FAAPA Commences Photojournalism Seminar to Empower African News Agencies.

The Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies (FAAPA) has inaugurated a specialized training seminar, "Mastering Photojournalism Techniques," at its headquarters in Rabat. This pioneering initiative that commenced on th 29th September 2025 and ends on October 2025 is designed to equip photographers from member news agencies with the advanced professional competencies indispensable for modern visual storytelling and to bolster their role in shaping a sovereign African narrative.

In his opening address, Mr. Fouad Arif, President of FAAPA and Director General of Agence Marocaine De Presse (MAP), welcomed the delegates and articulated his profound enthusiasm for the convocation. He underscored that this landmark seminar constitutes a pivotal element of FAAPA’s 2025 action plan, orchestrated to fortify the capabilities of African photojournalists by endowing them with both crucial theoretical knowledge and practical expertise.

Mr. Arif described the seminar's multifaceted objectives, emphasizing its capacity to empower participants in navigating the ethical dimensions of the profession, mastering indispensable techniques, and assimilating best practices for excelling in fieldwork to produce enduring and impactful photographic reports. Over an intensive five-day period, 25 photographers will be mentored by renowned experts who will share their profound experiences and insights.

Contemplating the rapidly evolving media landscape, Mr. Arif articulated the imperative for African press agencies to prioritize the development of their photographic services. In a global environment saturated with rapidly circulating information and imagery, he affirmed that such development is vital to keep pace with the profound transformations driven by digital media and artificial intelligence.

He voiced his aspiration for the training to be a profoundly enriching experience for all participants, one that broadens their perspectives and sharpens their critical faculties. The seminar is set to culminate in the establishment of a pan-African network of press photographers, fostering ongoing collaboration and professional growth.

Trainers at the event provided penetrating insights into the essence of the craft. Boubacar Badji, an accomplished Senegalese photojournalist, defined the discipline as a distinct profession that supplies media outlets with photographic reports, frequently complemented by text, thereby establishing it as a foundational form of journalism. He posited a critical axiom on the photographer's role: a photograph must serve as an unbiased visual record, with the caption and article furnishing the essential context.

Echoing this conviction, he noted that the paramount objective of photojournalism is the lucid conveyance of information, rather than the creation of imagery amenable to subjective interpretation. Consequently, photographs, he noted, are invariably accompanied by detailed captions to shepherd the viewer toward an accurate and intended understanding.

Dr. Josephine N. Abomo Essoma, a PhD and university lecturer from Cameroon, further explained profession's foundational tenets. She expounded that a photojournalist operates precisely at the intersection of photography and journalism, shouldering a dual mission: to inform the public through credible documentation of events and to arrest public attention with compelling imagery.

She clarified that this intricate work involves constructing a coherent narrative from raw, unedited photographs, necessitating that journalists adeptly navigate the spectrum between pure information and public engagement across diverse event typologies.

Correspondent/News Editor-Amara Kargbo

Email: kargboamara079@gmail.com

Tel: ‪+232 73111507‬