Creatives have continued to prove that there is so much that comes with a smartphone. Besides owning and earning from social media platforms, there is a career in phone photography.
On Friday last week, the Cinelab Akademie class of 2022 had their graduation ceremony at Rochester hotel in Kisaasi and among the activities of the day, the graduates exhibited extraordinary pictures that were inspired by ordinary moments. Most of the photos showcased were taken with phones following the theme: getting the Extraordinary out of the ordinary.
During the critiquing moment, the students expressed how the photos represented their spiritual lives and everyday moments.
Ms. Jeri Muchura
Speaking at the event, Kenyan award-winning photographer and Tutor at Cinelab, Ms. Jeri Muchura advised young people to use photography in telling the African narratives.
“African lions, it is our time. We have had people come into our communities and tell our stories their way. It is time to grab back our power and our narrative and say it the way we need to say it, this is why we teach photography and storytelling to our youths. The best and the closest camera is your mobile phone,” she said.
She believes phones are the simplest, closest, and best cameras that young people can easily relate to and also earn a living in the process.
“Youths are digital citizens because the minute they learn how to tell the story using phones, they cut out middlemen and own the power. They can change the narrative and tell the stories,” Jeri added.
And even if they don’t directly earn from it, they can teach it and also apply it within themselves.
“Photography makes you question but why? What if? If I can change this and if things relate at all. Photography allows us to communicate two-way. It allows you to come into my life and space, see it and also experience it and when you hear the story, you realise there is a deeper meaning to that. With writing, if I say something, you have heard it,” she continued to say.
Jumbo Owiny, one of the graduates, is optimistic about his future in photography. He strongly believes that photography is the best way to communicate critical issues and also attract donors.
“We show more stories than what we can tell and I believe there is a future for this generation if we embrace photography because it is a simpler way of capturing and communicating stories,” he said.
