documentary

Shooting The President’s Portraits

I’ve never tried to have a one-on-one with Uhuru Kenyatta or William Ruto, but something tells me it wouldn’t be that easy: whom would I call for a number? Or talk to to tell someone who would whisper to them that I’d like to have a word? There must be a long list of protocol to be observed, most …

Continue Reading
nature travel

Hunting Lions in Nairobi National Park

Lions have never loved my camera. In my countless encounters with them, I’ve only managed to capture two good photos: in 2007 in the Mara, and 2009 in Amboseli. All other times, in Nakuru, Mara and even Nairobi National Park, they’ve either been sleeping, hiding behind bushes or not within the reach of my lenses.

Continue Reading
documentary

King Baudouin African Development Prize Winners

I was recently called upon by the King Baudouin Foundation to document the innovations of this year’s King Baudouin African Development Prize winners. The Prize rewards outstanding contributions to development initiated and led by Africans in Africa. It also seeks to draw public attention to the many inspirational stories, including challenges and successes, emerging from Africa.

Continue Reading
travel

Stuck in Sereolipi

Our car was parked under a tree in a rhino sanctuary, grounded and unable to move, 50km away. We were running out of cash and the nearest ATM was 100km away. The sun was unbearably hot and shade was scarce.The Safaricom network was very patchy so we couldn’t easily make or receive calls. We were stuck in Sereolipi.

Continue Reading
nature travel

#OnetouchLive – The Big North, Day One

For many years, The Big North has been a forgotten territory. Lack of infrastructure meant only resilient pastoralists and opportunistic bandits called this home. But around ten years ago, President Kibaki’s government decided to prioritise tarmacking of the A2 from Isiolo to Moyale. Now complete, this stretch of asphalt has opened up The Big North to those …

Continue Reading
documentary fashion travel

Amazing Beadworks of Kalama

In the beautiful heart of northern Kenya sits one of the most scenic community conservancies in Kenya. It covers 49,000 hectares teeming with wildlife that attracts visitors from far and wide. Apart from that, Kalama Community Conservancy is where some of Kenya’s most exquisite jewellery is made.

Continue Reading
documentary travel

SGR Nairobi – Mombasa Test Ride

There’s been a lot of controversy about Kenya’s largest infrastructure project since independence, centred mostly around the Kshs327 billion price tag. I’m not here to throw my weight behind any of the arguments, but simply to show you what I saw when I took a ride from Nairobi to Mombasa.

Continue Reading
documentary

St Martins School Kibagare

If I ever doubted how free spirited children are, my doubts are cast away, never to return. All it took was spending a day with pupils of St Martins in Kibagare, seeing them jostle and push in excitement, eager to get their photos taken.

Continue Reading
documentary travel

Welcome to Dandora

Less than 20 kilometres from the heartbeat of Nairobi is a settlement that many living on the opposite side of Nairobi fear to visit. Famous for being the home of Nairobi’s main dumpsite, Dandora is also where enthusiasts believe Kenyan hip hop was born, bred and continues to thrive to this day.

Continue Reading
documentary

What it takes to shoot on the streets of Nairobi

Nairobi’s beauty has many people – especially photographers – wanting to click away at every junction. Nowadays, it isn’t unusual to see a photographer or two taking long exposures of the city after dark, or posing newly weds on a median over the weekend. Just like any activity held in a public space in Nairobi, permissions should be …

Continue Reading
documentary

Wanna drone in Kenya? Not so fast!

In January 2015, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, who are mandated with regulation and oversight of aviation and safety in Kenya, issued a directive  all use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Kenya. Rightfully so, because many had been spotted flying in public and private functions without any regulation on when, how and who was allowed …

Continue Reading
documentary

Agra’s Revolutionary Decade

In 2006, as Kofi Annan ended a decade at the helm of the United Nations, he called on African farmers to wage a ‘uniquely African Green Revolution’. This is the seed that planted Agra. Since then, Agra has been fulfilling the vision that Africa can feed itself and the world, transforming agriculture from a solitary struggle to …

Continue Reading
nature travel

Welcome to Paradise Lost, Kiambu

Despite using Kiambu Road on my daily commute almost every day, it had been more than 10 years since I’d followed the yellow Paradise Lost sign that directs to this beautiful park that is located a couple of minutes outside Nairobi.

Continue Reading
documentary travel

Returning to Eastlands

It’s where I was born and called home for more than 25 years. These are the streets that shaped me, where I played shake, hid and sought and watched apartments grow in what were once open fields. When I was born, my parents were living in Buru Buru Phase 2. From there, they moved to Umoja 1 before …

Continue Reading