Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Onye Ubanatu, others inspire next generation photographers at ProjectX

Leading Nigerian pictorial storytellers, in a bid to inspire the next generation of photographers, shared their wealth of wisdom and experience at the recently concluded ProjectX.

The event, which was a collaboration between three alumni photographers of The Future Enterprise Support Scheme (TFESS) class of 2012, Aham Ibeleme, Emmanuel Oyeleke, and Yagazie Eguare is an initiative targeting burgeoning indigenous photographers.

According to the conveners, the two-day programme was curated to inspire, coach, and empower the next generation of photographers through structured training, mentorship, and exceptional experiences.

Award-winning photographer, Kelechi Amadi-Obi; the renowned photographer, Hakeem Salaam; Founder; Poshclick Portraiture, Jokotade Shonowo; and creative entrepreneur Onye Ubanatu, expertly shared their stories and imparted attendees with career nuggets toward actualising their dream career at a panel session moderated by Eguare and themed ‘Positioning Your Craft — Scaling and Sustainability’.

In an interview, Amadi-Obi who charged young creatives to strategically develop set skills, build a clientele list, prioritise learning on the job, and scale for maximum remuneration shared that success is a process.

He said, “Success is a journey, it is when someone has a focus on where he is going and actively works towards getting to that place he is focused on, irrespective of whether he is there or not.For me, success is a process of working towards a predetermined goal, not merely daydreaming.”

On his photography, he said, “With photography, image-making and content creation, we call ourselves creative entrepreneurs. It’s not a factory where you get one formula and you start marketing while selling the same product. As a creative entrepreneur, you will have the burden of constantly being innovative. For me, the first thing I do is to scale my creativity.”

Speaking on his collection ‘Power’ that speaks to the authority of various African cultures, Ibeleme said: “The works that I create are placed in the sphere of modernist art, in hopes of making visible what is overlooked in the historicising of African cultures. I have focused on the schematic black, yellow, and white tones while exploring the relationships between popular culture and fine art, with a critical view of social, political, and cultural issues hidden in plain sight.”

The programme also doubled as a platform where the coveners showcased select artworks. Eguare tapped into feminine aesthetics to project the beauty of the ‘rhythmic life’ of women through various seasons in her collection ‘Colour Me Beautiful.’ Oyeleke gleaned through his life’s experiences in the past years, punctuating with hints of future expectations in his collection titled ‘The Way I See It.

A 10-year commemorative event marking their first contact at TFESS, they return to provide a system that ensures efficiency in processes by harnessing the insight of already established photographers who have proven their mettle in photography and have even branched off to conquer other professional fields.