RareMagic Academy: Empowering African Photographers to Reframe the Narrative
Lagos, Nigeria – In a world saturated with information, often riddled with misinformationand disinformation, photography has emerged as a powerful tool for truth-telling. It can preserve culture, document progress, highlight issues, and most importantly, tell stories. For Africa, a continent often misunderstood and misrepresented, photography is not just a medium, it’s a weapon against bias and a tool for empowerment.
This is the philosophy behind RareMagic Academy, a pan-African photography initiative founded by Nigerian photographer Oluseyi Adegeye. Launched in March 2023, the academy has quickly grown into a leading force in empowering Africanphotographers to tell their own stories, challenging the pervasive Western bias that has long dominated narratives about the continent.
With a community of over 15,000 members, RareMagic Academy offers hands-on training and physical photography classesacross Africa, covering everything from foundational skills to advanced courses and personal and business development. The academy’s mission is to equip African photographers with the skills and knowledge they need to not only capture stunning images but also to use their work to shape global perceptions of Africa.
Breaking Free from Colonial Narratives
Theacademy’s founder, Adegeye, emphasizes the importance of self-determination in creative expression. The only limitation that you can have as a creative is the limitation you put on yourself, he said at a recent conference in Lagos. This sentiment reflects the academy’s core mission: to empower African photographers to breakfree from the limitations imposed by colonial narratives and Western perspectives.
For too long, the world has seen Africa through a lens shaped by colonial biases. Archival photographs often depict the continent through a narrow, often negative, perspective, while modern reporting frequently perpetuates these biases. RareMagic Academy aims to dismantle these harmful narrativesby providing African photographers with the tools and platform to tell their own stories, showcasing the continent’s vibrant culture, diverse landscapes, and rich history.
A Multifaceted Approach to Empowerment
RareMagic Academy’s approach to empowerment is multifaceted. In addition to its training programs, the academy offers a range ofresources and platforms to support its members, including:
- The MagicMind podcast: Featuring engaging conversations with industry experts, the podcast provides valuable insights and inspiration for aspiring and established photographers.
- A community WhatsApp group: This platform connects members, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and a sense of community.
- Online courses: The academy offers online courses such as The Ultimate Facebook Course for Photographers and Magic Contract Templates for Photographers, providing practical skills and tools for success.
Reframing the Narrative, One Image at a Time
RareMagic Academy’s work is not just about teaching photography; it’s about empowering African photographers to become storytellers, cultural ambassadors, and agents of change. By providing them with the tools and platform to tell their own stories, the academy is helping to reshape the narrative about Africa, one image at a time.
As the academy continues to grow, its impact on the African photographylandscape is undeniable. RareMagic Academy is not just building a community; it’s building a movement, one that is challenging the status quo and empowering African photographers to tell their stories, their way.
Views: 0