Artist Feature: Adaeze Okaro
Born and raised in Enugu state, Nigeria, Adaeze Okaro is a self- taught photographer. She centers her work around portraiture, fine art, documentary imagery, and fashion photography Abuja of Nigeria, where she lives. She has been taking photos since March 2017. She began taking fashion portraits with her iPhone 5s at the time. In September of 2018, she started taking photos professionally. That same year of November, she got commissioned for her first project for Dove. Adaeze Okaro loved the arts as a child. Wanted to be an artist as a child but then fell in love her parent’s professions but not enough to be amazing medical doctor as they were. She failed terribly at math & other science related classes. At age 8, she picked up a film camera in her garage at home in Enugu, Nigeria. Owned at first by one of her brothers who had used it too. But when she held it in her hands, she never wanted to let go after. She wanted to take it everywhere with her and take photos with it. She really loved how it worked and has been in love with cameras & any device that can pause time or a moment forever of all sorts ever since. Obiageli’s work features Black women and men in colorful, lucid portraits that are deeply infused with cultural traces of her origins. Inspired by black beauty, love, melancholy & Saturday/ Sunday mornings of watching her fashion killa of a mom getting ready for her Saturday functions and church Sunday service. Adaeze has had her work internationally published and featured by Vogue Italia’s Photo Vogue, WePresent,, It’s Nice That. With her work for companies like Dove, Getty Images, Girlgaze, VSCO, Adobe, Adobe Stock, Adobe Lightroom and more, Obiageli’s work continues to showcase the beauty of Black women while aiming to dismantle barriers and stereotypes surrounding Black women, one photograph at a time.
Photos by Adaeze Okaro
Q: Can you share something you've learned from creating this body of work that would resonate with our community?
A: There’s so much history, beauty, cultures, experiences and a few shoots won’t ever be enough to tell the entire story or show it. I just love showing who I am, where I’m from and everything about it when I create. When I don’t do that, it’s like I’m missing a huge part of my work. And my work is me. I’ve learnt to always let my origins show in my work. From the hair, to the styling to the makeup, to everything really. I want you to know where I’m from or least to find out.
Q: Tell us about your work process! Do you plan your images ahead or are you more improvisational?
A: I have a photography journal. Soon as a shoot idea comes to my head, that’s where I write it all. I carry it everywhere with me in my tote bag. Most of shoots aren’t planned. About 70% of my shoots aren’t planned while the rest are planned from the minute I think about it to post production.
Photos by Adaeze Okaro
Q: What is your advice to young and aspiring photographers?
A: Be yourself. Don’t ever trade it for anything else. While you’re trying to copy another artist you might find your own originality as an artist gradually fade. That’s what’s makes you, that what makes your stand out. I’m so old now & I’ve grown to not care when people call my work weird, witchy and all the many things I’ve been told about my work and artistry. You don’t have to agree to every opportunity that comes your way, especially when your gut says no. Great and genuine things will come to you and when they do you’ll know. Team work is beautiful. Ask your friends nicely to join you for your test shoots or ask them to model for you. So much inspiration comes from photographing your loved ones. You will create beautiful moments.
Q: What does being a feminist mean to you?
A: For me, it means emancipation. For all the women around me, all over the world and for me. Feminism is women having the same rights and opportunities as men, and to rebalance power so that women have real agency as to what happens to them, their bodies, their education, their hair, who they want want to be, everything. It means owning my identity in all it’s aspects. It has absolutely nothing to do with hating men, or taking away things that matter to them from them. It’s about equality. It means so many things, it means equal pay, it means equal opportunities and most importantly an equal say.
Photos by Adaeze Okaro
Q: Do you have any upcoming events, exhibitions, or news you'd like to share?
A: I have 2 incredible international exhibitions coming up in the next few months that I can’t talk about quite yet. But I’m really excited about them and can’t wait to share my new work with the world.
Q: How are you celebrating Black Herstory Month?
A: I believe I celebrate black history month every other month. But this month the only different thing is that when I make my next NFT Sale (hopefully It’s this month) I want to onboard as many black women into the space, with a portion of my sale and also support the amazing ones who are already in the space. While also supporting the super talented black creatives all around me, creating new work dedicated to black beauty and different black experiences.
Photos by Adaeze Okaro
Follow @adaezeokaro and view more at foundation.app/@adaezeokaro
