My name is Ufana Ishoyor and Photography is life to me. It’s not just a means of livelihood; it’s an expression of who I am and how I perceive the world around me to be.
Photography is a personal expression and in an era when more and more persons are joining the popular bandwagon that is ‘society’, it has become imperative that personal opinions be pushed out to challenge the norm. Photography is my way of challenging that norm and standing out.
Every time I pick up the camera, it’s like picking a pen and jotting down pieces of myself for the world to see, the words inscribed into every grid of every frame; Photography has grown past a passion, it has become a truth that is expressed not just for the monetary value but for the sake of true living because what fun is a life that isn’t ‘truly’ and fully lived.
Over the years, I’ve learnt that with experience comes a better (or worse) view of life and I’ve seen that manifest in the work that I do and the kind of images that I put out. I’ve owned a DSLR for a better part of the last 4 years and every time I look through a viewfinder, it’s always something new, a new story to tell, a new face to capture, a new chance at something fun, exciting, and fulfilling and that is why I photograph. To tell stories from my point of view and hope that maybe just one person sees the world as I do, and on the days I’m not telling stories with my images, I’m simply having fun and creating because I can.
So whenever someone asks me why I photograph, the answer is almost always the same; “I love talking and photography is my voice”.
