Born in 1997, Awuku Darko Samuel is a conceptual photographer from Suhum, Ghana. He began studying visual arts when he was at Nifa Senior High School, which he graduated from in 2017. He borrowed smartphones from friends to take photos until he was gifted with his own smartphone. He began exploring photography and what the medium can do as a visual storytelling method. Though he has experienced many different mediums, like African printmaking, leatherwork, and ceramics, he prefers photography because of its relative speed to materialize the ideas in his head.
Awuku’s conceptual photography is hugely inspired by his culture, the people around him. Visually, he is influenced by photographers like Philippe Halsman and Alessio Albi. He often incorporates daily, run-of-the-mill objects into his photography, utilizing them as something beyond its intended purpose. Through his vision, his models along with his props evolve into stunning high editorial images that would not look out of place in a fashion magazine. By involving local youths in his photographs, he aims to show and teach them that there is an infinite possibility of creations to make even with limited resources available. Also to promote African heritage.