The “New Photography” series at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has received criticism in recent editions for being too conceptual and lacking cohesiveness. However, the latest installment brings a refreshing change, putting an end to the losing streak. For the first time in the series’ history, “New Photography” focuses on photographers with ties to Lagos, Nigeria, also known as Èkó in the Yoruba language. This shift in geographic perspective is a significant milestone, as African art, especially African photography, has rarely been given prominence at MoMA.

Curated by Oluremi C. Onabanjo, the exhibition challenges conventional notions of documenting a city and its people through photography. Instead of featuring a large group of artists as in previous editions, Onabanjo selects only seven artists, allowing for a more in-depth exploration of their practices. Each artist finds innovative ways to pay homage to the citizens and history of Lagos, blending conceptual approaches with more traditional techniques. The common thread among all the artists is a fascination with the medium of photography itself—its purpose, audience, and revelatory potential.

Among the featured artists, Logo Oluwamuyiwa stands out with his captivating black-and-white photographs of Lagos. He employs oblique angles and distorted perspectives to provide a fresh view of the city. In his work “Oil Wonders II” (2018), an upside-down shot reveals two standing figures with only their sandaled feet visible at the bottom. Above them, a reflective puddle exposes their upper bodies. Oluwamuyiwa’s prints, vinyl wallpapers, and films redefine our perception of Lagos, challenging us to see it from unconventional angles.

Karl Ohiri‘s project, Lagos Studios Archives, collects damaged studio portraits that reflect the passage of time. The scanned and re-photographed images display bruises and discoloration, showcasing their own haunting beauty. Kelani Abass also incorporates family photographs from the past, repurposing them in her own work through letterpress techniques.

In this groundbreaking “New Photography” show, MoMA finally breaks free from its previous shortcomings, offering an engaging and cohesive exploration of Lagos’s vibrant artistic talent. By shining a spotlight on these photographers, the exhibition not only celebrates their individual contributions but also creates a platform for African photography to thrive within the art world.

Head to the MoMA’s website for more information.

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I’m done with it. Seriously.

As a 6’1” guy with 20+ years in the Army National Guard and a lot of construction projects behind me, I’m fairly used to carrying heavy things. Recently, my wife and our three kids (all under five years old) took an overnight flight to Lisbon, Portugal. Traveling from La Crosse to Amsterdam via Minneapolis with only one flight left, the airline gave away my seat to someone else — just my seat, of course. According to their system, I never showed up at the La Crosse airport despite getting on two planes thus far and everyone in my party traveling with me. Nevertheless, I was stuck in Amsterdam alone, waiting for the next flight, while the rest of our group went to Portugal without me so the kids could get there before nighttime.

The Epiphany

Prior to this seat-being-given-away episode, we had been awake for 22 hours and just raced across Schiphol Airport because of a short layover. When I say race, I mean fast walking with two or three of the kids in a stroller and 42 lbs of camera gear in my backpack. For this trip, I had four lenses, two Canon mirrorless bodies (an R5 and R6 II), an Insta360 X3, a Profoto A2 flash, two microphones (I had no use for even one mic), and two ball heads, among other countless accessories. That’s not even counting my tripod in our carry-on. I decided to pack lighter after a trip to Hawaii with the kids in December. How did I do this time? I left my drone at home, mostly because of the confusing drone laws in Europe. But hey, I felt pretty proud about reducing my kit!

At this point, I was standing at Schiphol’s epicenter, where they reschedule all the flights (it’s a big operation to fix things as often as they need to). Before I found a stale baguette sandwich with my $12 food voucher, I had an epiphany. This epiphany was mostly through discomfort and soreness, along with not showering for a day, but an epiphany nonetheless. The truth is, even though I brought all this stuff, I rarely used much of it while on past vacations. I mainly just get a psychological boost knowing I can access it if I need it. In the midst of this catharsis, I decided I didn’t need most of my gear. To take architectural photos and candid moments, I need (well, want) a wide and mid-range lens, respectively. My camera needs to be stabilized long enough for some of those, so I also needed some sort of tripod. That’s it, nothing more.

Rather than thinking I could access everything during this adventure, I decided at the airport that I would just stick to the essentials. It was easier to free myself from my gear if I limited my mind beforehand. I identified three key components of this strategy.

Lens Selection

In preparation for this endeavor, I spent a lot of time thinking about my lenses. On previous trips, I switched between a wide zoom (maybe 90% of the time) and a telephoto (the other 10%). This worked fine before kids, but I wanted to minimize lens changes so I could focus on the moments. Keeping this in mind, I bought the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 beforehand. Even though I’m a recovering gear nerd, my inner technical snob questioned the f/4 aperture, but I liked the idea of a small and light lens. Honestly, I can’t say enough great things about this lens. While it’s not a wide enough focal length for some places like European churches, I used it for 90% of the trip.  Between this and my RF 15-35 f/2.8, I had everything covered with two lenses instead of four.

Tripod

I’ve already been moving away from using a tripod since I discovered the Platypod 4-5 years ago. I believe that compelling images show you the world in a way you’re not used to seeing it. When I use a Platypod, I can get the camera low while only using just enough room in my bag to fit an iPad mini and with something that weighs less than 10 oz. Apart from self-portraits and possibly using it as a light stand with the new Platypod Handle, my tripod has almost become obsolete.                                  

Camera Bag

I’ve been using the Peter McKinnon 35L bag from Nomatic and the Peak Design Everyday Messenger bag for travel (both amazing bags). These are both really nice, but I didn’t want to carry the backpack all day, and the messenger bag didn’t fit in our luggage amid all the other stuff. At the last minute, before leaving for the airport, I remembered a small sling bag Canon sent me with a new camera purchase recently and put it in our carry-on. As part of this airport epiphany, I decided to use only what I could fit into this bag the size of a small purse. Surprisingly, I was able to include the RF 15-35mm, Profoto A2 flash, a ball head, and my Platypod Extreme with some ND filters.

So, How Did It Go?

I loved it! Limiting what I used allowed me to create better photos. Although I didn’t do as much architectural photography as I usually do (three kids under five), my work was better than anything I’ve ever done before. I also felt more confident knowing I didn’t have to take all these things. I might still bring a backup camera body in my carry-on, but now that the iPhone is so amazing, I’m even doubtful about that.

For all those who feel like they need to bring it all, it’s OK to leave some things behind. To be blunt, you should distill your kit down to the essence of what matters to you.

I played on the JV golf team in high school for a few years (free green fees were a nice perk), and our coach once had us do a round with just a 5-iron, pitching wedge, and putter. It was the best score of my life.

As we anticipate the announcement of the five winners of the Contemporary African Photography prize, we’ve handpicked a selection of our favourite projects.