Visual artists have been implored to leverage opportunities available in the digital space to produce quality local content.
The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) Mombasa Regional Coordinator Maureen Mudi said members of the Mombasa Photographers Association are a critical component in the media ecosystem as they are a key pillar in content creation.
She added that the artists are independent content creators consisting of drone pilots, photographers, videographers, bloggers and a wide range of multi-talented content creators, and whom she added, should explore the opportunities that have come with the digital transformation.
“There are many opportunities for local content production. You need to brand yourselves to capture what attracts your audiences”, she said at a meeting with members of the association.
She emphasised the need for photographers to grow their portfolios and monetise their content while adhering to media ethics.
“You can grow your skills independently if you understand your niche and actualise creativity. There is more in content production. Currently, most media houses are struggling with different revenue models and there is little sustainability”, remarked Ms Mudi.
The Mombasa Photographers Association Acting Chairman Kelvin Kariithi stressed on the need for collaboration between them and mainstream photojournalists stating that overtime, they have identified gaps between telling a story and taking quality photos.
“The technical elements of taking videos and photos by our peers are lacking in quality and creativity. Most times I have to adjust camera settings for many journalists while covering events as they are not able to get the best shots”, said Mr Kariithi.