Accolades as female photographer, TY Bello, bags 2018 COWLSO Inspirational Woman Award
The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, presenting the 2018 COWLSO Inspirational Award to TY Bello.
Based on her outstanding achievements in still picture documentaries and photography across the country and beyond, one of the Nigeria’s foremost photographers, Mrs. Toyin Sokefun-Bello, popularly known as TY Bello, has been chosen as the Inspirational Woman of the Year 2018 by the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) and awarded during the 18th edition of COWLSO’s National Women’s Conference held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.
While decorating the awardee, the Specially Guest of Honour, the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, specifically commended COWLSO for identifying and honouring women who have carved out a niche for themselves in their various career, saying the gesture is an incentive and stimulation for the women folk.
Profile of TY Bello
TY Bello is a female photographer who lives in Lagos, Nigeria. She came into the limelight through her membership of talented photography collective Depth of Field and has also inspired the public since 2000’s with her award winning songs.
Bello has since gone on to earn the reputation as one of Nigeria’s foremost photographers.
Her evocative images never fail to house emotions. They have made her one of the most applauded and keenly sought-after portrait photographers in the country. Indeed, she has the unique distinction of having photographed three sitting Nigerian Presidents.
Her documentary and portrait works which have been widely applauded and shown at venues at home and abroad including Goethe Institute, Lagos; French Cultural Center, Lagos; African Photography Biennial, Bamako; Mali Bratislava-Slovakia 2, Palais des Bozart; Brussels Belgium; If Gallery Berlin and Stuttgart Germany, South London Gallery, London, Berlin Photography Festival; ICP International Center of Photography, New York.
Some of her bodies of work include: Womanhood – a portrait study of the different stages of Womanhood and the emotional metamorphosis that take place through her lifespan; Fanti – an ongoing documentary of the Lagos festival; Making an Entrance – an ongoing documentary on the evolution of contemporary African dance. Others include Inspiration for the Little Saints; Friends of the Veranda Man; The Future is Ours; Hip Africa (A) and (B); Take my Hand, etc.
Mentored by some great photographers such as Akinbode Adebiyi, Jide Adeniyi Jones and the late Tim Hetherington, Bello has earned various awards including The Special Prize of the jury-FUJI African Press Photography Award.
She currently photographs in Lagos and is committed to sharing her work and knowledge through workshops and trainings.
