GIDINOIZE INTERVIEWS JIDE ALAKIJA(PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER)

JIDE ALAKIJA PORTRAIT by Adebola 'Asiko' Okelarin

Jide Alakija is a Renowned photographer and we at GidiNoize were privileged to have an interview with the man himself.

GidiNoize interviews Jide Alakija

1.CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND(EDUCATIONAL/FAMILY)?

– I was brought up in Warri. I studied Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London. My parents were both in the Petroleum business. My dad was a medical doctor to industrial patients while my mother was a chemical engineer on a refinery.

2.GROWING UP,WHO WERE YOUR INFLUENCES?

– Michael Jackson, My cousin Femi, my friends Deji and mates from Shutterchance.

3.WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOU TO BE A PHOTOGRAPHER?

– I think I’ve naturally responded positively to captivating images. I’ve also been impacted by beauty of different parts of the world. I’ve felt the need to somehow capture some parts of my experience for memory. Having spent a lot of time with an artist and a photographer around me such as my good friend Mista Skee and Duane Bong who were passionately into their photography it was only a matter of time before I would be influenced.

4.WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE CAMERA?

– recently (2004 Nov) I bought a Sony C1 point and shoot camera. This was gonna be the next gadget in the series I had collected over the year towards my hobby.

5.ARE YOU A SELF TAUGHT PHOTOGRAPHER OR YOU HAD SOME TRAINING?

– yes I am self taught. That’s how I learn best. Mainly through trial and error.

Photo by Jide Alakija

6.WAS IT HARD CONVINCING YOUR PARENTS THAT PHOTOGRAPHY WAS WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO?

– no it wasn’t hard at all. They were very supportive. I’m quite thankful to them.

7.WHAT TYPE OF PHOTOGRAPHY ARE YOU INTO?

– I’m not into any particular type of photography as such. I just like to create images.

8.WHAT TYPE OF CAMERA DO YOU USE AND WHY?

– I’m a Canon man. Mainly because my friends, Mista Skee and Duane had them too.

9.WHATS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE PICTURES YOU TAKE?

– I’m not usually looking for any particular thing however I’ve been told that like images that have a story behind them.

10.HOW MANY PICTURES WOULD YOU SAY YOU TAKE TO FIND ”THE RIGHT ONE”?

– this is a very subjective question, a lot of the time luck determines this. The number is dependent on many factors occuring during the situation. If my subject is still then one shot if they move one shot too. Its about catching what is known as the “the decisive moment”

11.HOW DO YOU DECIDE ON LOCATIONS AND OBJECTS?

– this is usually decided by my client for commercial work. For personal work, I tend to look for places that have interesting subjects.

Photo by Jide Alakija

12.DO YOU HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH YOU LIKE BEST OUT OF YOUR COLLECTION?

– no, not really.

13.IS THERE A PARTICULAR PLACE YOU’LL LIKE TO TAKE A PICTURE OF IN FUTURE?IF SO,WHERE?

– Buckingham Palace.

14.DO YOU HAVE A GALLERY WHERE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS ARE DISPLAYED OR ANY PLANS ON GETTING ONE?

– no I don’t. No I don’t plan on getting one either.

15.ARE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS FOR SALE IF SO WHERE CAN THEY BE PURCHASED?

– yes they are ALL for sale. You’ll have to contact me directly for pricing. my email address is info@alakija.com

Photo by Jide Alakija

16.WHAT WILL YOU SAY HAS BEEN THE GREATEST MOMENT OF YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY CAREER SO FAR?

– it would either be when I was asked to photograph Wole Soyinka or my time with Ngozi Chimanada Adichie

17.OUTSIDE THE PHOTOGRAPHY SCENE, WHO IS JIDE ALAKIJA?

– I’d like to think of myself as a normal, thinking dude who loves his ewa more than many things.

18.APART FROM PHOTOGRAPHY DO YOU HAVE OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST?

– Yes, meeting people.

19.WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR JIDE ALAKIJA PHOTOGRAPHY?

– I want to continue to explore the channels of image creation and continue to share that with my followers.

20.WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR UPCOMING PHOTOGRAPHERS?

– be patient and understand your tool. Don’t be a copy cat.

21.ANY LAST WORDS FOR YOUR FANS?

– thank you for your support. Its because of you that I do this mostly.

Click here to view more photos by Jide Alakija

MUSHIN MAKEOVER-GIVING MUSHIN THE MAKEOVER IT NEEDS!

I bet you guys are wondering what this is and to those of you who think its another Wande Coal album—>Its not!..lol

On the 12th of December from 8.00 a.m to 6.00 pm a couple of Nigerian celebrities will be gathering together at Mushin with their paint brushes and what not to give Mushin the makeover it needs.This is a volunteer thing and its gonna be funnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn so for all those who are going to be in naija on the 12th pleaseeeeeeeee  register by clicking here .

To visit the website click here

Its about time Mushin had a makeover!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FEMI ANIKULAPO-KUTI NOMINATED FOR GRAMMY AWARD AGAIN!

FEMI ANIKULAPO-KUTI

News just reached us at GidiNoize that Femi Anikulapo-Kuti the son of the Late African Legend,Fela Anikulapo-kuti has just been nominated for the 52nd annual Grammy awards under the Best Contemporary World Music Album Category.This award is for his last album Day by Day.

This is the second time Femi will be nominated for a Grammy as he was nominated back in 2003 for his album,Fight to win but unfortunaelty he didnt fight to win that battle as he lost the prize to Ruben blade  but hopefully Femi will bring the Grammy home to us this time.

The award will be taking place on the  31st of January 2010 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

For more details on nominees and who Femi is up against,Visit http://www.grammy.com/grammy_awards/52nd_show/list.aspx

Good luck Femi,you can do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

TUNDE & WUNMI OBE(T.W.O) PRESENT OFFICIAL ‘FINE BARA’ VIDEO.

T.W.O

I must say this is a very funny video,it was directed by Clarence Peters–>ENJOY!

RELATIONSHIPS:TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME-GIDISTYLE!

So today on GidiNoize we are talking about relationships and  we’ll be teaching women how to behave when in a relationship u know something like 2 can play that game but GidiStyle so enjoy so heres the GidiGuide.

1. Understand that men are turned on by the women who play it coy. Playing it coy makes the guy realize that you’re not going to give it up easily, and it will take some work to win you over. Some women may believe that giving a guy what he wants immediately will put them in his good graces. The opposite is actually true!

Yh i agree!We girls shouldnt give it all out on d first date and all ,dont pick up all his calls and when you do pick some up dont pick them all too quick,dont always reply when he texts and when you do let him wait a bit..lol.

I know u ppl are like ahahn GidiNoize thats too much but seriously you have to front a bit  but please oh!! dont go and front too much.Was reading a blog just the other day and apparently this babe was fronting and she liked the dude oh thats how the guy vexed and boned her side and you should know the rest..lol…so please FRONT but not too much!

I know its quite hard;you like him,he likes you but due to some RULES you cant show your feelings and all—>Yes its hard but it has to be done so you ae not taken for granted.So yes we girls need to PLAY IT COY…lmao

2. Realize that he wants be the “man.” Games are often about boosting a man’s ego. If a guy waits to call you, he feels he is keeping you at his mercy. If you return the call immediately or act too eager, you are confirming that he is the man and validating his ego. If a guy takes time to call you, take time to return his call.

Like I said before WE GASTA FRONT!!!!!!! lol…refer to my point above!

3 Understand that it’s the thrill of the hunt. Notice that it’s not about what he can catch. Rather, it’s about what he can hunt. In other words, instant gratification is not as satisfying as something that takes some work. If he is only about the hunt, it will be obvious, and you can decide whether or not he’s worth your time.

Once again like I said before dont give it all up–>He says ‘I like you‘—>say ‘Oh really‘..lol—>Dont say ‘I like you too’ or whatever so quickly.Play some mind games.TBH(To be honest) mind games are fun and uhm–> I love them,you can call me the black Blair Waldorf..lol.Anyways playing mind games  makes the hunt interesting and not just boring like–>I like you—>you like me—>lets get married(what a bore!)..lol.So yh the thrill of the hunt is quite important.

4. Realize the bottom line is validation. You may wonder why it is that men play games. A huge part of it is that they want validation. Men often get validation through the games that they play. Women tend to make the mistake of trying harder when a guy is playing games. As a result, men get validation through their little games and continue to play them with other women.

Basically guys do some things just to see your reaction and your reaction determines their next line of action.I feel all this points are interlinked.Like i said before make the hunt interesting.I’ll give and example,I know someone who changed her facebook status to ‘in a relationship’ just to mess with some guy’smind—>Trust me,girls too are ‘Game Players’..lol…Anyways basically if tables were turned and I was the guy ain that situation,you know what I’ll do—>NOTHING..I’ll just act normal and not give that attention that he/she is seeking for.

5. Recognize that games are kept to a minimum when a guy truly likes a girl. This simple little fact is crucial when it comes to weeding out the guys who are looking for a relationship and the guys who are looking for other things. If a guy is really into a girl, he won’t want to play games because he won’t want to risk losing a good thing. If he persists in playing games, it’s either about finding a hookup or validating his ego.

Yes the ultimate point, games are fun but if a guy really likes u,he wont play too many games before he finally asks you the big question WILL YOU BE MY GIRLFRIEND or WILL YOU MARRY ME.Many times girls know the truth but they keep avoiding it—>if that dude is playing with your mind too much,just know that he is using you to CATCH CRUISE and uhm—>HE DOESNT LIKE YOU.

WORLD PREMIER-FEMI PRESENTS OFFICIAL ‘NEVER FELT A LOVE’ VIDEO.

FEMI

A couple of weeks back we at GidiNoize did a post on this brother with soul.Femi just released his first video ever and you can watch it here on GidiNoize.

Enjoy!

D’BANJ PRESENTS NEW MUSIC TALENT SHOW-‘THE NEXT ENTERTAINER’.

D'BANJ

News just reached us at GidiNoize that The Kokomaster,Dbanj is planning a new T.V show called THE NEXT ENTERTAINER.For those of you who do not know,this will be Dbanj’s second show to hit the big screen as just a couple of months ago he did a show called KOKOMANSION.

Kokomansion was about finding the ideal woman so yeah there were a lot of ladies around however this new show is a talent hunt kinda thing.Dbanj will be searching for people who can entertain and like he said in his song; The Entertainer—>you dont have to make sense to entertain so yeah Im guessing you dont have to make sense or have a mahhhhhdddddd voice to win it.

The show will be starting next year and we at GidiNoize will be sure to keep you on tab with all the details about the show so watch this space!

STYLE ME SEASON 3-EPISODE 5-I CAN TRANSFORM YA!

ANTHONIA AFTER

 

We are almost halfway through the Style ME season and there is a big twist coming next week!
This week, its time for another lifechanging makeover.

This week’s style subject is Anthonia Ama Ndubuisi
Anthonia is a 39 year old housewife and mother of 4 children
According to Anthonia, she applied to be madeover on Style ME because her children have said she really needs a makeover!
She will like to improve the way she dresses. For Anthonia, its not all about being trendy.
She simply wants to feel more vibrant and independent.

Style ME host Isioma shares that she can relate with Anthonia as she has 4 children as well!
She knows first hand that while being a great wife and mother is a priority. It is important to feel and look great as well.

Anthonia undergoes her makeover and is revealed in a beautiful wrap dress.

Her cute children also share the moment as they walk into the studio to admire their mum.

ANTHONIA BEFORE & AFTER

Borrowing the words of Peter Ishkhans ‘Change your image, change your life’.
Very apt in this case!

Style ME – Season 3 – Episode 5 – Full Episode

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

 

WELCOME TO DECEMBER-HAPPY NEW MONTH!

 

Its December and you guys know what that means right! Christmas is near—> Yayyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!! I hope you guys are as excited as we at GidiNoize are.This CHRISTMAS promises to be one of a kind with different shows and events taking place all over but more importantly we all should take some time out today to say a BIG THANK YOU to God for allowing us see the last month of the year 2009.So many people that started this year with us are no more today but we are amongst those who are alive and we ought to be greatful for that so as you read this, please take some time to thank GOD for yourself,your family,friends and everyone  remember its not by your might that you are here today,its by the Grace of God so please give thanks.

ARSENAL 0-3 CHELSEA:DIDIER DROGBA DOUBLE DESTROYS ARSENAL.

 

Chelsea proved exactly why they are considered the favourites for the title this season as they maintained their impressive recent record against Arsenal to claim a 2-0 win in the Premier League this evening.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Blues poured on the misery for an Arsenal side that have only managed two wins from the last 15 encounters between the two London rivals as a Didier Drogba strike and an own goal from Thomas Vermaelen settled the match at the Emirates Stadium.

In a meeting between the Premier League’s strongest attack and meanest defence, Arsenal had been on the front foot during the opening exchanges and had been taking the game to their west London counterparts.

It was Chelsea, however, who were presented with the first chance of the match after 18 minutes as Frank Lampard, passed fit to play despite concerns over a thigh injury, put Nicolas Anelka into the clear but Bacary Sagna tracked back to get in the vital challenge just as his international compatriot was about to pick his spot.

There were suspicions that Sagna had hauled Anelka to the ground in the process of making the crucial tackle although none of the Chelsea players appeared to appeal for the penalty as Lampard fired wide from the follow-up.

It would take 24 minutes before Arsenal created their first real opening as Samir Nasri drove forward before hitting a low shot from just outside the box. It was a decent effort from the 22-year-old but a lack of real power ensured Petr Cech made a comfortable save.

Despite a distinct lack of genuine efforts on goal, Chelsea grabbed the initiative when Drogba scored the opening goal of the game to continue his imperious record against Arsene Wenger’s side. A smart finish into the net via crossbar and post made it nine in his last nine outings against the Gunners following good work down the left from Ashley Cole.

Just two minutes later and the Blues had opened up a two goal lead as the unfortunate Vermaelen put through his own net. Ex-Gunner Cole was again the provider as his accurate cross was delivered into a really dangerous area and the Belgian international, undoubtedly worried by Drogba’s presence in the box, diverted the ball past Manuel Alumnia for 2-0 Chelsea.

Wenger made the decision to bring on Theo Walcott at half-time in an attempt to inject a bit of pace into his side and Arsenal were a little unlucky not to have reduced the arrears almost immediately after the break when Andrei Arshavin had a goal chalked off after an alleged foul by Eduardo on Cech.

The Czech Republic goalkeeper had initially saved well at the feet of Eduardo although as Cesc Fabregas played the ball back into the area, the Croatian forward was adjudged by referee Andre Marriner to have kicked the ball from Cech’s grasp before Arshavin slammed the ball into the net past a ruckus of Chelsea players on the line.

Chelsea nearly increased their lead with what would have proved a somewhat fortuitous goal on 64 minutes. Drogba got the ball onto his right foot before shooting from just outside the box although the former Marseille star’s effort was deflected first off William Gallas and then off Lampard’s chest to force Almunia into a smart save low down to his right.

Arsenal continued to press and probe for a way back into the match although Chelsea effectively put the game to bed with a terrific free-kick from Drogba.

The 31-year-old claimed his second of the match on 86 minutes as he dispatched a stunning strike into the corner of the net from around 25-yards out to increase Chelsea’s lead at the top of the Premier League to five points ahead of Manchester United in second place.

 

Source-www.goal.com