Monday, February 25, 2013

How I spent my Weekend #Blood-Drive

Saturday was an eventful day. After joining forces with Rotaract Club of Adentan & Blogging Ghana, I got to photograph my first blood-drive at the University of Ghana - Legon.

Pentagon Hall, Legon.







Donor card.

Biggest sport, gave blood with a smile!













Wikimedian people!


Blogging Ghana member gave blood!


At Accra Mall
Nat Health Service Officials at Accra Mall

Edward Tagoe showing off "@ttaaggooee" tee

@gamelmag!


Video Team Ghana Decides with @wizsharifa



Doc came through

The Blogging Ghana Crew at Uni of Ghana - Legon

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Why Give Blood?

Two days ago I sent Samuel Darko - a fellow political commentary wonk who is a committed member of the Rotaract club in Andenta - an email to support a blood drive the club is organizing this Saturday. A day later Edward Tagoe - a blogger/entrepreneur and another school mate from Presec - brought up support for the same blood-drive and asked if I would be interested in joining the Blogging Ghana photo-walk for the event. I thought I'd do one better; create an honest, gimmick-free, compelling video why you should donate blood at Legon this Saturday.

Donor card | A friend watching the video I just made

So at Florida, my line brother and I, were awarded by LifeSouth for recruiting the most African American males to donate blood in one afternoon during a fraternity drive. They were super eager to offer us LifeSouth jobs. I was a serial donor as well as bone-marrow registrant and through Sammy & Eddie, I am interested in getting plugged in donating in the country as well. What I learnt from their testimonials was that, unlike LifeSouth, the need for blood donations is much dire than anyone could imagine. Maternity mortality rates attributed to blood loss was 50% in 2011! If two women were pregnant in a hospital bed, one would NOT make it alive. Check last August's MyJoyOnline News article for more shocking statistics: http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201110/74774.php

Decided to share on social media through team 1000 words to create as much of a buzz as possible. If you're in Accra, come through:


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Sunday, February 17, 2013

Nomination: Ghana Social Media Awards



Woohoo so this blog is nominated for Best Photo Blog by the Ghana Social Media Awards. Blessed, elated, grateful to be in the company of fantastic photojournalists! The other nominees in this category are:

Kindly check them out, pretty good stuff! And you get to vote for me here: GSMA voting

Visit: http://www.blogcampghana.com/ghana-social-media-awards-shortlist for more deets.

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Thursday, February 14, 2013

On Val's Day, I wish you Collaborative Success

I'm sure a lot of readers are used to  the itake photos est. 1985 brand & mantra. Early this year, however, I did something that I've been wanting to do for many months. Collaborate & partner with like-minded, progressive team of creatives who are just as passionate about photography as I am. team 1000 words is a group of young Ghanaian men and women who want to set the standard on wedding photography and videography in the country and beyond.

Each photo/video man has a super hero pseudonym that helps identify his work among the team. Mine is...wait for it... red shutter. I always 'acted' as the red ranger when we played Power Rangers as a kid. Go figure.

My first installment with the team is this valentine's day video to you all (see below). Happy valentine's day to you and yours! I pray that you find your group of team members who can truly help with your collaborative success!

 
Do you notice my profile pictures blended in the background? Credit: Timmy

 
At Pajohn's in Kanda. Photo Credit: Enam
Click to watch my first video as the red shutter!

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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Amazingly Frustrating. Oh Ghana!

From time to time I have friends who ask, how is Ghana treating you? The folks I grew up with, from Faith Montessori School through Presbyterian Boys' Secondary (Presec), have a sly grin and a mischievous look of expectancy when the ask; while those who I met at college in Florida or as a young adult in Washington DC ask in half amazement: this brother went back to the motherland *shaking their heads*... My usual answer is that my time in Accra have been equal amounts of amazing and frustrating on each given day. It always depends on my perspective. Just as frustrating as my first few months in Virginia, orientation days in college at Gainesville, Florida and during my return to the DMV (Washington, DC) as an underpaid, over-employed young professional. And yet, the amazing here is fantastic, and the epic moments of frustration make you want to rip your hair out.

So you know the serenity prayer? I recite it daily. Here's a collection of my most memorable social media/Instagram (@itp85) pictures & posts of noteworthy experiences in Accra #MosquitoClaps

I'll start off with my ordeal in getting a bank account opened:
 This was on December 27th, I got my check book last week (first week in February), and I'm still waiting on my visa debit card.
I had a decent opportunity to record corporate videos for MEST. My first hands-on experience that in a country with strong men and weak institutions, personal relationships matter just as much, if not more than your efficiency as a professional. Even if you're Steven Speilberg, you can't afford to piss your boss off. Especially on the day when your camera falls on company premises....

The EIT (students) and the entrepreneurs in the incubator are amazing, some of my experiences as a contractor, not so much.


I tried to stay away from doing what most people on Instagram with smart phones do, take pictures of food. But I found myself succumbing to the urge to share choice meals of amazing street food in different parts of the capital, here are two of my favorite:
When you find a serious Waakye joint with a line that wraps around the building...nuff said.

One of the most reasonably priced, delicious grilled tilapia joints this side of town.




Till the next post, God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change...

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