As photography continues to grow into a major industry in the creative space across the globe, Africa and indeed Nigeria cannot be left behind. Leveraging advances in technology, a new generation of African photographers is emerging to shape its own narrative and tell its own story from within. However, hostile environment and absence of the right kind of exposure, mentoring and collaboration are combining to stall the growth of these emerging talents who desire to launch themselves into the next level.
It was the need to change this narrative that brought about The Now Collectives (TNC) photography conference, a gathering for photographers to connect, share, learn with other colleagues in the industry, be inspired, enlightened and broaden their skills. Tagged ‘Africa’s Biggest Photography Conference’, the two-day event held at Oriental Hotel in Lagos on June 13-14, 2017.
At a press briefing to kick-start the conference, Segun Olotu, UK-based multiple award-winning photographer and convener of TNC17, said The Now Collectives was born out of a need to bring photographers together, empowering them to create their own style of capturing awesome moments.
“Our aim is to bring together renowned and experienced photographers but also young creative youths yet to kick-start a career in photography due to various constraining factors. The Now Collectives would be giving them a great foundation to launch their career as well as give them an opportunity to meet with top renowned photographers from around the world,” Olotu said.
The conference, he said, was also inspired by other such conferences he has attended in the United States and elsewhere, such as Fearless Photographers, adding that such conferences have proven to birth skills, define careers and produce some of the industry’s icons.
He said photography as a profession has created job for a lot of young people and helped them to earn some cash rather that stealing or sleeping out there on the street.
“The Now Collectives will like to see participants leave the conference more creative and inspired for the moments ahead,” he said.
In keeping with this vision, the conference speakers were carefully selected from a vast pool of internationally-acclaimed photographers from around the world including the USA, UK, Canada, South Africa, Romania, Kenya and Nigeria with an objective “to provide the necessary platform to share, learn, equip, enlighten and broaden the skill base of participants”.
The two-day event featured trainings, live shoot demonstrations, moments of inspiration and critique sessions – all designed to spark deep inspirations and connections among the participants. Indeed, the array of talented speakers and the way they did justice to their carefully chosen topics ensured that the participating young photographers had more than their money’s worth.
Christelle Rall spoke on ‘Practical Elements to Inspire You Towards Stronger Wedding Images’, Olu Akintorin spoke on ‘Finding Your Place as a Photographer’, Bayo Omoboriowo, personal photographer to President Muhammadu Buhari and chief photographer to the State House, spoke on ‘Journey from a Street Photographer to a Presidential Photographer’, Adebiyi Akinsemoyin, New York-based investment strategist, spoke on ‘Investing in Your Business and in Yourself’, Chad Pennington spoke on ‘I Don’t Always Get It Right, But I Get Close’, while Gabriela Matei and Marius Tudor spoke on ‘Storytelling’.
Other topics included ‘The Emotional Story’ by Beena and Anil Tohani, ‘Refinement in the Details’ by Amy Anaiz, ‘Maintaining a Career in an Ever-Changing World’ by Richard Beland, ‘Building Influence and Sustainability’ by Bisi Alawode, ‘Elevating Creativity and Educating the Market’ by Mauricio Arias, and ‘Inspiration – Live Shoot’ by Amy Anaiz.
Omoboriowo emphasised the need for photographers to think big, learn more, see more, become more, and stretch themselves and their abilities beyond their current psychological limitations so they don’t remain complacent with where they are and think they are getting it right.
“If there is nothing inspiring you, you could be earning N50,000 for a wedding shoot and think that’s the best there can be because every other person around you is earning N20,000. But when you see someone earning N5 million, you know there is so much more that can be done,” he said.
He identified lack of collaboration among Nigerian photographers as well as hostile environment as some of the challenges stalling the growth of photography in the country, adding, “I think we grow by sharing and taking others along. Through collaboration we inspire one another, we get to share ideas and grow.”
A number of the participants who spoke to BDSUNDAY were excited at the opportunity and said they would put into practice what they had learnt at the conference to improve on their craft.
Giving back
Beyond empowerment, TNC17 is also a way of giving back. For the convener, Olotu, who is passionate about inspiring photographers worldwide, giving them the support they need to gain entry into the local and international market, the coming together of these amazing photographers, who are veterans in their own right, from around the world to share with local photographers and expose their minds to become better at what they do is a way of giving back.
Every one of the speakers, he said, made immense sacrifices to see the event come to fruition, adding that the participants did not have to pay as much as what they would ordinarily be charged for such international masterclass.
“The Now Collectives has something we call Now Giving Back. So what we did for this event was some kind of giving back. We have few photographers that have paid, and we have others that we have helped,” he said.
“These amazing photographers from different parts of the world have come to give back their knowledge. Beyond that, Bayo Omoboriowo contributed money. Olu Akintorin paid for a photographer who won a contest he organised for the event, and Amy Anaiz as well has promised to give out her old camera to any photographer in Nigeria who doesn’t have a camera. All of us here, you can give an item, you can give your time, you can give your brain, we are all giving back,” he said.
The Now Collectives conference is planned to be a yearly event, according to Olotu, who expressed hope that next year’s event would be bigger and better and that the government would listen to the voice of Nigerian photographers.
CHUKS OLUIGBO
