Seibou Traoré

"What I love most about photography is the ability to freeze time on things that are important in my eyes, so that I can share them with as many people as possible, either to bring about a positive change or to celebrate triumphs," enthuses portrait photographer Seibou Traoré.

The Canon Ambassador started out photographing his friends and now shoots a wide range of people – from footballers and presidents, to beauty pageant royalty. "Many people, at the end of my sessions tell me, 'You made me feel so much better than when I came in', and I really believe that photography offers a form of therapy; it provides such a positive sense of well-being," says Seibou.

Seibou continued shooting for the Red Cross, but the significant film and developing costs soon encouraged him to make the move to digital, and he bought a Canon EOS 350D. "Thus began a new page in my life," he recalls. "I was able to cover more and more weddings." It was during one of these ceremonies that fate would open a door – renowned Ivorian hairdresser Alain Chapo was styling a bride and wanted to use Seibou's shots in Afrique Fashion, an emerging fashion magazine. "As soon as the editor received the images, she asked to meet because she wanted me to shoot more projects for the magazine," says Seibou, who is entirely self-taught. Not only did this mark his entry into fashion photography, but he also received an invitation to cover the Bastille Day celebrations on 14 July at the French Embassy in Abidjan. This led to Seibou becoming the official photographer for the President of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, a position he held for more than a decade.

Garnering acclaim both nationally and internationally, more doors soon opened for Seibou, leading to him working with iconic figures such as footballer Didier Drogba and Miss World Africa, Olivia Yacé.

Beyond his artistic endeavours, Seibou's legacy is also assured thanks to his influence on young photographers in West Africa, many of whom regard him as a mentor and an inspiration. "My greatest pride is the impact I've had on the lives of many young photographers," he says. "When they tell me, 'Big brother, I became a photographer thanks to you,' that is the greatest achievement. True success is measured by the positive change we bring to the lives of others."

How did your work with footballer Didier Drogba come about?

"We met in 2011 when I was shooting an AIDS campaign for the UN. It was a calendar with 12 celebrities from Côte d'Ivoire, each representing their birth month. Didier was elusive because of his busy schedule and ultimately he had to cancel. I said to myself, 'I'm going to do this shoot.' So I went to his room and, a few minutes later, I found myself face to face with him. He said, 'Brother, I'm sorry but I have to go to the airport, otherwise I'll miss my flight. I have a match at Chelsea tomorrow.' I said, 'Sorry brother, just give me five minutes and that's good.' To my great joy, he replied, 'Five minutes'. I realised what those five minutes meant, in that hotel corridor – no time to move the lights or to ask him to go down to the room planned for the shoot. So we did the shoot right there and then, in less than five minutes. Now I shoot all his campaigns."

You shoot many genres. Which is your favourite?

"Portraiture. It requires a lot of sharing back and forth with the subjects, and the result brings so much happiness to the person being photographed. It's something magical. In fact, it's something that cannot be put into words; it's a very deep and rewarding sensation."

How would you characterise your style?

"My signature style is all about being natural – simplicity is the keyword, and always staying close to reality. It's easy to recognise my photos because in a world where computer graphics and retouching are common, my photos stand out because they are authentic. I only ever use editing software to remove small blemishes here and there. For me, Canon cameras contain everything needed for beautiful photo creation."

"My creative process is based on mastering manual photography. This mastery means I can break the rules for artistic results, because let's not forget: photography is an art. With experience, I know what I want the final result to look like. There is no longer room for chance in my work. I try as much as possible to achieve exactly what is in my mind when I am in front of the subject. This was my biggest frustration at the beginning. I have worked on it throughout my career, and I continue to work on perfecting it, even now."

Instagram: @seiboutraorephotography