Young and In Charge: Folajimi Olujuyigbe

In the age of social media, meeting people is a whole lot easier, meeting talented young people is one of the best things about the social media. I met our Young Person Of the Week on Instagram, and I must admit, I was blown away by his work and I knew I had to share him with you guys. Meet  Folajimi Olujuyigbe, Young Person Of The Week.

Tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Folajimi Olujuyigbe, I grew up in Ibadan, Oyo State but I live in Abuja now. I've lived here for fourteen years. I'm the first of three boys and no we didn't torment my mother...too much.

What was growing up like?
It was a lot of fun, my parents were firm as compared to strict, so I didn't get the chance to stray much, plus I was a kid who loved to play indoor and I just always thought getting in trouble was just too much TROUBLE. the brother immediately after me is a thinker...he's been writing since I can remember, he's really good if may say. The one after him can talk for Nigeria.

Tell us a little about your educational background?
I went to Oritamefa Baptist Nursery and Primary School, long name. I was at the Federal Government Academy, formerly Suleja Academy, in Suleja, Niger State. I graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State with a BSc in Demography and Social Statistics.

So what is Les Memoirs all about? What does it mean and how did the name come about?
There's a joke I always make, I say "I have a weakness for beauty, so I capture it...I'm a photographer". Don't steal, it's patented. Lol. Truly though, that's what it is, I like to capture the beautiful moments so we can always go back to those memories, hence "les Memoirs" which is French for "The Memories".

How did you go from reading Demography and Social Statistics to capturing beautiful pictures?
Truth is that I wanted to be an Engineer as a child, so I started off with Agricultural Engineering  in school and later changed. I can't brag that I'm very academic, I love to learn though.  I've always loved pictures, especially tv. Moving pictures fascinated me as a child and I got teased a lot then and this was before satellite tv was affordable, so I'd watch just about anything. My father gave me a Sony camcorder once and I recorded mainly videos I'd take a few still pictures too. One day I decided to edit a whole load of photos and give to the people I'd photographed. Most of them were so happy and seeing that joy made me happy. Plus, some people paid me, much more than it cost me to get the photos done.  #smile.

Do you see yourself mixing the both of them, Demography and Social Statistics and Les Memoirs Studios?
No, not really, except I get a job that requires taking pictures of the statics and demographics I'm supposed to be studying. If it would take me around the world though, I'd gladly accept.

What is your typical day like?
I wake up and then go back to bed, lol. The thing about my job is that I decide my working hours. Although, if I have an early shoot or event, I get out of bed early, I hate to be late. Most times though, I don't go to bed till after midnight. Editing is a major part of a photographer's life. So I'm editing or at a shoot or an event most of the time.

What do you love most about you what you do?
Freedom, there's the opportunity to breath and take time to see the beauty in everything around us and I really mean everything.

What has been your best work ever?
My best work ever will be the picture I take tomorrow, you know what they say, tomorrow never ends. Lol. To pick one photo i really like though, I'd have to say this picture of me I called "Prayer". It's one that a lot of people connect with.

What are the difficulties involved?
Difficulties? For one it's people who think that all photographers are uneducated, unrefined secondary school dropouts who had no choice but to pick up a camera. Second I'd say because photography equipment and knowledge are expensive, some clients aren't ready to pay what it takes or would rather get a cousin with a point and shoot camera to take pictures, because everyone has a camera on their phone or tablet. The awareness for quality photographs is coming back and more people appreciate the difference in getting someone who knows what they are doing.

If you weren't doing this, what would you have been doing?
If this means what's plan "B" I'd say a job with UNICEF, WHO or some other big company, but in reality, with the condition in Nigeria, I'd probably be at home frustrated that I can't get a job.

Have you ever felt like giving up on Les Memoirs Studios?
Yes, at the beginning, before i really committed, because I wasn't sure that the thing I loved to do would be appreciated enough to bring money in. Thank heavens it is, lol.

Who or what inspires you?
Who? I'd have to say my father, because he helped guide me and he kept encouraging. As to "What?", I'd have to say Beauty, the beauty you can see in anything, if you look at it from the right angle and in the right light, lol.

Considering the level of success you have attained, youths out there would be itching to know how old you are.
I'm a late bloomer, I'm thirty years old, late bloomer because I didn't find my passion until a few years ago.

Asides work, what do you do for fun?
I love watching movies, hate doing it alone though. I love swimming, not a fan of reading sadly. I love music, especially rock songs and I have a tendency to try to make people laugh.

Advice to youths that wish to follow in your footsteps.
Find your passion, everyone has a God given talent that will them happy and that they will excel at.

Where do you see yourself and Les Memoirs Studios five years from now?
Five year plan, a really nice studio and some level of specification, glamour/fashion, weddings and portraiture. A couple of international exhibitions. I'd also like to travel to capture breath taking scenes and cultures.

Picture time.

Folajimi can be reached through the following means:

Blog: www.lesmemoirsphotography.wordpress.com

Email: lesmemoirsstudios@gmail.com

Twitter: @jimi_chu

Instagram: https://twitter.com/Jimi_Chu

Phone: +2348037866970, +2348076254357