 This is the way to do it, this is the way to do it, this is the way to do it. A picture is worth a thousand words and through this stories are told all over the world. With me is Bran Ogutu, a university student who is taking himself through university by the art of photography and videography. Ogutu, you take art as your fashion, right? And tell us about your hobbies. What do you love? I'm Bran Ogutu. I love swimming, acting, writing, reading, but mostly I love writing. When I'm going through some hard times, the moment I write what I'm going through on paper, I feel like I'm relieved. So I like writing. Swimming, I also love swimming because when I'm exhausted, when I just see water, I feel like I'm okay. And reading, I can read all day. I like being informed. So reading, yeah, I can spend most of the time reading just to get informed about what I'm doing around the world, what's new, what's happening, what's trending. I love reading. Let me salute you, Bran, for taking yourself through university is really, really not an easy task. And photography, videography, the technical skill, take us through how you started it. After high school, my deskmate was a very good friend of mine when he joined Kenyatta University. So while I was in Nairobi, most of the time I had nothing to do. So when he was going to his shoots, I would tell him, Kevin, you can accompany me so that we'd go there. I did not want to stay at home because there was nothing that I was doing. So when I was going there, since he was already into the field, I told him, Kevin, you can come here, I'll come with you. So I told him, yeah, you can do your job. And I told him, yeah, you can do your job. So I told him, I'll come and join you. So when the clients came, me, they were like, hmm, these are good photos. You're doing a good job. But see, me, I'm at the glory. Yeah, I'm at the glory, you know, but deep down, I'm like, okay, so I can do this. And that was in 2018. And the same year, I thought, okay, why not purchase a camera, but a camera is expensive. So what I will do, since Kevin is in Kenyatta University, I will hire his camera from Monday to Saturday to Friday. So he mostly, he was doing his shoots on weekends. So I will hire his camera from Monday to Friday. So when I hire the camera, while I'm at my say no, I will make sure that I get the most out of it. At least purchase a kid over half a nap. You know, Joe, he hired me. So last Monday, he came in for the five days to me, the camera to its maximum. From Monday to Friday, you can send me 3000 to 5000. So you must aim higher. That was in January when I was to hire. By March, I had saved some cash. Then I approached my dad. Thanks to him. I looked at my dad. Sometimes he was on Sunday, he would send me a message, he would tell me, ah, I don't have enough money to use it, but deep down, in your home, things are not that good. So I told him, hey, I will come, maybe, and I will give him some money, and he will send me home. You know, he would ask me, hey, where are you going? And I would say, hey, let's see, and he would say, hey, Joe, let's go and pack our things, and maybe it's on Sunday, you know. So he would say, hey, I'm stressed. So I told him, I will approach, I will say, I don't know what to do with him, I don't know what to do with him. Starting was hard because, you know, not many people know you as a photographer. I looked at the camera, and he would say, ah, can he really do this? So starting was not that easy. So I told him, I will give him some money, and he would say, I will come, and he would respond, and I could see that. So he would go to your house and say, you know, at the time that you came out, was during exam time. So he would take your photo, he would say, you know, he did not want you to go to him, so no, you are not comfortable with him. So he would say, Joe, I would not go, and he would say, Joe, I will go, and he would say, Joe, I will go, and he would say, Joe. He was home, and I would say, Joe, From that time, at least, I grew up with clients, I grew up with my fan base, I took photos and I went to places where I didn't even know who I was. So it's been a hard journey but considering where I started, I am a thank God. So when did all this start? It started in 2017, I went to high school, so I went to the campus. But there was no time from high school to join campus. I was a time rave, so there was no time to go to the campus. There were no people there so I decided to take photos. I asked if I wanted to go to the campus, instead of just sitting at home, that would be much better than staying at home. So we went to the campus to take photos. We had some gigs and we shot at a member of parliament flying, weddings flying, and he was like okay, well you know what, I hope I don't have to come and see you, you know that time, we were fresh from high school. So my brother was in the field, so I went home. He said he didn't have to come home. So I asked, hey, why can't I do this, why can't I do this, why can't I do this, why can't I do this. So I asked him, at least I'm a member of parliament, I'm a politician, I come in weddings, you can cover other weddings. So I asked him, why can't I do this, why can't I do this, I'm already that and I'm even past that. Speaking of fan base, through your hustle, do you have any particular brand that you work under, are you just freelance? At the moment, I'm a freelance but I work alongside other brands. I have a partner in Suso, he's in Union Geo, Girl Girl and Boy Africa, there's another group, I've forgotten the name, but I have a partner now. So whenever, because okay, so that you are a partner, you still have to bring the financial aspect to me. So I want to be a part of your group, in the event I interact with the videos and the photographs. And I want to tell you something about this event, I'll have to post it on the website too. So through that, I'm a partner now. I want to support in some ways. Is it a project? And do you have any particular area that you capture your photos on, Amar? Do you just do general work? You know, if you take photographs of business, maybe mainly I'm doing this. If you say mainly I'm doing this, I want to do this. So will you leave the job because you don't do this, you just have to do. But majorly, I can take portraits, I'm a portrait photographer, but I can do any other thing that relates to photography. You can't turn a job down just because you don't like it. You'll just deliver. You said you started this journey in 2017. Is that the year you joined Compass and right now, which year are you in? Yeah, that's the year I joined Compass. At the moment, I'm a fourth year student. I'm finishing my studies this year and God willing, I'll graduate in December. So I'm on my final lap. I'm going to go to Amaliza. From 2017, because of COVID, it will come. So you will be trapped in Amaliza. So photography, I'm going to finish for all that while. I guess it's four or five years. Yeah, four years. So I'm going to finish for four years and then four years. I'm going to look back. It's been four years since I started photography. So I was the one who took these. And it's been a process. You can go back to a place where it's easy. You know, people say, hey, it's not successful. But it's been a rough road. But where I am right now, there's no advice or say, this photography and videography, come up on a camera, you can do anything. You know, what the eye sees is not what the camera sees. So I manipulate something perfect. If you want to get into this, let something not hold you back. Just go into it. About when I was fourth year. And photography is perfect. But all those years, I'm going to cut you. Okay. So you see, I'm going to take a photo of myself. You know, other channels come up, and I'm going to work with the government to get a CDF. So I'm going to get a CDF. I'm going to go back and forth. I'm going to go back and forth. Okay, so I'm going to go to school. I'm going to rent, I'm going to buy food. I'm going to buy food. And as a first-year student, I felt like at this event, I think I'm going to be very, very, very, voluntary, fair. And I'm going to work with the university. My first year as president, in the 5th grade, my main goal is to be successful. But I don't think there's any... I think I'm going to be here, the university you get, we're going to have the big brother, We're going to have the long-term support. Yeah, but you make what you saw Photography, although Majorly photography don't necessarily mean any support, because That's what I'm really do Come on you rent me Me or camera and can go and on a he me rent enough I'll talk about it become a school fees Do you co-op I yeah So let's see more funny your cousin Yeah, let's see more funny, we'll talk about it Because so far That's You and your size, that's my job That's my job you come as a easy what I always tell I always like talking to young people So now Penang I'm here Right now the country when you took off We sit again to my song because there are very many learned people So many visually lucky me who can talk up on campus You can a degree in sour, you can a diploma sour, you have your papers, but job So to you don't just sit at home come on I don't know Now Do that Nowadays These jobs Pay What we know There's some people making a killing out of easy jobs Because you do this If you love doing something Go for it At least Asia Asia But in case I get serious I want to learn Back She She And make a lot of money From what she loves doing So you can be the next I'm a What about the next you Yeah And it's always funny Because You know You know But But there is always That person I want to be like this person But surprisingly Look up I want to be like that other person So The process yes But You'll always have someone who says That you're doing a good job Do everybody always want something good But in this field How do you cause a client Because So That camera of yours It's not that expensive It's high in the quality Because it's expensive But you still have clients You're doing a good job So just go for it Let something not hold you back Go for it Go for it Go into it Make changes in your life Yeah You talked about talking to the youth And mentoring Is that something you also do Okay Growing up I was born In a jungle Slam So many things You know There are cases How much do you need to look away But right now I'm not going to be a victim Because they got involved In crime I'm the girl I'm not going to be a victim When I drop out of high school When I'm in primary I'm in pregnancy So right now Where I am I'm not going to be an opportunity So I'm going to be a brother I'm not going to be a victim I'm a young generation I'm not going to be a victim Because at home They just see Someone of value Someone who is criminal Either You're not someone who is productive To the society But I want to change that narrative I want to tell the children See what is going on You go places You go to society I talk to them I want to show them After class To broaden I want them to know When you talk to them You have to have an educated mind Sometimes it's helpful to the society In society Something funny about it At that young age Around 16 People would laugh When you have work I would say I'm not in society around 22, 23. So, you know, you can't live with your family. So, you know, life is different. But if you're educated, I think you should know that I'm a mother. I'm not a mother group. I'm a mother group. So, you can change a lot of lives through education. So, if you want to be a Muslim, don't get into early marriages. Girls have a lot to offer to the society. You know what I mean? So, the moment you become a adolescence, you know, education is known. So, my education, what I always drive is that I don't know how to live with my family. I don't want them to get involved with me, crying, I don't want them to stop. I don't want them to come home to my transition movement so that you can get into football. Football is to change the manner so that your children can live with it. So, there's an organization called St. John's Community Center, a nice summer thanks to St. John's Community Center. It's a public college, or higher school, that's not in school fees. St. John's Community Center. So, it's important that we are a community center for those who don't know how to live with your family. So, though that, is the idea community in that way yeah that is very very I don't know because since you know I have a skill and I can use it to monetize so you do not do it on your own or do it at home because it's the worst home is the best so now the challenges is that I'm a kid you are up at home since it comes in getting up it is a challenge is because it's been tough no no using you think you are 15 years it's painful to do how is your girl you know at from one mat from two no as in me hard realities how is he accept but that's how things are so you can come I use her antenna at least to answer quick cut from the grassroots when you want to grow to one day upon this is not the way videos never change to measure what are these road now you can be successful so in your journey of photography show with us your memorable experiences and the worst and why were they that okay so the worst experiences just stop in the hustle no no Kenny any different from other countries come excuse you can be a social media when there's on a book or whatever the Western countries photographers on the streets taking photos that doesn't have any come out to come out the town what's the feature city can city council but I believe the lucky license license they can't find a shoot CBD was almost 25 to 30,000 expensive you're not just allowed to shoot anything so the civil court and financial court and I assume we could be sir before I'm the job I'm a June but sometimes fear and I'm bush on a new him I could hang a suit on a row come in so that's a challenge you say is it okay here 30,000 for a license but how is it get the 30,000 out of the business of doing photography in town no no so that's a challenge you can do I make a shaker me and a central central remember what the license how and so let's move on to quality will you see at least one or two understanding be a anything a factor because they're also parents yeah this before he in school fees not after number yes do but we see funny evil funny even on a wanna come get a leisure but that's a challenge that's one of the challenge that photographers face now maybe equipments expensive so it's a mess easy you want you have many photographers but clients at the same so let's move on to standing you at least you get that client from the other photographer so that's a great challenge in my face but the great moments just how the worst moments great moments have been rooms where what just because of photography that's something that's I guess that's something good you know feeling a proud I'm imagine so it's something that I feel proud about I've talked to great people just because of photography I've interacted with great minds just because of that so it's it's something good it's taking me places please let me miss you for your entire years I end up what when you want to sit on your own but your camera even if I can't get those nice you need to go in and you know so I'm just thankful to I just love how you're so about this camera and do you have people supporting me in your work my parents want to support my friends clients one who want to support them but friends and I want to push you our friends don't have to have clients no no come on family emotional support you can do this so I want to support mostly now she goes on come on you should let lecture as one of your come on you come on you learn photography so that's not what you see to it a photograph you're going to go to school because you know that you know learn so that we mean my lunch will let not outside piano my practice what you learn in class would come in the field just put it into practice it's been something that I can be proud of so yeah so if I wanted to venture in such a profession I'm a surgeon area what do I need to know you need to know photography is not all about you having the camera because many people have cameras well as a corner camera now work on a camera one way take a picture of this tree but whoever you take your picture never let me get a picture it's very different come on you get a picture back okay I'm a man he let me cool in a couple of no no so come on you do come I use also last month one year the way you view things differently we see people to evil so last month when I hear when you get to the field field of photography last month you're going to challenge this it's not the road up with you smooth for some of the point in a corner market equal low so that come as easy to look what's not funny photograph covered came from a shot of an event none as easy we depend on events what else apart from this but thank God at least I'm not just a last month I can't wait for you to come here now now I can't even so job you could change how we send up shoots I'm with a funny name in your time we can't control up or free land up work dot com I don't know how to get a picture but how I do quake it so me I don't go ahead it's up if one of the days of jobs is a cool edit at least me need you are cool be these are jobs and in your rating and we can do so say easy at a comma yes nasa in the field shoot but you're telling me to go free but then you can't go there often a breeze job these other jobs so easy challenges you can come and that could be level you know as you handle level you know as you handle differently you talk to say the up on belly I'm not come as easy be come as he covered so he's in the corner to beat none but through that that challenge if I'm going to add off of opportunity so he's at least I can edit photos as I want to know so through the challenge it opened another door so we see only to some times in challenge so we shut down tackle the challenge face it head on it will be successful but through what you've told us what is your call to the community especially young people I can tell young people if you love something go for it that's just a way you need to maneuver my will be successful what we're going to measure it will be made it's not a loopy to a little bit of a national theater auditions a cafe stop stop not a corner say easy and we're in Oscars and who could even on if you love something where we see young people the challenges. But through the challenges, if you face the challenges head on, you'll be someone better. So if you love something, the fact that you may answer to, that's a stepping stone. Well, read you're successful. Face who can bear it and when you do, you'll be successful. So you can be the next. You can be the second person. No matter how to succeed, throw that field away from that field. Come on, as a photograph is easy, and maybe out of this photograph, it's just through talking, direct into another field and you can be successful. So if you're talented, if you love doing something, that's easy young people, will you just sit there, if I will not be employed? What can I do? Find a solution, you can employ, you can employ, you can employ with other two. 100 people and other two people, 300 people when you're already employed. I love to know this job, kill a job, make a living out of it. So I was talking to a friend of mine, and he was angry. On a daily basis, I never make profit, 1200-1500 profit. And I was like, that's 45,000. I'm not employed, starting from 45,000, I don't know. So I don't know if it's good or bad, but deep down, he or she is making a killing out of it. So he or she is making a killing out of it. So he or she can hold back, go for what you want, and I guess it will be successful. I'm going to send you your passion towards photography, and how it has made you realize that you're not doing what you love. So thank you so much, I appreciate that. As you have heard, if you love something, go for it. Do not let the challenges deter you from going for what you want. Na usidarau kazi o yoti. Kamu na penda ku chesa karata, go do it, make a living out of it. Kamu na penda ku dance, amu na penda ku shoot as he does, do it. Do not feel demoralized by what you do. Usidarau kazi o yoti. Go do it, find what we love, and use it to make yourself an outstanding person in the society. This is Youth in Action. I am Nyangueso Greenis.