All eyes on the photographer

The Photographer Eustace Maina

EUSTACE MAINA, 21 has a passion for photography. His photos have captured the attention of major corporates and earned him success and fame, his youthful age notwithstanding. He spoke to KEVIN OGUOKO.

By Kevin Oguoko

Briefly tell us about yourself.

I’m a 21-year-old professional photographer based in Nairobi. I take photographs at major events and corporate functions through Eye-Con Photography, a company I cofounded with a longtime friend. I have also done commercials for major companies such as Kenya Wine Agencies Limited and Serena Hotels.

In your own words, what is photography?

Photography is an art of the eye. It is to have a different perspective from the rest in viewing various elements on the face of the earth. For example, a professional photographer could take photos of a person from different angles to produce a variety of https://cdn.standardmedia.co.ke/images that evoke different things. A professional photographer should see beyond what any other person would. They say a photo can speak a thousand words, but I believe how it is taken determines the story, too.

What does one need to have the ‘eye’ for a good shot?

It is all about the passion. You need to have the interest to tell a story through a photo. One could go to a photography school, be taught the basics of being a professional photographer and buy an expensive camera, but at the end of the day, if they do not have the passion, this will be seen in their photos. Passion and photography, in my opinion, produce the perfect shot.

How did you learn the technical aspects of handling a camera?

I have never been to class to get tips on how to click away; my talent is inborn.  When my partner and I were working at a local teen magazine, we could not fathom how a photographer could be paid more than Sh200,000 for a single photo shoot.

We were, however, lucky to work with and learn from Emmanuel Jambo, a renowned Kenyan photographer, who was in charge of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s photography desk during the election campaigns.

Other than that, I am a Business Information Technology student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. My course has helped me to market our company online.

How much do you charge for your services?

The charges depend on the package and photo sizes. For weddings and corporate events, we charge betweenSh40,000 and Sh100,000.

For commercials and billboards, we charge Sh100,000 and above. For fashion magazines, the minimum cost is Sh30,000, depending on the number of pages and shots needed.

Getting clients on a regular basis can be hard for any business. How do you market yourself?

The quality of our photography speaks for us. Many times, clients have referred us or introduced us to new clients.

We also have a Facebook page, Eye-Con Photography, where we post some of our best shots.

What does one need to get into this line of work?

Emmanuel taught us to never compromise on quality. In line with this, we have invested in two Canon 5D Mark II cameras that have high megapixel capacities and can take shots that are good enough to fill a billboard. They go for about Sh250,000 each.

Where did you get the money to start your business?

From our savings, which we earned through taking part in commercials and casual jobs. We also got help from our parents.

However, it was not easy convincing our parents that we needed money to buy cameras. How many parents see photography as a serious career?

It has not been easy, but passion has driven the dream and our families have dared to dream with us.

Most young people are afraid of taking loans to develop their businesses. What is your take on that?

You have to have a business plan and evaluate what you have done over a period of time with the money you borrowed. It makes business sense and brings about professionalism in your work. At the end of a certain period, you need to ensure that you have paid off your debts, invested a little more into the company and, lastly, paid yourself.

What are some of the challenges you face?

Some clients can be unfaithful and cunning. Some want to pay less while others  demand more than what the contract dictated.

Going to school and working a the same time is also tough. We have to juggle our business with classwork, which is challenging.

Most functions also take place over the weekend, which means we spend a lot of time away from our families. Some of our family members find it hard to understand the nature of our work.

What is next for you in terms of photography?

We are planning to expand our services beyond the Kenyan borders. We are looking into covering the Addis Ababa Fashion Week in Ethiopia and seeing what is on offer in other countries.

 We have also moved into production and soon we will produce our first music video for a Kenyan artiste. To support the expansion, we are hiring new staff, so watch this space because Eye-Con could capture you soon.