The Shape of Passion! An idea can seize the moment, and if it rings enough we want to pursue it, whether as a side job or as a plan to secure our financial situation. Sometimes we just feel that going a certain direction in life will be living the life we were meant to be. Yet the highs, lows and detours along the way are not always clear. Only flexibility can assure the growth everyone wants.
Miriti K. Mwenda shares with us how his looked like and how he is continually positioning himself to stay afloat in his passion for photography
Miriti I started my career as an hotelier. I had a crazy love for the hospitality industry. In campus I applied for many jobs in the five star hotels even without proper qualifications. I even was called for one at Kempinski, Dubai but didn't go for lack of travel costs* considering the time I received the response and the date I was to report. Looking back, I think I would have become a totally different person. It was a time I was just becoming stable in my relationship with God, I had never experienced the job market and was just head over heels in love with hospitality!
My career was doing well apart from just the normal dayto-day challenges of a work environment. My main reason for thinking commercial photography (my idea then being food and product photography) was that I soon realized I didn’t want to stay in a particular station. As a creative mind with qualification in the hotel industry, I first thought that getting into the marketing department would give me the life I wanted! But coming to think about it, I would still be confined to a particular environment and brand.
I made up my mind and started working towards the dream, encouraging myself that I will also become my own boss! The challenge was obviously getting the equipment. In photography, camera and lighting are the most important assets. Anything else builds on these. From my salary I started saving towards getting my first camera. I also sold digital movies at USIU University at Kshs. 30 as an alternative to buying at Kshs. 1500. After a while, I got myself the Nikon D7000 with two kit lenses- 18-55 mm and 55-200 mm- a tripod stand, camera bag and an SD card.
My love for the food industry informed my decision to brand myself as a commercial food photographer, going by the name Miriti's Delight. It wasn't easy getting my feet on stable grounds. I remember then, most of the things I did were just my own tests and experimentation, to grow my skills and exposure. My social media handles were beautiful with creative stuff and positive comments from friends. The creative angle that I chose didn't have good market then as is starting to gain today.
Since I was fully into this, I had to be open to growth. My next move was expanding into the real estate industry. Actually my first good-paying projects were from this kind of work. But still there were some challenges, including some unfulfilled promises when working with new clients. I would still enjoy the work and the opportunity to learn and build portfolio. I especially loved shooting showrooms. This got me working for the likes of Galleria Gardens.
Later on I got into film and enjoyed working with directors like Jesse Kyalo, Mehul Savani, Kiboi Kuria, and actors like Brenda Wairimu. I shot the behind the scenes of Selina that are used to make content for their social media platforms.
Friends' and referral jobs like birthday and small parties here and there also helped me make additional money as I was starting.
As a business, I learnt to embrace opportunities and not limiting myself to a particular market especially as a startup. I started shooting for weddings, corporate events and functions all together. I even rebranded to commercial photography still running under Miriti's Delight rather than limiting myself to product photography.
To date I still believe in the power of doing what you love as long as you research to understand how to use that to make proceeds. I started with my own experimentation here and there. Over time I have had the opportunity to shoot products for companies like Nivea, KTDA, L’Oreal, Sasini, Fitch and Leedes. I still love product photography. I think of how I can creatively shoot anything I see around with a marketing concept.
Product photography is a problem solving skill. The client wants the product showcased in a manner to capture the attention of the potential buyer and lead to purchase. It's the work of the photographer or agency to come up with a solution. It is a complex process because it requires a whole team. Well, it can be simple or complex. From photographing a hard drive on a white background to photographing a model wearing an evening gown alighting from a fancy German car heading to a fancy restaurant! Pitching a concept can be a challenge. You could be having a great concept but the target company is not looking for that at the moment. So you put what you have done into your portfolio which can as well land you a great opportunity. For me, a no means not today! But generally, it becomes easier when you are approached with a problem so you come up with a solution. Pitching is a risk that you don’t put in much expectations, but you also don’t avoid completely, because it can expand your mind and skills. You have to think about the audience to influence your final work.
Food photography has taken me to places like Sarovawhere I was working before taking this direction, Korosho restaurant, Santori Villas among others.
Growth Most of my jobs came through word-of-mouth referrals. Understanding social media marketing in terms of strategy and what works has continued to capture my interest. I keep on learning about algorithms like of late I learnt that when you update a picture without any hashtag, it’s only your friends who will see it on their newsfeed but if you use a relevant hashtag, it is likely to get audience outside of your friends. Timing is also important. You need to know what time your post will gain a wider audience. Nowadays the type of content also matters like Instagram reels are better positioned than other types of content because users like video content. I've never paid for ads but I'm starting to understand the value they can give to your business, apart from just having the ability to target a particular demographic with your ad. Social media can also endorse word-of-mouth because someone hearing about you for the first time might want to go online and see what you've done before making that call.
A case I have experienced an endorsement that happened on social media. I photographed a friend's wedding, and the lady who did their gown mentioned me in her post while thanking the couple for giving her the job. Someone who liked the photos followed the link to my business page and contacted me to do their wedding that happened this October.
A journey of adjustments
I started as an exclusive food photographer and then rebranded to product photography. I came to understand that companies are not looking for the perfect photographer but someone with the least risk. There's need to be diverse rather than sticking to a particular angle. For the sake of management we are putting all we do into two categories- Miriti's Delight Product (product and real estate photography), and Miriti's Delight Lifestyle (events and functions coverage).
Understanding the industry you work in is also crucial. The way we engage with clients' social events is slightly different from how we would engage with corporates or shooting for a product. As an example, you are likely to take control of a product's shoot unlike an event that will start later than the scheduled time and even end hours late! For safety when agreeing with a client, shooting an event is almost like being booked for the whole day.
People skills is something I had to learn through experience. Actually I learnt a bit of it from the days of working in the hotels. Lifestyle photography involves guiding people especially how they need to pose, where and all that. I've come to understand that you can build the right environment for work, right from the initial conversation on phone. Some people hate photos and you are supposed to capture the moment the right way, for the client. Like the case of a family event, you have to work with all personalities present! It has to be fun and comfortable before people can allow you into their personal space. If you don't help get the right shots, the client won't look for you or refer you to someone else. You have to direct them, no other way around it.
Time management is obviously a virtue. It saves to not hurry last minute and do shoddy work.
Colleagues God has given me the ability to manage my colleagues at given project in as much as at times you can't work with everyone.
Skills like working with ladies and providing the right work environment for everyone are things I have learnt along the way. Problems during the shoot have to be managed so that the client gets value for their investment. You get to learn how to avoid risk of losing files and such crises.
Business Photography involves set-ups, shooting and preparing final work which includes editing. For passion to bring profit, it has to be managed like any other business. Therefore production and post production is only a fraction of what it entails to run Miriti's Delight. Marketing, transport, maintenance of equipment, hiring editors and such have to be factored in. Creatives starting out usually encounter clients who want to pay what cannot even buy data that will be used to send the final work.
Parents Support My parents knew I was studying to be an hotelier. Then came my passion! It took them like two years to understand what I do! I thank God for them because they continue to support. My savings alone wouldn't have been enough at the time to get me my car that has actually been of help especially with the equipment. I appreciate their support and understanding.