Meet Elroy Salam, Ghana’s Lens of Change
Meet Elroy Salam, Ghana’s Lens of Change
BlueBook Magazine documents emerging Ghanaian photographer Elroy Salam's creative origins, inspirations, and purpose.
Two boys stand close, their arms wrapped around each other, the weight of the world rests heavily on their small shoulders.
The sunflowers perched on their heads radiate a burst of colour, bright and almost out of place in this sombre scene. Their soft petals are a stark contrast to the hard lines etched into the boys' faces.
One can almost catch the scent of earth and sweat that clings to them, that mingles with the faint, sweet fragrance of the flowers— enhancing on the canvas, a visual metaphor of the sublime purity into which every child is born.
As you meet their eyes, the purity of their gaze grips you, pulling you into the depths of their innocence. They are yet untouched from the harsh realities of life, struggle, and hunger.
This is one of the many evocative images of Elroy Salam (real name Abdul Salam Nahu), a young photographer hailing from Ghana. Elroy is a rare talent who views his photography as a form of personal therapy that allows him to transcend his introversion and to connect with others through his visual practice.
Core to his work is the belief that ‘art is a vehicle towards advocacy’, and with this mantra, he uses his lens to capture resonant images to campaign for global social change.
“It was supposed to be a hobby, but I kept trying new things. When people see me out, they see my camera and ask me to take their photo. And as time went on, it became a way for me to interact.”
Elroy Salam first developed an interest in photography during his undergraduate days at the University of Ghana. His first experience within the medium was when a friend of his introduced him to a thought-provoking image that thematically addressed the energy crisis in Ghana.
The photographer created a work depicting the ongoing problem of power outages in Ghana using light to capture the words ‘dumsor’ which is jargon for energy crisis. The combination of creative imagery and a compelling message immediately resonated with Elroy, and he remembers thinking “it was fascinating, how someone could draw with light in the camera. Because it was not edited, it was shot that way.”
From there, Elroy would find himself taking photographs on his iPhone while walking around his university campus, a story that is similar to many photographers who create work primarily with smartphones like Prince Gyasi and Malick Kebe.
He found empowerment in these simple captures, which encouraged him to continue his artistic practice: “I realized I found myself taking shots of things- the environment around me. I was walking through the hallway. I took a shot on my phone, and I thought that it looked nice. And I realized that I found myself taking photos of things around me from then. So it wasn't really me planning to get into photography, I just found myself doing it with my phone.”
After a while his father gifted him a camera, which allowed him to explore his artistry in a more dedicated manner. Elroy was contracted for his first professional job after a friend of his vouched for his skills. He was hired to capture the wedding of this friend’s family member, which in turn opened the path for more photography gigs. His resume includes events, commercial photography jobs and fashion editorial pieces.
His work has garnered national and international attention, and he has been featured in publications such as Global Citizen, VOA Tv program, Vogue Portugal, Okay Africa and CNN Travel.
"You don’t have to go on the street and shout to get people’s attention. You can grab their attention with a beautiful piece."
Elroy’s creative process is driven by human connection and his experiences. When traveling with his camera, there would be many moments when random people would ask him to take their portraits. It is this power of photography, the power to break through his introversion, that is eminent in many of his creative works. “ It was supposed to be a hobby, but I kept trying new things. When people see me out, they see my camera and ask me to take their photo. And as time went on, it became a way for me to interact, even without words.”
But the true appeal of the young artist’s work is that it goes beyond aesthetics and aims to raise awareness on many social issues faced both in his home in Ghana, and abroad. His projects titled ‘LIGHT SCULPTURES’, and ‘ANDROGYNY’ look at the various layers of mental health and self-identity. Another outstanding body of work is ‘TO BE BOYS AGAIN’, which focuses on the beauty of childhood innocence and purity in contrast to the anxieties and trauma that affect our adult lives.
He uses his mind, his camera and the world around him to remind his audience the importance of self-love, peace and the inner child that we should all seek to respect. Other issues important to him include environmental sustainability, economic instability and mental health.
His creative goal is to encourage his audience to reflect upon themselves and change, ultimately leading to them embracing their true selves and building self-confidence.
“I believe that art is a vehicle for advocacy,” he explains, “when you are walking down the street and see a beautiful piece of art, you like to process and look at it. So if that art is trying to speak about an issue,or convey a message, the beauty of it is compelling you to look at it. So art in itself is a powerful tool to do this. So art allows me to provoke thought and challenge societal norms. You don’t have to go on the street and shout to get people’s attention. You can grab their attention with a beautiful piece.”
Elroy Salam is not just a photographer, but also a storyteller and an advocate for change. By using his lens, he is able to capture life's harsh realities and turn them into compelling stories, which makes an impact on everyone who comes across his works.
His art challenges perceptions and pushes for meaningful change by fusing beauty and urgency, demonstrating the effectiveness of art as a weapon for advocacy.
With every picture, Elroy challenges viewers to consider the world from his perspective, wrestle with the issues that face human life, challenge social norms, and find strength in one’s weakness. His images act as a mirror to the outside world, reflecting not just his own journey but also a call to all of us to accept who we really are and fight for a normative society that strengthens us.
