The Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) and the Guild of Professional Photographers of Nigeria (GPN) have partnered to inspire and educate the upcoming generation of photojournalists as the globe commemorates World Photography Day on Monday. Through the relationship, photojournalism’s subtleties will be shown to Generation Z, along with its vital function in influencing public opinion and recording history.
The NIJ campus in Lagos hosted the event, which featured interactive sessions and lectures delivered by seasoned photojournalists. The technical know-how, storytelling approaches, and ethical considerations that set compelling photojournalism apart were presented to the participants.
Mr. Kunle Ajayi, the Photo Editor of DAILY INDEPENDENT Newspapers and an affiliate of the professional association, opened the August event by telling the stories behind almost all of the photographs on display. He stressed the value of developing young talent in the field of photojournalism.
In his remarks, Dr. Boye Ola, Deputy Provost of the National Institute of Justice, expressed a similar attitude and emphasised the importance of professional training in an age where digital media frequently conflates false information with true news.
An exhibition including some of the most famous pictures in Nigerian history, together with talks about the tales behind them, was the event’s high point. Young people were invited to interact with these images, which sparked discussions on how photography affects societal change.
A prominent visual analyst, journalist, and anthropologist gave a thought-provoking presentation at the event, which had as its theme “An Entire World and the World in My Frame.”
The lecturer, Mr. Akintunde Akinleye, discussed the difficulties and constraints of using photography to depict and capture the world. Based on his experiences as a postgraduate student at Ottawa, Canada’s Carleton Film School, the speaker discussed key theories that have influenced his perception of visual representation. He talked about Christian Metz and Roger Scruton, two influential theorists.
He claimed that the English philosopher Scruton doubted photography’s capacity to be a “genuine art of representation.” He maintained that although photography may be beautiful in terms of arrangement and harmonic aesthetics, it is not as intentional and creative as painting, which makes painting a truly representational art. Scruton argued that the mechanical aspect of photography limits it to a causal process instead of an intentional act, which limits its ability to record the whole world.
On the other hand, he claimed that in his book “Photography and Fetish,” French scholar Christian Metz explored the fetishisation of photography. He emphasised how photography and mortality are inextricably linked, especially when it comes to still photos. Metz contended that although photography seeks to depict the objective world, it also honours life and death by preserving moments that are now past.
The talk focused on the symbolic limitations and castration of photography as a means of world representation. The lecturer pointed out that photography can only record small portions of reality by design, meaning that a large portion of the world is left out of the frame. “Ilu Gangan ‘laye, oju t’oko si eniyan kan, eyin lo fi ko si elomiran,” a Yoruba adage that means “The world is like the Gangan drum with circular two faces, when one side faces you, the other side faces others,” beautifully captures this restriction.
During the ceremony, Nigerian photojournalist Kunle Ajayi was also honoured. By captioning his photographic pages with the phrase “In My Frame,” Ajayi has acknowledged the limits of photography in journalism.
The speaker claims that this caption serves as a reminder that photography is limited to showing a portion of the world, not the full thing. The talk emphasised the value of photography in portraying the world and conserving history, despite these acknowledged drawbacks.
The speaker mentioned that photography is still a vital medium for documenting and keeping the past, much as film and written texts.
A conversation about the future of visual storytelling—especially in light of newly emerging digital media technologies—took place as the program came to an end. The speaker urged the audience to think about the ways that emerging mediums like digital photography and animation might continue to influence how we perceive the world.
The world of photography is always changing along with it. Occasions such as the 2024 World Photography Day celebration at NIJ provide essential forums for considering these shifts and delving into the timeless significance of the photographic frame.
