In a summer photo session at Madison’s Olin Park, photographer Amadou Kromah captures four young girls in white, flying a red kite. The series, titled “Catching the Wind,” brings him joy as he watches the children play.
Kromah, who has been practicing photography for 10 years, aims to capture the passion and personality of his subjects, whether it’s through a family outing at the park, local concert or individual portraits.
“I like to talk to people and get to know them, creating an intimacy that lets them show me a unique part of themselves,” he said.
Kromah believes a person’s story often emerges through subtle details—a confident pose or a hint of humor in their eyes. His goal is to find something that stands out, to showcase their unique beauty.
Kromah’s love for photography began at age 14 during a lunch program at Madison La Follette High School.
“From that point on, I couldn’t let it go,” he recalled.
His career began with small projects for The Capital City Hues and an internship at Overture Center for the Arts. He won a gold medal at the Dane County NAACP ACT-SO competition and a silver medal at the 2017 National ACT-SO competition in Baltimore.
Today, Kromah photographs 20-30 portrait sessions and 10-20 events annually. But the work doesn’t stop after the shoot.
“Behind-the-scenes work is the most work,” he said.
After transferring the photos to his computer—sometimes over 1,000 photos from a single event, which takes hours to complete—he selects the best ones, then uploads them to Adobe Lightroom. He narrows down his favorites, then refines colors, does touch-ups and curates a final set for his clients.
“Like a painter appreciating one brush stroke over another, photography is about finding the best angles and creative compositions,” he said.
Quality equipment plays a major role in his work. Kromah’s collection of cameras and lenses allows him to shoot in different formats, each offering its own set of opportunities and challenges.
“When you do it right, you get so much information and quality,” he says. “It’s a surreal feeling when it all comes together.”
As Kromah continues to build his business, he hopes to exhibit and sell more of his work. At just 25, he has a decade’s worth of photos to choose from, and many years ahead of him to continue documenting the people, stories and experiences of Madison—and wherever his camera leads him.
