‘It was easy abandoning accounting for photography’
Musa Omar Tukurah has always been interested in photography from childhood through to his undergraduate days. The Jos-based accounting and finance graduate turned photographer whose pictures convey deep thoughts and messages told Arts and Ideas where he d
As a graduate of Accounting and Finance, what prompted you to go into photography?
I have always been obsessed with good photographs and I already had so much interest in photography even while in school. Working for a year as an accountant after graduation, I realized I preferred to do something else with my life. Photography was my hobby. “Why not change it to a career?” was my thought.
What would you say awakens the artistic passion in you?
I really cannot say what awakens my artistic passion. Sometimes ideas pop into my head, other times it could be a line from a book, movie or a quote I read somewhere and I would like to express it in a photograph. In one way or another, everyone is an artist. I just want to create pictures that people can feel.
Your pictures tell deep stories that only the heart can understand. Where does your inspiration come from?
It comes from different parts of my life – be it from books or movies. I have replicated my feelings or situations at different points of my life in my photographs. I have also depicted some other people’s real life story in my photographs. And a lot of times, the opportunity is presented to me, like when I go out to take landscape photos.
Describe your level of passion for photography on a scale of 1 10 With 10 being the highest, I will say 10.
What makes you different from other photographers and your contemporaries in Africa?
I really don’t know if my photographs are different from others but I definitely know I try to keep my viewers engaged with my photos. I also aim to capture heartfelt moments or tell a story. Whether I achieve that or not I do not quite know. But I try.
Do you have people working for you or do you do it alone?
Yes, I have a number of people I work with to make my photographs successful. I do have other photographers, assistants and a great makeup artist who are always available to help me achieve what I am looking to create.
Every career comes with its own peculiar challenges. What challenges have you had? And how have you coped?
Yes, there are challenges but I try my best not to dwell on them. I look for ways to surpass the challenges. One major challenge with photography is the cost of the equipment. However I have found ways to curb that as much as possible through family and friends who are willing to give me loan when I need to purchase new equipment.
Being a family man how does your family cope with your career especially when you have to travel out of Jos?
There is no fuss about it. I always return after a few days.
So where do you see M.Tukurah Photography in the nearest future, say five years’ time?
I see it capturing beautiful moments for clients in the future and hopefully still creating more and more wonderful photos that will blow even my own mind.
Besides photography, what else do you do?
I do a little part time accounting on the side, nothing too time consuming.
Do you see any of your daughters taking after you in this profession?
At the moment it’s hard to tell, although they both love taking photographs.
In this era of technology and social media, how have you used this to improve your business?
With Facebook, Instagram and many other social media plat forms, it’s a setback for me not to be on at least one of them. I have my portfolio on Facebook and it’s easy to tag people on the photos, thereby creating some awareness.
Who are your mentors in photography?
I have a few mentors when it comes to photography but I will mention one name: Adrian McDonald. His works are just phenomenal. He terms himself a “philosophical photographer,” one looks at his works and wonders, “Is it possible for so much inspiration to come from one person”? Your advice to young people out there.
If you really believe in what you are doing, keep it up. It will not always go as planned but don’t lose focus.
I really don’t know if my photographs are different from others but I definitely know I try to keep my viewers engaged with my photos