Photography legend James Barnor receives top award for documenting Ghana and London
James Barnor, a pioneering Ghanaian photographer who documented Ghana's independence in 1957 and the African diaspora in 1960s London, will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award at the 2027 Sony World Photography Awards. At 97, Barnor is recognized for his decades-long impact on African photography and visual history.
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James Barnor, the Ghanaian photographer who captured key moments such as Ghana’s 1957 independence and the vibrant life of London’s African diaspora in the 1960s, will be honored with the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award at the 2027 Sony World Photography Awards.
Born in 1929, Barnor began his career in Accra, becoming the first staff photographer at Ghana’s Daily Graphic newspaper and opening the Ever Young studio in 1953. His work documented both everyday life and historic events during a transformative era for Ghana.
In 1959, Barnor moved to Britain, where he challenged stereotypes through his fashion and portrait photography for Drum magazine, highlighting Black models and celebrities often overlooked by mainstream media.
Returning to Ghana in 1970, he helped establish the country’s first commercial colour-processing laboratory, further contributing to the development of photography in Africa.
Now aged 97, Barnor is celebrated as a pioneer of African photography, with his images exhibited worldwide and his legacy spanning from colonial Ghana to multicultural Britain.