Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Dabee.
Hi Aaron, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I was born and raised in Mandeville, Jamaica, a small quiet town on the southern side of the island.
In high school I was always interested in gaming and being a gaming YouTuber, however, I needed to learn how to edit so I could make these videos, this is where I realized learned and started to love the technicality of creating content. As I grew up, I also grew out of wanting to be a gamer, but I still enjoyed the video editing process. With this passion for editing, I used YouTube to learn and increase my knowledge.
Mid-way through high school I had to move to the city (Kingston) I used to watch a lot of travel and adrenaline rush videos of travel photographers and filmmakers who travelled the world and realized that there was a possibility I could live that kind of life if I invested in my passion. It took me almost 2 years to save up and buy my first camera during that time by saving lunch money and starting small businesses from selling phone adapters and chargers to selling custom graphic shirts. During this time, I maximized my knowledge in photography and videography.
When the time I arose, and I got my first little mirrorless Sony I was 16. I did many free shoots for travel and car companies since those were the two things I loved, I landed small jobs and built up my portfolio while balancing high school, studying to be a pharmacist. I started to land bigger jobs with larger clients all in the span of a year. By the time I was 17 I was working with companies like Audi and AC Marriott. I remember changing from my school uniform to regular clothes as I skipped school to do these jobs and go into meetings with execs.
At this point, I had to no interest in going to college as now more than ever my dream seemed possible.
However, my parents weren’t very supportive of what I was doing so I had to keep it a secret from them during this time period. They thought it was a distraction and did not see it as a good career choice at that moment.
It was 2020, I had one more year left in high school I was struck with an issue of what I wanted to do next in life, I came to the decision that I wanted to drop out of school and give freelancing all my energy. I did not want to live in regret if I had did continue to med school not knowing how life could be if I didn’t. So, I failed my exams needed to matriculate to the last year of high school forcing me to drop out. I pitched my plan to my parents, who were very skeptical but was not left with much choices than to let me try making content for a year before they would send me back to school to do something if it was not working out.
I tried to interview for jobs as a videographer/photographer with many local agencies and media houses, but I was turned down for every interview I had as I was very young and did not have any degree in the field.
I decided to keep pushing as a freelancer and since then at 20 years old I have been successfully working as a freelance travel and automotive content creator working with companies and brands on an international scale.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely been a bumpy ride. Being young a lot of people did not respect me and my craft. It was assumed that because of my age and experience I did not know what I was doing, and I was refused of a lot chances without getting to prove myself. This was definitely one of the hardest parts in the beginning, however, now my portfolio speaks for itself.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Ever since I was young, I’ve had a passion for travelling, cars, and anything that could give me and adrenaline rush. It only made sense to base my work around these things. I specialize as a Travel Lifestyle/ Automotive photographer and filmmaker.
I am most proud of how far I have come in life at 20 years old (at the time this is released).
To set myself apart from others, I put a lot of energy in my work, going over and above for whatever project I am doing no matter if It’s a personal or client project.
Contact Info:
- Website: aarondabee.com
- Instagram: aarondabee
Image Credits
Gabrielle Davis
Simon Khouri
