Adedoyin: I’m Adedoyin Aderomola MacWatson, a documentary and fine art photographer from Ogun State, Nigeria. My practice is rooted in storytelling—preserving culture,  memory, and the quiet complexities of African life. With a background in Dramatic Arts from Obafemi Awolowo University, I approach photography with a strong  sense of narrative and composition. Over time, my work has expanded across  several African countries, where I document lived experiences, traditions, and  spaces that hold historical and emotional weight. 

Flickr: How would you describe your style or preferred genre as a photographer? 

AAM: My work exists between documentary and fine art. I document what is real, but I am  intentional about how it is seen. I’m drawn to themes of identity, ritual, memory,  and communal existence often exploring African heritage in ways that feel both intimate and expansive. 

Flickr: What inspires you to shoot at a specific location? 

AAM: I’m drawn to locations that carry memory, spaces that hold history, presence, and  cultural weight. My approach is deeply rooted in Africanism, where space is not just  physical, but lived, inhabited, and spiritually resonant. 

I’m often inspired by places shaped by communal life, ancestral connections, and  indigenous knowledge systems. This includes cultural festivals and traditional  practices—moments where heritage is not remembered quietly, but performed,  embodied, and passed on. In these spaces, there is movement, symbolism, and a  continuity between past and present that I find compelling. 

In many African contexts, land is layered with meaning; it holds stories, rituals, and  identities. Whether it’s a sacred site or an everyday environment, I’m drawn to  places where something has been preserved, visibly or invisibly over time. 

My interest is not just in what a place looks like, but in what it represents and how  people exist within it. Through my work, I aim to document and preserve these  environments, especially as many are evolving or at risk of being overlooked,  creating images that function as both visual records and cultural reflections. 

Flickr: What gear or tools are essential to your workflow, and do you have a favorite  camera setup?

AAM: My workflow is built on simplicity and efficiency. I rely on lightweight, reliable gear  that allows me to move freely, especially when working in dynamic environments.  As a drone pilot, aerial tools are also essential, they allow me to explore perspective, scale, and spatial relationships in ways that ground level shooting cannot. 

Flickr: What message or feeling do you want viewers to take away from your work?

AAM: I want my work to linger, to create reflection, connection, and a sense of presence. 

At its core, my practice is about shifting the African narrative, presenting our culture  and values with honesty, depth, and intention. I’m interested in showing what is  often overlooked, not as spectacle, but as lived experience and identity. 

If the work can challenge perception while holding truth, then it has done its job. 

Flickr: Is there a body of work, project, or specific photo that feels especially  meaningful to you right now? Can you share the story behind this? 

AAM: A project that feels especially meaningful to me right now is ILÀ: Don’t Take Away  My Identity. It explores tribal marks as powerful symbols of identity, heritage, and  belonging in West Africa, particularly in southwestern Nigeria. These marks are  more than facial scars—they are living archives of lineage and cultural history, now  gradually disappearing due to changing social perceptions. 

Through photography, video, and oral histories, I am documenting these markings  across Yoruba communities in Nigeria and the Benin Republic, preserving their  meaning as expressions of identity. ILÀ is both a form of documentation and a  reclamation of narrative. 

The project is currently in development, and I am actively seeking funding and  support to bring it to life through an exhibition and a photobook. 

Flickr: You’re also a member of Black Women Photographers, can you share your  experience being part of the community? 

AAM: Being part of the Black Women Photographers community has been grounding. It’s a space of visibility, support, and shared experience. It has connected me with other  photographers whose perspectives continue to shape and challenge my own. 

To contribute to the visual landscape as a Black woman photographer today means  to document with intention, to preserve narratives that are often overlooked, and to  do so with care and authenticity.

For emerging photographers, I would say: trust your voice early. Your perspective is  your strength, don’t dilute it trying to fit into existing spaces. 

Flickr: Besides photography, what are some other passions of yours? 

AAM: Besides photography, I enjoy collecting perfumes, there’s something about scent  that feels deeply tied to memory and identity, much like my work. I also value  stillness and intentional “me time,” moments to pause and reset outside of creating.  I’m very family-oriented, so when I’m not working, I spend a lot of time with my  family and close friends. Those connections keep me grounded and present. 

Flickr: What is the best way for people to reach out to you? 

AAM: I’m open to collaborations, commissions, and conversations. The best way to reach me is through my social platforms (instagram: @macwatsonphotography) or email (macwatsonphotos@gmail.com), where I share ongoing projects and  updates.

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Gigi Mazina: I’m Gigi Mazina, an Atlanta-based photographer originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, working within beauty and editorial portraiture. My relationship with photography began unexpectedly during a trip to Senegal in February 2025. I had purchased my Sony a6100 simply to document the experience. But soon something shifted once I began observing light, color, and composition more closely. What started as curiosity quickly evolved into a deeper pursuit. I became interested not just in capturing images, but in constructing them with intention.

That moment marked the beginning of a practice rooted in exploration, discipline, and a growing visual language that continues to evolve with each shoot.

Flickr: How would you describe your style or preferred genre as a photographer?

GM: My work exists at the intersection of beauty and editorial, with a strong emphasis on control, contrast, and visual tension. I’m drawn to images that feel both precise and emotionally charged. Images where every element within the frame is considered, yet still leaves room for interpretation.

My Congolese background plays a significant role in shaping my approach to color. Growing up around richly patterned fabrics and expressive use of color has influenced how I see contrast and harmony. I’m naturally drawn to bold, saturated tones and deliberate color pairings that create impact while maintaining balance. There’s an instinctive pull toward color as both structure and emotion in my work.

Flickr: What inspires you to shoot at a specific location?

GM: I’m interested in spaces that either simplify the image or introduce a subtle tension. Often, I gravitate toward minimal environments where I can fully control light and color, allowing the subject to exist without distraction. Other times, I’m drawn to locations that offer contrast. Whether through texture, environment, or natural elements. For me, the location should support the image, not compete with it. It’s about creating a setting where the subject feels intentional within the frame.

Flickr: What gear or tools are essential to your workflow, and do you have a favorite camera setup?

GM: I shoot with a Sony a6100, and I’ve intentionally kept my setup simple. For me, the focus has always been on understanding light, composition, and direction rather than relying on equipment. My process is built around control. How light shapes the subject, how the model moves within the frame, and how each detail contributes to the final image.

Post-production is also a critical part of my workflow. It’s where refinement happens by enhancing texture, preserving clarity, and ensuring that the image maintains both precision and feeling.

Flickr: What message or feeling do you want viewers to take away from your work?

GM: I want my images to feel intentional, bold, and quietly powerful. There’s often a sense of stillness in my work, but also a tension that invites the viewer to look longer. I’m interested in how presence can be communicated through subtle details…through gaze, posture, color, and light.

Ultimately, I want the subject to feel undeniable within the frame.

Flickr: Is there a body of work, project, or specific photo that feels especially meaningful to you right now? Can you share the story behind this? 

GM: My series Face Value is particularly meaningful to me at this stage. It explores ideas of surface, perception, and visual control through tightly framed beauty portraits. By isolating the face against minimal backgrounds, I’m able to shift the viewer’s attention toward texture, color, and contrast.

The series plays with opposing elements; gloss against matte, softness against precision. The shoot questions how beauty is constructed and perceived. It reflects my interest in stripping an image down to its essentials while still creating something visually striking and emotionally resonant.

Flickr: You’re also a member of Black Women Photographers – can you share a bit about your experiences being a part of the BWP community? 

GM: Being part of the Black Women Photographers community has been both grounding and expansive. I’ve connected with several photographers within the network, and those interactions have directly influenced my growth. I’ve had the opportunity to ask questions about camera settings, gain insight into different approaches, and even take a lighting class with one of the photographers.

There’s something powerful about learning within a space where knowledge is shared openly. It reinforces the idea that growth doesn’t have to happen in isolation.

Flickr: What does it mean to you to contribute to the visual landscape as a Black woman photographer today?

GM: It means creating with intention and clarity, while also expanding representation beyond what has traditionally been seen. There’s a responsibility, but also a freedom to show depth, control, and nuance in how we represent ourselves and others.

For me, it’s about contributing work that feels both personal and considered, while pushing visual boundaries in subtle but impactful ways.

Flickr: What would you want emerging Black women photographers to know as they build their path?

GM: Trust your instincts early. Your eye is already forming, even before you fully understand it. The most important thing is to keep creating with intention and consistency. Over time, your voice becomes clearer and not through validation, but through practice.

Flickr: Anything else you’d like to share about your experience? 

GM: I see my work as something that is constantly evolving. Each shoot builds on the last, refining both my technical approach and my visual language. I’m interested in the process just as much as the outcome, and I think that openness to growth is what continues to push my work forward.

Flickr: Besides photography, what are some other passions of yours?

GM: I’m deeply interested in art, art direction, and visual storytelling beyond the frame. I’m also professionally grounded in my career, which has shaped my discipline, structure, and attention to detail. I believe these qualities naturally carry into my creative practice.

You can find Gigi and connect with her on Instagram at @gigimazina, and follow along on her Flickr page too.

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