When Photography Becomes a Voice. This is my Story

I’ve come a long way, literally, from the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, where I grew up, to finding myself working with organizations like WHO and UNESCO. My journey into documentary photography has definitely not followed a straight line. In fact, if it were a road, you’d need a 4×4 and a patient mechanic. It’s been guided by curiosity, wild opportunities I didn’t see coming, community, and this annoying little voice in my head that keeps insisting, “Bro, the story must be told.”

I recently sat down with my friend Simon Lines (Mwalimu) on the Learning with Lines podcast to reflect on this winding path, how it all started, the defining moments, the challenges, and the many lessons learned. This article is a polished summary of that conversation, giving you a genuine behind-the-scenes look at my journey with a few bumps, lessons, and wins along the way. This is for anyone who loves storytelling as much as I do.

You can watch the full episode on YouTube by clicking on the video below.

The Spark: Finding Purpose Through a Lens

My love for photography began long before I ever held a camera. As a child, I would spend hours studying photographs in newspapers and National Geographic magazines that my dad brought home. In fact, one of the books that defined my childhood was Kingfisher Child’s World Encyclopedia, which was a book filled with amazing images of everything that makes our world. The book was a guide to the questions preschoolers ask. It covers the universe, our planet Earth, the sea, all kinds of animals, plants, when dinosaurs lived, machines, science, people and places.

One image, a Premier League shot by Stuart Macfarlane, of Thierry Henry celebrating a goal in 2002, burned itself into my memory. The image to me was so legendary, it made me an Arsenal Fan. It is the image behind Henry’s statue at Emirates Stadium. This image made me wonder: How do photographers capture moments that stay with us forever?

Years later, in 2015, I found myself volunteering in Nigeria with VSO. Armed only with a Sony Xperia L phone, I started documenting the communities and projects I was working with. I used my tech background to make multimedia presentations, blending visuals with storytelling. That small act sparked everything that came after.

From a Phone Camera to Professional Gear

When I returned to Kenya later in 2015, I invested in my first DSLR, a Nikon D3300. I practiced obsessively. I photographed anything and everything: friends, animals, small events, even random scenes during my commute. I learned editing by trial and error, and I took on shoots for free simply to gain experience.

Those early days taught me two powerful lessons:

1. The worst regret is not trying.
2. You don’t need perfect gear, just a willingness to learn.

Breaking Into the Industry: Red Bull and the First Big Break

My first consistent paid opportunity came in 2017 through Red Bull. I covered nightlife events, club activations, and later in 2018, the Red Bull Neymar 5 aside tournament across seven counties. Those long nights and fast-paced tournaments taught me to work with briefs, respond quickly, and deliver under pressure.

When I was finally certified as a Red Bull Photographer, it was a dream come true. Looking back, working with Red Bull was more than a job. It was a training ground, a place where I learned discipline, reliability, and how to create visual stories that matched a client’s vision.

Shifting Toward Documentary Storytelling

Although I enjoyed events and sports photography, I felt most alive when documenting real people and real issues around us. Around 2017, I began collaborating with JK of Cheatah Safaris, documenting wildlife, community life, and cultural stories around Kenya. These were unpaid passion projects, but they built the foundation of my documentary portfolio. We would travel to very scenic tourist destinations in Kenya, and I would document the whole journey and experience for the guests while building my portfolio.

Then came filming with Jason, Elnyuki, in 2021. Jason was on a mission to help farmers embrace beekeeping as an alternative source of income while conserving the environment. Together, we traveled across Kenya documenting more than 30 beekeeping installations. This project opened my eyes to the intersection of environment, agriculture, and community development, and how photography can help people understand the world around them.

A Career-Defining Shift: Climate Change, WHO, and International Recognition

In Nov 2021, everything changed.

I was selected for the “Capturing Climate Change” workshop in Tanzania, about 10 intense days of learning from internationally renowned photographer, Kadir Van Lohuizen. It is after this training that I got to do my first documentary Photography Exhibition in Dar Es Salaam and Nairobi.

A few months later in mid-2022, the World Health Organization commissioned me to document drought impacts in the Horn of Africa. For the first time, I got an inside look at humanitarian storytelling: consent protocols, licensing, ethics, and visual impact.

In 2022, my conservation work was exhibited at the Netherlands Embassy, and I won an award at the “Water is Life” Photography Competition in preparation for the UN Water conference.

These moments reminded me that photography can influence policy, raise awareness, and shift narratives.

The Power of Community Stories: Braves of Naningoi

One of the projects closest to my heart has been The Braves of Naningoi, a documentary film on girls escaping FGM and early marriages. Telling their stories changed me. Their courage became a reminder of why I do this work: to amplify voices that are often ignored.

The film has since been screened publicly, used for advocacy, and supported by partners committed to protecting girls’ rights. Last year, the documentary won the Best Documentary Film Award at the Varsity Film Expo 2024 in Zambia.

Conservation, Culture & Climate: The Work Continues

In the years that followed, I continued documenting human–wildlife conflict in Amboseli, climate change impacts, and stories that connect communities to their environment. This work led to my fine-art exhibition, A Touch of Nature and a nomination for Photography Creator of the Year at the 2024 BAKE Awards.

Each project is a chapter in a bigger mission, the Bmpicz Vision:
to tell stories that matter, with integrity, empathy, and respect.

What I’ve Learned: Insights for Emerging Photographers

Here are some of the core lessons I shared during my conversation with Simon, lessons I wish I had known when I started:

1. Your best stories are in your community.

You don’t need to travel far. Start with the people, challenges, and beauty around you.

2. Build a strong, intentional portfolio.

Clients trust what they see. Document the work you want to be hired for and compile it into a shareable format. This could be a pdf, a website link, or on portfolio websites like Pixieset or Behance.

3. Collaboration opens doors.

Many of my biggest opportunities, Red Bull, WHO, and exhibitions, came from relationships built over time, collaborating with other creatives and partners in the industry.

4. Learn the business side: licensing, contracts, proposals.

Creative talent alone won’t sustain a career. Professionalism will. So learn how to run a business, how to reach out to and secure clients, and the ethics involved in professionalism.

5. Mentor others. It grows you.

Through my practical and online photography classes where I teach photography and storytelling, and several workshops that I have taught in, I’ve learned that teaching sharpens your craft.

6. Shoot for highlights, recover shadows.

When doing documentary work or even photojournalism, this is a practical tip that changed how I work with natural light. It is difficult or nearly impossible to recover over-exposed highlights, but very easy to recover under-exposed shadows. So my style is, I expose for the highlights, then recover the shadows in post.

7. Passion projects are your pathway to paid work.

Personal projects are usually passion projects, and these are the projects that get you recognized out there and lead to client jobs. So, always have an ongoing personal project to keep you inspired and creative while showing the world your style and talent.

The Tools I Use

• Nikon D3300, D750, Z6II (early career)
• Sony A7 IV is my current hybrid workhorse
• Lenses are mostly between 24mm and 85mm.
• Lighting: 98% natural light and reflectors, minimal strobes

With time, I minimized my gear and focused on the story. Documentary work is less about gear and more about access, trust, and story.

Documentary Photography in Africa: A Growing Movement

There has never been a better time to be a photographer in Africa. Our stories, cultures, and challenges are gaining global attention. But with that comes responsibility, with how we photograph, represent, and narrate our people and our experiences.

Authenticity matters. Consent matters. Impact matters.

Final Thoughts: Why I Keep Going

Photography has taken me from small villages to international stages, from dusty football pitches to global exhibitions. But what keeps me grounded is the same thing that inspired me as a child: stories.

Real stories.

Stories of our challenges, climate, culture, community, and the everyday heroes around us.

My hope is that anyone reading this, photographer or not, feels encouraged to embrace their curiosity, chase their passion, and tell the stories only they can tell.

Want to Explore More of My Work?

Visit my portfolio at bmpicz.com
Connect with me on Instagram @bmpicz
Or reach out for mentorship, documentary projects, or collaborations Here: Contact me.

Till next time

Billy Miaron.

Happy Holidays.