I'm a huge fan of creatives, purely because my creative side dominates the math, numbers and calculations side of me. Feminism is something I've recently started to dig deep into, so to say, and that's mainly where my creative craves sway towards. I don't exclude any other creative categories outside of feminism but my interest really lies in feminism, patriarchy and inequity.
I came across a number of Steven Obi Emedo's pictures on Facebook. His photography, for me , really captures the beauty, strength and resilience of women in a standard, traditional portrait form. So I decided to ask him a couple of questions regarding his photography.
Steven describes himself as an artsy, social and kind individual and besides having tremendous photography skills he is quite good looking if i must say. He says the feeling of having creative control is what ignites his love for photography and adds that those who know him understand that he sometimes has this ability to just come up with an idea (sometimes very crazy) but he makes it a personal mission to achieve it.
I asked him if he's always wanted to become a photographer, he said:
"I wouldn't necessarily say that I’ve always wanted to, I started out as a dancer - really had a passion for that - until I picked up a camera about 8 years ago."
I asked him why he identifies himself as a photographer, he replied :
"Generally because I respect the craft, I eat, breath and sleep art (the art behind photography). It intrigues me, it keeps me up at night, not in a bad way. I always want to learn, experiment and try new things, because by me simply having that camera in my hand I feel like I can take on the world
I asked him what effort/prep goes into his photography before you even takes a photo of someone, he replied:
"Firstly there has to be an idea, a creative process, what are we trying to achieve?, next I'd usually think of a location. The location and the clothing of the model usually have to work together, it gives it that vibe. Lastly, I think about how there’s a million photographers and they take pictures in their own individual way, what could I possibly do to make it different (this could be a different angle, different time of the day etc. )"
"Generally because I respect the craft, I eat, breath and sleep art (the art behind photography). It intrigues me, it keeps me up at night, not in a bad way. I always want to learn, experiment and try new things, because by me simply having that camera in my hand I feel like I can take on the world
I asked him what effort/prep goes into his photography before you even takes a photo of someone, he replied:
"Firstly there has to be an idea, a creative process, what are we trying to achieve?, next I'd usually think of a location. The location and the clothing of the model usually have to work together, it gives it that vibe. Lastly, I think about how there’s a million photographers and they take pictures in their own individual way, what could I possibly do to make it different (this could be a different angle, different time of the day etc. )"
 |
 |
 |
How long does it take you to edit photos?
"If you ask any of my clients it generally takes me a day MAX !! Sometimes even a couple of hours, depends on how many I have to edit (like I've mentioned, this is passion. I love the art that I create and I become so consumed by it that if I start, I simply must finish)"
I mentioned to Steven that the subject of his work is mostly women and i asked if there's a reason to this, he replied : "woman have more of a story to tell, they are comfortable being vulnerable and allowing me, the photographer, to take control. Women come with depth, fire 🔥 and soft features that make for a great photograph."
What is your view on women and their fight against patriarchy?
"It’s a fight that must be fought you know, especially with society being so closed-minded and not accepting of change, they still have the belief that we are given a certain role etc. men are to do this while women look after the home and children, in my personal opinion I strongly believe that we should all be treated as equal and that women shouldn’t be undermined."
I was dying to know if he studied photography or if it's something he has a natural talent for and he said: "Everything I’ve learnt has been through in-field experience and tutorials, I still experiment daily."
Steven offers photography services at the belwo given rates:
R 350 - 30 frames for students & R 500 for adults.
Weddings R 2500- R 4000 depending on the mass of the wedding
R1500 to cover events (parties). These include edited pictures.
If the client wants the photos printed out it costs more.
** Please Note: Rates were, as stated above, at the time the interview was conducted
No comments
Feel Free To Drop Your Comments! Your Opinion Matters!