A famous historian of photography, Helmut Gernsheim once said, that neither the camera, nor lens, nor films determines the quality of pictures; but rather, it is the visual perception of the man behind the mechanism which brings them to life.
It is no doubt that multi-talented filmmaker and cinematographer Fredrick Dahe, is using his visual perception through the lens to portray a positive African narrative to the world.
Fredrick is a content creator and producer and holds a degree in photography from the National Film and Television Institute in Ghana.
He uses the arts of photography and cinema to portray beauty, the way of life of people, the food they eat, culture, language, how they relate to people, and the rich culture of the African continent, in an effort to influence the way that it is perceived.
He has traveled to African countries such as Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, and Togo, among others, sharing the beautiful and exciting life of the people.
Fred is also skilled in marketing, color grading, video, and photo editing. He speaks French, English, and a few other African languages.
His main passion is telling stories, which he uses to illustrate many facets of society’s growth and progress.
“I work to inspire, motivate and represent diverse perspectives from around the world. Insightful stories through works of media are made to educate, motivate and entertain society. I am a voice of society and I represent society through my work,” he says of his alluring works.
When asked to share his thought on how tourism can be promoted in Africa he adds: “Africa’s tourism is still at a growing stage with a brighter future. Some countries are not open to tourism based on their past experiences with foreigners whiles others are new to the whole idea.
However, we lack education and that’s one of the biggest problems. If only we understood tourism and appreciate it like how it is marketed in United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other countries, things will be more different.”
Fred is however positive that within the next five to ten years the industry will grow stronger and bigger.
He urged individuals especially Africans to be open-minded and shouldn’t look down on tourist attractions in their localities.
“I believe everyone should be given the freedom to travel wherever they want to go with their money based on his or her interest.
However, starting with your country won’t be a bad idea. They should keep an open mind and be ready to explore their community,” the astute cinematographer expressed.
He also admonished the media to use their tool to tell positive and motivating stories about Africa while empowering the people and projecting the continent’s culture.
“We need to do a better job at marketing local tourism to make it attractive, that way our people will show more interest in visiting,” he emphasized.
Fred is always open to collaborations and partnerships with brands, businesses, and people that are interested in producing meaningful and inspiring content.
