 Good morning once again. My name is Joy Mochache. So happy to be with you guys here and you're tuned in to Freestyle Friday And just before we finish off, we've got two more wonderful Photographers that we want to interview and before we do that there are places where you guys can reach us, Indio We need to hear from you guys. We need to show these guys love So how you're gonna do that is through our Facebook on Y254 channel as well as our Twitter on Y254 channel and you can also reach us on Instagram that is Y254 underscore channel and don't forget to watch us on YouTube, but Y254 channel and So I've got some very handsome and very talented men to introduce to you guys So let's start with our first one. Please pick up the mic Yes Let's start with your name and what you do. I'm Fidel They call me Fidel Tall. Fidel Tall? Yeah, by the way, you're tall. You have long legs. I'm a photographer portrait Photographer I do street photography mostly Street photography. Yeah, and I'm a student too. You're a student? Yeah, I'm at Kabette Kabette Kabette National Polytechnic. So I do civil engineering civil engineering. Yeah Hey, that's that's different from photography. Capsa totally different. Okay, we'll get back to why okay, you can pass the mic Yo, so hello, Carrie Boussana. My name is Simon Chaget Simon Chaget. Yes from Lines Photography Kenya I'm a beauty portrait and event photographer Beauty portrait and event photographer. Yes, but I venture out into other genus for the sake of my training because I'm a trainer I'm a retoucher too. Okay. So yeah. All right, so let's just jump right in. I've heard you saying you're a trainer Yeah, your trainer I do photography training don't note on such a big scale but Being self-taught I have a lot of a lot to share because my journey has been about learning on the go So once in a while I get questions. How do you do this? What camera do you use? How is this achievable? And I so by virtue of that With time it has become a class of sorts because I have a group with around 200 people on WhatsApp I have a blog site. I have a YouTube channel all for the purpose of training and sharing my knowledge with fellow photographers Okay. Yeah, so let me get this straight yourself taught and then you train as well Yes, I'm self taught because when I was in school I took something very different. I was in KU taking Environmental science. Yes, yes, I'm doing conservation So and I picked up a camera and I became a good photographer. Yes Okay, so it's like the talent was in you, but then Yes, when I was growing up my dad was a photographer back in the day So I was on class 5-4. I used to help him stick our negatives to the back of the photos after Zimei Osho. Yeah So that was my first photography then so from there school had to happen I went to primary high school graduated then I found myself back behind the camera again. Okay, and now it's for life Okay, yeah That's so interesting self-taught plus training. Yeah, that's that's tops and let me ask Fidel to all a few questions So street fashion Street fashion. How come street fashion? How come not? maybe Beauty portraits or something. Okay Let's say beauty portraits. It is ventured by many photographers But the street fashion it's something new in the Kenyan business and industry. Yeah, so We went in street fashion tools to show us the way people style themselves and their creativity Yeah, okay. How do you get clients to photograph? Do they look for you or do you scout them out? Both it goes both ways both ways. Okay, and then street fashion. Is it on the streets of Nairobi? Yeah, yeah in the streets. Do guys stop now kiddo go here. They're looking wondering what's going on Yeah, some people look at what we do, but we are just To not to not to not to not to not to cause it. Yeah, this is some of your work. Yeah, it's beautiful Thank you. It's really beautiful Okay, and so how how do you come up with these poses or do they come up with them? I'm seeing them so unique We think about them. You think about the ideas in our minds. So you've got a little bit of director in you also Yeah, you can be a director. Yeah Okay, that's amazing and Simon Chege This is your work in front of us displayed here. Yes some of my work. Mm-hmm. Yes So I'm seeing this is beauty portraits. Yes, that is mostly is beauty and creative portraits beauty. Okay. Yeah Why did you choose only beauty and creative? Let me start with beauty. Okay. I love the African skin The African skin is dark reaching texture reaching character So when I when I'm shooting dark skin and or I'm behind the the computer retouching I just feel at home you feel at home Yeah, so for that reason I love beauty because I love details also I love working on the skin getting to see the pose the texture the everything and so I Beat when you do beauty you need a makeup artist or yes So when I got my makeup artist and cocaine makeup He does creative makeup also. So ultimately once in a while we most of our projects We do beauty then for change the look to something creative. So they go hand in hand for us Yeah Okay. Um, so there's a photo actually I saw this Someone with a cigarette. Yeah. Oh How did that come to me? I know Did you tell them is it a habit of theirs and they thought? Ah, you know, this would be something nice to hold Not really that was we can get that actually maybe we can maybe we can pull it up Yeah, I think she's one of one of the Prince yet the other one in particular. So that was a project Okay, it was an anti-smoking campaign It was yes Anti-smoking campaign because if you look at the photo the photo depending on how you interpret it Yes, you can see her eyes are not so beautiful Her mouth is full of burnt filters show that she can't take any more cigarette But she still has one in her hand because she still has the edge. So we're telling people It is the last photo in the sequence. So the first part was she was looking very beautiful Then as we proceed she she looks as she deteriorates and looks bad because of smoking. Yeah, she's looking finished. Yeah So, yeah, that was that that is the point smoking is not cool Okay, yeah anti-smoking campaign. Yeah, and there's one right here. I'm seeing a lady covered in coins in coins Is this something a campaign about money or what's it? Yeah, actually for that particular shoot We were shooting a calendar concept for 2017 and that is one of the photos that we got from there from there from the series We had a particular photo that had the calendar the year written in coins, but This one we just loved how the outlook of the coins look from afar still based on the same We shot another project called a Cachilling naka feeling we use the same same concept of using coins Yeah, Cachilling naka feeling Then we used coins to to indicate the price of Coca-Cola bottles by size by having having the coins and the bottle on the face of a model post different I think one of them might be here. Yeah. Yeah, well before there's some fun questions I have for you guys, but before we get to that I wanted to ask Yeah, I see both of you your works is on social media and let me start actually with Fidel What's the impact social media's had on your work? Do you think it's aided your work to go further or? It has aided my work to go further it has because I've started my work through Instagram Okay, you started through Instagram. Yeah, okay, and it has helped me a lot So I get most of my clients from there so most of them DM me some call me and It works. I saw photos that you took of particular concerts of these Artists one was recross. Yeah. Yeah, how did you is it? How did that come to be? Were you asked to come to this event or? No, we were we weren't asked to go to the event We just paid for event for the event and we went me and my friends that we shoot together So we went and took some shots and we just posted them. I see yeah And then what happens when it comes to rights and things like that? Do the rights go to you guys or to the artists in the photograph or? They they give us the rights. They give us the right. Yeah, give you guys the right. Yeah Oh, yes, I was sour and also I wanted to know from Samoan check it Yeah, I saw you had photos from EMB records. Yeah people would like Bahati Yeah, yeah So sometime last year for a period of time I was the official photographer for EMB records You're what official photographer official photographer? Yeah So that means I I used to take most of the photos when they have concerts when they have Activities when they have something at the studio or maybe a family a family need for for Bahati or any of the artist So I used to do that kind of work for a period of time last year. Okay. Yeah. Oh, wow. That's interesting and This is your portfolio, right? Yes, that is my my portfolio. Okay. Who oh, oh That's some a jib right there. Yes, that is an a jib. Okay. That was actually Magical Kenya tourism expo last last year last year. Yes, I got to work for the event in official capacity It was a nice experience. Oh, yeah. Wow. Well, those are colorful photos. Thank you Oh, so there's a lot of Yeah, you're focused a lot on the face. That's what I've noticed about your work a lot on the face Yeah, how come you don't do full-body shots? For for last year most of the work on my my instagram is last year work and I was focusing on beauty photography Okay, and now what sets a beauty and fashion apart is mostly what what part of the body that we shoot for beauty We focus on the head coming down up to to the collar bones Maybe on the shoulders so once you go past that and you include the outfits and the whatever those other poses That's no fashion photography Yes for last year was focusing sorry focusing on beauty and Beauty is all about the face. So being a retoucher also retouching is all about the face Because we have to edit and see the details or remove the pimples the sports the whatnot So it's all about the face for beauty. Okay. Yeah What are your plans when it comes to photography because I hear your Little bit more interested in going into full-body fashion photos and is there something coming up next year? Yeah, you mean this year this yeah From how I'd planned my my growth plan this year want to venture into fashion Okay, so like I told being being a trainer I need to get at least the basic concept for all Jonas of photography So I can be a good trainer for for my students since I have the concept myself so as the year's progress I add something new and Venture in it for the whole year Get better get better get better like I did with beauty last year this year want to do fashion Yeah, so I'm planning the same talking to a few fashion houses a Few designers a few models and bloggers and whatnot to get everything going Yeah, see and Fidel. What are your upcoming projects if any? What were or which areas would you like to venture into this year this year? Are you how am I your good where you're at? No, not really. I'll mostly venture on cityscapes unless landscapes Okay, and more more portraits more portraits escape land less of people Yeah, less of people of cityscapes and landscapes. Okay. Yeah sour sour now. I've gotten stay with the mic I wanted to ask there's some things that photographers happen to dislike apparently yes, and Let me start with asking Questions that people would ask you and I wanted to you guys to tell me what you feel when people ask you such questions Yeah, okay, so for example competing for attention with cell phone photographers Yeah, or things like Someone asks you can I get the original raw photos from the shoot the raw photos they untouched the ones I've seen your reaction was so like you are foolish took a that's that's very irritating Really retating ask that. Oh, how come because you take your time editing a photo You put so much effort in editing it then after you send it to the client or the model They ask you for the original photo. They don't see the effort You see or they add filters in the photo. It's very irritating. That's irritating Yeah, what I'm seeing him shaking his head so passionately. Let's hear what he has to say Yeah, so let me start with the filters That one feels a spirit because you know People equate adding filters to a photo on their phones to what you do behind a computer for 30 or 40 minutes For example, when I'm retouching a beauty a beauty shot just one face. I can take 30 40 minutes on that Face then I can see that the photo to the owner they can do my 40 minutes work with a filter in a second So once then once they there's no problem up to there once they put the photo on social media They will tag you and mention you so according to the world you did that you filter Not the 40 minutes that you did there to put to make it a good professional photo So they're permitting their own work. Yes, they actually they actually misrepresenting your work Yeah, so actually when someone filters my photo I ask them kindly to either and tag me and mention me or take down the photo one of those Yeah, and do people normally comply? Yeah, they do I make them understand. Okay. Yeah, I'm playing to them This is why yes, so then about the people who ask for the raw photos I think personally I've done so many jobs where I deliver my photos raw As a photographer, I have trained myself to do very little in post-production So my strength is in getting a good shot on the field Because the accompanies that you work for or clients EG Red Bull Kenya work for it for the last two years and when you go to the events There's no room for editing you take the photo Share to your phone share to the show the media person it goes to Instagram live and Continuously as the event progresses. So there's no room for edit So having Working working in that kind of environment. I've learned how to master the art of getting the almost perfect photo in camera So even if you want your photos after the shoot, well, and you can go home with them Okay. Yeah, and I have to ask Photographers now you guys do you normally take photos of yourselves and then edit them? Did you go through this whole thing when it and for yourself though like your own portraits? I Think in my three years Hard photos of me taking I think twice When when there was need when those need oh those are reason Just for fun not for the sake of vanity Okay, send us a photo of you. Yeah, not good. Not good. Let me take one. All right. Yeah. Oh, yeah What about Fidel you I like photos you like photos, so I Take them you take of yourself. Yeah Take them then I edit them But I keep them in there. What do you do with them? I keep them in my gallery. Okay. Yeah, like on display Or or DP? Yeah, something. Yeah, so a sour and then a little bit of would you rather before we close the show? I wanted to know would you rather get locked in a room and photograph a Super s or B Modani the drama queen Locked in a room, which would you prefer to photograph between one or the other? Who don't need the drama queen. I want to know why I Would have asked why for either one. I still is unique. How what you can if you see her like her page Yeah, she has unique styles like her hair cells. They're very unique her fashion style Should be fun to photograph. Yeah, okay. How about you between the two? I Let me take the past the path less trouble. I'll super s because she I think it will be full of drama It just be fun. It will be fine. Yeah To be a fun photo shoot together in the in the course of the shoot Lastly the lesson final question. Would you rather marry a photographer or a video director? Would you rather marry someone in your field? Or someone in the media field and separate I have to choose Okay, between the two you have to choose one or the other I'll marry spend the rest of your life with Let me say someone in my field. Not necessarily a photographer But someone in my field because that is broad can be a video director can be a video guy Make a parties to whatever whatever. Yeah, so someone in my field not particularly a photographer. Okay. Yeah, and What about you who'd you rather marry? Oh, is it is a question too quick? Is it's not okay? I'd marry a photographer. You'd marry a photographer. We'd travel together. Oh, yeah, take photos of each other Exactly because you like photos. Yeah That's sweet. Okay, so sour and Actually you guys I think we've come to the end of our show. We've got We've had a wonderful time here and why in the morning with you and please remember I wanted you guys to share your social media so it can reach you directly and in case guys want their photographs taken Let's start with you Fidel. Where can guys follow you? What can guys reach you at? You can find me on Instagram At fiddle toll fiddle underscore tall fiddle underscore tall. Yeah, just Instagram. Just Instagram. Okay You're not on those other ones. I'm not Into other other social media. Okay. Yeah And this is what works for you anyway. It works for me. I saw saw. Thank you for that. How about you Simon Chege? Where do guys reach you and follow you? Number one is Instagram. Okay My main account is lines photography underscore ke but I have Two or three other accounts Lines photography K is for sharing my main work Simon Chege is for me as a photographer as a person Where I share my my uncreated work, then the Simon Chege retouch there I offer photo editing services for Photographers models makeup artists or anybody else. Okay, so professional photo editing services. Yes So lines photography underscore ke that is the most important once you got that other links are there So lines photography underscore ke and fiddle underscore tall both on Instagram mostly Yeah, and you can follow me or enjoy underscore mocha chair and most importantly You can follow this awesome youth channel called why 254 on Facebook That is why 254 channel on Instagram why 254 underscore channel and on Twitter why 254 channel? Have a wonderful wonderful rest of the day. This was why in the morning and my name was joy muchache