David Wanjohi and Francis Gichogo have partnered to do street photography in Nyeri town: one scouts for clients while the other takes the shots.
“In the streets, sometimes you find somebody who is well dressed and would like to have a photo taken for memory,” Wanjohi said.
Others, he said, are looking for professionally taken photos but are unable to afford the charges in studios.
“Some studios require a client to take a minimum of three photos, each costing Sh200. Not everybody can afford that.”
They charge Sh100 and even edit the photo, providing far cheaper and convenient services.
The duo said street photography is good business as it has minimal expenses compared to operating a studio.
“In a studio, you just sit and wait for clients to walk in and they may not sometimes, yet you still have bills to pay”.
Wanjohi said many youths may not raise the capital to establish a studio but they only need basic equipment to operate in the streets.
As many Kenyans grapple with the hard economic times, some youths in Nyeri town have turned to street photography to earn a living. They line the busy streets with their equipment and woo passersby to take photos.
The photographers edit the images on the spot, print and hand over the photos to waiting clients in a matter of minutes.
Business especially booms during weekends when many residents are free as families stream out of churches on Sunday. John Wanjohi, another photographer and a graduate from Dedan Kimathi University, said his passion for photography started while he was a small boy and led to him buy a camera when he was a first year student.
As a freelance photographer, Wanjohi earns enough to end his dependence on parents.
Hi-tech cameras have made their work easier as clients get their images minutes after the photo is taken. “I am happy that people living in Nyeri town have embraced street photography that has turned the streets into our workplaces,” he said.
Wanjohi makes Sh700 daily on weekdays, raising up to Sh3,000 on weekends. Nicholas Macharia said some residents prefer street photography as the images have unique backgrounds that can be changed as per their wishes.
“Most photos taken in a studio have a uniform background and you can easily tell that it was taken in a studio but with us, we take the photos in nature and one can choose different scenes.” Esther Mwaniki, a resident, said she loves nature and likes to have her photos taken in the streets to support fellow young people
