Hello, Art Lovers!We have another creative in the house today and his name is Olawale Ololade Moshood. Olawale is popularly known as Ladetive. He’s based in Ogun State, Nigeria.Olawale is a professional photographer and he is juggling art with school. He’s a student at the Lagos State University and studies Banking and Finance there. We will be talking about Olawale’s journey into the art world.

How would you describe your art?

Well, I would describe my art as fine art photography. That’s the category it falls into.

What attracted you to go into that style of art?

I guess my friends encouraged me to go into fine art. My circle is filled with talented creatives ranging from photographers, paint artists to graphic designers. I believe seeing them create amazing content always motivated me to do more.

What is your work process like? I would like to have an understanding of that.

My work process is a really weird one…lol. I might have the urge to create content every day for 1 week. On other days when the urge to create isn’t there, I just want to admire works from amazing creators or drown myself in doing some trial and error art using Photoshop. I experiment with my old works just to gain more insight into my art.

How did your art journey begin?

My art journey started before I was even born. My dad is a film producer and that journey started with him. I went to film school so I could learn from him. I was literally forced to learn film making when I was much younger because I spent my time hanging out with my friends. I guess I fell in love with photography at 17 after secondary school while waiting to get admitted into the university. Photography was like my only reason to stay sane back then as it kept me busy and occupied. I kept practicing the skill I picked up from my dad at home and in a very little time, I started getting nice comments on my photos and that really inspired me to do more. Here I am today, I can’t even imagine what my life would look like without photography. Now, I wish I had paid more attention to the talent when I was much younger maybe I would have thought of shooting the “Lucynder” piece earlier.

What was your first professional photograph and how did that make you feel?

I can’t particularly say what my first professional photograph is because as I grew up, I had started taking pictures with a professional camera and I can’t pinpoint the exact photograph where I became good enough to pass as a professional. But, I can talk about my first time getting a gig. A total stranger back then booked me for her birthday and the fee I was supposed to collect was 5000 naira back then. She still owes me 1000 naira till this moment, lol. We literally edited the picture together that night as the next day was her birthday. I would edit one picture and do all the trial and error I know of on Photoshop and send it to her and she would resend spotting out what was wrong and right immediately. I edited one picture already 3 times with 10 pictures in total. She was really patient and fun that night and we didn’t stop until she was satisfied. (We are now best friends lol).

I saw your work ‘Lucynder’. Can you tell us how that idea was conceived?

“Lucynder” was inspired by the legendary art piece, “Monalisa”. I have been a big fan of Da Vinci for years. On a hot afternoon after class in school, I was listening to the Carter V when “Monalisa” came up and this piqued my interest. Checking it out again it looked like something I should recreate but along the line, I discovered the MONALISA is called that because of originality. I decided to do my own version “Lucynder”. I called my friends and we planned to recreate that art piece. I called Lucynder, the face of the art, Colormemills, the makeup artists, and Tobydphotographer who assisted and joined Colormemills in styling the shoot. The project was really fun and it got a lot of recognition on social media. We had thousands of likes on Instagram and Twitter. This made me happy that we created something great and people loved it.

What challenges have you encountered so far in the course of your craft?

So far, I have faced a lot of challenges but the main challenge I have is self-doubt. I doubt how good my works are which is why “Lucynder” spent close to a month on my PC before seeing the light of day. I posted it on the internet and it went viral almost immediately. I’m a perfectionist and a picture isn’t good enough until it’s good enough for me. I guess I would have to learn to not doubt my works as much as I used to.

What milestones have you crossed in your craft?

Selling my art has to be one of my greatest milestones so far. It’s really hard doing what you love without getting some kind of financial reward for it. It can be very discouraging for the artist because they start to think that they are not good enough to get rewarded for their work. So, I’m glad that I get rewarded financially for my work. Photography isn’t just a hobby anymore. It’s now a profession because I now charge to take photos and I also sell photos I created. Photography is paying the bills now.

It is 2021 and like every new year, people lean towards having resolutions. What do you hope to achieve personally and professionally this new year?

Personally, I don’t have a new year resolution. I never had one. I’m more of a free person who just wants to enjoy life, make new friends, and get more clients who love what I do. Regarding that question, let’s see what resolution the new year has for us. But it wouldn’t be bad if I bought my first camera this year. I can say that’s one of my goals for the year.

What kind of support have you gotten from your friends, family, and loved ones?

Honestly, talking about my friends they are simply the best of the best. 1% of the 1% and my family have been amazing so far. Although a part of my mom wants me to face school and graduate with a good degree and my dad wanted me to become a lawyer when I was younger. They had no choice but to support my photography and remind me of school on the side so I wouldn’t get distracted. They have been very supportive so far.

Where do you see your brand in the next 5 years?

In the next 5 years, I see my brand as being one of the biggest film making brands from Africa. I hope I get to achieve that.

What is that advice that you got and has stuck with you to date?

Half bread isn’t the best bread; there’s always more you aren’t getting and you should go get it. Do not limit yourself or console yourself for getting a piece of the cake when you can get it all.