In the universe of image hunters: Geofroid Aballo, flash man

AT 24 years, Géofroid Aballo is already touring Africa, camera in hands. Not as a tourist. But as a photojournalist, specialized in shooting football matches. A passion that has become a profession that he exercises like in a daydream.

Robert KEKELY

Standing, it is 1m78. But most of the time Géofroid is vaulted, right eye closed, the left eye in the lens, the thumb and forefinger on the focusing ring of his camera. By his fingers are sealed in the immortality of laughter time, tears, shouts, pains, tears, joys, happiness, unhappiness. In short, life ! And this life, this is football. " At the beginning, I expressed myself more in event photography. Then one day, I went to attend a Squirrels match, I took pictures and got a taste for it ".

Since, the slender young man did not pick up any more. He bathes and is ecstatic in a world where even when things are going at a thousand miles an hour, the crackle of his flashes reminds us that he has just frozen an image for the present but also for history.

Photography, a passion

What sounds like fun for Geofroid really starts with 2018. But in fact, the beginnings go back further. "When I was a teenager, I accompanied my older brother to his farm. I picked up her phone and photographed everything I saw. He had then found that I was doing wonders and at the age of 15 years ago he gave me a small camera. "So tenderly begins a romance that is not about to end. The little Geofroid has grown and its camera has also grown. He has become an accomplished self-made man. Patron of his own "King Art Empire" team, as if to say the king of photography.

When he moves with his “matos”, he is the archetype of the playboy. Jogging, T-shirt, basket, cut way “Ghana boy”, wrist watch and bracelets. In appearance, Geofroid seems calm. But he's a real beast of the machine. When he grabs his device, the man is metamorphosed. Shoots from unlikely angles with steady dexterity and agility. Kind of like a dance performance. "You always have to be specific without being specific. On a football match, there are several photojournalists. And so it's up to you to find the images that reflect emotions and that can be your signature over time. Only then will you get a signature and people will recognize your photos just by seeing it.. And that's what I look for every time. »

"The CAN adventure gave me more experience"

Géofroid now supports Squirrels in all their expeditions. It works in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports. During the qualifiers for CAN Egypt 2019, he covered all the meetings in Cotonou and was also from the Gambian expedition. The consecration for him was the African Cup of Nations 2019 in Egypt. "The CAN adventure gave me more experience. I discovered the international standard and I admit ... it's a little different from our organization at home. At the beginning, I was a little confused. But quickly, I found my marks. "

In his memory bottle, he treasures a good portion of this competition which was his very first. Since his return, he covered Benin matches – Zambia (FIFA day) Nigeria – Benign (CAN Cameroon qualifiers 2022) and Benin – Sierra Leone (CAN Cameroon qualifiers 2022).

After this last meeting, he is a little weaned from his passion. The Covid-19 pandemic has taken by there. "I had planned to go to the Euro this year. Unfortunately, the coronavirus decided otherwise ", he is sorry. But the young photographer always keeps a smile. He knows it's a bad patch that gradually merges into the past. He waits with his eyes in the viewfinder, Fingers on the trigger. He can't stop photographing. " Photography, It's the story of my life. »