Meet Oluseye Akinwande

Today we’d like to introduce you to Oluseye Akinwande.

Hi Oluseye, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always been fascinated by the idea of storytelling through stills. I was always the guy with the phone camera up in any gathering taking photos and videos, reminding everyone how important it is to capture the moment. Even with my phone camera, I would get requests from family and friends to capture their special moments. After doing that for a while, I thought to myself, why don’t I give it a shot, go all in with my passion for photography, and get my first professional camera? Yes, I did it! In 2017, I bought my first professional camera Sony A 6300, with a 50mm lens. Since then, I have worked with all kinds of amazing clients, from individuals to companies and brands across several states in the US. A picture is worth a thousand words. What do we have left of special moments if they are not captured? From our baby’s first walk to birthdays, graduation, engagement, starting a business, wedding, etc. Knowing that we can look at a picture many years from now and in a moment be flooded with the emotions we once felt, somehow reliving the memory again, is what inspires me.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth journey. I knew being a new photographer would have to learn a lot, but I didn’t realize how much I did not know about composition, lighting, marketing, editing, delivery, and a lot more. I had no clue about Lightroom, Photoshop, or any editing software, but I invested a lot of months owning my craft, and now editing is one of the processes of photography I enjoy. I remember when I would stay up all night editing clients’ photos, sometimes hours and hours on one photo. My wife would wake up in the middle of the night and ask me, “are you done?” Me: no, she would go on and ask, “how many photos have you edited?” Me: “still on the same one” I am not even exaggerating; that was a major struggle.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a portrait photographer known for, Portrait, Lifestyle, and Product Photograph. However, I specialize in Portrait Photography. I am proud of the Family Portrait Session I did a while ago. In that session, I took a picture of an 85 years old woman; not too long after I delivered the client’s work, the 85-year-old woman passed away. I got invited to her funeral, and I saw the picture of her I took everywhere. It was on the program and displayed in large prints, and it reminded me of why I started photography; the entire family was so grateful and thanked me for taking the photo. It was not about the lighting or composition, but it was one I was proud of because of the difference I could make and the impact my work had on that family. I am dedicated to understanding my client’s vision and taking high-quality photos, and I always invest ample time and effort into each client’s work to deliver an excellent product. What I’m trying to say is I always over-deliver.

Had we loved to hear about any fond memories you have from growing up?
I come from a very musical family; I am the last of born 5 kids. Singing was the Highlight of every day. We would stand in a formation like a famous Pop/R&B band, crank the stereo so loud that all our neighbors could hear our music, and sing our lungs out to our favorite playlist we made on a cassette. This is my favorite memory.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sletephotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sletephotos/