‘Social media is top priority for photographers’ ― Kashope

Social media is a top priority platform for photographers, says celebrity photographer, Faje Kashope.

Kashope, who is internationally known for the emotional appeal of his photographs, gained acclaim for his timeless capture of Mercedes Benz cars in Nigeria.

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In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, he noted that social media was instrumental in publicising his work and should be taken seriously by other photographers.

He said, “Social media to me has been the biggest influence on photography. It’s a top priority. They go hand in hand.

“Social media allows photographers to have a digital platform. Without social media, I wouldn’t be here right now and I wouldn’t have any contact with Mercedes whatsoever,” he said.

On the state of the photography industry in Nigeria, Kashope noted that although it was growing rapidly, more value needs to be placed on it.

He said, “Photography in Nigeria is beginning to take its place as more people are beginning to see how beautiful it is and the need for it.

“A famous quote says that if there was no picture then it didn’t happen.

“You can spend all the money in the world on an event but without photography, no one would even remember it.

“The industry can become better if more and more people place more value on photography,” he said.

NAN reports that Kashope’s documentary photographs on Mercedes Benz cars in Nigeria got the attention of the car company who reached out to him.

Explaining the idea behind the photographs, Kashope said he wanted to prove that Nigerian photography could match any in the world.

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He said, “For the Mercedes campaign, I see myself first as a photographer before anything else so naturally, I enjoy making images.

“It was inspired by my love for details and the aim was to show people that I can match any standard anywhere and that beauty can also be made anywhere as it was shot in UBTH,” he said.

Off the heels of the Mercedes pictures, Kashope shot a series of emotional pictures against a backdrop of Benin, Edo State.

According to him, the idea was to document Benin history as most creators often search for ideal locations while forgetting their cultures.

He added that, as a photographer, he is inspired by music and his emotions, which are projected in his work.