PHOTOGRAPHY IN COVID TIMES

Article by Tanya

In a time where everything has come to a stand still because of a pandemic that has hit the whole world, media as an industry has not been spared. Today we take a look at photography as part of the media industry through the eyes of one photographer who has not let the pandemic shut his career down.

Meet Kudakwashe Chinjekure

Full Name : Kudakwashe Chinjekure Thomas Nickname: Kay Cee D.O.B: 11/06/1993 Occupation: Journalist/photographer/videography

Current employment/projects:

Freelance Journalist /Communications officer

Born Kudakwashe Thomas Chinjekure, the 27 year old Photographer affectionately kmown as “Kay Cee” has been in the industry for more than 10 years as he says he started doing photography at a young age in church before he actually went on to do it professionally, thus he has seen it in different lights, different shadows as well as different ages as it has evolved. When asked whether Photography was inborn or something that he had to study. “Kay Cee” said, “Both, it was an inborn thing and later l had to go to school for it. I went to Great Zimbabwe University, obtained a degree in Media and Cultural studies” Which goes to show that it is a passion that he has also invested in and turned into a source of income thus the COVID 19 pandemic has not only been a threat to a ‘job’ but also a lifetime passion and calling if we can call it that..

Having experienced life in the industry for an extended period of time Chinjekure says the pandemic has changed the whole way of life (culture) and the way Photography used to be done as a business. For instance, limited accessibility has been a hinderance to clients so generally business is slow. Despite challenges faced as a photographer in COVID times which include but are not limited to accessibility by customers, places to do out door shoots due lock down restrictions and things not flowing as compared to other years, the pandemic has paved a way for Digital Marketing. The solution is to adopt it as the new normal and also bringing services to the people where they are. As someone who attributes his inspiration to “the zeal to make a difference” Kudakwashe ended by stating that the industry is dynamic and everything is changing, from the equipment being used to editing software. Which goes to show the pandemic and every challenge that comes with it is yet another change that can easily be adapted to and life moves on. This then is a call to other people in the photography and media industry as a whole to focus on the positives and use the negatives of the pandemic to develop themselves and their craft and generate a bigger picture.