23 year-old Charles Ageng’o could not hide his joy when judges singled him out as the best photographer in this year’s Founders Day Photography Competition held at Strathmore University. He impressed judges for having gone out of his way to take a remarkable picture of a Strathmore building using drone equipment.

The soft-spoken Bachelor of Telecommunications student attributed his success to his mother who has been the pillar and strength of his life. As he is an only child, his mother has always stood by him in his photography journey.

Charles traces his early steps in photography to his childhood when as a little boy he would borrow his mother’s camera to take pictures. He recalls the day his mother got him his own camera and the joy that punctuated the air in their home that day.

As he grew older so did his passion for photography grow. While in high school – Pioneer Boys School -Charles spent most of his time in the computer lab researching about photography. Most of his friends knew about his love for photography, a fact that he did not disprove. At around the same time, Instagram arrived in Kenya. Though still relatively new, Charles’s drive for photography saw him explore the social media platform. He spent endless hours savoring people’s pictures while keeping abreast with the latest trends in the field.

By the time he completed high school, Charles had already made up his mind to pursue the skill further, pushing him to take pictures within the neighborhood at a fee. Word spread around fast, and in no time his clientele grew.

Charles’ early success inspired him to start his own firm, Adriana Profilms, in partnership with a friend. Through this firm, Charles has had the privilege of working on assignments for individuals, real estate agencies, as well as lodges, strengthening his skills. He has now developed an area of interest in landscape, architectural and experiential photography. He finds these areas to be fulfilling because they give him room for creativity and innovation.

Balancing between books and photography was not a walk in the park for Charles, especially in his early days in business. He remembers missing classes in order to meet demands of the business, prompting him to relegate photography to weekends only. This arrangement has worked for Charles as he is left with adequate time to study.

Drawing from his experience, Charles advises students wishing to pursue photography not to lose focus in their studies. He encourages them to set their priorities right, in order to benefit from both academics and their skills in the long haul.

Locally, Charles looks up to celebrated photographer Mutua Matheka, because of the quality of his work and his contribution to the local photography industry.

The future looks bright for Charles as he plans to pursue a career in photography once he finishes university. He hopes to leverage on his skills and experience to bring the best in himself.