On this Labor Day, I am celebrating the work of Jacques Toussele, a photographer from Cameroon, who along with his colleagues now on view at the Fowler Museum at UCLA in Photo Cameroon, took what was ostensibly a kind of passport photo (identity cards) practice into delightful realms, proving that work can sometimes be art.

I had seen a similarly engaging show about three other African photographers at the Maison Europeene de la Photographie a few years back.

Toussele did the majority of his work in an indoor space on a main street in Mbouda. Subjects often brought their treasured possessions since few props were available. They celebrated engagements, births, family reunions. Upon arriving at the studio they would consult examples of previous work displayed on the wall. Sitters would create their personal 'backdrop' with Toussele.

This is an image of Emmanuel Lucky Sparrow who himself was a backdrop painter, with his girlfriend. He was an itinerant painter going from studio to studio through the Grassfields region and was employed frequently by Toussele.

I love this photo, the insouciance and moxie of the couple and how they wished to be remembered. Though undated, it captures the seventies with the untraditional fabric and the length of her mini dress, his Carnaby Street hat, bell bottoms, form fitting shirt and most of all their attitude.

With our iphones and their instant-ness, we don't achieve the same self-curation, or when we do, it's likely to be less studio-centric. I think this kind of portrait photography is ready for its next act.

Happy Labor Day!