In 2008, 35-year-old Isaiah Osongo graduated from Moi University with a bachelor's degree in Education.
While many expected him to start teaching, Osongo veered clear of this career path saying it was one he had been forced to take but was not his passion. He instead ventured into photography.
“I sat my KCSE in 2002 and got an A-. I was interested in pursuing a course in journalism but my parents turned me down saying there are no job opportunities in that field,” he said.
While in college, Osongo bought a camera and got into business taking still photos that he would sell at a subsidised rate.
“Right from the onset, I was able to make as much as Sh500 per day and this encouraged me to keep at it. The business enabled me to provide pocket money for myself and also pay some trip fees without having to stress my parents that much,” he says.
After his graduation, Osongo continued with his business from home but had to shift to an office in town.
“The business was bringing me good income. I however, had to move and rent a new premises because my parents were still insistent I pursue the teaching career and were pushing me to apply to the Teachers Service Commission,” he says.
Today, business has really picked up and Osongo is sometimes forced to hire other photographers to help him cover especially live events.
“When events are well attended, I can make up to Sh20,000 in a day but when badly graced I only make about Sh8,000 to Sh10,000 which I use to feed my family, pay school fees and put aside in savings,” he says.
He says he has never regretted his decision not to pursue a teaching career saying photography enables him live a good life.
“People will always have occasions they want captured be they church events, weddings, funerals, private celebrations, name them, and a good photographer will always be needed,” he says.
Osongo has also joined a mass communication class — which he studies part time — and it is his dream that in time, he will join one of the media houses as a photojournalist.
