top of page
No! Wahala Documentary Photography Mentorship is a fully funded, 12-month programme for five African photographers who are ready to grow, commit to a long-term project, and strengthen their voice in documentary storytelling. Selected photographers pay nothing. Your only investment is your time, your curiosity, and your commitment.
What You Will Gain
Monthly Workshops
Each month focuses on a core part of documentary practice. You will learn about visual storytelling, ethics, project development, photobook making, editing, freelancing, and more.
Monthly Assignments
Practical exercises that help you build your project step by step.
Group Critiques
A space to share your work, receive feedback, and develop clarity in your visual language.
One-to-One Sessions
Private, tailored advice and guidance for mentees.
A Body of Work
By the end of the programme, you will produce a coherent project supported by text, captions, and a clear sequence.
End-of-Year Feature
Your final project will be published in No! Wahala Magazine and shown in an online showcase.
Certificate of Completion
A recognition of your growth, commitment, and hard work.
Who Can Apply
This mentorship is for you if
• You are African or part of the African diaspora
• You have been photographing for at least one year
• You are interested in documentary or photojournalistic practice
• You want to build a long-term personal project
• You can commit to monthly sessions and assignments
• You are open to learning, critique, and community
We welcome photographers at different stages of their journey. What matters is your curiosity, your heart, and your willingness to grow.
The Workshop Curriculum
Month 1- Finding your voice: Reflection on who you are, why you photograph, and what shapes your point of view.
Month 2- Storytelling and narrative: Building visual stories with intention, exploring story structure, narrative arc, research and how images speak to each other.
Month 3- Ethics and consent: Responsible storytelling, how to work with and photograph people with care, dignity, and respect.
Month 4- Starting a personal project: Choose a story idea to develop for the year. We guide you to shape the theme, scope, and direction of your project.
Month 5- Working on assignments and briefs: Learn how to respond to editorial or NGO assignments. Covering access, deadlines, metadata and delivering strong work.
Month 6- Writing about your work: Captions, artist statements, and short texts. You learn how to describe your work clearly and with confidence.
Month 7- Editing and sequencing: Select images, remove distractions, and build a sequence that feels honest and coherent.
Month 8- Portfolio development: Refine your portfolio for editors, curators, and clients, knowing what to show and how to show it.
Month 9- Freelancing and finance: Business side of the work. Pricing, contracts, rights, pitching, and building a sustainable practice.
Month 10- Photobook and zine making: turn your story into a dummy book. You learn about layouts, pacing, materials, and simple design tools.
Month 11- Final project edit: Refine your images, text, and sequence, helping you prepare a clean and complete project ready for sharing.
Month 12- Showcase and next steps: Present your final work. We talk about exhibitions, opportunities, and how to stay consistent after the mentorship.
Guest mentors join throughout the year. All sessions are delivered online or hybrid.
Why this Mentorship Programme Exist
Many African photographers have the talent, the eye, and the stories worth telling.
What is often missing is structured guidance, community, access, and long-term support.
We want to help close that gap by supporting photographers who want to tell meaningful stories with clarity, dignity, and intention.
This mentorship exists to help you grow in your craft and in your voice.
How to Apply
We are currently accepting mentorship applications until December 31st 2025, at 11:59 PM GMT
You will be asked to submit
• A link to recent work
• A short bio
• A brief description of the project you want to develop
• A short statement on why you want the mentorship
• Your availability and commitment
• Any access needs
Five photographers will be selected from the shortlisted applicants.
Join Us
If you are ready to grow and ready to commit to your work, we would love to hear from you.
For questions, email us at
education@nowahalamedia.com
To learn more about our work, visit
www.nowahalamedia.com
bottom of page