TY Bello is a female photographer who lives in Lagos, Nigeria. She became a celebrity in the early 2000s as a member of KUSH, the hugely popular University of Lagos music group.  She also drew public attention through her membership of the talented photography collective Depth of Field. She has since gone on to earn the reputation as one of Nigeria’s foremost photographers. 

Her evocative images never fail to rouse strong emotions. They have made her one of the most applauded and keenly sought-after portrait photographers in the country. Indeed, she has the unique distinction of having photographed three sitting Nigerian Presidents.  

Her documentary work which has been applauded at home and abroad includes: Imaging ourselves: An in-depth look at the African society and its   perception of beauty; The Future is ours: The lifestyle and challenges of the younger generation of Nigeria; Hip Afrique (A) & (B):   A photo-documentary on the younger generation of Africans   and the different cultures they embrace; Take My Hand: A photo-documentary on AIDS; Womanhood:A portrait study of the different stages of womanhood and the emotional metamorphosis that takes place through her lifespan; Fanti: An ongoing documentary of this Lagos festival; Making an Entrance: An ongoing documentary on the evolution of contemporary African dance; Inspiration-For the Little Saints: A comparison of four different sets of children and the forces that motivate and inspire them; Friends of the Veranda Man: An ongoing documentary on people from my late father’s generation- I discover how they express their identity at this time through religion, music and in the Diaspora.  

TY is committed to sharing her work through workshops and trainings at home and abroad. She makes time to accommodate as many of the numerous requests she receives as possible.   

TY’s work has earned awards including, Inspiration: Special Prize of the jury-FUJI African Press Photography Award and South London Gallery Award.