“Why do You take pictures?” This is one question every photographer faces at some point in this constant and daily chase for image creation.
Have you ever taken a walk with a photographer and watched him/her pause or excuse himself/herself and be like “sorry, but I need to take this picture” or walk up to a random person and say “hello there, can I create a portrait of you?” To the regular eye, we might seem mad! (and there’s some truth to that … Lol!), but far from it though, we are just passionate people doing the thing we love. So allow me share with you what runs through my mind when I pull out the only camera I own (YET) “my phone’s camera” to capture an image.
- MOMENTS ARE FLEETING
Of all the reasons why I take photographs, this has always been my utmost drive, I think of myself as a preserver of moments -not your regular superhero eh- so I take it as a duty to freeze these moments for myself and for all.
Visualize this;
The rays from the morning sun filtering in through the branches of swaying trees, the morning birds chirping from their nests, a few early risers going about their early morning activities under a backdrop of total calm and serenity. I pause and take in this perfect moment, this perfect scene playing before my eyes but as time, this moment is fleeting and would fade away so I reach for my trusty moment collector and I click!
Collecting moments like this makes me smile because I know for myself, for you and generations unborn this perfect scene lives forever
- CONNECTING WITH HUMANS
I enjoy taking candid photos that showcase everyday life. I have always held the opinion that everyone of us is connected despite our racial and International boundary barriers.
Taking human photographs as I journey through life across various cities, villages and towns. Capturing their diverse faces and their interesting stories. One thing is common, we are all humans faced with the exact same situations every day just in different locations.
Taking photos of a fisherman casting his net in a river in Jamaare, Bauchi State and sharing with persons in the fishing town of Oron, Akwa Ibom State; one thing is common these humans connect and relate to each other even without knowing each other! I think of my photography as my means of breaking racial stereotypes and genuinely connecting humans to care, appreciate and love one another.
- THE JOY IT GIVES MY SOUL
On a personal note, making photographs is my joy, stress reliever and most of all an expression of my inner thoughts.
My friend once said “TBB, the only time you are truly emotional is when I feel the words in your photo stories”. This quite summed me up because I haven’t always been the most expressive of my feelings but with photography as my expression tool, I pour out my soul after the sound of that shutter!
I never get bored or tired, I’m constantly chasing images every day because it is what completes me, what makes me the tall_brown_boi.
Ikpe James is a Phonographer currently based in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a print collaborator to the organization “For Your Walls Only” and currently works with Xiaomi Mobile. You can connect with him here.
