided him with the necessary materials to take off and to start his own business. We must acknowledge that since the age of eight, Yves had a penchant for art. Later, he would start grabbing snaps through his phone if you remember old Blackberry models. “I learned everything on the net,” he says bluntly.

Why are you doing photography? He responds poetically: “To grasp the fragility of life … What is today may not be tomorrow”. No doubt, there is a relationship between poetry and photography. Both speak of images. They make it possible to grasp the quintessence of life, sometimes of death or being. No doubt, it is to capture the present, to trace the past and to reveal the future. Besides, he said, “I wanted to show Haiti from another angle and boost tourism.”

For those who are in their third year of Secondary at Martin Luther King College, passion precedes money. Photography is, primarily, a passion that mixes with discipline. Coming from the event “Faces of Haiti,” he is more motivated than ever. “It was an amazing experience, a bit huge for me; it was my very first time. I was a little stressed (laugh). I presented two paintings that the public appreciated,” says the one for whom photography is a difficult job and requires much rigor. “We have to work incessantly if we want to succeed in this area … especially here in the middle of the country (Cap-Haitien), a province, even more. The media hardly sees us. Lack of support, all that”.

He has already embarked on videography, serigraphy to be precise, but plans to provide other services in his hometown. The director of several video clips considers two unique qualities that have led to his success: simplicity and originality. Those two elements put as special touches in his photos. Beauty, originality, and simplicity are his trademark.

What would you say to a young person who is interested in photography? “I would tell him that work is the key. You have to give the best of yourself at all times. You must offer the same job with the same determination, the same quality regardless of the customer, no matter the price”.

Young Yves has the talent and soul of an artist. His work can not be ignored. Judge by yourself. Follow him on Instagram Yves_design and Facebook Yves El Rey design, and you will tell me what you find.