US-BASED RWANDAN PHOTOGRAPHER, Michael Nzungize is taking his photography skills far and wide, after he won of a related field competition which boosted his passion for photography.
"I started in 2015, taking pictures using my dad's cell phone. I was not really doing big until 2018 after winning my first photography competition that I bought a camera. The device has been a very helpful piece towards my career growth and for such, I will forever be grateful to have won the competition" Nzungize shared with The New Times.
He expressed concern about how people, especially in Africa, undermine the photography profession with is a very bad perception that can somehow hinder field from growing further.
He said, "When I got here (USA), I tried to do networking with several people and I realised how I really loved to shoot different entertainment events like concerts. I was so interested in seeing the efforts and passion artists invest in their craft. That became the best teacher for me and I learnt to value my career as well.”
From that experience, Nzungize told shared that he came from shooting concerts as a hobby and now he can be hired for some big events like concerts and festivals as well; "I can’t express how nice it feels to finally be acknowledged for your work and talent. Imagine when some people with big names mention your work pieces and express their love towards them? It is such an encouragement for real.”
As a role model, Peter McKinnon, for him, is an exemplary photographer for he is a talented one who doesn’t gate keep his knowledge, instead, he shares the tips with beginners so that they can learn from him and find their ways to also get to their fullest potential.
When he joined this industry, his parents were not really okay with such a decision because they couldn’t see his vision. He however, managed to show them the results and so they blessed and supported his career. Some of the big events he has photographed include; the Back Outside Tour of Lil Baby and Lil Durk in Denver, Burna Boy 2019 Minneapolis, Lil Tjay 2021 Minneapolis and WizKid 2021 Minneapolis.
The 21-year-old confirmed that his biggest success came from EYS 2018 Youth Scholarship Competition which he won. Being the official photographer for Afro Nation in Puerto Rico this year becomes the second, followed by his first gallery show in Minneapolis with his fellow Rwandan photographer in the USA, Kevin Ishimwe.
"The thing that motivates me and keeps going is the main reason that I started to begin with, which is showcasing how I perceive the world from the point of view of my lens and that fuel hasn’t run out yet,” he said.
Nzungize is looking forward to doing an exhibition in Rwanda this summer.
Amongst the challenges, Nzungize told this publication that as a content creator, creative block or lack of ideas and sometimes not being valued enough for the work they do becomes a setback. He urged photographers to never allow the challenges to pull them down, instead to face them with hard and smart work as well as remember to have some rest since a more prominent name can be promised to those who work for it.
Born and raised in Rwanda, Michael Nzungize is now a college student as well as a content creator and photographer. When he was 14, Nzungize moved to Mali and after finishing high school there, he went to the United States of America where he currently resides.