04/07/2025
25 Years Behind the Lens 📸✨
On this day, 25 years ago, I ventured into the wonderful world of photography.
I was a complete novice, trying to find my way in life. Armed with an Exakta camera and barely an hour’s worth of training from the apprentices at a studio near my home, I decided to take a bold step. I walked into my church—Christ Chapel International Churches, Ashi, Ibadan—and announced to my friends that I was now a photographer. With great excitement (and perhaps a little too much confidence), I began taking their photos in exchange for a few naira.
I made mistakes—many of them—but I learned quickly.
Back then, I would go to cyber cafés (Gen Zs, ask your elders 😁🤣) to surf the internet for photography tips and inspiration. Slowly but surely, I began to sharpen my skills and started growing into the professional I had always dreamt of becoming. That same December, I covered my first wedding, and it was a success! I enjoyed every moment of it and soon began getting referrals from friends, family, and even aunties!
Then came NYSC. In January of the following year, I was posted to the East. My allowance was just ₦7,500, and I remember leaving it untouched in my bank account until it had accumulated over three months. It was during that season that I truly became my own boss.
The journey has not always been smooth. There were bumps, there were mountains, but it’s been worth every single day.
Photography opened incredible doors—not just into new cities and countries, but into the hearts and lives of my clients. There is nothing more rewarding than when a client relationship evolves beyond a transaction into a lasting friendship. Many of these friendships have spanned over two and a half decades, and today, I want to say a very BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has been part of this journey:
To my late parents, my dear family, my pastors and Christian community, to every single client at home and abroad, and to every staff member who has ever worked at Shollots Studios—thank you for being part of this story.