Empowering African Photographers to Tell Their Own Stories

Photograph by KC Nwakalor

When we started No! Wahala Media, it was with a simple conviction: Africans must not take a back seat when their own stories are told. For far too long, Africa has been narrated through the eyes of others. The images that dominate headlines often focus on war, famine, or poverty. These stories are not false, but they are incomplete. They reduce a vast and complex continent into fragments, stripped of nuance and dignity.

We are not only responding to misrepresentation but to a broader call for ethical storytelling. A call to ensure that African voices, African eyes, and African photographers are central to how Africa is seen.

Why This Matters

Photography is powerful. It shapes memory, frames history, and creates lasting impressions. But it is never neutral. Every photograph is a choice, and when people outside the culture make those choices, the story often tilts away from truth.

Anne has reviewed countless portfolios and sat on juries for global photography awards, most recently World Press Photo 2025. Even with new regional judging systems, it is clear there is still a long way to go before African photographers are fairly represented.

KC has spent a decade living and working across the African continent, photographing assignments for publications such as The New York Times and Bloomberg. Today, he works as a Stories Producer with a global charity, commissioning photographers and filmmakers in more than 30 countries across Africa and Asia.

Even with the many databases of creatives that now exist, finding reliable talent in some African countries remains a Herculean task. Together, we live on both sides of the industry: working within global media, being African storytellers ourselves, and championing African voices. That dual perspective is what drives No! Wahala Media.

For many African documentary photographers, making images isn’t about aesthetics. It is about reclaiming authorship and remaining accountable to the communities they represent. No! Wahala Media's mission is to equip photographers with the skills to tell stories with depth and to provide the access and visibility needed to build sustainable, successful creative careers.

Photograph by KC Nwakalor

Why We Keep Our Workshops at £29.99

Training and mentorship opportunities in photography are often priced out of reach for many Africans on the continent and in the diaspora. High fees, limited access, and geographic barriers close the door before the journey even begins. We want to change that.

That is why our monthly photography workshops are priced at just £29.99. Between us, we bring years of teaching, curating, and photographing for leading global platforms. The value of what is on offer far exceeds this price, but accessibility is our priority.

Still, for a young Black photographer in Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, or even London, £29.99 can be a significant investment. That is why we provide scholarship spaces for photographers who may not be able to afford them.

Our upcoming workshop, Introduction to Documentary Photography and Photojournalism: Telling Stories in Pictures, will guide photographers in moving from single images to cohesive visual narratives. Learn more and sign up here.

What We Have Achieved

Since launching in 2020, No! Wahala Media has:

• Showcased more than 50 photographers from over 10 countries

• Curated exhibitions that reached international audiences

• Hosted affordable workshops, portfolio reviews, and mentorships

• Seen alumni go on to secure assignments and build creative careers

  
  

While these milestones matter, what matters most are the stories told. Photographers who once felt invisible now see their work recognised. Communities once flattened into stereotypes are now framed with dignity.

How You Can Support

Even at £29.99, many photographers cannot afford to join. Some are students. Some are supporting families. Some are already producing powerful work but lack the resources to grow.

You can change that.

• £29.99 funds one creative

• £149.95 funds five

• £299.99 funds ten

  
  

Your support is not charity. It is an investment—an investment in African voices, in ethical storytelling, and in a continent reclaiming its agency.

And you will see the impact. We share updates, stories, and sometimes even the voices of the photographers you support. This is community, not faceless giving.

Looking Ahead

The work of No! Wahala Media is not only about correcting old misrepresentations. It is about building a future where Africans lead the telling of African stories. It is about ethical storytelling that respects both people and place. It is about ensuring that our histories and our present are not recorded without us—or worse, against us.

Workshops are just the beginning. We are building structures for photographers to thrive: mentorships, exhibitions, publishing opportunities through our magazine, and collaborative photobooks. We are working towards a future where African photographers do not simply participate in the conversation, but actively shape it.

Join Us

• If you are a photographer, explore our upcoming workshops.

• If you believe in the importance of Africans telling their own stories, consider sponsoring a creative: partnerships@nowahalamedia.com.

• If you cannot do either, please share this message with someone who can.

The world does not need fewer African stories. It needs more, told by those who live them.

Thank you for standing with us.

Anne and KC Nwakalor

Founders, No! Wahala Media