David Bayo

Photographer & Artist

“YOU’LL WAIT A THOUSAND YEARS FOR THAT PERFECT MOMENT TO COME. JUST CREATE.”

Hi David, how are you?

I’m good, I’m blessed, I’m busy and I’m enjoying every bit of it. Thank you for asking!

You are an amazing photographer, how did you get started?

‘Preciate that! And oof… for that we’ll have to go back to my teens. My siblings and I would always go out not too far from the house and take pictures of each other whenever we went shopping and wanted pics in our new fits. Sometimes I’d go on walks alone and see spots where I thought it’d benice to take pictures. I’d drag my little brother out and experiment with what I had back then, an iPhone 6. Till this day, I still believe some of my best pictures were taken on that thing. A bit later in life, I’d say 2021, I decided I needed one of those professional cameras with the big ass lenses but since my bank account at the time wasn’t having it, I settled on a cheap point & shoot analog camera. I shot at friends’ parties but also decided I could bring life to some the concepts in my head and shape an artistic view. Ultimately, that’s what started my journey and that’s what I still love to do today.

That’s amazing. You have a specific style, how would you describe it and how did you develop your own style?

I mostly shoot black and white photography where I like to use a very dark black and a very bright white. There’s something about that contrast that I’ve always liked, ever since I started. Through my work, I like telling a story, making people feel something similar I felt, or making them think about what’s in front of them. I think stripping colors from their pictures and having them replaced by shades of darker undertones brings out a raw and gritty authenticity. Something I have always had a hard time to do when shooting in color. But that doesn’t mean I don’t shoot in color at all. As a matter of fact, I love bringing out colors when I shoot film at parties. Not too long ago, I shot one of my favorite pictures during a studio shoot with a friend. I’m still developing my style in color and figuring out with I like to shoot.

Your work was presented in ‘Frames of us’. Can you share a moment from that process that really stayed with you?

There are so many but I think that the day of the vernissage was a completion of something I’d never think would happen in a million years. Up until the very last hours before people started coming in, with everyone else stressing & running around, I did not fully realize this was happening. When I saw all the people come in and realize they were there for us, for me, our work, my work, it truly kicked in. The positive feedback from my people, from strangers, other artists in the same or other fields truly made me realized I was blessed to have this opportunity.

What made you want to be part of Black Lens Archive’s first exhibition?

For the record, I did not want to be part of the exhibition at first. I had just taken a 2,5 year break from photography. I didn’t think I’d pick up my camera again. I’ve also never wanted to be in the spotlight. People who know me know that I like to stay hidden, let my work talk for me. I’m also rarely behind the camera, not stand in front of it. That’s why I didn’t think an exhibition was for me. But when you have good people around you who believe in you and your work, and who know sometimes all you need is a push, you end up doing an exhibition. I will always thank them for pushing me to put myself out there and responding to Black Lens Archive’s open call. I still consider myself lucky to be chosen, because a lot talented photographers sent their work in. I think the support I got from my people really pushed me to go out of my comfort zone and I ended up loving every bit of it.

We’re very lucky we got an interview with you then haha.Quick one: would you rather shoot at night or in the morning?

Night easily. Just me, my P&S flash and my Kodak Gold 400/Kodak Ultramax 400.

When people look at your photos, what do you want them to feel?

That depends. If anything, I would just like them to feel. When I shoot in black & white, I usually have a story to tell and a feeling attached to that. Ideally, I would want them to recognize that feeling. But with experience, I’ve also realized I tend to like when they feel something completely different and they tell me the story they see in the picture. That brings me more value.

What is your favorite photo you have taken?

Oof… I have so many I don’t think I could answer this question. I think on a good day, I can reduce it to a top 10. But then again this changes every once in a while. So these are the ones I’ve been looking back at and really loving lately, taken anywhere from 2021 to 2025.

What are some things you could never live without as a photographer?

Since I still use point& shoots, I’d say my camera and my flash. Nothing more, nothing less.

Would you like to do more expo’s in the future?

Yes for sure. Now that I’ve experienced it, I would definitely do it again! Even though there is a lot of hard work behind the scenes, the feeling of accomplishment when all is done is indescribable.

Tell us something to inspire the culture!

You’ll wait a thousand years for that perfect moment to come. Just create.