A Nigerian named Emmanuel Iduma is many things, such as a writer, editor, journalist, publisher, critic, and photographer. In 2022, he brought together these talents to create the newsletter The Tender Photograph, which was sent out to subscribers two times a week. The newsletter has since evolved into an essential platform for African photographers, writers, critics, writers, and curators. The publication is hosted on Substack the site has grown so well-known that it is a prominent publication on the newsletter’s online support website.
Iduma, Author of 3 books, I am Still With You, an autobiography about the Nigerian Civil War; A Stranger’s Pose, a travelogue; and The Sound of Things to Come The Sound of Things to Come, a novel. He’s also a winner of the highly coveted Windham-Campbell Prize.
In Tender Photo, Iduma is attracted by the story-telling possibilities of photography, as well as the subtle elements that lie behind it. In the publication, Iduma picks a picture and then writes about what it evokes for him. The photographer of the photo then describes the reasons and the process they used to take the photograph. Literature scholar Tinashe Mushakavanhu asked him about the project.
What was the motivation to establish a forum such as Tender Photo?
In the mid-2021st year, when I was I was at a point of advanced working on my new book, I decided that I was required to alter the way I released my writing on photography. In the preceding seven years, I’d published essays or stories that emphasized my voice as an author of critique.
I thought about ways I could express my passion for photography, despite my usual interests. The idea for the newsletter came from the desire to unburden my writing of any excessive jargon that I’d acquired during the process in writing to a specific world-class public. Simply put, it was an attempt to identify a new way to work using photographs. It showcases pictures by early to mid-career photographers from the African continent. African continent.
Why was it important to start a dialogue between a critic and a photographer?
The need I saw was to act as a middleman between photographers and the photos they made. In this sense, the frame of that communication was vital. What could I do to make the photographer speak clearly and unambiguously about the photo? I intended to provide narratives about photography, primarily from the viewpoint of photographers and accompanied by brief descriptions that demonstrate the potential of a keen eye.
How did you come to your decision on the design?
As we approach the 60th anniversary of the newsletter, I’ve decided only to publish one image per article. At the beginning of the publication, I added two additional photographs. The plan then was to display the three photos I chose from the portfolio of the photographer and highlight a variety in fashion.
In the second year of my presentation, I’ve trimmed my production even more, recognizing that the feedback I’ve received indicates that people appreciate the clarity of my presentation. My goal is to allow viewers to take pleasure in viewing a photograph as repeated strokes of a kiss.
Recently, you introduced guests to write about the photographs that you’ve published about. Why?
There are two primary reasons for this expansion to be necessary. One, I was aware from the beginning that by the end of the year, I would have plenty of photos that reacted to one another in surprising ways.
