In his own words, he is, “conscientious, easy-going and maybe a little fun.”
Moving away from the all the writers we’ve looked at so far this season, we’re stepping back into the visual realm this week, courtesy of Mutumbi Lungu, a young Zambian photographer who tells phenomenal stories from his work behind the lens.
He has been interested in visuals for as long as he can remember, and like all our talented Support Sunday cast, Mutumbi decided to pursue his curiosity further than most. He initially started with casual photography, things like family events and the like. His journey took a more serious step about five years ago when his uncle noticed his keen interest and gifted him with his first camera. The rest, as they say, is history.
Photographers usually tend to be quite specific, but Mutumbi has a distinct range of work, and after speaking or engaging with him, it’s quite noticeable that his work is quite literally an extension of himself. It’s a unique, inspiring feature of his that I respect and try to emulate through my work as well. Whether it’s an event, portraiture, or bringing a concept to life, he does it all:
The “Kodak Snack” has also recently ventured into videography, in order to expand his visual capacity beyond still imagery. By taking this step, he hopes to raise the standards of video production within the country (something we’ve all been crying out for, frankly speaking).
Mutumbi was one of the earliest supporters of the Support Sunday initiative, loved the idea and has consistently and actively shown his own support and provided me with feedback that has led to me being able to give you this content week in, week out. He shares a genuine desire for growth and success, both for himself and for others as well, no matter which creative sphere they find themselves in. I saw this in his response when I asked what challenges he faces as an aspiring photographer in Zambia:
“I really do enjoy photography and if it could pay the bills in a third world country like Zambia I’d probably do it full time, but that’s not the case. From a business perspective, Photography (and many other arts) are often undervalued and that makes it hard to thrive. If your work is great and you’re consistent you could definitely make more than average but I think most artists generally don’t get paid what they deserve.”
Despite his obvious talent and passion for photography, pursuing his dream still has its challenges, and he empathizes with his fellow creatives. It’s a sentiment that’s not so common, and it’s one I genuinely respect and admire.
Ladies & gentlemen, this young man is always ready to make magic (stay tuned to my Instagram for our collabo, by the way). Feel free to contact/follow him on any of the following platforms:
Email: mutumbilungu@gmail.com
Instagram: @mtmbi.lgu
Twitter: @MutumbiL
Thank you for tuning in this week my people, don’t forget to share with your circles, and stay tuned for next week’s season finale! Enjoy your week!
Wenguss Khan 