Credulity: Into the mind of Imani Nsamila

About two years ago a young man walks into an informal meeting I was having and shouts “did you see the pictures I took?” and I turned to look at him. It was the first time Imani and I met at Buni in Dar es salaam. Full of energy, enthusiasm and childish-like infectious laughter and I knew then that I wanted to be involved with his work.

At 23 years old, a few months right after a tragic accident that left his right arm with an open fracture and a change of career within the same line of work, Imani met Hon. January Makamba (then a deputy minister for Communication, Science & Technology in Tanzania) — and it was a cradle of miraculous works of art. Living in a vibrant and a beautiful city of Dar es salaam, now Imani works as a freelance photographer focused on environment, photo journalism, political and documentary photography and here’s a walk into his mind soon after his recent work-trip in Europe.

 

 

Q: If a stranger walks right to you and wanted to know all about you in 45 seconds, how would you describe yourself?

Imani: He takes a thoughtful pause “a photographer — but I’ve been asking myself the same question for a while ‘who am I?’. Career-wise I’m a photographer that wants to capture everlasting memories, to hopefully win awards, have my works live on and impact people”.

Q: and as a person?

Imani: “I —, (he hesitates) I like to believe I am humble but I’d leave that for people to tell also I like to learn and I allow criticism. As most young Tanzanians that came from ‘normal’ life I’m keen to push boundaries and limits and that is reflected in most of the things that I do”.

Q: Let me paraphrase these questions — what do you want people to see when they see you and what to talk about when they talk about you?

Imani: “Mh well I care about what people see, talk or think about me especially if it grows me as a person and my career and if I were to control that — which I can’t — I’d say I want them to see me as a professional photographer that has dreams beyond imaginations and I’m talking about being invited for public lectures and to be recognized for my work. I’d love for people to say I have made a positive impact in their lives through photography”. Read more...