Through Thy Lens

When we asked Camille Kom to share some of the shots she was most proud of , for the purpose of this interview ; she simply responded that there were very few.  Simply because she mostly took pictures spontaneously.  Well the result of this spontaneity  is a heavily contrasted , colourful and  sometimes fleeting portrayal of her city, Douala ; as well as other parts of her country .  Growing up between Douala and Paris; it is in an attempt to break the stereotypes her friends had regarding Africa that she turned towards photography ; mainly via her instagram account. Today Camille shares her  story and inspiring photography with us.

(Interview in French & English)

• Who is Camille?  How would you describe yourself in a few words ?

Well, Camille is an 18 year-old Cameroonian girl who has lived in France most of her life. My father likes to call me “Mixed” or “Diaspora” and that is because he thinks that my mannerism is way more french than Cameroonian. I think it is true, but that doesn’t stop me from loving my native country and its culture. I just graduated from high school and I will be studying audit and international marketing at the International Business School (ESCE) of Paris.

• What are your aspirations/goals in life ?

At the moment I don’t have any real goal. All I know is that I don’t want to die without doing something huge for Cameroon

• On a scale from 1 to 10 ,how would you rate your interest in Photography ? Is it just hobby or more ? 

On a scale of 10, I would rate my interest in photography at 8, I love it. I like to see good photographs but I think that taking or trying to take some yourself has some pleasing sensation. It’s just a hobby for me and I take it lightly. My goal is not to be an artist or to be called one, my goal is to show to everyone some of the realities we do not often see on regular medias. Cameroon is a country not many people here know about and so they assume that since it’s located in Africa, we Cameroonians are all poor, not civilized and sick (Ebola). It’s unfortunate because we have so much more to offer.

• Our appraisal of your work began when we came across your depiction of Cameroonian realities  on Instagram platforms such as Visiter L’Afrique & Dynamicafrica . How do you feel when your photography is shared on such platforms ? 

Je me suis sentie honorée car pour moi des plateformes comme celles de Visiter L’Afrique  ou Dynamicafrica sont des moyens pour nous africains de communiquer entre nous et de partager nos cultures plus aisément. Ça a eu le rôle d’un écho en quelques sortes, pas tout leurs abonnés sont africains donc c’est un bon moyen de leur montrer un nouveau regard sur l’Afrique en général.

• According to you what place does photography play in the African narrative ? Does it have the potential to change the negatives ?

•  What’s next for you Camille ? Any advice you would like to share with my readers ?

Je veux vite finir mes études et vite entrer dans la vie active, hehe. Le conseil que je donnerais serait de toujours avoir de bonnes et simples intentions. Malgré l’envie d’oeuvrer pour une cause de toujours rester honnête.

 Thanks for sharing your story with us Camille.