From shutterbug to lovebug

I had used privilege to get into the hall. My ‘tutor’ was one of the commissioned photographers at Stand Up Nigeria. All I wanted to do was go watch comedians in real life for free. I wasn’t prepared for what would happen next.

At the peak of me enjoying the show, he handed the camera to me. “Go and take pictures.”

Ehn? *looks around* Eskiss me sir.

8months prior, we had met at a photography conference. I was new to photography, had never handled a camera but I was hungry to learn. He noticed how glued I was to my notepad and on the third day, he came over to say hi. Turned out we were in the same school, so I quickly shot my shot. I asked if he would tutor me for free. He agreed on the condition that I would take it seriously. Omo, he drilled my life ehn…See me doing assignments like I was defending my thesis. He made sure I tagged along to events around campus so I could learn on the job.

This was my first time accompanying him outside campus and here I was thrust into the eye of the storm. If you’ve been to Stand Up Nigeria, you would know it’s not a small audience rara. I took the camera, shaking like a leaf in harmattan and went into the crowd. I was wearing a flowing yellow dress and all I could think of was how I was blinding people with it.

I don’t remember taking the pictures I took. I was on auto mode. Some people’s facial expressions almost sent urine crawling down my legs. It wasn’t until I returned to the stand I realised I had taken a couple of celebrities and didn’t even realise it. One of them was my crush back then. E pain me sha.

On our way back in the morning, he complemented the pictures, I didn’t do so bad. I was still blushing when he leaned in and kissed me. I never experrerit. I was like, so with all the hard guy and fufu-face this guy has been displaying, ashey he was already tripping for the girl? Oh me goist. But I secretly liked him too. My head was just doing like ambulance siren. Because of man, I forgot my glasses in the cab. Smh.

That’s how we ‘fell’ into a relationship sha. He never asked me out. We just sort of took things from there. Coupling things. Buahahaha. He went easier on me though cos now we were playing love. No more fufu-face and back-breaking assignments. Pheeew.

Photography was my first love. And through photography I found love. Ain’t that just cute? I stopped practising some years back for reasons I can’t really place but it would always be a part of me. I love all things photography like a sweet tooth loves candy. Maybe the future has something in store for me, maybe not. Time would tell.

Happy #WorldPhotographyDay to all past, present, future, amateur, professional, retired and semi-retired  photographers out there. Don’t forget to celebrate a photographer near you.

Did you ever have to give up something you loved at some point? Did you go back to it or do you have plans to?