Please, Put your work out there
Most creators I know, extremely talented Nigerian designers don’t put their work out there. I only know how good they are because I have encountered their work or worked with them in the past.
I’m not sure if like me, it was because of the often complex contract clauses I had to sign. This was before though, ever since I realized that as the creator of your work, you hold authorship, and as the author of your work, you can certainly transfer the ownership of your work but retain your title as Author. The right to be recognized for the Authorship of your work is in fact a fundamental human right according to Article 27.2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations. So fundamental so much that they are called ‘Moral Rights’. Some sneaky contracts try to force you to waive your Moral rights, to which your answer should always be NO. It is also the case that promoting great work helps everyone, including and especially your clients. It is standard practice to recognize the talent and work put in by all contributors.
Some creators say they don’t put their work out there because they will rather just focus on doing the work and leave every other thing out. But I will argue that putting your work out there is part of the work. It will always be your responsibility to present your own ideas, this is not something you can delegate. So you have to take the time to write about your projects and present your work to the world (or potential clients and hiring managers).
There is also the significant issue of Creators not wanting to be out there, after-all, many creative people are considered shy, so much that we are sometimes referred to as the ‘shy-creative types’. I personally don’t think this is good or bad; and I think the word shy is too simplistic. I believe what matters is that you put your work out there and that you should do whatever the situation calls for.
It could also be that there is no ‘sparkling portfolio’ to put out there. I remember feeling this way some years back. I wasn’t very proud of some of my projects, it was as if my work had become boring to me. I decided to work on a personal project so I could use it to push myself and work towards results in my control. In the case where there is no portfolio that shows the kind of work you currently do, you will need to work on that first.
“If you don’t put yourself out there, how will people know what you do?”
People also say there is no portfolio website to show their work; but there are a couple of tools you can use for this. I admit that it is great to build your portfolio using incredible #NoCode tools like Framer, Webflow, Vzy or Readymag; allowing you build beautiful websites you can connect to your personal website domain name. But in reality, these tools can be expensive to start with. You can always use platforms like Behance, dribbble, Mainstack, Google Slides, Notion, or Vimeo can also do the job for free. What matters at the other end for a potential client or hiring manager is to be able to assess your skillsets and view your past works. So it is important that your work is online and visible.
Lagos Meet is on a mission to amplify the potential of talented Nigerian creators across the globe, and we believe that great work speaks for itself. But you first have to put it out there. Over the next few weeks, we will focus on this crucial topic, and encourage more creators to show their workings.
Also, on the 29th of February, we have an upcoming Live conversation (on the app formerly known as Twitter) to discuss how to launch your creative portfolio and present your work. RSVP to Attend.
Coker Oluwafemi
for Lagos Meet
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