Anne Nwakalor: On reading and research
In this episode, we talk with Anne Nwakalor about reading and research. Anne discusses what motivated her to start No! Wahala, a magazine dedicated to showing work by African creatives, in the midst of the pandemic. She explains the need for a narrative shift in the way that Africa is depicted, and the impact that colonialism and white saviorism has had on this narrative. Anne highlights the need for respect within photography, and how foreign photographers can engage with local photographers in an ethical way. Anne also emphasises the need for photographers to continue learning in order to engage with the ever evolving nature of ethics.
What you’ll find inside:
‘One thing that really propelled me to start it is because living in Nigeria surrounded by so many amazing photographers, photojournalists and one thing that we saw a lot is that for stories and features a lot of photographers from the West are being flown in.’ (4.30)
‘Even though the intention was to get local photographers seen by industry professionals, it became so much more. It became like an educational platform, it became a resource.’ (5.20)
‘There’s been a lot of issues going on with a lot of photographers presenting people that they photographed in a certain way, and it’s out of context and it causes a lot of issues. So in my full time job, when I’m putting something out there, I need to make sure that the context is correct.’ (8.35)
‘Basically what I narrowed it down to was, not just getting the African photographers seen internationally but reshaping the narrative of the continent as a whole, because so much damage has been done with centuries of white saviorism and colonial gaze.’ (9.45)
On asking local photographers for their advice: ‘I recommend you reach out to them and just talk through your ideas, talk through what it is that you want to achieve and also ask them if it’s feasible and if there’s a way that it can be done respectfully’ (13.00)
‘Doing your research will help you to be specific, and will help you to narrow down what it is you want to accomplish, what it is that you stand for.’ (18.02)
‘I feel like the photography industry transforms so many times. One moment something is ethical, the next thing it’s not. So that’s why it’s so important to be updating yourself and researching.’ (20.25)
‘Because ethics is changing, you will make mistakes and there will be things you need to unlearn. And I think you need to position yourself in a way where you’re open to unlearning.’ (23.09)
What does photo ethics mean to Anne?
‘In one word, respect. That’s what it means to me. Being respectful, being respectful of the person you’re photographing, being respectful of who that person represents, being respectful of where you’re photographing it, you know what I mean, it’s just respect. And I feel like if us photographers go into what we’re doing with respect in our minds, we’ll be able to counteract a lot of the ethical issues that are going on right now.’ (29.28)
Links:
Anne Nwakalor is the founding editor of No! Wahala Magazine, one of Africa’s first ever contemporary photography magazines dedicated to showcasing authentic visual stories told by African creatives. She’s also a photo editor, and presently works as a communication expert within the development space in the UK and Nigeria.
You can see her work at http://annealagbe.com.
Thank you to Redeye, The Photograph Network, for partnering with us to produce Season 3 of The Photo Ethics Podcast. Redeye is a not-for-profit organisation with a strong ethical focus, offering support and opportunities to help you advance your photography and your career. Find out more at http://www.redeye.org.uk.