No matter how much phones with superb camera quality have dominated the tech scene, we can’t still do without professional photographers.
We still need someone who will direct us on which poses to strike, someone that knows the specific angles to shoot from, and even the perfect moment to shout, “
Say cheeeese!” In fact, there are quite a handful of photographers who have honed their skills to the extent that they have made it to the public eye.
Here is a list of five (5) of them below:
Obi Somto
Born and raised in Lagos,
Obi Somto has always been artistically inclined. Despite his certificate in Banking and Finance, one would have expected him to follow that career path. As a child, he engaged in a number of artsy activities such as molding, carving, painting, and drawing. He started taking pictures to pass the time but he has honed his skill to the extent that it has become a profession for him. Obi graduated from Babcock University with a degree in Banking and Finance but he was more interested in pursuing photography which he had always been cut out for. After being introduced to the world of Photoshop and Fireworks, he launched his career as a Graphic Designer and Illustrator and has been shooting ever since. He has worked with some of the biggest celebrities such as Don Jazzy, Dr Sid, Alexx Ekubo, Tuface Idibia, and many others.
Kelechi Amadi-Obi
Veteran photographer and paitner,
Kelechi Amadi-Obi is a real class act when it comes to capturing beautiful images. He finds creativity in all aspects of society so far as aesthetic value is involved. Kelechi studied Law at the University of Nigeria, Enugu. After graduating, he gave up his law degree to pursue a career in studio art. He is now an established studio artist with a career spanning over two decades of experience. Kelechi has worked with a host of celebrities to create music videos, magazine photo shoots, advertisements, television shows, fashion shows, amongst others. Some of his notable clients include Kaffi, Denrele, Sheyi Shay,
Tiwa Savage.
Aisha Augie-Kuta
Aisha felt the craving to capture images after she received a film camera as a birthday present from her father. A native of Kebbi State, she studied in Zaria, where she studied Mass Communication. She went further for a Post Graduate in Media and Communication at the Pan African University in Lagos and she has also obtained a certificate in Digital Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy. After university, she quit her 9-5 job to pursue photography which had been a side hustle for her before she quit the job. She takes pride in celebrating her culture by capturing symbolic images that tell the story of her people. Aisha won the award for Creative Artist of the year at the Future Awards 2011 and the Sisterhood Award for Photographer of the year in 2014. In December 2015, the award winning Photographer was appointed by the Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, as his Senior Special Assistant on New Media.
TY Bello
Toyin Tokefun-Bello, popularly known as
TY Bello, is a singer-songwriter and also a renowned photographer in Nigeria. She attended the University of Lagos where she attained a degree in Economics. She practiced Journalism for a short period before she eventually ventured into Photography. In the course of Bello’s career, she was a member of the now-defunct group,
Kush (an acronym for ‘Kinetically Ushering Salvation into Hearts and Homes), which included Lara George, Dapo Torimiro, and rapper Emem Ema. She eventually started a solo music career which let her to release some successful studio albums such as ‘Greenland’, ‘The Future’, and ‘The Morning Songbook’. One major breakthrough Bello had in her Photography career was the discovery of the supermodel, Olajumoke, who was initially a bread seller. She had created a photo shoot for the British Rapper Tinie Temper when she observed the beautiful image of the bread seller in the background. With the intent to find Olajumoke Orisaguna, she arranged for her picture to appear on style magazine. Today, Olajumoke is a highly sought-after model that worked for major modeling agencies in Nigeria. Bello was the official photographer to former President Goodluck Jonathan and she has an impressive clientele including Tinie Tempah, Kano Nwankwo and many others.
Ade Adekola
Ade Adekola works of art are so brilliant that they have the propensity to go over the head of some individuals who do not have an eye for the arts. His aesthetic pieces come with an emphasis on looking beyond what the eye would normally see. Adekola is a conceptual artist living in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was born in Nigeria and raised both in Nigeria and in the United Kingdom. The artist studied Architecture and design at the Architectural Association in London. A profession which he later dropped to pursue his dream in Ade has exhibited his works of art in London, Frankfurt, San Francisco, Burlingame, and Palo Alto. As a prolific artist, his works can be found in private collections in several metropolitan cities around the world such as Chicago, Hong Kong, Chicago, Seattle, Paris, Lagos, and Cape Town.
