Documentary Photographer, Dewunmi Oshinaike Tells ABIODUN SANUSI About His Career, Childhood, Upbringing, And Other Issues

for how long have you been a photographer?

In 2016, while I was at Wazobia FM, I had a boss Mr. Senbore Oyebanjo who gave me tutorials on photo editing app, Photoshop, but I wasn’t that serious at that. that time. However, later I became consistent with photography and all its properties, and became a full-fledged professional photographer in 2018.

When, where and how did you learn photography?

I have always wanted to learn photography since I was an intern at WazobiaFM/TV in Lagos. When I went back to school, I didn’t mess with the opportunity to learn photography. During my compulsory one-year National Youth Service Corps program in Kogi State, I started taking photos during orientation camp.

When the opportunity arose to sharpen my photography skills through the development of skill acquisition entrepreneurship, I took it and was able to learn photography full time. I also learned a lot on the Internet.

For my main assignment, I was assigned to the Governor’s Office of Kogi State. There, I worked with the governor’s chief press secretary. There, I volunteered for projects that often required me to take pictures.

What schools did you attend from primary level?

For my elementary education, I attended Pelgen Nursery and Primary School in Somolu, Lagos. I then went to Igbobi High School for my junior high education; and Ajayi Crowther Memorial Senior Grammar School in Bariga, Lagos, for my upper secondary education.

I went to Lagos State Polytechnic, Surulere Annex, for a while before moving on to Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State for my Bachelors degree. I plan to go back to school for more degrees though.

What prompted you to become a documentary photographer?

Many ideas are responsible for this, especially knowing that there is a story in every image and every event. Basically, I was inspired to become a documentary photographer by the camera itself. Reading and watching other political documentary photographers makes me want to do more. Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of political documentary photography. I document the activities of Mr. Babatunde Irukera, Executive Vice President and Director General of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.

What famous people have you photographed?

During my work with Irukera, I took photos of many senior government officials, including those in the presidency. I also took pictures of kings and queens, as well as musicians and many other public figures.

How often do you train to improve in your craft?

I practice about 15 hours a week. Regardless of what happened during the day, I usually watch YouTube videos and do a thing or two. I spend a lot on data every month because I watch a lot of videos and prepare for the next day.

If you weren’t a photographer, what would you have been?

If I wasn’t a photographer, I would have been a banker, realtor, or joined the United States Army. I’ve always had a soft spot for the US military since I was a kid. Today, photography has taken all that away from me. Now everything I do is geared towards photography. Photography is now all I want to be. I can’t see myself doing anything else.

What is the highest amount you have received for a photo shoot?

The highest amount I have received for a photo shoot is a figure of six zero.

What is the lowest amount you have received for a photo shoot?

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The lowest amount I received since I started photography was N5000, and that was in 2019 when I was still struggling as a photographer. It was supposed to be a case of ‘if you do this for me, you’ll get this from me’. Although I delivered the work, there was no gain from it. I ended up suffering a loss of 45,000 naira, due to logistics and other gadgets I had borrowed for filming.

How do you handle annoying customers?

I’ve never had a troublesome customer. They are all great. The one I almost ended up being one of my biggest clients who recently referred me to jobs. The only way to deal with such customers is to be professional. Make everything formal, so that when changes happen, receipts can be brought to the table. However, I will not take clients who disrespect me or who attack me or my staff members.

How do you treat your employees?

They are very professional. They know the rules and philosophy of each event and how they should act in an emergency and I’m not there. They are very calm and are the best I could ask for.

How many staff do you have?

I currently have four staff members. They are young guys who know what they need to do differently to deliver great work to our clients. I also allow them to have hustles because their life shouldn’t always revolve around me. When there is work, I call them and we all get together.

What factors contributed to the success of your business?

People. I will never underestimate people’s love and giving. Many people have recommended me to clients and I don’t take that for granted.

What are your short and long term plans for your business?

One of the short-term objectives has been achieved. It was to shoot for an international brand. But, I still want to be independent for international organizations such as the United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Health Organization. The long-term goal is to set up a state-of-the-art studio that has everything needed for indoor and outdoor photo shoots.

What do you consider to be your greatest business achievements?

It would be about getting all my gadgets and shooting for an international brand launched in five countries.

What particular issues do photographers face in Nigeria?

One of the major problems facing Nigerian photographers is the (lack of) equipment. Most of us don’t have all the equipment we need to document or take pictures of our clients. Some borrow them at a cost. In this case, there is a lot to pay back for the borrowed equipment, and it would affect his profit. However, we have no choice but to offer our customers the best value for money.

Money is another issue. Many people want free photo shoots. Some people would only pay half the fee with the agreement that they would make payment later, but end up not keeping their end of the bargain.

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