Between urban music, cultural events, and creative personalities, Swelly’s visual art highlights the energy of each moment he captures. As a professional photographer and videographer, his two hats allow him to tell visually strong and timeless stories, near and far, with intent.
Swelly, Photographer and Videographer – Photo credit: @vb.photography on Instagram
From Martinique to Paris to Cuba to Amsterdam, Swelly documents his passions with authenticity and that’s why I decided to interview him to learn more about his love for photography, how he sees his art, his Caribbean origins and his future projects!
Herbby: How did your love for photography come about?
Swelly: My love for photography comes from my family. My father, my godfather and one of my cousins used to take pictures when I was younger and during our family meals, we’d sometimes see their photographs. Growing up, I started taking my own photos with my smartphone, retouching them on VSCO and getting caught up in the game as I went along.
Meryl at the Carnival de Montpellier 2020 – Photo credit: @swelly_x on Instagram
H: Do you remember your first photo?
S: I took my first photo with a real camera on a beach in Antibes in 2016. I’d picked up my D3300 a day or two earlier and was just learning how to use it. There was a storm on the French Riviera, so I wanted to take pictures of the raging sea. As I got out of my car, I saw a man standing in front of the sea and I seized the moment.
First photo by Swelly on a beach in Antibes in 2016 – Photo credit: @swelly_x on Instagram
H: When did you start working as a professional photographer? How did the transition from hobby to professional go?
S: I started bit by bit. I had my first “job” as a photographer with a friend (shout-out Les Cheers) who organized his first evening in the basement of a bar in Châtelet… (laughs) Then he did others, and I was able to promote my work like that. Then I was approached by the Lauzéa Brothers, who are chocolatiers, then the Baccha Festival in Martinique in 2018, and it was at this point that I became a professional. I finally decided to start full-time in early 2020, after obtaining my master’s degree in marketing. Deep down, I felt that this was what thrilled me the most, so after a lot of reflection, I got into it without looking back too much since!
Amaarae in Amsterdam for Daily Paper and Havana Club – Photo credit: @swelly_x on Instagram
H: You’re also a videographer with productions for Havana Club, the Baccha Festival in Martinique and even music videos. How would you describe your visual art as a photographer and videographer?
S: The most important thing for me visually is the emotions and energy that I transmit through the photos that I take. If I don’t feel moved by what I’m doing, I’m not satisfied because my goal is to share my feelings of the moment with the people who will see the photo. For videos, the intentions are the same, but the means of expression is different. Video allows me to express the moment in a more advanced way.
Josman at the Zenith for Havana Club – Photo credit: @swelly_x on Instagram
H: You’re from Martinique and you’ve been based in Paris since 2013. On what level(s) do your home island and the West Indies inspire you in your projects and work?
S: My island and the West Indies inspire me daily. I work on events with Caribbean artists and media. It’s also a way for me to document my culture, while promoting it. I want to show the amazing people who come from our home.
Partymakers – Raices Profundas in Cuba for Havana Club – Photo credit: @swelly_x on Instagram
H: Of all your photo and video projects, which one are you most proud of? Why?
S: That’s a difficult question! I would say the video for DJ Sown and DJ Whyne at Baccha Festival 2022. It’s thanks to them that I was able to do my first festival photos in 2018 and, by doing this project, it felt like I’d come “full circle”, giving them back a little of what they were able to give me before. I worked a lot on it and I’m happy with the end result.
Tiitof at Baccha Festival 2022 – Photo credit: @swelly_x on Instagram
H: What can we expect from Swelly in the coming months?
S: There’ll be a lot of video projects, I’m in film school and I really want to develop this aspect. I’d also like to work on a photo exhibition and a book consisting of printed photos. Publishing on social media networks is good but having a physical record of your work is even better! There’ll also be a lot of projects with HBNC, the group of photographers and videographers of which I’m a member.
Kalash at Baccha Festival 2022 – Photo credit: @swelly_x on Instagram
