Meet Tola Ajibade | Psychiatrist & Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tola Ajibade and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tola, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Truthfully, I didn’t intend to start a photography business. I took up photography in medical school largely to stay sane. Medical school can be rough, and having a creative project was a good way to relieve stress and ground myself. Eventually, people started asking me how much I charge. I didn’t immediately get into residency, and I was getting that question so often that I really needed to have an answer. That’s how it pretty much started for me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It took me a lot of trial and error to figure out who I was going to be as a photographer. Early on, I realized I wanted to focus on people because I always secretly wished there were people in the cityscapes and nature I was shooting. Still, learning how to work with people to create art that they love and want to live with is an ever-evolving process.

I try to use my photography to tell stories that matter to people. Particularly in portrait photography, I believe it serves both documentary and aspirational purposes. The very active sitting for a portrait as a reminder to both the subject and anyone who views the image that this person existed. Often, portraits also speak to who the subject wants to be or is becoming. For that reason, I encourage my clients to bring their whole selves to our sessions.

In recent years, my medical background has caused me to think more deeply about the process of photography, particularly with an eye towards accessibility and accommodations for people with disabilities. I try to craft a session workflow tailored to the needs of the people I photograph. Most photographers don’t think about those issues because most photography education doesn’t address them, but they can profoundly affect the client experience. I hope that everyone who chooses to work with me feels that I care about them as people and give them a sense of dignity in the process.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I like to curate itineraries based on what people are most interested in. The beauty of Atlanta is that it’s got a little bit of everything, which is both a gift and a curse every time I have friends come to visit.

Buford Highway is a must for food, mostly because cuisine from almost every continent is well represented along its main stretch. The Buford Farmer’s Market is a gem for finding groceries from around the world. If we’re making a home-cooked Nigerian dish, I usually buy the ingredients at Cayce Foods Inc. in Smyrna or at New Happy Market in Riverdale.

For Brunch, I highly recommend Daily Chew. Their food is amazing, and their waitstaff is exceptional.

Atlanta is a great city to go dancing in. The nightlife is awesome. I particularly love going out to RockSteady in Midtown for great Afro-Caribbean food downstairs, then letting the night roll on upstairs with the music. Blind Willies in Virginia Highlands is a great spot for live Blues music, especially on Thursday nights. There are also tons of dance socials happening regularly around the city, like Hot Jam on Monday nights and Wicked Westie on Wednesday nights.

No trip to Atlanta is complete without experiencing the arts scene. In the past, I’ve taken people to do some street photography in Little 5 Points and along the Beltline (particularly in the stretch between Ponce City Market and Krog Street).

I could go on forever, but I think this is plenty

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My friends and family have been my biggest supporters. No one gets where they’re going alone, and without them, I don’t think I would’ve achieved any of this. I’m truly blessed to have them in my life.

Website: https://mythicvoice.com/

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