In Conversation- Adedolapo Salako

For this episode we had a chat with Lagos-based photographer Adedolapo Salako, whose work captures the rhythm, resilience, and quiet beauty of everyday life on the streets of the city. Through documentary storytelling and intimate portraiture, her lens offers a layered view of Lagos, Nigeria one shaped by movement, community, faith, and moments that often go unnoticed.

From street football played on makeshift goalposts to portraits that make people feel seen, Adedolapo’s work sits at the intersection of culture and lived experience. Her images don’t chase spectacle; they document reality with care, revealing stories of optimism, identity, and survival against the odds. Whether she’s shooting campaigns for streetwear brands or long-term personal projects, the street remains her canvas-a place where style, sport, and human connection naturally collide.

In this conversation, we explore her creative journey, the purpose behind her photography, and how football culture on the streets of Lagos becomes both a language and a coping mechanism for community and joy.

Tell us where you’re based and and how you describe what you do

I’m based in Lagos Nigeria. I capture the daily activities that happen on the streets of Lagos and sometimes give detailed descriptions on the common activities that are found on the street. I also capture portraits of the people that occupy the city, and  lastly, I shoot campaigns for streetwear brands mostly on the street because, it tells a particular story, I believe.

How would you describe the essence of your work, and what people usually see through your lens?

Concerning the daily life,  I believe that the essence of my work is to provide a broader insight on Lagos to both foreigners and Locals, which I believe that these insights could serve as a motivation to the viewers. For portraits, I capture portraits to freeze or create memories for the subjects later in the future and also, to make them feel seen and to create some sort of emotional contagion between myself and the subjects.

Additionally, through my lens, people see resilience, insights, and memories

What message or feeling are you hoping to communicate through your photography 

Inspiration, deep thinking, and insights

What has been your most exciting project so far, and why did it stand out to you? 

A project titled nurturing brilliance against all odds - it’s a sensitive project with mixed emotions - both inspiring and disheartening. It’s a project on marginalized kids who preferred to use their skills/talent to earn rather than begging on the street. Kids who  chooses to be optimistic about their future despite all the odds

Your work often capture style, movement, and community without staging. What does football culture mean to you in the context of street style 

I believe that the football culture is a very appreciated on the street of Lagos, because in every corner of the street, no matter how tiny it may be, you’ll always find a made-up football post being played by both the young and adults. It’s almost as if it’s one of the essential tool in which the male gender derive happiness from. Based on how I’ve seen football in the context of street style, the football culture seem like a coping mechanism for people

Your work feels deeply rooted in everyday life. What pulled you towards the street and documentary Photography in Lagos?

The honest answer is - at first, nothing pulled me into street/documentary photography. As a rooted christian, I was led to it by God - which I was resistant to at first lol. But overtime, I became deeply interested as I began to walk on the street with intention. I began to notice the thing I never noticed, so I decided to begin to document certain activities that mostly speak on resilience and motivation

Share with us your motivation and creatives/photographers whose work you admire

Firstly, I get my motivation through taking a stroll on the street without my camera - just deeply connected to the activities I see

Secondly, I admire other photographers such as Dawoud bey, Stephen Tayo, Andre Wagner, and Vivian Maier.

Through her work, Adedolapo reminds us of the power in attention. Her photographs document more than streets, faces, or moments as they capture resilience, and the quiet strength of everyday life. Follow her work here on Instagram and birdiefootball across all socials.