Simi Vijay: Using His Lens as Tool for Social Change
Olusimi Vijay Afun-Ogidan, popularly known by the brand name, Simi Vijay, is part of a new generation of visual journalists in Nigeria. Fascinated by photography as a child, he replaced his engineering degree with a camera and hasn’t looked back. His passion for photography has taken him on a journey of self and sociocultural discovery to many parts of the world. He currently lives in New York, after relocating to get formal training as a Visual Journalist. As a freelance photographer, Simi Vijay uses his visual narrative story telling skills to inform on the intersectionality of history, socialisation, gender, identity and culture. He talks about this and more in this interview with MARY NNAH
What were your childhood experiences like?
I was born in Ilorin, but spent my toddler years in Ibadan, before eventually settling in Kaduna. Childhood was beautiful, fun and carefree. Kaduna was a melting pot of people from all parts of Nigeria, and even the world, so I had friends from various ethnic backgrounds and nationalities. I also grew up in a mixed culture home, as my dad is from Ilesha in Osun State and my mom from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in India. It wasn’t all play though, having an Indian mother meant I lived the Tiger Mom tough love experience. Her balance of smothering love and strict discipline pushed me to achieve at whatever I set out to do whether academic or creative.
Tell us about your first introduction to photography. What drew you into this world?
My dad had this Yashica camera, which as the young inquisitive boy that I was, I would sneak into his room and fiddle with, sometimes taking pictures of things I saw from the balcony of our second floor apartment. That was my first exposure to the world of photography. My 10-year-old self was fascinated by how a click of a button could capture a moment for posterity. But of course, I wasn’t allowed to tinker around with my dad’s precious camera and got scolded when caught. It wasn’t until university that my curiosity in photography was rekindled. In 2007, I went on a road trip from Kaduna to Calabar for the Christmas carnival. It was such an enlightening experience seeing the diversity our country had to offer. I took pictures non-stop. Somehow, that was my eureka moment. I realised that I wanted to be more than just an engineer – I wanted to capture the world around me and use these visuals to tell a story.
Did you at any time study photography?
I initially had no formal training in photography. I studied Electronics Engineering at the Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi. I was self-taught from the start of my photography career in 2012 until 2018 when I registered for a course in Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism at the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York. The programme exposed me to a global body of work from outstanding photographers, showed me the power of visual content to shape a narrative and taught me that I could do so much more to influence positive social impact from behind a lens. Coming from a self-taught background, it was a great opportunity to formalise my skills in archival ideas, mixed media, printing, sequencing, and pitching for proposals and grants. I would say that in my early photography days, I learned a lot from my peers- Aisha Augie-Kuta (studio lighting techniques), Ademola Olaniran (studio lighting and portraiture) and Tom Saater (composition, framing and human story-telling). It was a steep learning curve, but well worth it.
What influenced your relocation to New York?
While in Nigeria I had worked hard to build my client base and establish a brand for Simi Vijay Photography. In many ways
I had achieved this. I had carved out a niche for myself as a documentary photographer in Nigeria, providing photography, videography and branding visibility to a range of clients; from international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as USAID, UNICEF, UNFPA, FHI360, embassies, to philanthropic organisations- Rotary International, Abuja, Tulsi Chanrai Foundation, Nigeria, to fashion and lifestyle events- the Abuja Music and Runway annual event, to private sector companies Nigeria Export Import Bank, Julius Berger Construction Company, Reliance Hospital, etc. I also worked with print and online media providing image content to the Financial Nigeria magazine, Metropole Magazine, among others. I combined photography and graphic design services to deliver coffee table books. However, I felt that I could deliver more value if I got formal training to refine my skills and technique. I also wanted to slightly pivot to an investigative photography angle. For this, I knew I would need technical knowledge on journalistic practice in order to translate visual media into compelling stories. I chose New York because I wanted to go to one of the top institutes for photojournalism - the International Center of Photography. And why not New York? One of the greatest cities in the world, known for its diverse and vibrant art and culture scene.
How was your education experience in New York?
The one-year programme at ICP was truly an intense and challenging experience which pushed me to my limits. Daily classes were full of lessons from renowned experts, discussions with peers, critiques from supervisors and reviews of a range of subject matters. The ICP experience was mind-opening – I learned about the history of visual journalism, new media techniques and strategies for publication and online presence. The diversity of my classmates’ background also made for fun and insightful perspectives. Imagine people from 12 different countries! Sadly, there were only a handful of African photographers’ body of work to study, and we need to change that. Nigeria and Africa in general must create its own narratives. I have to say; just living in New York is an educational experience in itself. I was inspired by young black creatives, taking charge to change the black narrative.
You mentioned earlier that you are learning about the world through your lens and others’ from different cultures and nations. Can you expatiate on this?
Did you know that different cultures around the world see colours differently? In a colour theory class when asked to pick from a palate of several shades of green, none of us picked the same shade. I chose my perception of green based on my latent memory of the Nigerian flag or green I’ve seen in nature. From my classmates I learned a fundamental lesson, which to be honest I’ve always known, but I suppose was not apparent until confronted with it. I learned that their upbringing and societal exposures truly shaped their world views, choice of subject matter and process to create. Each person had their own style of expression and used photography as a form of art to project their voice differently. No one person’s approach was the same. Similarly, I brought my Yoruba, Indian, Hausa, Nigerian, African perspective when expressing my art.
How easy was it for you to make a 360 degree turn around from engineering to photography?
Honestly, it just happened. But, I did make a conscious effort to follow it through because it was a no brainer at the time. I graduated from university and it was difficult finding a job as an engineer with no experience. It was a time when the need for quality photography was on the rise and what I’d get paid for one or three days of work was more than what I was offered for a month’s salary as an engineer. My entrepreneurial side kicked in and I saw a way to deliver a service doing what I enjoyed while getting paid for it. I took the plunge and built Simi Vijay Photography from there.
Do you remember your first favourite shot? What was it?
My first favourite shot was taken at a small Fulani settlement near Wuye, Abuja. It was of six boys with raised fists, standing on a rock bathed in shadow of a beautiful orange sunset. This picture had strong composition, colour, and an emotional sense. It won second place Nikon’s Choice in the Nikon #IamAlive Photo Competition in August 2015.
Do you have a role model from this field?
I have had many role models. When I started out, I was intrigued by Steve McCurry’s portraits and images. At the time, I didn’t know about the greats like Cartier Bresson’s, Robert Frank, Robert Capa, Gordon Parks, Roy DeCarava, Malik Sidibé, Seydou Keita, Martin Parr, Sebastião Salgado, Dorothy Lange, Ruddy, Roye, Mary Ellen Mark, and many others. While at ICP, I studied their unique storytelling style, and content. I am now inspired by some artists of my days like Dayo Adedayo, Nana Kofi Acquah, Tom Saater, Alec Soth, Holly Andres, Joshua Kissi, Aida Muluneh, Yagazie Emezi, Lucia Buricelli, Peter Fisher, Tolani Alli, Ademola Olaniran, Bayo Omoboriowo, Matt Black, Heather Sten, Malin Fezehai and several others.
What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?
My answer will sound cliché, but being yourself is probably the best thing you can do, as we all have a unique point of view. Three photographers can stand next to each other and come up with entirely different images. Photograph the things you most care about, use your images to educate and create social impact. These images will be most successful because you are emotionally involved.
What inspires your unique storytelling?
As Ruddy Roye once said, “I shoot because I see”. I am inspired by humanist issues. This helps me create visual stories from the intersectionality of identity, sexuality, and popular subculture.
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