By Amara Iwuala

“Do not Get Lost in the Crowd” – Adaeze Obi-Obasi

Adaeze Obi-Obasi is an up-and-coming photographer who studied Mass Communication at the Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State. She tells Amarachukwu Iwuala how she is navigating her way through the picture-taking business.

A few years ago, Adaeze submitted an entry for the UNESCO ‘If I Were …’ Competition and even though she did not win, her work was chosen as one of the images for the possible exhibition. She was elated and motivated by that feat and recollects how Photography started for her.

“When I was younger, my mother noticed that whenever it was time to take a group picture, I always volunteered to do it, meaning that I was hardly captured in the snapshots. She also noticed I made sure everything was in order before taking the pictures.

“So, when I was on holiday in my second year in the university, she registered me in a photo studio in Abuja, where I learned Photography. In the course of other holidays, I equally attended Photography workshops.

“In 2017, I participated in an art exhibition in Abuja and have taken part in a few other exhibitions since that first showcase. I am planning a solo exhibition, which will hopefully take place before the end of 2018.”

Obi-Obasi accepts jobs in all genres of the business but is especially drawn to Documentary Photography because, according to her, it gives her the freedom to explore people’s spaces and be a part of their lives.

She does not brood over disappointments, but learns from them, ensuring that she never repeats the same mistakes. She asks new entrants in Photography not to get lost in the crowd, but embrace their uniqueness and keep developing, so that they will distinguish themselves.

Through an incident in which she escaped by a hair’s breath, Ada learnt the importance of seeking permission from whoever she wants to photograph unless she is in a very safe place from where she can capture images. “I once went out with my camera in Lagos, so as to take pictures. Then, I saw a man, sleeping in a parked yellow commercial bus, commonly called ‘danfo.’ The sky was blue and the man wore a brown shirt and black shorts, perfect scenery, I thought.

As I took the first shot and tried to take the second one, the man raised his head immediately. My first instinct Bond move was to direct my camera at the gutter to make it look like it was the original image I wanted to make, but before he could talk or stand and get to me, I ran for dear life.”

Facebook: Adaeze Obi-Obasi
Instagram: @adaezeobiobasi