Photojournalists hold conference

APICTURE, the work of a photographer, is said to speak a thousand words. Photojournalism is a handmaiden of journalism, but unfortunately, out of ignorance, not everyone sees photojournalists as news people whose photos alone could independently tell a story.

But in order to clear this notion, Photojournalists Association of Nigeria (PJN) will hold its first national conference to educate people on the importance of photojournalists and how they constitute the trigger of news. They will exhibit their respective works as well as honour veterans, who have contributed immensely to the growth and advancement of photojournalism in Nigeria. The conference will end with special awards to deserving members.

According to the Chairman, Planning Committee, Abiodun Ajala, “The event will commence from December 3 through 5 and a minimum of 100 photographs will be exhibited at Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, Alausa, Ikeja. The climax of the event, which is the lecture/award night, is scheduled to hold at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ikeja, Lagos, on December 6.”

The theme, according to Ajala, is ‘Press Photography and the Challenges of Multimedia.’

He further stated, “The conference is the first of its kind in Nigeria, and it seeks to harmonise operations of photojournalists from the four corners of the country in ways that will help endear the professional practice to all strata of society in the face of the ubiquitous threats of social and multimedia. The forum is equally created to broaden the professional horizon of photojournalism as regards getting equipped with the technological skills and innovations with which to effectively battle the challenges of multimedia.”