As a young girl, visiting public spaces with my family to have photos of us taken by cameramen using analogue cameras was groovy, especially in the 2000s.

Most of my childhood memories are kept in hardcopy pictures with a small camera film attached at the back.

However, it seems the era of photo albums and taking photos in public spaces is slowly dying out.

The thrill that comes with swiping one photo after another on phones is giving traditional photographers a headache.

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Mtaa Wangu caught up with photographers at Nyayo garden who have been working here and have for years earned a living from photography.

Asked how business is currently going for them, John Kariuki, says they are struggling as photographers citing their biggest threat as smartphones.

John kariuki displays some of the passport photos he has taken outside Nyayo garden on September 13, 2023.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

Kariuki has taken pictures for more than two decades, noting that he started off in Gilgil town before moving to Nakuru in 2000.

“I was still taking pictures when phones were introduced in the Kenyan market. By then, available phones could not take pictures therefore we had an overflow of clients especially during festive seasons and school trips. Business was booming, “he recounts.

Kariuki however says things took a gradual turn once smartphones were introduced and made affordable for many people. This he says crushed their business.

“Just look around, teens are taking photos with their phones and sharing them among themselves. Before I would make Sh 1,000 in day. However, getting Sh 300 nowadays is a problem,” he says as he stares at his camera.

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As a breadwinner he says he cannot sit at home just because the business is performing poorly. Additionally, he says it's better being out here interacting with people than drowning in thoughts at home.

Echoing his sentiments, his colleague Simon Hinga, says that other than waiting for people at Nyayo garden to take pictures of them, the photographers would be hired by clients to attend the events; graduations, funerals and weddings to take pictures and that was an alternative way to put food on the table.

Simon Hinga during an interview with Mtaa Wangu outside Nyayo garden on September 13, 2023.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

Hinga however says people are no longer seeking their services.

“Tell me how many people use their phones to take pictures at a single event. This beats the logic of us turning up for the event. No one is willing to buy the photos we have printed since most of them already have them,” he notes.

Hinga continues to say that even during school trips, teachers have turned to taking photos with their phones closing their chances to make money there too.

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Although the business is taking a dip, Hinga says he has not lost hope.

“Nonetheless I must keep pushing since this is a job I have done since the 80s. I have a wide skill set in this job and I cannot turn to any other job at my age now,” he says.

Hinga says despite the tough time, he has turned to side hustle jobs to boost his income. Kariuki on the other hand says he does casual jobs to make ends meet alongside his photography job.

They say with the Sh 360 monthly licence they have to pay to take pictures at Nyayo garden, one must find multiple revenue generation jobs to get money to meet the licence requirements lest they will be locked out from taking pictures in the garden.

The two equate smartphones to a parasite, sucking revenues out of their business.

Wanjirukinuthia20@gmail.com

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