The 54th – I’m a fan of your work. tell us , what’s your name, where are you from and where did you grow up?
Anita – Hi, my name is Okafor Anita Chinemerem also known as Kafani, I am from Anambra state, and I grew up in Lagos state, Nigeria west Africa.
The 54th – What was that defining moment where you went “you know what I want to be a photographer, I want to capture images” ?
Anita – Hmmmm, I don’t think I had a moment where I said “I want to be a photographer”. Looking back, I think I had been a “camera user” for a long while, and two years ago I recognized that I had started expressing myself through photography, and really loved the experiment.
I think people around me already realized that I love photography even before I did.
The 54th – What would you say your niche in photography is?
Anita – To be honest I am still experimenting, but my photographs are leaning towards creative portraits or visual storyteller portraits?.
I just love taking pictures that involve human subjects.
The 54th – How is it like being a female photographer in NIGERIA?
Anita – Being a female photographer in Nigeria is really exciting 😂 there aren’t a lot of females in the photography niche, so being part of the few is really cool.
Especially with the little support I received when starting out.
I love being a female photographer, I tend to stun people when I tell them I am a female photographer.
I also enjoy being referred to as an artist tho.
The 54th – Were you self taught or you learnt under someone?
Anita – I was YouTube taught 😂😭.
I was self taught by YouTube, experimenting and practicing.
I am still open to learning from “someone” when the time comes.
The 54th – Now that you are in the game actively doing photography, what skills do you wish to develop as time goes by?
Anita – I wish to develop the ability to create under pressure, and the ability to use a wide range of photography devices.
The 54th – What motivates and inspires you as a creative and a photographer?
Anita – My inspiration is my emotions, how I feel at the moment, what I am thinking about really influences what I create. The ability to grow, and the excitement of what I can create.
My mom also motivates me whenever I have creative blocks though, she reminds me that my art is good enough, and that I am doing really cool stuff.
The 54th – Do you ever criticize your own work?
Anita – Lmao with the way I criticize my own work, I am surprised people haven’t started calling me a critic 😭😂.
I am usually like, is this really good enough, I can do better na, I don’t like this thing , the colour is not like my imagination.
I legit talk to my work like a human, and say you could be better.
The 54th – What gear did you use to start out as a photographer ?
Anita – I started out photography with my Tecno Pop 2.
The 54th – What gear do you presently use?
Anita – I shoot with my Xiaomi Redmi note 11 pro.
The 54th – Do you think gear matters?
Anita – Yesss gears do matter!
Don’t let people lie to you… even when I shoot with my smartphone, I like using high quality phones that make my images high quality.
But you should also endeavor to use what you have at the time being, but if you see an opportunity to upgrade biko upgrade.
Gears do matter o.
The 54th – What techniques do you use to capture emotion in your photos?
Anita – This is a tricky one, I try as much as possible to do a lot in pre production to avoid a lot of editing in post production.
I make sure my model facial expression, position, poses, outfits and props all fit the image I have in my mind.
I make sure my background compliments the story I want to tell.
These are really important aspects in storytelling.
The 54th – What do you do to make your clients feel comfortable being in front of the camera?
Anita – I make my client comfortable in front of the camera by making them laugh, hyping them, complimenting them, showing them how to pose, showing them the images I take and asking what they think. I try as much as possible to get close to my clients and have fun while shooting.
let’s just call it a good time with kafani 😂 (pun intended).
The 54th – How do you handle difficult lighting situations?
Anita – Anybody that knows me, knows that I love outdoor shoots. I make use of natural lighting alot, mainly because I can’t even afford extravagant lighting equipment, and also because it’s fun to experiment with the shadows and light the sun has to offer.
I most times monitor the sunlight to know when it suits me, but even when it’s not giving me what I want, I make use of my two ring lights to make it brighter.
I don’t think I have ever even canceled a shoot due to lights though. Maybe I am lucky, or maybe I’m God’s favorite photographer 😂.
The 54th – Who would you like to collaborate with in the photography space?
Anita – I would say Adewale mayowa and Rachel seidu, I love their mode of expression, use of colors, and I really wonder what goes on in their head.
The 54th – What do you do to stay current with photo technology and trends?
Anita – I try my best to stay in the loop on new devices that can improve my craft , when they are being released, how they are used, I may not be able to experiment with them yet, but I love being in the loop of tech stuff 🙈 yes I am a tech babe.
The 54th – How do you ensure that you are delivering the highest-quality photos to your clients?
Anita – While taking pictures with my smartphone doesn’t really help in quality issue, I try to manage the image quality when editing, and also increase quality and size with Photoshop.
The 54th – Is there something you really want to achieve in the world of photography?
Anita – I would really love a commissioned self portrait for the cover of Vogue magazine, a girl can dream right?.
Or a fashion shoot for Louis Vuitton 🙈 I love fashion!
Or maybe a residency abroad.
Forbes 30 under 30 in the photography and Art aspect.
I want a whole lot.
The 54th – Do you have any advice to any one starting out as a photographer?.
Anita – Do you! Have fun, don’t pressure yourself, don’t let people bully you, be open to advice and constructive criticism.
Don’t rush in and start using expensive gears, slow and steady you grow into using the gears.
Also differentiate whether you are a camera user or photographer.
Be open to collaborations.
If you like feel proud, you will tell me if it is your pride will recommend you to people 😂.
Try and promote your craft the best you can.
Set goals and try to achieve them.
You will be alright jare.
Catch you later 54th 💙
And thank you for the interview.
The 54th 