It is not every day that you shall find a lady behind the camera. However, a new dawn has come with a common phrase “what a man can do, a woman can do”, women seem eager and more than ready to penetrate a field once dominated by men and minding less about the stress that comes with the profession.

Esther Mbabazi, 22, a budding photojournalist says: “I love to challenge the men in the field, they have dominated for years.” She adds, “I believe with hard work and commitment a lady can make it to the top.”

Why photography?
Mbabazi, silently groomed her passion for photography in secondary school. “I would seize every opportunity to take pictures whenever I got a camera,” she says of her beginnings.

In 2012, during her Senior Six vacation, a friend requested Mbabazi to attend a photo exhibition, something she had not prepared to do on that day. Like fate would have it, the event brought together Kampala’s top photographers and turned out to be something that tickled her deep seated love for photography, “Oscar Kibuuka’s work was the turning point.

It made me fall in love with photography,” she reminisces.
Mbabazi had a chat with Kibuuka, after the event and he agreed to guide and teach Mbabazi the various skills and techniques of photography.

“Oscar encouraged me to take on photography,” she says, adding “he willingly let me use his professional cameras before I thought of acquiring a personal camera.” Being in vacation with little to do, Mbabazi pursued a diploma in photography at Crane Media Institute- Kampala. Unfortunately, the institute was not offering the practical skills she desired. Sooner than later she left the institute. “I wanted to acquire more practical skills and not theory, so I quit the institute,” Mbabazi explains.

Going professional
In September 2013, Mbabazi took her fascination for photography a notch high and acquired a camera. This set her on a path of self - discovery to define her style in photography. “A personal camera gives you the freedom to do whatever you want, because you are without pressure, which helps you define your style,” Mbabazi says, and acknowledges that she couldn’t have had the camera without the support from a friend.

Defining her style
Just like other professions such as music and writing, photography requires one to define the style with which they can be identified.

Mbabazi uses storytelling in her photography and she believes in photography that makes a difference, bringing to life the notion of a photo speaks a thousand words, “I’m a lover of life who believes that everybody has a story to tell. Life is a great point of view in my photography,” she explains, in the same breath she channels all her focus more on documentary photography for her career.

Her photography gives attention to detail of what she has set herself on. “I don’t document something I’m not ready for because I get bored in the process and end up doing half baked work. Working with street children is one of Mbabazi’s sources for her photography; she feels little lads roaming the streets have a unique story to tell the world.

“I love seeing the bad in the good and vice versa, children on the streets are an amazing story source,” she stresses. Mbabazi is a lover of black and white, a thing she loves to add to her work.

Achievements/ challenges
In the beginning of her career, “People would say to me, ‘I’m not sure I can hire you, I’m not sure what you’re doing. What is your style?’ I thought I was never going to make a living as a photographer,” the photographer reminisces.

Fast forward, Mbabazi has worked with a number of NGOs in and outside Kampala, who have appreciated her services and walking away a Benjamin more.

Besides the money, the photographer is a source of inspiration to many of her peers, boys and girls alike. “People always tell me ‘Esther you motivate me.’ Likewise, my mother appreciates my effort and respects what I do because I take care of my needs,” she boasts.

Of challenges, given that she is female, some male clients with ulterior motives try to take advantage and worse still, people not attaching value to her work.

Source * Daily Monitor