“Art runs in the family, I was inspired to draw by my talented cousin, Segun Adu. His drawing skills were so stunning that I wanted to be like him. So since I couldn’t draw like him, I took on Photography as a way out”– Gbenga Nelly

From the moment I came in contact with his works on Instagram, I knew I was going to do a piece on him. Both his indoor and outdoor works are so refined; they depict perfection. Gbenga Akindele-Nelly hails from Ondo State, born in Lagos. He studied Fisheries Technology and then had a Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Resource Management from Lagos State University, Lagos.

“Art runs in the family, I was inspired to draw by my talented cousin, Segun Adu. His drawing skills were so stunning that I wanted to be like him. So since I couldn’t draw like him, I took on Photography as a way out. I am self-taught but when I got tired of what I was doing and wanted something new, Kelechi Amadi-Obi came to the rescue. He taught me Photography all over again” – in the words of Gbenga Nelly.

“I am a wedding, portrait, beauty, food photographer and I have also done some Architectural Photography. I have shot pictures in so many cities in Nigeria, Ghana and The Gambia. Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Ty Bello, Patrick DeMarchelier and Cliff Mautner inspire me. Their works are different and that’s what triggers me. I am in a phase of my career where I am still trying to figure out what my subject will be. Till I find that out, I will be shooting anything that presents itself beautiful to me. I have been fortunate enough to get clients through referrers; most of the clients I have worked with have now turned family. My works have been featured in quite a number of platforms: online, prints, locally and internationally” – he concluded.