Most often, when Ghanaian students are asked what do they want to become in the future, they largely or quickly mention careers such as medicine, accountancy, military and teaching. Photography or photojournalism is rarely mentioned by a male child let alone a female. Hitherto, the field was hardly pursued as a profession and the few people who ventured into it became photographers either by passion or default.
However, currently, the trend is changing, as many people are now learning photography and taking it to the highest level and becoming role models in their communities.
Mrs. Patience Adjaye Lartey is one such female photojournalists who works with the Information Services Department and has been covering activities of Ghana’s Presidency since 2002.
Her dedication to the profession and patience for details influenced her selection as a Presidential photographer for the Department. She has covered the activities of three different Presidents of Ghana both at home and abroad. From 2002 to 2008, she covered then President, John Agyekum Kufuor and from 2009 to 2012 she photographed most of the official assignment of late President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills. Besides these tight schedules, she managed to cover the assignments of the First and Second ladies between 2009 and 2015.
Currently, she is covering President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and also heads the Photo Section of the Information Services Department.
Her long stay at the presidency and dedication to the job won her recognition as the longest serving photojournalist at the 25th Ghana Journalists’ Association (GJA) Awards 2020.
Madam Patience Adjaye Lartey, after her O’level education in 1981 at Wesley Grammar Secondary School, went to Tema Technical Institute in 1982 to study Diploma in General Photography where she was the only female in her class. Being the only female in the class, propelled her to work hard to be one of the best in her class.
She started working with the ISD in 1985 and was assigned to cover press events to be published in the Ghana Today magazine, one of the flagship publications of the Department. Apart from this, she was also assigned to take portraits of government officials, processed films, registered and filed negatives at the Department’s Photo Library.
Between 1997 and 2002 she was posted from head-office to Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council as the official photographer of the Regional Minister. At the Regional Office, she covered daily events of the Minister and sent her albums to the head-office.
In an interview to share more light on her work, she said based on the in-depth knowledge she has acquired in the practice of the profession, she strongly believed that images not only summarize the most important parts of a function but also tell better stories than words.
She said: “If you check, we photojournalists don’t just take pictures, the pictures we take tell the story than many words.”
To her recognition at the 2020 GJA Awards demonstrates the level of appreciation people have shown in her work for the past three decades. She added that it also means that anybody can achieve their aims if they are determined.
She advised girls and women to have the conviction that they can do any job, all they need is dedication and a correct mindset.
To her, young women can climb any professional ladder they so desire to break the glass ceiling if they are supported by their family.
Juliet Etefe, ISD
