Yagazie Emezi
@yagazieemezi
Documentary
http://www.yagazieemezi.com/
Images and videos by Yagazie Emezi
Write on your doors the saying wise and old,
“Be bold! be bold!” and everywhere– “Be bold;
Be not too bold!” Yet better the excess
Than the defect; better the more than less…” shot for @voguemagazine.
#yagazieemezi #longfellowquote #everydayeverywhere #everydayafrica #documentaryphotography #streetphotography #liberia #monrovia #westpoint
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1,480Normal2017-09-04
At Westpoint, Montserrado, Liberia
Spent sweaty hours in West Point documenting beauty in West Point, Liberia. Where beauty was, love was also present. Outtake, but a favorite. Shot for @voguemagazine. Write-up by @azemezi
#yagazieemezi #documentaryphotography #streetphotography #everydayafrica #everydayeverywhere #liberia #monrovia #love
35 2,556Normal2017-09-03
At Westpoint, Montserrado, Liberia
I’ve always known what beauty is. We all have our various standards and influences. But do you know that it’s everywhere? That’s it’s fluid and without limit? That it can be represented? Months ago, I was invited to Vogue’s office and so I told them that I wanted to showcase the beauty I knew. I wanted to create a body of work around black beauty and self-love that could be seen clearly and challenged, claimed, accepted. And no better person to understand my process and write about it than my sister @azemezi 
, because a family that creates togetherrrrr 
. Shot for @voguemagazine.
#yagazieemezi
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At Monrovia, Liberia
A Muay Thai champion raises a gloved fist before a fight. His skin is shiny from a thorough rub down with Thai oil to warm his muscles and release tension along with helping to deflect blows a bit. The back room where the fighters get rubbed down and wrapped up is full of the acrid fumes of the oil which is partly menthol. Tiger Balm can also be used so imagine walking into a room with that methol-camphor smell so strong that it instantly stings your eyes. #yagazieemezi #thailand #muaythai #documentaryphotography #bangkok #everydayasia #everydayeverywhere
14 1,996Normal2017-09-02
At Bangkok, Thailand
“Don’t forget to like our Facebook page!” #yagazieemezi #streetphotography #everydayeverywhere #everydayasia #bangkok #thailand #streetphotography #documentaryphotography
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At Bangkok, Thailand
There’s naturally a lot of negativity attached to the sex industry all around the world. Slavery, coercion, and continuous trafficking come in repetitive waves despite crack-downs by the law. Work has taken me to spaces within the sex industry where the truth is obvious, hard, and miserable. Other times, not so much. Smiling faces of workers often carry two very opposing sides of the sex industry.
Currently in Bangkok, some organizations are working to eliminate the sex industry entirely, and other organizations are fighting for sex workers, the ones that to keep their jobs. Truth is, some sex workers enter the industry voluntarily and while the police and non-profits fight to eliminate prostitution and trafficking, workers find themselves facing human rights abuse at the hands of the police and job loss that in turn, affect the families they support. WHO, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other agencies are calling for the decriminalization of prostitution and for sex workers to be granted equal labor laws, task easier said than done.
Interesting reads: What Thailand’s Sex Trade Crackdown Means For Sex Workers, Legalizing Thailand’s Sex Industry Unfathomable, Amnesty International Says Prostitution is a Human Right – But It’s Wrong, The Worldwide Debate About Sex Work: Morality Meets Reality #yagazieemezi #everydayeverywhere #everydayasia #thailand #bangkok #soicowboy #documentaryphotography
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At Bangkok, Thailand
I’m happier in all-accepting spaces. Travel to where the heart beats. #thailand #bangkok #travel 
: @rileypliez
45 4,706Normal2017-09-01
At Bangkok, Thailand
While @jubril8 is away, I play in his room.
ABBA is life.
If you don’t know, you don’t know 
♀️ #abba #gimmegimme #knowingmeknowingyou
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At Bangkok, Thailand
*aggressively imagines this as my own private property* – loved this space. #yagazieemezi #thailand
17 1,770Normal2017-08-31
At Ayutthaya, Thailand
“She took a deep breath and drew it all in.” – T. Mafi
#yagazieemezi #everydayeverywhere #bangkok #everydayasia #travel
6 1,808Normal2017-08-31
At Bangkok, Thailand
So @spiritedpursuit decided dig up some emotionally painful/hilarious memories by nominating me to share with @diorparfums what I’d do for love lol. It brought back memories of hand-written notes I made for an ex for each day I travelled, memories of long nights staying up just so time zones were right to FaceTime, misplaced frustrations and moments of temptation, times of just about giving up and sometimes doing just that. Since I was 22, I’ve always found myself in some sort of long-distance relationship and as the years have passed, I’ve grown to understand myself and my different partners. Love is hard. But love is also patient and forgiving and when I practice these two virtues, I find myself with more space in my heart to do more for love. (My struggle toe point though ) #diorparfums #diorlovechain #thailand #travel
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At Ayutthaya, Thailand
Still playing catch-up with my life and emails. Four countries in a month has been exhilarating, stressful and eye-opening, so I’m looking forward to the upcoming weeks of a little bit more stability (?!?!, what even is that?). Taking in new views before they change again. #yagazieemezi #bangkok #thailand #everydayeverywhere #everydayasia
14 2,170Normal2017-08-30
At Bangkok, Thailand
The back of this light; @findingneema
#yagazieemezi #everydayeverywhere #ghana #everydayafrica #coiffureinAfrica
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Sitting at the edge of the coast closest to the center of the earth doing kegels ♀️
#Ghana #3points #travel #travelafrica
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All friends look at me this way at least 17473 times a year . With my solid @msadjei working through the evening to capture her perfect face just right for @tstmkrsafrica 
. : @sasyrae #ghana #boobah
27 6,090Normal2017-08-22
At Kokrobite
Those two friends who wait and watch for things to happen. #yagazieemezi #everydayeverywhere #everydayafrica #ghana #accra
27 4,744Normal2017-08-21
At Accra, Ghana
In my years, I have seen that people must be their own gods – Octavia E. Butler
@ladyjaylives in form. #yagazieemezi #everydayeverywhere #eveydayafrica #streetphotography #documentaryphotography #chalewote #chalewote2017
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At Accra, Ghana
My babe @global_addict with her long body. #yagazieemezi #chalewote #chalewote2017 #ghana
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At Accra, Ghana
What are spirits like in our world? #yagazieemezi #everydayeverywhere #documentaryphotography #streetphotography #accra #ghana #chalewote #everydayafrica
14 2,767Normal2017-08-20
At Accra, Ghana
Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence. Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us. – Maya Angelou.
Capturing @spiritedpursuit on vanishing land. #yagazieemezi #travel #travelnoire #zanzibar #iphoneonly
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At Zanzibar, Tanzania
Gone days with @spiritedpursuit.
The Rock Restaurant. #yagazieemezi #travel #zanzibar #travelnoire
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At Zanzibar, Tanzania
Liberian Boy.
#yagazieemezi #documentaryphotography #everydayeverywhere #everydayafrica #throwback #Liberia
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Ladies in red.
Fast candle-sealing of baobab fruit candy in Stone Town, Zanzibar. #yagazieemezi #streetphotography #documentaryphotography #everydayeverywhere #everywhereafrica
27 2,375Normal2017-08-14
At Zanzibar, Tanzania
Commissioned work for @unfpa.
Sally (16) braces herself for the birth control about to be implanted in her arm. The pain is anticipated, but brief. Unwanted pregnancies, early marriage and high maternal mortality rates are all too common in her community. She is sexually active and her community, far off the coast of Freetown, Sierra Leone, is isolated from family planning services. A visiting health promotion is an opportunity and responsibility that she has chosen to take at her age and a choice that she hope her friends will make as well.
In my line of work, I do see a variety of uncomfortable or unpleasant things and I am responsible for recording events as they happen naturally. Thankfully, this story is a positive. While I had full permission and range to photograph by person and establishment, I chose to focus on just her tensed feet and the emotion in that alone. This gave me personally, more range to look her in the face and comfort her through the very brief procedure. #yagazieemezi #documentaryphotography #sierraleone #everydayeverywhere #everydayafrica #unfpa #tbt
33 1,844Normal2017-08-13
At Sierra Leone
Clothes that remind me of my father.
I found memories of you in the silver chest at the end of the blue-green corridor of our Aba childhood in Nigeria. You had photo albums where you danced and reclined with old girlfriends. You looked confident and happy in those pictures. You struck poses with friends, sleeves rolled up just below the elbow and all your faces were covered with easy smiles. How old were you then? Did you feel free?
I see you now though, your feet dragging flip-flops down that same blue-green corridor. There’s no electricity and the candles have waxed the carpet by your bed. I hope the new mattress I got you is easier on your hips but I know you lay down with a sigh. You’ll try to call your children again. They won’t pick up. The calls won’t go through. You don’t know where they are. I promise I’ll call you more. #yagazieemezi #southafrica #documentaryphotography #streetphotography #everydayeverywhere #everydayafrica #johannesburg
31 2,385Normal2017-08-12
At The Maboneng Precinct
Honestly, the last several weeks have been a blur. I yet again packed up all my belongings and moved country – headed to new and uncertain things. While it felt good to take my first independent holiday, I’ve been uneasy with the rest period – missing the excitement and occasional discomfort of my old job. It’s a feeling of settling rust in me – will I still be good at what I do after these changes? How much growth is there for me?
Good thing that there are moments to make me feel grounded in what I do – excited to announce that some of my work will be shown at this year’s Photoville NYC (Sept 13-24 under the Brooklyn Bridge)! 
!! I will be part of the Insider/Outsider exhibition presented by Women Photograph & United Photo Industries and another body of my work will ALSO be showing at the Body Talk exhibition presented by Refinery29.
Grateful for opportunities/lessons to be softer on myself and the strides I’ve made so far and the people who have helped/supported along the way. (Ahem, if you’re there, take pics for me because I won’t be lmao 
)
Captured by @spiritedpursuit #photovillenyc
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Style never speaks, but somehow is always saying something – Mircea
FaceTime in Johannesburg. #yagazieemezi #documentaryphotography #streetphotography #johannesburg #southafrica #everydayeverywhere #streetstyle #style
12 2,839Normal2017-08-11
At The Maboneng Precinct
A moment – For every well posed image on IG – there’s a sweaty friend/partner/family member muttering to themselves about just wanting to enjoy a place like a normal person. We’re grateful for you guys. (Sticking in this dress forever basically). Captured by @azemezi. Clap for yourself if you can spot the struggle toe-point. #travel #zanzibar #travelnoire
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At Zanzibar, Tanzania
Threw a few short shots together (really short lol) of my time in Zanzibar. After crossing a few more destinations off my list, this is definitely a place I’ll return to. (@spiritedpursuit gliding through doorways with perfect timing.)
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At Zanzibar, Tanzania
Right when the sun calls in the night, there is a show of entertainment and masculinity – young men and boys ritually fling themselves off the stone edges of Forodhani Gardens, yelling out their nicknames and twisting, flipping their bodies before hitting the waters. #yagazieemezi #documentaryphotography #streetphotography #tanzania #travel #Zanzibar #stonetown #everydayeverywhere #everydayafrica
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At Zanzibar, Tanzania