2024 – Review
As the saying goes, “The road less traveled is hard to walk.” This year has been one of new partnerships, endeavors, wins, losses, and ultimately, finding my niche in the work I do.
First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the Lord for how far He has brought me in my journey. When the year began, I said to myself—and then to God—that this would be my year of increase, especially in my documentary work. And indeed, it has been a year of growth.
However, things didn’t exactly go as planned at the onset. I had to navigate through some challenges before finding my footing. I had hoped to work as a commercial photographer at a friend’s shopping center early in the year. Though I knew the limitations, I was still eager to take it on. Unfortunately, that didn’t pan out. But in what I can only describe as divine timing, I received a contract with Joynews. Let the year begin.
One of my greatest desires has always been to see my work on television. It was a pivotal moment for me, a time to push myself further. At Joy, I shot my first feature documentary, which aired as both a report and highlights—thanks to the mentorship of Joojo Cobbina, the Features and Documentary head at the time. Joojo was incredible. He guided me through the fast-paced world of news. My first task was covering faulty traffic lights, which I completed in two days, followed by Expensive to Die, an ironic theme I explored. These two pieces were my introduction to the world of broadcast journalism, and on a daily basis, I became known as “the guy who shoots his reports like a film.”
After Joojo left, I continued to develop, shooting promos for shows, completing various journalistic tasks, personal documentary projects and meeting prominent figures in both the Islamic community and at large.
In parallel, I also operated as a freelance documentary DP. One of the highlights came when Aunty Akofa, the Executive Director of the Akuakuenhyia Foundation (Akf), reached out to me to join them at their Empower Her Dreams camp—an annual event by the NGO. Though Akf has been one of my best clients over the years, every experience with them feels fresh. I returned from the camp deeply energized, having learned so much, as the camp is always a rich source of education and growth.
Then came the next opportunity—one I was lucky enough to struggle through. Aunty Freda, a colleague from my church media team who owns a consultancy, contracted me for a long-term project with FanMilk’s Vendor Academy program. While it was a great opportunity, I encountered some challenges, particularly with a staff member who often micromanaged my work. It became a test of endurance, emotional intelligence, and professionalism. Reflecting on it now, I realize it was less about simply surviving the experience and more about learning how to work through it.
Later in the year, I received an email from Carolin Wagner at Operation Eyesight Global, a Canadian NGO dedicated to preventing blindness and restoring sight. She had seen my work on the Afari project (a personal documentary exploring indigenous pottery practices) and was impressed. The NGO was coming to Ghana for World Sight Day and wanted to hire me for their project. Though I was initially nervous, I trusted in God and executed the task with grace and professionalism. I couldn’t have done it without the support of the Holy Spirit and my partner, Emmanuella, whose motivation and encouragement kept me grounded.
Some friends truly stick closer than family. Fokzy Taylor, the creative genius behind the Guilty Domain brand, reached out to me to creative-direct his end-of-year campaign, Building Bridges. For me, it wasn’t just work—it was a nostalgic moment, reuniting with a long-time friend after years of knowing each other.
The year culminated with a call from my boss at Joynews, Kwaku Owusu Peprah, who asked me to execute a paid assignment in Seychelles. The project explored the centenary of King Prempeh I’s exile, and it was another trial that demanded the utmost professionalism and emotional intelligence. I was assigned to work with Lois Shola, another incredible reporter. Together, we interviewed several prominent figures, including the Seychelles president, the High Commissioner of Seychelles to Ghana, the High Commissioner of Ghana to Seychelles, and an Ashanti historian.
Looking back, this year demanded a shift in how I approached everything. I found a deeper sense of grounding and learned to be intentional, even when moving slowly. In many ways, this journey felt like starting from scratch—gathering resources, piecing things together, and finding a sense of peace along the way.
In 2024, my crew and I captured over 10,000 photographs and traveled five times every month for productions with clients such as Akf, FanMilk, Operation Eyesight, Boris B, Joynews, and many more.
