By Edoamaowo Udeme
The Abuja Photo Festival hosted it’s 7th edition at the Embassy of Brazil as the week-long event moved to the Exhibition Pavilion Central Area Abuja, Nigeria and continued with a three-day training for participants.
Speaking at the photo exhibition at the Brazillian Embassy, the organizer, a curator, Osaze Efe, said that the Abuja Photo festival is used for a tool for change to work with diverse artist, speak to the daily realities and possibilities that exist in society and use the visual story- telling to amplify these issues and also “use photography to open doors of dialogue in a way that people with diverse opinion can look at a subject matter and discuss it for the betterment of society”.
Explaining what can be termed as good photography, he said. “Primarily a good photograph is characterized by good lighting, position amongst others but also, what story the photograph is telling is when a photographer provokes the attention to ask a question or answers a question”.
“What motivated the Abuja festival was to create a platform for young creatives to find their path in their journey of photography, we felt they are persons in the industry who needed mentors or sponsors and creating a platform like this will go a long way. The first edition was in 2017 with over 100 photographers across Nigeria and yearly it has continued to be like that.
“The festival is open to all, whether a professional or an amateur you are welcome, as we have classes for basics, mid-level, so it is a meeting point if you have interest in photography at all this is for you. Either to see or take photographs. No competition, it is open to all”
“We have international artists, Nigerian Artists, UK, Brazil, South African. What we do is to connect local artists to international artists. When I say international artists, I mean not just foreign artists there are many Nigeria artists who are known internationally. What we do, is to bring these seasoned Nigeria photographers that are known world-wide to the upcoming ones for mentorship and guidance in the way that we are able to build that relationship between the old and the young, in the way that it brings impact in the community”
A participant at the event, a veteran photographer, now in the public service, Aisha Augie, noted that the world wants to showcase the bad side of Nigeria but Nigerians need to do it right by telling their stories.
“They want to tell stories that inspire people to get up and do more. The western world portrays us as those who need help, but we have to push our stories. I have done photography in Niger in a totally cut off community and they are self-reliant, very happy, they do not need anybody but we come with our ideas and see if they need this or that. but what do we see as riches, happiness, you can have all the money and still not be happy”
“We have to start appreciating places we see as they are and support them to grow, you don’t need a sophisticated camera, your phone is the best camera you have, it depends on the value placed on the picture. Look at pictures around the world, the best were never shot by a professional camera person. They are different aspects of photography that Nigeria has not even begun to tap into”.
Another Veteran Ibrahim Bassi reputed to have mentored several photographers says the reason he mentors and encourages the youths is that “Hoarding information is what I can’t do. There are so many young people who want to go into photography and do not know how to and I believe in investing in myself, building up on what I know and the best way to do it is to share the information with everybody. So irrespective of where you are coming from or what your level is, I am willing to pour out the little I know cos I see people struggling to do this. I use my mistakes to motivate others”.
“I recently travelled to Maiduguri and against the narrative of the place being a dead end I decided to put something together and post it, through the videos and pictures people were wondering how come what they hear on the news is different from what was seen in the pictures”
“Even in the last election and during ENDSARS you saw how photography was able to tell the story to even persons that were not there. Technology has taken over everything, I can take a photograph of you here and turn it around and make it look like you are elsewhere, but I want us to stay with the natural, tell the story as it is, what is the aim by manipulating these images, be real” he added
On photoshop and manipulating images, Bassi said “It all adds up to your conscience, that thing you are about to do, what is one conscience telling you?. Is it just about the money, you manipulate the pictures and millions of people are dying because of that lie?. Let your conscience guide you”.
The week-long event culminated into training, mentorship and guidance with the likes of Henry Nwaeze (Big H) who took the guest through his journey into photography by defying the odds and going against his parents’ wish, while enumerating the highs, lows and key to success in photography.
Other key facilitators were Kahlegraphy, Onye Ubanatu, Hakeem Salaam, Mayor Otu, George Oshodi, Jacqueline Souwari and Kahli Brown.
