Ngwe Angel, a 20-year-old student at the University of Buea (UB), is a photography star who gained the admiration of many when she was crowned the university’s Best Student Photographer for 2023.
The award-winning picture she took captured a male and female student raising their hands together in the middle of the yellow star on the Cameroon flag.
She captured the moment during the Buea Interschool Arts and Cultural Competition that took place in UB from October 25–26, 2023.
Angel’s award-winning photograph carries a profound message, reflecting the essence of her work.
She explained that the photo bears a “message of peace, cultural tolerance, unity, national integration, and living together regardless of which tribe or region in Cameroon we are coming from.”
The award she received for it, along with a token of FCFA 30,000, was Angel’s highest recognition since she decided to pursue a career in documentary photography last year.
It gave her an opportunity to represent UB at the 2023 University Festival of Arts and Culture (UNIFAC) that was held in Garoua from November 15–19.
Her dedication to her craft and her unique approach to documentary photography have earned her not only recognition but also a sense of encouragement to continue her artistic journey.
“I felt really excited after receiving the award because I dedicated my efforts into it. I had this feeling of encouragement to keep working hard, which I’d never gotten since I started documentary photography,” said a thrilled Ngwe Angel in an interview.
She spent her formative years in the mass settlements of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) in Kompina, Mbonge, Tombel, and Pendamboko, where her parents worked.
Life at the CDC camps inspired her drive into documentary photography, as she longed to capture the simple, communal life at the camps through the lense.
“Pictures are a spectrum through which memories are shared,” Angel passionately stated.
“I believe our stories can be best told by us. No one will tell our stories better than we do.”
Documentary photography became Angel’s passion at the age of 19, evolving into a medium for telling stories that resonate with daily life.
The final-year student of journalism and mass communication initiated the blog “Everyday Cameroon”.
Through the blog, she shares the daily experiences and hidden stories of Cameroonian communities while raising awareness about humanitarian issues.
Her work encapsulates themes of peace, cultural tolerance, unity, and national integration, irrespective of tribal or regional backgrounds in Cameroon.
“What drives me to keep on with documentary photography is the authenticity I find behind every photo,” she emphasised.
Angel saw the award as a catalyst to continue documenting everyday life in Cameroon and beyond.
“It has pushed me to want to keep documenting everyday life in Cameroon, Africa, and anywhere I find myself.”
Despite her achievements, Angel faces daily challenges as a documentary photographer.
“Because it’s documentary photography I do [face challenges], a moment past can never be gotten. So there are times I’ll picture a moment and after getting the photo, I’m asked to delete it, even after explaining the purpose to which the photo is to be used,” she explained.
Acknowledging financial constraints, Angel, a student balancing academics and photography, revealed the hurdles she encounters.
“Traveling from place to place as an independent documentary photographer is not easy, considering the fact that I’m a student,” she said.
Winning the award at UB has brought a newfound seriousness from others, but challenges persist, especially in acquiring equipment.
As a female photographer in a field often perceived as male-dominated, Angel admits the journey isn’t easy.
Yet, she found support and collaboration within the photography community, with mutual respect and encouragement.
At the 2023 UNIFAC Games, Angel emerged as the fourth overall best photographer among dozens of student photographers across Cameroon.
She says her dream is to work for big institutions like National Geographic, where she can learn from the best and fully showcase her ingenuity to the world.
