Drawing With Light: The Business Of Telling Stories

TellThatStory 2.0 (TTS2.0) a roundtable of photographers, with focus on “The Business of Photography” and “Understanding Lighting”, held in Benin-City, as a follow up to the maiden edition which took place in September 2017.

The project, aimed at equipping and building a movement of focused and productive photographers, who would tell the story of Nigeria using their documentary, still life, and realist photography skills, started from Benin City.

It continued this year in collaboration with Edo State Global Art Center, a global center where the brilliant arts of Bini Kingdom is showcased and doubles up as space for creative people to express their ingenuity. In achieving her aim, TTS organizes a biannual training session round table inviting renowned photo artists from with Nigeria and outside of Nigeria. Babawale Obayanju, convener of this initiative and lead photographer at owalesphotography, during the session, said it was time for Edo creative photographers to move from survival mode to profitability, from levels of mediocrity to excellence. According to him, the art of drawing with light could be inherent or taught/learnt but the art of doing business was something everyone striving to be a successful entrepreneur must learn.

Also speaking, Edgar Imafidon of Edgarima Photography, a co–convener of TTS, spoke on the vision. He said it was a catalyst influencing a paradigm shift, provoking a purposeful and intentional change in photographers towards the production of quality and consistent body work accompanied by value for such works.

TellThatStory 2.0 instigator on the business of photography, Olanrewaju Balogun of Libran Eye Photography, said Nigeria needs entrepreneurs to grow her economy.

Speaking on lighting, Aham Ibeleme, of Aham Ibeleme Photography, said good lighting will always define incredible photographs. “As light painters (photographers), we must master the art of seeing light, knowing the kind of lights Mother Earth has and their resultant effects and finally knowing how to place it correctly. This knowledge will help us tell better stories as we journey to making incredible images.”

One of the participants, Mr. Francis Umendu Odupute, an artist cum journalist with passion for investigative photojournalism, cartooning and visual journalism, in a feedback survey on the event, said the TTS project was very strategic to complementing the efforts of the Godwin Obaseki-led Edo State government to deploy the creative sector in empowering youths in job creation in the ongoing fight to curb human trafficking.

More participants in the photography workshop, who praised the idea and said they had learnt a lot to improve on what they were already doing, include Julius Osayamen, Aifuwa Edo-Osayande, Pascal (YAF Studios), Nvene John (Chuven), Gallary24Studio, Gripz Photography, 3B Cube Image, Toige Photography, Kenoni photography and 1FilmMaker.

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