‘Humanitarian work honed my photography’
Continued from page 22 my mood reflects.
What has been the most difficult challenge doing what you do?
The environment I work in can be considered to be generally challenging because of Boko Haram. So facing challenges has become an almost every day thing for me, especially when on out-of-town assignment. Anything can happen when on a road trip in a war zone. However, if one is cautious and respects rules, cooperates with security personnel, one will generally be safe.
What are you photography wise?
favourite
I am always guided by the philosophy that, “The earth is art and the photographer is a witness.” So I always move around with my camera and photograph anything I find inspirational or interesting in order to share with the world. But when on a specific assignment, the subjects are determined by what the client wants.
What is your favourite gadget?
I cannot point at a specific gadget as my favourite, but I do like the Canon EOS series of DSLR Cameras. I also love the 50mm F1.8 Prime Lens.
Which is your most loved piece?
subjects;
It is difficult to have one because an artist is supposed to be always improving and making better art. However, I do have a few favourites. One of them is a night time photo of Lagos Street in Maiduguri showing how beautiful it is with the street lights reflecting on the Ngadda River flowing underneath Lagos Bridge. Another one is a portrait I took of Baa Lawan, the founder of CJTF in Maiduguri.
Aside photography, are you into any other art form?
I do not know if this counts, but I was once into martial arts; taekwando to be specific.
Tell us three things you consider as principles to becoming a great photographer. Do it for the love of the art. Be sincere in what you show the world. Perpetually strive to improve.
Who has been your inspiration?
My greatest inspiration is Fati Abubakar who was my colleague at work even before I went into full time photography. She is now not just a colleague, but also a sister and mentor. She never hesitates to share her knowledge, experience and even photography tools and gears with me. Words will not be enough for me to appreciate her contribution to my photography career.
My former boss, Fatima Kyari Mohammed, who is now an ambassador of AU to the UN, has also been a great motivator. She believed that I have potentials in photography even before I believed it myself. Her words of encouragement have gone a long way in pushing me to become a better photographer.
I must state, however, that all my feats will not be possible without the support I get from my family, especially the perpetual prayers I receive from my father. As for my mother, it goes without saying, I am nothing without her.
What are three things you do before setting out to take a photograph?
I make sure all my tools are in good shape; my batteries, then I pray for success and set out.
What project are you working on at the moment?
I carry out several projects for government and Civil Society Organisations (CSO). However, I have a running project called “Maiduguri Is Beautiful” where I share photos showing the beauty of Maiduguri city which the world hardly comes across in the traditional media. I run a Facebook page with the same name where I share the photos.
How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?
Apart from learning from more experienced photographers like Fati Abubakar, I also follow other photographers across the globe via platforms like Instagram. I also study many online photography resources and watch lots of photography tutorials on Youtube.
Is there any work of another photographer that has influenced you?
Fati Abubakar’s work has the greatest influence on me because hers is not just the traditional portrait photography that you find almost everywhere. Her work is primarily documentary photography. Given the unique situation we found ourselves in the North East and circumstances that led me to become a professional photographer, her style of photography is what I naturally fit into from the beginning.
Is photography fulltime for you?
It was initially a part time work, but I have since moved to become a full time photographer.
How do you get paid?
Primarily, from clients and I give them my bills. However, I am now looking into other methods of monetising my work because my library of photographs is fast growing and I think I can share them with the world while they bring in some cash. Photography is quite an expensive thing when you consider the cost of gadgets and other supporting resources. So any additional means of monetising your work will help push you further as a photographer.