THE ACCIDENTAL PHOTOGRAPHER: I’ve always had a camera. As far back as Secondary School, I had a film camera, later different sort of Point and Shoot. Eventually, I got a D-SLR when I was on a vacation (Major reason was just to appear like a cool tourist, you know how these Oyinbo people are with their cameras dangling from their neck). Real reason or at least how I managed to convince myself to fork out the cash was, oh I needed to document my Architectural Projects as they progressed through Construction to Completion; and that I did. With the initial ginger of owning a DSLR I had shot a lot of images, majorly Architecture, Nature & Travel Photography. Little did I know that the images I took while I did photography as a hobby will form the early content of my social media pages and subsequently earn me my first paid portrait session.

After leaving paid employment, with plenty of time on my hands and a camera I barely used at that point. I decided to set up social media accounts for my Architecture & Photography work, so I could share my work with the good people of the online community.

Hey, I felt these images deserved to be seen. This was June 2016. With no plans or intention of going professional, the page was just to share my hobby and passion for photography. Well to my surprise, my page attracted a bit of attention, earning me my first paid portrait and like they say the rest is history.

In a world already saturated with photographers, I ask myself everyday if I can change the world through photography and I truly believe I can, one image at a time. Reality is we all see the world differently, even if it’s the same subject and conditions.

Photography for me is a medium to shape the way you remember the past from global-scale events to domestic and personal milestones. While I’m the accidental photographer, the desire to document people’s lives and events keeps growing.

One of the most significant events in my photography journey is the Lekki Flood that happened on the 8^th  of  July 2017.My house and studio got flooded. While I was struggling to ensure my equipment weren’t damaged, it occurred to me, to use  the opportunity to document history. I braved the odds, left with an umbrella and my camera to document the flooding. Click link for my article on it Lekki Flood. I recorded and created images that will last an eternity, images that reinforce history, a unique perspective on the occurrence.

18 months down the line as a professional photographer, I have worked on several projects including two documentaries #Reward4dHustle2 and #HumansofLifePointe. The #Reward4dHustle2 documentary made me travel to major cities in Nigeria. Several portraits, product photography, weddings, street photography, just name it worked on and increase in paid revenue to show for it! It has been quite an experience, I have been exposed me to different cultures and people across the country; very eye-opening encounters. I actually had a TY Bello moment with a bread seller at some point…haha, how cliché.

THE NOW: I’m fully active as an Architect & Photographer, both professions run in parallel, and sometimes cross path. For those asking, no, I never abandoned Architecture. Both professions complement each other and there a huge reflection of my Architectural training in my Photography work and vice versa. I’ve been fortunate to work on a couple of interesting Architectural projects, more recently on set designs for parties & events, Red TV Rave Party 2, Set of a 40^th Birthday Party to name a few .

The unseen and untraceable hours of sleepless nights, learning and studying on how to improve my craft is finally getting rewarded. I once said ‘Photography is as much an academic endeavour, as it is the actual taking of pictures’. hours spent behind a computer editing images just to make the client appear in their best form.

I want to buy the fanciest gear and equipment but I always remember the quote by Theodore Roosevelt “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

GOD: I’m actively involved as a volunteer for The LifePointe Church. God has been/is integral to my story and growth. My parents are pastors and deeply religious people, someway somehow, I’ve ended up in church too. I don’t want to be a pastor, I don’t think I can handle the expectations, my spiritual life is not exactly where I want it to be. The pressure of being a leader and sometimes the need to keep up appearances is not entirely helping. It’s a learning experience working with and leading a team of volunteers. In Nigeria, when your authority is not tied to a person’s salary and source of earning. It’s a different frustrating ball game entirely. I’m learning the art of leading under these conditions.

Story continued here third and final post on this.

Kindly comment below and let me know your thoughts.