This is why Social Media Week is important to a photographer

“Photography is an art of observation, it’s about finding something interesting in ordinary place, and it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with how you see them.”

This ART has grown and developed in Ghana at a rapid pace. It has grown from pin-hole shoots to fill roll developed shots to today’s digital photography. Photography in this age is a whole new business.

With the introduction of high-resolution cameras and lenses that captures every single detail in a split second has quickened the process from shooting to publishing on social media and websites.

Photography has always been a part of telling the larger Ghanaian story from the likes James Bannor, Felicia Abban and Philip Kwame Apagya through to Bob Pixel, Steve Ababio, Nana Kofi Acquah, Apag, Yaw Pare, Seun Adatsi, Photo Gerald, OAB and Mawuli Adjabeng to capture our history a click at a time, create conversation around galamsey destroying water bodies, celebrate cultural happenings across the country, brand and sell Ghana through tourism as well as chronicling the daily struggle of Ghanaians.

Photographers like and others continue to capture key issues. Although the art continues to evolve with new upgrades (cameras, lens and filters) and improved old tricks become the new rules through social media and constant tech changes, storytelling will remain the same.

Why is Social Media Week important to a photographer?

The audience journey has changed, the stories that are being told the same way has changed and therefore has become essential for new tools of which Social Media is very crucial. The process from shoot to the final image involves taking the audience through your journey from giving them behind the scenes to rare access through Instagram stories or SnapChat.

Hence it is essential to understand how to nurture this relationship. Photography is no longer the art behind the camera, it is as much about the relationship the audience develops as much as the final product and that is where Social Media Week, Accra comes in.

There will be sessions on “how to build a digital career”, “creating content people love”, and “the power of twitter” storytelling from September 11th to 15th.