Nostalgic Haze" | Interview with Chioma Ejimofo

Photo + Video | August 8, 2020

Responses and Photos By: Chioma Ejimofo

How did you first get into photography?

" I got into photography kind of randomly! I was at university, and I started going on walks and noticing there were some really pretty images worth capturing, so I decided to bring my camera along with me. I started following photographers on Instagram with aesthetics that I really loved, I had a lot of ideas for portraits and series that I wanted to create too, so even though I was nervous I decided to try it out myself."

Ah, that’s super cool!
You do a lot of intimate closeup portraits, is that on purpose or for any specific reason?

"I think it's for a couple of reasons, a lot of the people I've worked within the past are close friends of mine, so we're all put in a space of trust that allows us to be vulnerable and personal when shooting together. And in general, I really love people and the theme of identity. There's so many stories to tell behind someone's facial expressions or the way they dress or move, and with my closeups, I hope it gives a short story or is relatable somehow to whoever sees it. A lot of my portraits ideas come together as we're shooting, so I don't think I always aim for them to be intimate but when you and the people you're shooting with are comfortable, it can definitely become that way which I enjoy!."

What’s one thing, if anything you want people to get out of your work??

"I think it's for a couple of reasons, alot of the people I've worked with in the past are close friends of mine, so we're all put in a space of trust that allows us to be vulnerable and personal when shooting together. And in general I really love people and the theme of identity. There's so many stories to tell behind someone's facial expressions, or the way they dress or move, and with my closeups I hope it gives a short story or is relatable somehow to whoever sees it."

Check out Chioma's Work Here:

First, how would you describe your style!

"I think I would describe it as nostalgic and hazy! I've always liked capturing things that feel kind of sentimental, dreamlike, and sometimes surreal, and my photography style kind of reflects that."

Ah yes, what do you think inspired this style?

"A lot of my inspiration comes from films I used to watch when I was younger! I was really obsessed with the style of Sofia Coppola, especially the way she captures the fleeting beauty of being young and memories so well. My other source of inspiration is from dreams I've had or places I've been to, I really love the spontaneous nature of seeing things and the way our brains reinterpret them. I love looking at old music videos, indie movies, and film photography and I think that really influenced the style I have now."

I absolutely love Sofia Coppola and I think you capture her style really well?
What would you say are your favourite movies?

"So hard to choose but some of my favourite films are
Mysterious Skin, the soundtrack and visuals are beautiful. Coraline, Blue Valentine, Ex Machina, Marie Antoinette, Cinema Paradiso and Hereditary!"

If you could meet the supposed creator of the universe for 10 minutes, what would you ask them?

"Ooh, this is a tough one! It sounds silly but I'd probably just ask what they think about the human race and life in general? I don't think I'd want to know the meaning of life or anything, I'm okay with that being a mystery. I just want to know how we appear to them and if it would ever actually be possible to make the world a really good and peaceful place. I'd also ask them to manifest the perfect playlist specifically for me with songs that don't exist yet, and then just float in space and vibe for a bit"

Where do you plan to go with your work? What’s your main goal per say?

"One of my main goals is to to take my work abroad eventually! I'd like to collaborate with artists in other countries, and shoot pics with new people and tell different stories through my photos. Even though film is one of my main passions, and I would ideally love to be a director one day, it would be really cool to be able to mix the two art forms together for something. Another huge dream of mine would be to showcase my work at exhibitions, and also make a space for young artists and creatives where they can freely present their work without feeling limited or nervous. I'm looking forward to seeing where my work takes me and hopefully others enjoy seeing it too!"