Welcome to the Cityscapes' version of the HOW IT STARTED vs. HOW ITS GOING posts. I found it easier to just blog about it as opposed to having a couple of posts on my Instagram (Wait, I’ve used that excuse somewhere before, right?).
Volume 1.0 was on my Architectural Photography adventure. Check it out HERE.
Without further ado, here we go!
The year must have been 2011 or 2012, during one of those meetups of various city photographers atop KICC.
Back when all the pros we now revere were newbies. Hobbyists.
Before KICC started charging Ksh. 7,000/= to access and shoot from their rooftop past 1800h.
Before Instameets.
Enzi zao.
I was awestruck by the immense beauty of the city from above and I'd confidently say that that's the point where I fell in love with the city from that kind of vantage point.
Fast forward to 2014, a year after getting my first camera, I got a chance to access the Chester House & Sonalux House rooftops and shoot some stuff for myself, together with a bunch of other photographers.
I remember the confusion of not knowing where to point my camera or what to shoot; total mess.
A cycle that went like this - Experiment with different settings. Mess up. Watch and shoot as the light changes. Mess up. Struggle to find a composition. Mess up. Try to shoot every single scene I could see. Keep messing up. Watch what other guys around me were shooting and try to mimic that. Mess up still, then head home and try to decide which of the messed-up images I wanted to edit and share.
It was during this meetup at Chester House that I got a sense of what it takes to access those spots - mainly sweet-talking the management, if you get a hold of them.
I then started asking friends who worked in the taller buildings in the city whether they knew the caretaker or security head so we can arrange access and that’s when I got my first one, along Haile Selassie Avenue on a Sunday evening. That’s where this shot was made, one of my personal favorites.
I did make a few others on this day, but those weren’t as 'exciting' as the one above.
I then started shooting at Uhuru Park because it was free, with no arrangements to be made or anyone to bother you (not sure if it’s still the case now) ...
and it was there that the Half-life series was born.
Since then, I've worked on trying to train myself to not only get decent spots to shoot from [quite the hard task to be honest] but to see good light and make the most of it. Where possible, I've visited a specific location multiple times to get a sense of how it appears during the different times of day of with a different quality of light.
But, enough talk for now. Let's look at a few signature shots, chronologically of course.
2016 ...
2017 ...
2018 ...
2019 ...
I had grand plans for 2020 but as we all know, the last couple of years have been pandemic-ridden which translates to limited access to both private and public spaces especially for the purposes of making images.
But I did get to make a few during that period and though I've shared those before in previous posts, the idea here is to show the growth and progress that consistency brings.
First, the set I made in 2020 ...
And the few that I sneaked in in 2021, while on architectural photography assignments in Westlands.
Over the last two years, I have had the opportunity to work with various clients on unique assignments to document various parts of the city and I've had a blast while at it. I'm looking forward to more of those, in the near future.
What next?
First and foremost, I’m still on the lookout for new spots, angles, and heights. That never stops. Ever.
If you do have a good spot, or know a guy who knows a guy who has access to one or a few rooftops in Nairobi, Kisumu, or Mombasa, I'd be happy to get those leads.
Have Camera. Will Travel.
Secondly, I haven’t really tried aerial imagery because I don’t own a drone, yet, but that’s still on my radar. 😉
I hope that idea flies in the near future. 😉😉
I'll end with a statement by one of my favorite architectural photographers, who also happens to shoot landscapes.
"Landscape photography may at first appear to be relatively easy. In fact, it requires considerable thought and technical skill. Strive to photograph something that is personally meaningful: unseen relationships, narrative
(real or imagined), drama, emotion, capturing a miraculous moment in time. Show others what you have discovered."
- Steven Brooke -
To see a selection of cityscape, landscape and architectural images made over the years, visit the Eyeconic Media Website.
I also have dozens of other images on the Eyeconic Media Behance Profile. You're welcome to peruse that space as well.
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