Understanding Photography is something almost anyone can do but understanding the artist behind the photographs is something else. Today, we’re talking to Lagos based Portrait Photographer: Femi Akeusola and going behind the curtain to understand his art. Enjoy.
- Kindly Introduce Yourself
My name is Akeusola Femi. I am a portrait photographer based in Lagos, Nigeria.
- How was growing up like?
My parents stayed in Lagos as at when they had me so I grew up in the ever busy state of Lagos. Growing up was fun, my first friends were my two elder sisters who we grew up together, played together and sometimes got into trouble together and got punished together. My dad was a professor, he is late now and my mom is a teacher. Being raised by 2 educational practitioners also shaped part of my growing up. I didn’t grow up watching cartoons but trust me growing up was really fun.
- What’s your educational background?
I attended AOCOED staff school, then I went to The AOCOED International School where I only did my JSS1 and part of my JSS2. I later took a transfer to Federal Government College, Lagos, where I completed my secondary education. I proceeded to University of Lagos and graduated in 2015 with a degree in Creative Arts (Fine Arts major).
- How did you start Photography?
While I was growing up, I remember there was a camera my dad gave me and I loved the fact that I could create images with it back then but I never thought of going into photography full time then. Fast forward to year 2013, students of Fine Arts, as part of our curriculum needed to do 6 months internship, so I decided to do mine in photography and even after the internship period, I continued going because there was still a lot to learn and I was already in love with photography.
- Was it just a hobby or did you from the onset want to take it as a career?
It was a hobby that was paying so I decided to build a career from it.
- What type of Photography do you do?
I shoot portraiture and fashion editorials.
- Where/Who do you draw your inspiration from?
I draw my inspiration from anything and everything around me. I love life so I tap my inspiration from life first, then movies, poems, stories even from other images. Once I see something I love, I always want to shoot it.
- So far what has been your highest point as a photographer and how is the Bussiness of Photohgraphy like?
I still have so many things to achieve, there’s been a couple of high points though. I’ve shot and met some people I never thought I would meet but my dreams get bigger everyday so no high points to talk about for now. The business of photography is actually amazing. You’re a creator of contents plus you’re living in an environment where there are so many contents so it’s very easy to create. It has its downsides though, but the business is cool.
- What challenges do you face/Any last words?
People have what I call the “Is it not just Photography” mentality and so they don’t always want to pay as much as the photographer is asking. They don’t always want to believe that pictures should be that expensive because of what they are used to. I feel people should be better enlightened, equipments are more expensive and the amount of time spent in retouching pictures need to be paid for. If you want amazing pictures then you should be ready to pay for it.
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Femi Akeusola is the Lead Creative at The Vanilla Factory, a Lagos Based Photography Studio. You can engage him on Instagram here.
