The rest came after: Fimiyaad – pioneer in entertainment photography

A flashlight zooms through the night, searching for the selectors ready for the action, stylish looking women ready to pose and fashionable guys ready to show off. No respectable event can do without a photographer to capture the buzz and the good times. But the paparazzo has not always been valued as the good-times-capturer, as Kwesi Sewell (pictured above, middle), founder of Jamaica’s popular event website Fimiyaad, knows all too well.

“Not long ago the job as a photographer would be associated with an informer. Fimiyaad helped to changed that warped thinking as pictures allow friends and families to interact with each other worldwide.”
But there was another Kilimanjaro sized mountain yet to climb: the negative perception about Jamaica and downtown in particular. Upon hearing the song ‘Everything wha gwan ah foreign ah di Yaadman get di blame’, the idea was born. Kwesi was encouraged in his quest to change the connotation of yaad to Fimiyaad, to document and showcase a different Jamaica to the world.
The concept was proving popular. After seeing pictures online, Jamaicans living abroad called because they could not believe that parties in Tivoli Garden, Reema and Craig Town went on until 6 or 10 in the morning.

“A lot of Jamaican’s who have a 9 to 5 job and don’t live in the garrisons have a different perception of the dancehall culture, they normally turn their nose up. What they don’t realise is that the style of music is a creative outlet for people who have a very hard life. Every economist will tell you that when people experience hard times they seek entertainment to relieve the depressed state they are in. People crave entertainment.”

Based on his close association with the down town ‘garrisons’, Kwesi started inside the hardcore dancehall crowd. “I have to thank all the players in the dancehall fraternity and the whole team who have helped to develop the brand” a very content Kwesi told Vision.
Today the social media has given the brand an even different spin. “Tourists who experience a good time at an event in Jamaica will leave with a positive perception. By sharing Fimiyaad pictures on facebook they let others participate. That’s why our slogan is: ‘what entertainment looks like’.”

Check out www.fimiyaad.com to find fi your spot. Whether it is the club-scene, the hardcore scene, laid-back vibes, or family events; Fimiyaad allows you a glimpse into it.