Adeolu Osibodu puts us in a trance with his otherworldly photos inspired by nature

An encounter with Adeolu Osibodu’s photography is akin to your first time finding escapism. Starting out at 18, the Lagos-born, London-based photo artist has gone from documenting plants, clouds and nature to surrealist imagery. Crafted both on the scene and in post-production, his work speaks to the heart of our emotions. “It’s about being able to speak about or witness my surroundings without the use of words,” he says. “Starting out I was watching a lot of movies, recalling my dreams and listening to my urge to create.”

With a penchant for capturing people being at one with nature, his lens dances with the elements – earth, wind, fire and water – with partly obscured figures, who are sometimes in the periphery and sometimes at the centre. “The images don’t necessarily rely on the subjects themselves but more so the situation or scenario they’re in,” he tells us. “They represent my thoughts, ideas or scenes that are in this ‘otherworld’.” And having initially tested out his ideas through self-portraiture, his understanding of the craft is a special one both behind and in front of the camera. It is safe to say that Adeolu has both worldly and otherworldly inspiration at the core of his practice and, by your second encounter, you will find it impossible to avoid dreaming too.