Siaya: Under the cool shade provided by the trees that line the middle of Siaya town, a green canopy of leafy trees and the fabricated steel benches provide more than just a recreation space. The park, befittingly christened Governor’s Park, also provides a space for young creatives to earn a living by capturing memorable moments through their lenses.
According to Kenya News Agency, several youth can often be seen setting up flashlight diffusers on tripod stands. These umbrella-like structures dot the park at strategic positions, cameras in hand as the snappers scan the park like eagles surveying their territory for prey from a distance, in efforts to convince potential clients.
Among the many photographers here is a young man carving a niche for himself. Sylvester Otieno, aged 24 years old, adjusts the lens of his Nikon camera while silently motioning to a young couple on the best poses to strike for their photo. He takes shot after shot and proceeds to show the couple their pictures for that coveted crucial nod of approval.
For Otieno, photography is not just a passion or a form of visual art; it is a livelihood that enables him to put bread on the table. “I ventured into photography after completing my certificate in Fashion and Design at Siaya Institute and failed to secure any formal employment,” he says while reviewing the pictures on his camera. “I sent out my CV to every organization and institution I could think of and got no positive feedback,” Otieno says and adds, “I decided to abandon pursuing the dream of formal employment and resolved to venture into the field of photography.”
Otieno says that his decision to plunge into photography was inspired by his father, who was a photographer during his upbringing. “I loved how he brought memories to life with his simple camera,” Otieno says. With a heart full of dreams, Otieno set off from his hometown in Ugunja to Siaya town, where he worked for a photography studio for one year until he could save enough to buy his very own second-hand equipment.
“Photography has its good days and bad days,” he says. “On favourable days such as graduation ceremonies, Valentine’s Day, or whenever I get a chance to cover public events, I can make up to nine thousand Kenyan shillings a week.” But just like any other hustle, bad days exist for Otieno too; on those slow days he says he barely makes enough to cover his meals and transportation.
According to Otieno, photography comes with many challenges just like any other career; he says that he struggles with the inconsistency of clients; some clients come once and disappear without a trace, and then there is the constant competition from other photographers who also operate within the park. “The only way to survive in this field is by having a good eye that spots potential clients from a distance,” he says as he chuckles softly.
“The constant need for upgrading equipment to meet the needs of his clientele is a hustle; new lenses are so expensive but we have to do what we can to meet the needs of clients,” Otieno says. “Apart from photography, I also do videography and manage social media accounts for small businesses,” he added, saying these extra ventures help him in diversifying his income on days that just taking photos alone does not make him any money.
He also helps young social media content creators to produce quality videos for their social media accounts where quality is often vital in creating good visual impressions and attracting viewers. Given the prevailing social media culture where online validation means a lot to individuals, a career window has opened up for him and others like him in the audio-visual industry.
Otieno says that all his skills are self-taught adding that he has no formal training or certification. Driven by sheer thirst for knowledge and curiosity, he went to YouTube and TikTok and followed tutorials on how to sharpen his photography skills. “The greatest fulfillment I get in this career path is seeing the joy in my clients’ eyes when they see their pictures and they love the outcome. I feel happy seeing someone post a photo of themselves that I took on their WhatsApp status or on their social media accounts because this markets my services as a result of the exposure I get from that,” he notes.
He says that from his hustle, he has developed a dream of going back to school and studying film production. Two years down the line since he started photography, he counts the decision to pursue film production as the best decision that he has ever made and one he can’t wait to fulfill.
Otieno is just one of the many youths who have taken advantage of the digital evolution to create opportunities in self-employment. With the ever-evolving digital space, youth are no longer fixated on formal employment and have started venturing into different e-commerce businesses like thrift (secondhand sale) businesses by incorporating online shops, content creation, videography, and animation as a way to combat unemployment in the country.
Otieno says that in this era where things are becoming more inclined to technology, the youth should take advantage of this market gap to create employment for themselves and others. “We should learn to adapt to the changes in the current market trends; if that dream of an office job fails, venture into self-employment,” Otieno says.
