Onlookers
A Photograph by Fawaz Oyedeji
The attentive boy, who glances to his right, is positioned close to the middle of the frame. There are two women above him, enclosed within a window, whose glances are equally turned sideways. Besides these three, no one in the central area of the photograph have turned likewise. That is, assuming those two garbed figures—whose mode of dressing denies us any clarity about their sightline—have chosen to look away from the immediate attraction. They are especially noteworthy for the slant in their poise, as though they wish to be omnidirectional, here and everywhere.
— Emmanuel Iduma
“If you want interesting pictures, you put yourself in front of interesting things.”
This photograph was taken at a festival in Badagry, Lagos. I had been shooting since morning with my friend, Adetona Omokanye, who is also a photographer, and this is one of the last few images I captured that day (mid-afternoon). It’s a flamboyant yet simple picture in terms of technicality, and, to me, it reaffirms the idea that, “if you want interesting pictures, you put yourself in front of interesting things.”
Although it was technically a simple image to capture, I still believe the choice of who and what (both animate and inanimate) to include in the frame, as well as how (vantage point), was solely influenced by my conscious knowledge of what I seek as a visual artist.
My approach to photography is to treat each image as a historical record, made with intentionality at every stage—from creation to presentation to preservation. I emphasize rigorous file management strategies to ensure that each work endures time, contributing meaningfully to our collective memory.
— Fawaz Oyedeji
About Fawaz Oyedeji
Fawaz Oyedeji is a documentary photographer and photojournalist from Nigeria whose practice is fueled by a deep motivation to record everyday life, as he believes in the significance of documenting not just for a superior understanding of our times, but for individuals in the future to reflect on who they are and how they got there. Much of his work examines political expression in Africa, focusing on human activity in relation to power. See more of his work on his website, Instagram, and on features in LUMA and Architectural Review.
RELATED — “Man With a Mask” by Nyancho NwaNri
While out and about in Banjul, the capital, I saw a flyer posted on the fence of the National Museum advertising the Kangkurang Festival, an annual festival founded with the mission to promote and preserve Gambia’s masquerade culture. It was just 4 days to the festival (which was happening on the opposite end of the country), but I went home, packed my bags and 3 days later was on a 5-hour bus ride to Janjangbureh.
LAST WEEK — “Nightbound Chronicles” by Soufian Chemcham
This photograph was taken on a late night in my neighborhood, from a daily routine when staying up late becomes a necessity, not just a choice. It's part of an ongoing project which I started working on at the beginning of this year when I turned 29. This provoked the question of whether multigenerational living is a supportive arrangement or a potential constraint. Like me, the majority of young men still live in our families’ houses. I'm not entirely sure if this is due to economic reasons, cultural factors, or a combination of both. Under these circumstances we use late night street gatherings to seek some privacy.
This is the 140th edition of this publication. The newsletter also read on web (best for viewing images), and via the Substack iOS/Android apps.
TENDER PHOTO is a collaborative digital archive and publishing platform of contemporary African photography, edited by Emmanuel Iduma. Our aim is to use photography to engage with life on the African continent. We publish narratives about the people, places, and events pictured in photographs, contributing to nuanced and layered perceptions.
Every Wednesday we feature a photograph, a short caption about it, and a statement from the photographer. Last year, we published commentaries or photo-essays in response to photographs previously featured on the newsletter, including CORRESPONDENCES, CONCORDANCE, KINDRED, INDEX, and AFFINITIES.
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