15 December 2011 Last updated at 00:17

In pictures: Nigerians behind the lens

George Osodi, Ogoni Boy, 2007. From the series Oil Rich Niger Delta

A book dedicated to contemporary Nigerian photography has been recently launched in Lagos and London. It showcases the works of nine artists, including George Osodi, the author of this picture entitled Ogoni Boy. In his series Oil Rich Niger Delta, he looks at the human and ecological impacts of mismanaged oil production.

George Osodi, Tapioca Uzere, 2008. From the series Orange Light

This work, also by Mr Osodi, shows one of the processes in preparing cassava, one of Nigeria's food staples. Nigerians Behind the Lens has been printed in a limited edition of 1,000 signed and numbered copies. It was edited by Ebi Atawodi, the creative director of Inden, a design agency based in Abuja and Lagos.

Long Wait, by Emeka Okereke, is on the book's cover. He took it in Paris. Lagos, a megacity, does not have an underground. "That picture really summarises where we are. We could either be going in the direction of having something like that or that train might never actually arrive," the editor said.

Emeka Okereke, Suffering and Smiling 2, Lagos 2004

Suffering and Smiling 2 was taken by Mr Okereke in Lagos in 2004. He is a member of the Depth of Field collective, founded at the Bamako photo biennial in 2001. Two of the artists that appear in the book - George Osodi and Adolphus Opara - are currently showing their work at this year's edition of the Mali exhibition.

Uche Okpa-Iroha, Untitled. From the series Underbridge Life

A work from the series Underbridge Life by Uche Okpa-Iroha, a kidney health campaigner who decided to become a photographer after seeing a Depth of Field show in 2005. He is currently on a residency programme at the prestigious Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam.

Adolphus Opara, The Rush, 2008, from the Argungu fishing festival

The Rush was taken by Adolphus Opara in 2008 during the annual Argungu fishing festival in north-western Nigeria. Works by him were recently shown at Tate Modern, London, as part of the Contested Terrains exhibition which goes next to the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Lagos, in January.

Jide Alakija, Clean Shoes, 2008. From the series Page Boy

London-based Jide Alakija is well known for his wedding pictures. He started photography as a hobby while studying for a post-graduate degree in bio-mechanical engineering. He has just had a solo show at Lagos' CCA on dresses worn at lavish celebrations known by Nigerians as "Owambe" parties.

Jide Alakija's No More Lies was highlighted by British fine art auctioneers Bonhams during a non-selling show to coincide with the launch of Nigerians Behinds the Lens.

Ms Atawodi, who spent four years preparing the photo book, told BBC Africa that some copies of it would be donated to libraries and research institutions. "It has far exceeded our expectations. The reception has been 110% positive," she said. This picture, Surviving Dreams, is by Andrew Esiebo.

Mr Esiebo is also the author of Members Only, a photo essay on the life of a bouncer. It started as a commission for a magazine. "When I had this chance, I thought it was a good way to show the other side of the average Nigerian," he said in an interview included in the book.

Amaize Ojeikere, Dr Know All. From the series The Market Place

This photo, by Amaize Ojeikere, is called Dr Know All. He has worked on two series - Clusters and The Market Place - that look at groups of similar objects. "I don't want to be categorised as a landscape photographer or photo journalist... If you are a photographer, you are a photographer," he says.

Try Bello, Untitled. From the series Femi

Femi Kuti, one of the sons of Nigerian musical legend Fela Kuti, captured by the camera of his fellow musician and photographer Ty Bello. Ms Bello, who gained prominence with the gospel group Kush, says that she is driven by the possibility of "making personal connections".

Try Bello, Untitled. From the series Madam Ekundayo

"Mama Ekundayo is a woman I met in 2003. She was 86 at the time with almost no money and she took care of almost 400-500 kids in her lifetime with nothing," Ms Bello said.

Yetunde Ayeni-Babaeko, Untitled, 2009. From the series Drei Dreiecke.

This untitled work is by Yetunde Ayeni-Babaeko, who studied photography in Germany and runs an advertising studio in Lagos. In her opinion, Nigerian photography is becoming less dominated by men. "I have more and more female photographers knocking on my door that want to train with me," she says in the book.

Africa

In pictures: Nigerians behind the lens

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