I took the image “Nuerki” in January 2020 during my first stay in Accra, Ghana. It was captured during a break in the middle of a photo shoot. Nuerki, the model, was resting on the steps of a house entrance when a local boy walked by, curiously watching us. I waited until he was in just the right position and captured the moment with my iPhone 8. It was originally more of a behind-the-scenes shot for myself. I wasn’t even the official photographer on set—I was responsible for the model’s makeup and hair.

 

Prepping this traditional hairstyle had taken three full hours, all done on the veranda of my friend Yussif, who is a photographer friend in Accra.

Yes, I’ve been working as a professional hair and makeup artist for 17 years. I spend a lot of time immersed in beauty, fashion, and photography in general, and I often have a strong visual concept in my mind when I work on a project. Over time, I realized that I had a very specific image in my head—sometimes different from how photographers would capture my work. I started taking photos myself with my phone, mostly as behind-the- scenes content. Interestingly, some of the photographers began drawing inspiration from my shots or even asked my for advise.

Eventually, I noticed that I had a good photographic eye for spotting and feeling the right moment. I began creating more of my own images and collecting them. It felt incredibly rewarding to discover a creative outlet that allowed me to fully express my own perspective, emotions, and aesthetics. As a makeup artist, I’m always part of a bigger team, but photography—especially documentary photography—is purely mine. It’s my eye, my timing, and my emotion.

My photography lives somewhere between documentary and emotional archive. It’s not about creating something loud, but about preserving something real. Every image I take holds a memory I didn’t want to lose—and my hope is that it stirs something in others, too.

I first traveled to Ghana in December 2019. As a child, I always dreamed of experiencing African culture and traveling the continent. In the summer of 2019, I decided to escape Berlin’s cold, grey winter and spend that time in Ghana.

The moment I arrived and felt the energy of Accra, I knew it was exactly what I had been searching for. Since then, I’ve spent five more winters in Ghana, and I consider it a second home because of the friendships and experiences I’ve built there.

Being there sparked something in me creatively. The rhythm of Accra, the light, the faces, the spontaneous choreography of everyday life—it all inspires me to see and feel more deeply. Everything was new, emotionally moving, and full of contrast. Over the course of five trips, I captured so many images that in 2023, I published a photo book featuring my work from Ghana. The photo “Nuerki” is the cover image of my coffee table book "Ayalolo."

I’m drawn to moments that move me emotionally. With my most meaningful images, I always felt something special—something that still resonates when I look at them and recall that exact moment. My biggest wish is to evoke that same feeling in others who view my work.

I’m especially inspired by people and light, colors and shapes—but also by little, funny moments in everyday life. I rarely feel this kind of inspiration in my usual environment in Berlin. But when I travel, I always keep my phone ready for spontaneous moments that can disappear in a split second. And if I miss them, I’m annoyed with myself for a while.

 

As a visual person, I don’t seek perfection—I seek presence.

I don’t have any fixed plans, but I know the next journey will come—with new impressions and moments that need to be captured. Maybe there’ll be a second book one day or an exhibition..... I like to let things unfold naturally.

James Barnor, Helmut Newton, Viviane Sassen, Tyler Mitchell, Tarek Mawad, and Jude Lartey just to name a few...