… As new fad attracts more fans nationwide
By Kate Halim
Taking professional photographs for different occasions is now the in-thing. It is common to see birthday celebrants, expectant mothers, would-be brides and grooms as well as graduating students go to photo studios to take some shots.
While scrolling through different social media platforms, one would see pictures of birthday celebrants taken in well-lit studios, pregnant women baring their baby bumps, and couples wearing the same outfits and posing lovingly to mark their engagement. Some couples even release their pre-wedding pictures on social media these days before D-day.
Saturday Sun spoke to some men and women who take professional photographs to mark special occasions in their lives and they revealed why they do it. While some say they do it to create beautiful memories, others say they do it just for fun.
A content creator and entrepreneur, Tolulope Harry confessed that she does birthday photo shoots because she loves posing for pictures. The mother of two added that she also does it for content creation on social media and because it helps her save memories.
Harry said: “I just love posing for pictures. I started doing birthday photo shoots in 2014 but I didn’t do pregnancy photo shoots because I feel pregnancy takes away my shine. I skipped doing a photo shoot in 2016 because I was heavily pregnant. I also did a photo shoot after I got my master’s degree.”
Harry stated that she doesn’t do sessions but just poses for four to five shots. She added that there is no fixed price for the shoots because it depends on the studio, the location and the number of dresses involved.
“It costs nothing less than N5000 though. It is not stressful because I rarely wear several dresses. I use two outfits maximum for every photo shoot I have done”, Harry added.
Speaking further, the mother of two noted that no one has berated her for doing birthday photo shoots every year. But she was quick to add that her parents and husband used to initially attribute it to being vain but they have come around and are usually the first people to ask for the pictures and use them as wallpapers.
She said that even though posing for pictures makes her happy, it is sometimes tiring but she won’t have it any other way. She said she looks forward to doing more photo shoots to celebrate special days and her achievements because it makes her feel beautiful.
Meg Michael, a seamstress based in Lagos told Saturday Sun that she loves doing birthday photo shoots because she loves the look, makeup, and changing into different clothes, even though it’s stressful. “I spend the whole day in the studio whenever I’m having birthday photo shoots. I love the different camera shots and the beautiful background from a professional perspective.”
Michael who studied Mass Communication stated that people compliment her birthday pictures a lot because a lot of time and efforts go into them.
When it comes to how much she spends on these photo shoots, the Akwa Ibom State indigene revealed that it depends on the number of clothes she wants to wear. She said: “If I have to get new clothes, I make them or buy some if need be. I get new accessories such as earrings, headgear, wig, and shoes. I pay for professional makeup too. If you are to estimate most times, it will cost from N70,000 upwards depending on how much you are willing to spend.”
Having done birthday photo shoots for four birthdays and counting, Michael said she loves how seeing the professional pictures make her look beautiful. She added that she appreciates herself more whenever she looks at her professional birthday pictures because she looks different but beautiful.
Annabel Chinedu said she has done birthday photo shoots for years now just for memory’s sake. She added that she felt it won’t be bad to know how beautiful she looks with makeup and studio extra light.
The businesswoman said that even though doing a birthday photo shoot costs her money, time and effort; she doesn’t mind devoting one day to doing that as long as she gets what she wants at the end of the day. She added that posing for birthday photos makes her appreciate how far she has come and fills her with optimism for the New Year about to begin.
“Some people ask me why I do what I do to celebrate my birthdays and I tell them that being alive to witness another year is a big deal so I take time to do what I love which includes wearing beautiful dresses, doing professional makeup and walking into a studio to capture different shots of myself. It is also an opportunity for me to pat myself on the back for everything I have overcome the previous year,” she added.
Mr Emmanuel Nworah said he loves posing for photographs more than his wife does and it causes fights between them sometimes. “I love taking pictures. I take pictures almost every day but I don’t miss going to the studio to take birthday shots to celebrate myself. My wife doesn’t like that I do this and it causes misunderstandings between us sometimes but I begged her to let me be. Now, she joins me in the studio when I am taking birthday pictures”, Nworah said.
Nworah, who turned 50 last year, revealed that he spent time and money on his birthday photo shoot because it was a landmark birthday. He added that he did that also because he suffered a huge loss in 2020 and he was thankful for life and good health. He said that he took three clothes to a photo studio close to his house and posed for some shots. He stated that his wife loved the pictures and splashed them on her Facebook wall and on her WhatsApp status on his birthday.
The father of four said that in 2020, he lost one of his shops and all the goods inside to a fire outbreak. “I didn’t remove a pin from my shop. I watched helplessly as all my years of hard work went up in flames. It was as if I was going to die. My blood pressure rose and I mourned the loss of money for months. My wife stood by me and we overcame those trying times. So for my birthday last year, I took time out to take professional pictures to celebrate God’s faithfulness in my life and family.”
Nwamaka Johnny said that it took her almost four years to get pregnant after she got married. She stated that when she finally got pregnant, her husband had to beg her to stop going to the photo studio on their street to pose for pictures. “I was so happy that I would finally be a mum. I bought new dresses every three months and go to a photo studio to pose for pictures. My husband got tired of me baring the baby bump that he begged to me to stop doing that but I had to explain to him that it makes me happy. So he supported me”, she said.
The mother of one recalled that her pregnancy was smooth and peaceful. She said that she didn’t go through some drastic body changes that some women go through during pregnancy and it made her very happy that she was beautiful even while pregnant. “My friend is a makeup artist, so she doesn’t charge me too much to glam my face. She comes to my house and does a makeover for me, then we go to the photo studio together and she hails me as I bare my bump for the camera.” Johnny recalled that the last pregnancy photo shoot she did took place a week before her due date of delivery. She stated that her bump had gotten bigger and it took her time to get ready for the shoot, unlike the ones she had in the past. She added that she did it when her husband was out of town because she didn’t want him to discourage her from seeing how she looked just before she became a mother.
“My last pregnancy photo shoot before I gave birth to my son was simple. I wore a free top and a pair of jean trousers just to show off my bump one last time before delivery. I didn’t do makeup. I told my friend not to come because I wanted it to be simple and fast. I wore the wig my husband bought for me after we marked our third wedding anniversary. It was something light and it served as a beautiful memory for me.” Johnny said she kept her pregnancy pictures away from social media until she gave birth. She added that a week after she welcomed her son, she now posted all the pregnancy pictures on social media while announcing the arrival of her son. She stated that she did that because her mother told her that one should be careful on social media because of evil people.