In March of 1979, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti I was born to Micheline and Bertholet Boutin from Aux Cayes. I emigrated to New York with my parents in 1982 at the age of 3. At 8 years old, I remember styling and posing my baby sister for portraits while playing with my parents’ camera. Thirty-two years later, I’m still
actively taking pictures.
As I completed high school and college, started my professional career in finance, went back for more schooling in fashion, I continued taking pictures.
In November of 2017, I returned to my first love, Haiti, for the first time in 30 years. Haiti and I were reunited and I was home. Between then and October 2018, I returned to her 5 times. Twice I was privileged to photograph tourism trips and share Haiti’s beauty and uniqueness with both non-Haitians who’d never been and people of Haitian descent who’d never been and with Haitian-Americans, like myself, who hadn’t been back in years.
I would merge two of my greatest loves, my art and my country. Never missing an opportunity to share Haiti’s richness with others, I have participated in formal and informal gatherings to promote her; like at JetBlue’s February Travel Spotlight: Haiti! I use my photography to show Haiti’s vast beauty through her people and her land. I show what most do not, Haiti’s light. I encourage travel, authentic local experiences of her food, art, culture – but most of all her people. This is my expression of love and gratitude for the land and culture that birthed me, Daphney Boutin.