Style and Pattern

A Photograph by Light Oriye

She is patient with the photographer. She is familiar with the pleasures and treacheries of waiting, especially in the pause between the arrival of a customer and a sale. For us who look at her portrait, her patience comes with its reward: the near-choreography of the mannequins, her lean face in profile, the lengthy trails of fiery hair, the fix of her eyes. The varying shades of red in the picture, the dangle of her raised feet. And also, we might learn something of the character of stillness in the length of time between a pose and a perfect record of it.

---

Light Oriye: “My approach is simple: I try to spend as much time as possible to create a relationship.”

This portrait was taken at famed Wuse market, Abuja.

I have always been interested in this project. Soon after the lockdown, I went to the major markets and hairstyling centres in and around the city of Abuja and commenced it. At the time, I was going through a mentorship program at the 2020 Canon and Visa Pour I’image Photojournalism training where my instructor Finbarr O’Reilly told me to start a project within my area. I started off by visiting Garki market, Abuja to spend time with the stylists. Days before I started photographing, I took notes and allowed them to get used to seeing me with a camera. After spending days there I went to Garki, Nyanya, and Suleja to continue the project. 

I was particularly drawn to the length of her hair and her use or choice of colour. Oluchi is a hairstylist and vendor, and like many of her clients who spoke to me, the choice of hairstyle a lady wears today goes beyond the obvious; it is a medium of self-making.

My approach is simple: I try to spend as much time as possible to create a relationship. Relationships are a big factor to me when photographing. In the past I was photographing the aesthetics. But then meeting Finbarr brought the factor of relationships to the top of my list. 

In my photography I tend to incorporate and combine as many elements of design or arts as possible to create layers. This is the result of many years of practicing composition at the beginning of my journey. So, basically, I do my homework and get as much information on the story and go out there to experience it. 

Photography is impactful in many ways. But to summarize: it creates relationships, it is used as evidence of events, it draws empathy from its viewers, and it has a compelling power to create change.

---

Two other photographs by Light Oriye

Light Oriye’s work focuses on environmental advocacy and socioeconomic challenges faced by people in grassroots communities. Both photographs were taken in Nigeria, where he works as a photographer and filmmaker. The first photo is a portrait of Ali Ismail, as he stands in a makeshift learning centre in Odu, Kogi State, and the second is a view of a road in Jada, Adamawa State.

---

---

Last Week — Ọlájídé Ayẹni

Photography is a powerful imaging tool that can be used to shape a narrative, an idea, or an agenda about a person, people, or place. You can make people think a certain way about a certain place just by photographing it and this comes with a lot of responsibility.

Read more: Make Way For Me.

---

Support Light Oriye

Thank you for reading and sharing this feature. See more work by Light in No Wahala magazine, and follow him on Instagram.

---

Support Tender Photo

This is the 27th edition of the newsletter. Every week I feature one photograph and the photographer who took it. You’ll read a short caption from me, and a statement from the photographer. My goal is to set up conversations with the work of early to mid-career African photographers. If you know of any photographer whose work is deserving of attention, please email me with their name(s).

---

---