brand logo

All things photography with Eliya Davide

20 Jun 2021

By Mahika Panditha  One of my favourite ways to make memories is taking photos with my friends and family, and I am sure many, if not all, of you feel the same way. I think we often underestimate the power of a photo in terms of capturing a moment until we are not in that moment anymore, or when we are older and we look back at them.  Meet Eliya Davide (@eliya_davide), a wedding and lifestyle photographer. Eliya is 25 years old and went to St. Peter’s College. He has been in the field since 2013 and his work is absolutely gorgeous (@eliyadavideweddings/@eliyadavidephotography). Not going to lie, I would have a wedding just for the photos, but enough about that!  We had the chance to speak with Eliya earlier this week – he hopes to inspire others to do what they love and he intends to help anyone who needs a push to become the best version of themselves. Aside from photography, he also enjoys travelling and acting! He actually played a supporting role in a well-known Sri Lankan movie. Before I say too much, check out what he had to say.    What do you like most about photography?    What I like the most about photography is that I get to make people happy by doing what I love and I love how I get to capture precious moments of someone’s life, which they’ll cherish forever. I love the fact that someone will always have a special memory in a picture because of me.      When did you know you wanted to become a photographer?     There’s no specific day that I thought “YES THIS IS WHAT I AM GOING TO DO!”, but since the day I did my first photography coverage at the school’s Big Match, I just loved doing it more and more every day.  I remember having this small reel camera back when I was 13 years old. I used it for school trips and after every trip my mom printed those photos for me and always told me that I have a great eye for taking nice pictures. I never took that seriously, but 12 years later, here I am. So, I guess my mom knew it before me. Photography is my lucky escape and I find so much joy doing it. Even though I never thought I could become who I am today eight years ago, I was never afraid of taking risks since I was small. All I had was my beginner camera, the will, and the motivation to do what I love.    You also run your own photography business. How was the experience in setting that up?    The experience has been great and challenging. I started from nothing, and I did not know anything about how to start a business, what I should do and what I should not do. My family, my friends, and my girlfriend always supported me to be the best version of myself to do what I do today.  Also, I wouldn’t be here today without all those who had faith in me and hired me as their photographer throughout my journey. Today, I feel very lucky and grateful to cover over 100 projects per year. I still remember that when I started, I only had two events in my starting year and my very first payment was Rs. 500 which I kept with me for over a year.  My business started levelling up in 2016 when I started my degree in multimedia design and technology, and I am very happy that I was able to pay for my degree from what I earned from photography. Today, I am in a place where I am taking care of my family and also, I was lucky enough to buy my first car in 2020 with all my hard work.  One of the most important things I learnt from running my business is how to save and manage money. And also, it taught me self-control and discipline. In order to grow your business, you should always learn and try new things.  I believe that in order to achieve great things in life with whatever you do, self-discipline and consistency play a big role. I believed in myself when nobody else did and that made me who I am today.   How has it been progressing through the Covid-19 pandemic?    This pandemic has been tough and very challenging for all of us. Also, it is very eye opening on how you manage your workload and assets. With so many postponements and cancellations, it has been quite a rollercoaster ride since 2020 and you should work harder to make sure the business keeps going forward with what’s left, even on a small scale.  This time period is a good chance to look back and figure out where it went wrong and try to fix that and also improve your skills in various ways. If you look around, there are so many opportunities out there. As an example, I shifted my photography style to fashion photography last year, as there are many opportunities from brands and businesses to work with, and I keep learning and improving my skills in fashion photography, because as the world changes, so should we.  I believe a photographer should think outside the box and we must learn to adapt according to the situation and try new paths in the photography industry. The competition is high so we should always try to be one step ahead. Everything’s going to be okay and we must adjust to the new normal.    What would you say every photographer needs?     An eye to see things differently, patience, punctuality, should be able to adapt to the situation quickly, and should know how to work under stress scenarios and to work according to a timeline. A photographer needs to be calm at all times and should always stay alert about what is happening around. A photographer should know how to make someone feel comfortable and bring out the best in them. A photographer should have the ability to come up with various creative ideas and concepts. Most importantly, you should have self-belief and should make an authentic identity for yourself through your work.    Any advice for aspiring photographers?    Self-discipline and consistency are two main points for anything you do. You should work hard and always trust the process. Remember where you came from and always stay humble.  Never be afraid to take risks. Failing is just a part of the process. You learn from it, you move on, you do better, and be better. Always respect yourself and others around you. Never compare yourself with others. You should be your only competition. Always believe in yourself; keep the positive energy and positive people around you.  Always have a vision and a plan for yourself and chase that. Never forget those who supported you from day one. Do what makes you happy and find yourself in that. Be authentic.     Lastly, do you have any funny stories you can share with us?    I have so many funny and amazing memories throughout my short career as a photographer, but most of them are not shareable. One of the funny stories that I can tell you is that when I was shooting a project for a well-known hotel chain in Sri Lanka, the crew and myself got lost in the middle of the Yala forest for a couple of hours. Even though it was scary at one point, we managed to have fun and bond with each other in those hours and somehow, we found our way back before sunset.  


More News..