After taking his first shot with his Canon EOS 5 Analogue camera in 2002, George Osodi, award-winning international photographer has since traversed various parts of the globe clicking away master pieces, some of which are on exhibition at the on-going Documenta 12, one of the largest art exhibitions in the world in Kassel, Germany.

Osodi has also covered many assignments for both local and international media, with his photographs published in many international and local media such as the New York Times, Time Magazine, Guardian of London, The Telegraph, USA Today, International Herald Tribune, CNN, BBC Focus on Africa Magazine among others.

In recognition of his process with the lens, Osodi clinched the first prize for Fuji African Photojournalist of the year 2004.

The photographer spoke to Daily Sun, on a number of issues including his close-shave with death during a crossfire in the Niger Delta while on duty as well as issues affecting his profession.

Typical photo expedition
When I am out on expedition, I would first settle down, especially when on assignment. Then I’d try to put down tentative list of subjects that might be appropriate for the theme and think of possible ideas as photography originates from thinking. I go out as early as possible to shoot with the sunrise, meet up with contacts, scout locations during midday and shoot; I can also do evening shots and wait for positions to shoot with the sunset if possible.

Sometimes too, I do check images on the laptop, edit some and burn backups on DVDS or save on external hard disk. If I need to send images, I can also set up satellite phone if I find myself in a place where there is Internet facility and send edited images. I also charge camera batteries and clean the camera etc.

What photography means to me
I have always seen photography as an instrument for communication and change and because I am a realist, I prefer to work with colours. With photography, the real subjects are recorded with such unsurpassed precision. I am always with my camera purposely to record every moment of interest.

Misconception about photography in Nigeria
Photography is seen as a semi–literate Profession by most people. This is due to the fact that photography was not considered an academic profession fit to have a separate department in our higher institutions compared to other professions like Medicine, Law, Estate Management, Fine Art. However, photography is also an art which involves creativity with the use of light, shade and techniques so in essence one you may not need to be “educated” to become a photographer depending on the area of photography one is interested in.

But as long as one is able to learn and know the techniques one can practice photography. However, the world is dynamic and becoming a global village and change is constant so it will be far better to be educated to become a professional photographer who can operate anywhere.

Problems of the profession
As a Nigerian photojournalist, one is faced with lots of hardship, ranging from harassments from hoodlums, security agents, especially during riots and public demonstration. Also lack of good road network could be frustrating as it is almost impossible to reach certain areas where good shots could be made.

Poor electricity supply is another major problem since it is difficult and expensive to operate equipment with low or no power supply.

The issue of copyright is critical. We are in a country where there is no effective working system and no respect for the rule of law, so people can abuse your work if they lay their hands on it.

Background
I am an indigene of Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. I studied Business Administration at the Yaba College of Technology. I worked briefly as an accounts clerk in the then SGBN, as photographer with the defunct Comet Newspaper before joining the Associated Press News Agency.

Fighting the Niger Delta war through the lens
The Niger Delta holds some of the world’s richest oil deposits, yet Nigerians living there are poor, violence is rampant, and the land and water are fouled, even as the level of government irresponsibility motivates the governed to be irresponsible. All these can be corrected. So, my job in the area is to influence change in the positive direction through my work, most of which are provocative. Hence, I like to put together works which could centre on documenting and bringing to light the social issues that define our time in the region in a compelling way to attract attention.

Abandoning banking
I wanted to be in a place where I would be more useful and creative and have more freedom. But for the financial aspect, it was difficult. Sincerely, I was not making money in the early days of my photography career. I had to move from a two bedroom apartment to a one room apartment. Also, I could no longer maintain my car or buy cloths like I used to, as photography was becoming more of an expensive venture.

But I kept the faith and had to sell my car and other property to buy my first professional camera Canon EOS 5 Analogue. Then, some friends in the industry felt I was crazy to buy such a camera in this kind of environment but I knew I needed to move ahead because I was always reading about new techniques in photography in magazines. I knew then that the cheap cameras can not achieve my mission. But today, I can say the job is rewarding and educative.

How my fiancée abandoned me
I used to have a girl friend from the high society who was not comfortable with the idea of marrying a photographer. As a young man, I had two girl friends and I love both of them but at the end of the day, the photography issue helped matters because one was not comfortable with it and the other was very proud and happy so the latter became the wife.

Photography and my family
My wife is happy with my profession. Sometimes she could be angry by complaining that the job takes me away on assignments for three months without seeing her. This makes her angry but I also try to take her along on some of my trips whenever she is on leave.

Surviving job hazards
On Saturday, March 29, 2003, I was in a hired helicopter with two other photojournalists and a reporter to take photographs of the destruction of villages in the Delta following ethnic conflicts and the pollution in the Delta. We were ordered to land at the Chevron oil terminals or face the risk of being shot at by the security forces. We were later taken back to Warri on a Chevron owned helicopter after hours of interrogation.

Also on Sunday, April 20, 2003, my canon EOSD30 digital camera and some amount of money were taken away from me by some angry mob at gunpoint. This was during a demonstration against opposition leaders in the street of Warri. In another experience on Friday, May 2, 2003, I was caught in a crossfire during a gun battle between the Ijaw militants and the Nigerian Army while trying to take photographs near a jetty in Warri. The battle lasted for more than half an hour in which I lay on swampy ground and bullets flying over me. Another one occurred on Monday, September 20, 2004.

The speedboat we were travelling in almost capsized in the sea on my way to Bonny Island when a larger vessel drove pass us. Also, On July 1, 2003, I was assaulted by the Nigerian Police while covering the labour union rally in Abuja, against fuel price hike. I was hit with riffle butts, kicked, beaten with horse whips and had my canon 1N digital camera and 20mm and 28mm to 300mm lenses destroyed by the police in the process.

Exhibitions
Some of my solo exhibitions include; A Child Of Independence, Nimbus Art Centre, Lagos, 2003, Niger Delta Chronicles In Lagos, Nimbus Art Centre, Lagos, 2003, Lagos Bomb Blast, Muson Centre, Lagos, 2002, Beyond Oil, London Rising Tide, London, 2004, Living The Highlife, British Council, NIMBUS Art Centre, Lagos, 2004, Nigeria Oil Rich Niger Delta, Ducumenta 12, Kassel, Germany, 2007. Lagos Uncelebrated, Goethe Institut Lagos, 2007. My group exhibitions include Nigeria Eviction, Amnesty International, Abuja/London 2006, Lagos Stadtansichten, Ifa, Berlin, Germany, 2004.