Photography is the mirror of history - GUPP

Accra, July 19, GNA - The Ghana Union of Professional

Photographers (GUPP) on Wednesday expressed concern

about the low attention given to photography as a profession in

the country and urged people to change their perception about

the profession. Mr Dan Selassie, Chairman of the Union, said photography

should be taught in schools even to tertiary levels since it had a

vital role to play in writing the history of the country. He expressed these concerns at the launch of the 20th

anniversary of GUPP on the theme: "Photography: The Mirror

of History." He said the 50th anniversary of Ghana's independence

must be celebrated with photographs. "Some perceive photography as a job for school dropouts

but it is not so," Mr Selassie said, and noted that as part of their

anniversary celebration the Union would present Ghana's

written history in pictorial form. The Union, founded in 1987, is an umbrella for all

categories of photographers and would produce

documentaries, brochures and mount exhibitions as part of its

annual celebrations, which starts next year. In a speech read on Mr Abraham Dan Tetteh Okine,

General Secretary of the Public Services Workers Union, he

noted that photography was the best way of celebrating

events. He said the profession had an important role to play with

respect to tourism development in the country especially at a

time that the tourism industry had seen growth. Mr Okine called on photographers to feature tourism sites in

their photo exhibitions to promote them. Mr Gerald Annan Forson, chairman for the launch, shared

his experience in photography with his colleagues and urged

them to be proud of what they did. Mr Bernard Bosumprah, Copyright Administrator, who

spoke on: "Copyright Implications on Photography" reminded

them that photography was a copyright work and

photographers must enjoy all benefits of photography. Photographers needed to be given the credit if their

photographs were used for any other purpose other than what

they were intended for, he said. Mr Bosumprah urged the photographers to learn about the

rules and regulations on photography, especially with regard to

capturing certain public places that needed special permission

to be captured. Mr Bright Blewu, General Secretary of the Ghana

Journalists Association, in a solidarity message to the

photographers, repeated that photography had a great

potential in the country with relation to tourism. "There is lot photography can do for this country," he said.