Lola Akinmade Åkerström is a Nigerian photographer, speaker, travel storyteller and an international author whose books are published in 18 languages. She is based in Stockholm, Sweden. Her work focuses on culture, tradition, and lifestyle.

She is a Hasselblad Heroine and 2018 Bill Muster Travel Photographer of the Year. In January 2024 her novel, Everything is Not Enough, earned a nomination in the Outstanding Literary Work at the NAACP Awards. Åkerström is represented by Craig Literary for book and film rights through Jessica Craig. Some of her articles and photography have been syndicated on MSNBC, Slate, Yahoo, New York Daily News, Chicago Sun Times, Huffington Post, and Time Warner, and many more.

Early life and education She started her early life in Lagos state in southwest Nigeria, where she completed her early schooling before relocating to the United States at the age of 15. She studied Geography Information System (GIS) and holds a master's degree in information systems at the University of Maryland. At the age of 19, she gained admission to the University of Oxford in England but failed to pursue it because of funding issues. In 2006, Åkerström relocated to Sweden with her husband.

Career Her work focuses on culture, tradition, and lifestyle. Åkerström started her career as a field journalist at Eco-Challenge. She worked for 12 years as a GIS developer before becoming a professional photographer. Between 2006 and 2007, she joined Matador Network and worked as an editor. In October 2009 she resigned her appointment at the GIS world to pursue her passion. In June 2011, Åkerström contested in a pre-selection program organised by Quark Expeditions to pick a writer that will be traveling to the North Pole for the project of documenting its ecosystem. In 2012 she participated in the expedition race in Fiji, where she started the combination of her traveling, photography and writing skills. In 2016, she visited the Italian Unesco World Heritage Sites of Sabbioneta and Mantua for exploration.

She has dispatched from more than 80 countries and her work has appeared in publications, online and in print, including National Geographic Traveler, BBC, and CNN, The New York Times, The Guardian, Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, Vogue, BBC World Service, National Geographic Traveler, Travel Channel's World Hum, San Francisco Chronicle, Forbes Traveler, Sherman's Travel, Fodors.com, ISLANDS Magazine, United's Hemispheres, AFAR, Guardian UK's Been There, Smithsonian.com, City Magazine, The Away Network, Transitions Abroad, and The Matador Network. She has collaborated with brands such as Dove, Mercedes Benz, Intrepid Travel, Electrolux, and National Geographic Channel.

Her photography is in the National Geographic Image Collection and she is a member of Women Photograph and Wonderful Machine. She was recognized as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) in Media & Culture, and she runs her own online academy, Geotraveler Media Academy, dedicated to storytelling.

She lives in Sweden, teaches travel writing and is the current editor-in-chief for Slow Travel Stockholm. She describes her writing as raw, real, and transparent, while her photography is filled with contrast, representing joy and hope.

Personal life In an interview with The Republic, she said that Black womanhood is not a monolithic experience and highlighted her experience raising biracial children in Sweden. She is a mother and a wife.

Awards

Year Class Category Awarding body Work 2017 First place Category 7: History SATW Enchanting Odense 2017 First place Category 5: Sport or Adventure SATW Northern Lights 2017 First place Category 4: Food and Wine SATW From Sea to Table 2017 Second place Category 1: Single Destination SATW Stockholm 2017 First place Category 1: Single Destination SATW Lagos 2016 Honorable Mention Best in Travel Writing Solas Terracotta 2015 Gold Category 127: 50+ Travel NATJA "The New Age of Adventure," Women's Adventure Magazine 2015 Silver Category 125: Personality and Profiles NATJA The New Age of Adventure 2014 Bronze Category 140: Local Lifestyle NATJA "The Silence of the Swedes," Roads & Kingdoms/Slate 2014 Bronze Best in Travel Writing Solas Travel & Shopping – Fake Birds 2013 Silver Category 193: Travel Tips & AdviceNATJA"5 Ways to Get More Mileage From Smart Phone Photos," Mashable 2013 Silver Category 140: Local LifestyleNATJA"The Silence of the Swedes," Roads & Kingdoms/Slate 2013 Silver Category 172: Landscape, SeascapeNATJA "10 Tips for Photographing Northern Lights," Fodor's 2013 Finalist Category 125: Personality and ProfilesNATJA "Insight-Ice Hotel/Arne Bergh," Qatar Airways Oryx Inflight Magazine 2013 Finalist Category 149: Culinary Travel NATJA "Navigating Gothenburg’s Culinary Scene," BBC Travel 2013 Gold Award Best in Travel Writing Solas Culture and Ideas – Decoding Lagom (Sweden) 2013 Regional Award Winner: Africa The Hot Mommas ProjectPress Release 2012 BronzeCategory 173: Portrait, People NATJA"Through the Lens: Kwazulu-natal, South Africa,” National Geographic Channel 2012 SilverCategory 149: Culinary Travel NATJA"10 Things to Know About Sweden’s Food Culture," Sweden.se 2012 FinalistCategory 132: Eco, Environmental or Special Purpose TravelNATJA"Stockholm’s Green Groove," Thai Airways’ Sawasdee In-Flight Magazine 2012 SilverCategory 176: Photo EssayNATJA"The Spirit of Lapland," Wild Junket 2012 SilverBest in Travel WritingSolasTravel and Food – Meat My Love (Global) 2011 GoldCategory 145: Personality and Profiles (Internet)NATJA"Slow Food From Sápmi" – Sweden.se 2011 GoldCategory 149: Culinary Travel (Internet)NATJA"Revamping classic Irish tea at Dublin’s Merrion Hotel" – Matador Network 2011 SilverBest in Travel WritingSolasTravel and Food – Sweet Pillows (Portugal) 2011 Judges’ VoteBlack Weblog AwardsBest International Blog – Geotraveler's Niche 2011Silver (Group Award)Lowell Thomas AwardSociety of American Travel Writers (SATW)Online Travel Journalism Site-Matador Network 2010SilverCategory 140: Local Lifestyle (Internet)NATJA Back to Sender" – Matador Network 2010Bronze AwardCategory 120: Local Lifestyle (Print)NATJA "Röckåbilly" – Hemispheres 2010Silver (Group Award)Lowell Thomas AwardSociety of American Travel Writers (SATW) Online Travel Journalism Site – Matador Network 2010Gold AwardBest in Travel WritingNATJA Travel and Shopping – Walkway to Nowhere (Nigeria) 2009Bronze Award Best in Travel WritingNATJA Travel and Shopping – Market Hopping Around Lagos (Nigeria) 2008Runner-up Winner Narrative Travel Writing ContestNATJA Transitions Abroad – Market Hopping Around Lagos (Nigeria)

References

External links