Photojournalism in Kenya is growing significantly despite the uphill task of earning a living from it. There was a time when most news agencies would not consider sending you on an assignment if you were not an experienced photojournalist, and even then, they would send two or three to do one job. However, times have changed now that technology is advancing at a faster rate, there are fewer correspondents on the ground because of the high cost of living. This means that most photojournalists are being sent on the assignment alone with their cameras to cover multiple stories.
The best way to ensure your work gets published is if you get attached to an organization with a good reputation. If you get attached, the organization, through their experience, would know what sells and how to market your work. This is where most media organizations in Kenya are earning a huge amount of money from. They have become an advertising agency that handles photojournalists’ accounts of companies who want to tell the world about their products or services. Many of the media houses outsourced this work to companies that handle clients’ advertising and public relations campaigns.
Photojournalism in Kenya is now a good career as compared to the previous years. For you to make money in this field, you must know your camera well, have an eye for stories, and are willing to work extra hours to get great images. Since photojournalism is growing, competition has also increased accordingly. It means that it is also a very competitive market that needs you to be creative and willing to experiment.
The main reason Photojournalism in Kenya is Growing is because of the development within this field. For example, technology has developed many gadgets such as iPhones, digital cameras, HD TVs, 3D goggles etcetera which has changed the way we do our work.
People can now publish their stories and share them with the world without depending on newspapers, TV, and other media houses. Instead, they can reach the audience directly through the Internet and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. This has forced many people to reevaluate what they do to remain relevant. It has also forced media houses to re-think their objectivity in reporting the news.
Despite all these challenges, photojournalism in Kenya is growing. Today, you will find many Kenyan photojournalists in foreign media organizations. This goes to show that anyone can become a good photojournalist, provided you are willing to work hard and persevere in your career.