I saw his work on Facebook. He posted beautiful photos every day, Parties, church events, weddings, birthday pictures and even street photography.
I loved his approach to work so I even recommended him to some friends who needed a photographer. I didn’t know him. I only knew his work. On my 26th birthday in 2019, I decided to do a photo shoot. He was the one who came to mind.
I called him on the phone and asked for details. He told me the prices for every situation that I wanted the photos. He said, “To be on the safer side, you have to do it a week before your birthday. You know, it takes some time for the edit to be done.”
A week before my birthday I wasn’t in Accra. I was on a job errand in one of the African countries. He sent me a text asking if I could come around. I answered, “Unfortunately, I’m not in the country. I don’t even know if my birthday will meet me in Ghana. I doubt if I can make it.” He sent me a sad face emoji followed by, “I was really expecting this gig but it’s OK. Whenever you need a photographer, I’m available.”
I returned to Accra two days before my birthday and that very day I gave him a call. I said, “I’m in. If we do it tomorrow, is it possible I will get them before my birthday?” He answered, “I will do it for you. Just be here early tomorrow morning and all would be well.” I was there around 11am. We moved from his studio to the location I wanted the photos. He was professional in the way he handled me; how to pose and how to turn. He showed me the photos on his camera and everything was good. I said, “These are already good. What edit again?” He answered, “They are good. I have to make them better. You’ll get them later this evening so you can share early morning tomorrow.”
I took him back to his studio and bade him goodbye.
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I looked at my watch and it was around 9pm but the photos haven’t come. I resisted the temptation to call him because I didn’t want to sound like I was giving him pressure. Just a few minutes after 10pm I saw his call. The first thing he said was, “Hmmm, there’s a problem.” I asked, “The photos didn’t turn out well?” He answered, “Unfortunately, I lost the photos. I removed the card and gave it to one of my guys to use it. After using it, he formatted the card. He thought I’d already copied the photos on it.” I said calmly, “It means I’m not going to have birthday photos, right?” He answered, “It’s not too late. If you’re comfortable, I can come to where you are so we do an outdoor shoot. I’ll work on it right there and let you have them.” I told him, “Unfortunately it’s too late and I’m already tired. Don’t worry, I can do without the photos.”
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He was shocked that I wasn’t angry. He was surprised that I didn’t shout at him for messing up my day. He said, “Thank you. You’re one of the kind and because of that I will do it for free for you whenever you need me.” I laughed and said my good night to him. The following day, I had a very solemn birthday. I posted an old photo on my status and gave thanks to God. Friends called to wish me well and online friends also posted on my wall. It was all good. Around mid-day, I had a call from a delivery guy. The guy said, “There’s an order for you and I want to know where you are so I can deliver it.” I wasn’t expecting anything from anyone so I started asking him questions. He wasn’t able to answer who sent it and from where.
I met him halfway and took the delivery. It was a cake in a very nice package with my name written on it. My name was spelt wrongly so I figured it was from someone not very close. I opened it and saw a note that said, “Sorry I messed up your day. I know this won’t compensate for anything but it’s my small way of saying a happy birthday.” He signed off with his name. It was the photographer. I said nasally, “Awwnnnn that’s sweet.” I called to say thank you. “You shouldn’t have gone that far. I told you I’m good.” He answered, “Good isn’t enough. I still feel bad about everything.”
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So we became friends— friends from a disaster. We were not that kind of friends who talked every day, no. We could go for months without talking to each other. He would comment on my status and we’ll talk briefly. I will see photos on his timeline and write, “See beautiful photos but I’ll take some and mine would be gone with the wind.” He’ll laugh under my comment. He’ll say, “You don’t forgive, do you?” I’ll answer, “I forgive but I don’t forget the names of those I forgive.” We didn’t talk often but when we did, it was a happy day for us.
In 2020 Covid-19 hit and we all went hiding. During the lockdown, I was very down. It was one of the toughest times in my life. I was supposed to travel but it didn’t happen. A colleague I was very close to at work got the virus and died. My dad had it and I was always living in fear that I was going to lose my dad. And to make matters worse, I was alone in my room during the lockdown. I was always scared, thinking the world was coming to an end. I would wake up at dawn and pray. I wasn’t praying for anything but I realized it made me feel good. It made me feel connected to something.
One evening I had a call. It was from the photographer. He said, “A week from today is your birthday. Can we do it early enough so I don’t lose the files?” I don’t know but hearing his voice at that time brought a soothing feeling into my heart. I was scared and lonely but knowing someone was thinking about my birthday, something I’d forgotten, brought this calmness to my heart. I said, “Birthday in this pandemic? Who even cares?” He answered, “I care because I messed up the last one. I want to redeem my image.” I asked him, “Can you come home?” He answered, “Wherever you need me.”
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The next day he was at my gate knocking. Immediately after I opened the door, I heard “Kraw” followed by a flash. He said, “I’ve started.” I screamed, “I’m not even dressed up.” From there, every step I took came with a kraw and a flash. I turned left, kraw. I turned right, kraw. When I sit, kraw. When I stand, kraw. He called it freestyle. I called it “all over the place photos.” Several minutes later, we were done. He said, “Where can I sit with my computer? I’m doing everything here so enemies don’t delete the files.” He sat on my desk in the corner of my room and loaded all the photos onto his laptop. He asked me to choose. I went through them and said, “I want all of them. Every turn looks beautiful. I can’t take any out.” He started working while I went around cooking something for him.
He spent the whole day with me and it was the highest point in my life during the Covid. When he was leaving he said, “How about modelling for me sometimes. I don’t have any work to do because of the pandemic. That will keep me busy and also sharp.” A week later I was with him. Days after, he was with me. I was with him when it started raining in June. He was with me during the sunshine of August. He had proposed to me and I had said yes to him. He was calling me, “My wife, my model” and I was glowing in his presence and under his lens.
When business started picking up in 2021, he got busy and travelled a lot for work. I was no longer his model because I was also busy going up and down with work. One day he came straight to my place after a long day’s shoot with his camera around his neck. Immediately he saw me he lifted his camera and started shooting. I was giving him jovial poses and he was doing kraw…kraw. He said, “Have you thought about marriage? Is it something you’ll like to do someday soon? Will it be me?” I stopped the poses. He didn’t stop shooting. I asked, “Are you saying we should get married?” He answered, “I’m asking if you’ll marry me.”
In March 2022, we got married. On our wedding day, his guys were there to do the job but when the wedding was over and we were out there taking photos, he took the camera from them and said, “Now do your thing.” All the photos framed and posted on the walls of our house come from the now-do-your-thing moments. He has a way of capturing my best side because he has a way of bringing my best side of me out each day. We haven’t been married for so long but the little I’ve experienced with him makes me look forward to the future with a heart full of gladness. I’m looking forward to the day I’ll get pregnant and the days the kids will start coming. I can’t wait to see all those moments in photos.
A few days ago, I was in bed sleeping when he gave me a series of fast taps and said, “Wake up, wake up!” Immediately I opened my eyes, his camera flash went off followed by the shutter sound, “Kraw, kraw, kraw!!” I was going blind but he looked at the camera screen and said, “Awww that’s nice.” I jumped on him, trying to take the camera from him. I said, “It’s that how to wake a woman up? By blinding her?” We were struggling in our bed but my heart was full. I was happy. I was fulfilled. That was when I thought of our story. It was at that moment I thought of writing it and sharing it here with you. I found love and it looks like the real deal. Love in a flash and the sound of a shutter, kraw!
