| All Black and white pictures used on this site are courtesy of esteemed African photographer Sunmi Smart Cole. |
Sunmi Smart-Cole, born September 25th, 1941, in Port Harcourt, (Nigeria, West Africa). Is of Nigerian-Sierra Leonean parentage and is known for his versatility and the range of his interests. His fame as a gardener and his involvement in environmental groups such as the Friends of the Earth and the Sierra Club are reflected in his sensitivity for natural subjects. His love of music and fashion, and his varied experience: from newspapers to being father of two young men, enrich and inform his work as a photographer.
Sunmi held his first solo exhibition at Stanford University, Stanford, California, in 1978. In December 1978, he was invited by the National Council for Arts and Culture to mount an exhibition at the National Arts Theatre, Lagos. He continued to work to support his new interest until his return to Nigeria in 1982. Since then, Sunmi has consolidated his position, both as a professional photographer of international standing and leader of the field in his own country. In 1983, he became the first photo editor of the newly established GUARDIAN newspaper where his striking black and white photos were eagerly looked forward to by readers.
Sunmi Smart Cole has trained over thirty photographers (free of charge). He is a five-time award winner including the 3rd. Commonwealth Photography Exhibition award in Hong Kong (1983), and the first TINAPA Movie Awards “Achievement in Entertainment” Award (GOLDEN CAMERA AWARD – 2007). He currently is the Editor in chief and Executive producer for a popular magazine which captures West African society in pictures - Photo News.
Contact:
sunmismartcole@yahoo.com
Books by the photographer:
The Photography of Sunmi Smart-Cole” 1993. Foreworded by Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka.
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