- Title: NIGERIA: Photographers capture Lagos life through a lens.
- Date: 17th October 2012
- Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) MAKOKO SLUM VARIOUS OF PHOTOGRAPHER, AKINTUNDE AKINLEYE TAKING PICTURES AKINLEYE STEPPING OFF BOAT INTO A SHACK VARIOUS OF AKINLEYE TAKING PICTURES OF RESIDENTS IN MAKOKO MAKOKO RESIDENT JUMPING OFF A BOAT (SOUNDBITE) (English) AKINTUNDE AKINLEYE, NIGERIAN PHOTOJOURNALIST SAYING: "I'm more fulfilled and I'm more happy when I do street photography like what I'm doing right now, so it's a fulfilment, it's not just about you know, choosing to work in the studio but also people who work in the studio find fulfilment in what they do, but for me working on the street or working in the slum or working to bring about change is paramount on my mind." AKINLEYE TAKING PICTURES WHILE STANDING IN A BOAT VARIOUS OF LAGOS PHOTO EXHIBITION FESTIVAL PHOTOGRAPH OF LAGOS CITY SKYLINE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT LAGOS PHOTO FESTIVAL GUESTS LOOKING AT PHOTOGRAPHS VARIOUS PHOTOGRAPHS OF SAND DIGGERS ON BOATS VARIOUS OF AZU NWAGBOGU, DIRECTOR, LAGOS PHOTO FESTIVAL TALKING TO A GUEST PHOTOGRAPH OF A MAN FIXING A FRIDGE PHOTOGRAPH OF PEOPLE PUSHING A BOAT (SOUNDBITE) (English) AZU NWAGBOGU, DIRECTOR, LAGOS PHOTO FESTIVAL SAYING: "This year, we focused on Lagos, and we think that Lagos is sort of under-represented, under-celebrated, and the idea was really to use this opportunity to produce a visual commentary on Lagos, it hasn't been done before and I think it's important." GUESTS LOOKING AT PHOTOGRAPHS VARIOUS PHOTOGRAPHS OF CHILDREN PHOTOGRAPH OF MAKOKO SLUM PHOTOGRAPH OF WOMAN SELLING BREAD (SOUNDBITE) (English) OLORUNFUNMI ADEBANJO, LAGOS RESIDENT SAYING: "I like the fact that Lagos is being told in a story, we can see different stories of the Dana Air crash, of CMS (local area), the book sellers at CMS, the under-ground women doing business at the different markets in Lagos, it's very beautiful." PHOTOGRAPHER SHOWING HIS PICTURES PHOTOGRAPH OF A FAMILY (SOUNDBITE) (English) KELECHI AMADI-OBI, NIGERIAN PHOTOGRAPHER SAYING: "Photography as a profession, as an endeavour, does need some kind of exposure, and these guys have provided the platform for people to come out and appreciate photography for whatever it's worth, I think it's a good initiative and I will always support it." PHOTOGRAPHS ON DISPLAY AT A ROUND-ABOUT PHOTOGRAPH AND BANNER OF LAGOS PHOTO BANNER READING: "ART RECLAIMING PUBLIC SPACES" PEOPLE LOOKING AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS ON DISPLAY VARIOUS OF PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES VARIOUS PHOTOGRAPHS ON DISPLAY PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES
- Embargoed: 1st November 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: Arts
- Reuters ID: LVAZD4EVZM69RKHUSRDN2A7QJZS
- Story Text: The Lagos Photo Festival 2012 took talented photographers to the streets and the markets, to capture the energy and soul that makes the city such a unique place.
Nigerian photojournalist, Akintunde Akinleye took his lens to Makoko slum, floating in Lagos' lagoon and home to tens of thousands of people.
The settlement, which is over 100 years old was recently partly demolished in an exercise by the state government to upgrade Lagos' image as a city.
The 41-year-old 2007 winner of the prestigious World Press Photo prize has been a professional photographer for over 12 years, and has been taking part in the festival since it's inception in 2010.
Akintunde spent hours in the slum and said it had been a rewarding experience to tell the story of Lagos.
"I'm more fulfilled and I'm more happy when I do street photography like what I'm doing right now, so it's a fulfilment, it's not just about you know, choosing to work in the studio but also people who work in the studio find fulfilment in what they do, but for me working on the street or working in the slum or working to bring about change is paramount on my mind," Akintunde said.
Hundreds of guests turned up at the Eko hotel for the photo exhibition themed, "Seven days in the Life of Lagos".
Thirty photographers selected from over 100 entries showcased their work at the opening night where an exhibition of over 200 striking photographs was displayed.
'Seven days in the life of Lagos' is aimed at providing an explicit documentary of photography showing the many facets of daily life in Africa's second fastest growing city.
Azu Nwagbogu, the director of the festival said Lagos was an exciting and diverse subject that provided endless inspiration.
"This year, we focused on Lagos, and we think that Lagos is sort of under-represented, under-celebrated, and the idea was really to use this opportunity to produce a visual commentary on Lagos, it hasn't been done before and I think it's important," he said.
"I like the fact that Lagos is being told in a story, we can see different stories of the Dana Air crash, of CMS (local area), the book sellers at CMS, the under-ground women doing business at the different markets in Lagos, it's very beautiful," said Olorunfunmi Adebanjo, a make up artist in Lagos.
Veteran photographer Kelechi Amadi-Obi said the festival was also a good opportunity to unearth talent in the country.
"Photography as a profession, as an endeavour, does need some kind of exposure and these guys have provided the platform for people to come out and appreciate photography for whatever it's worth, I think it's a good initiative and I will always support it," Kelechi said.
As part of the week-long activities for the festival, the organizers extended the exhibition to nine public spaces within the metropolis as part of the project to reclaim public places through art.
The aim is to ignite dialogue in people on the streets who would otherwise not attend indoor exhibitions, and to raise awareness of the beauty in Lagos that some people take for granted. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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