Peter Kagura Njuguna, popularly known as Kagz the Photographer, is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Happy Lens Photography, a photography studio based in Zimmerman, Nairobi.

In an interview with Bizna, Njuguna revealed he is a self-taught photographer, and his outstanding work has propelled him to working with some of the country’s top celebrities and government officials.

He ventured into photography in 2019 after completing his business course at the Nairobi Institute of Business Studies.

The 31-year-old offers various services, including wedding and events coverage, birthday shoots, baby shower, and corporate events coverage, among others.

For normal photos, he charges Sh200 per photo, depending on the client’s needs. Njuguna said one of the challenges many photographers face is dealing with clients who postpone payments or fail to pay despite getting good services.

”Sometimes we deliver, and the clients don’t pay. To prevent such incidents, I usually request a 70 percent deposit to be able to cater for the services.”

”Even if it doesn’t give you the balance, at least you will be able to pay bills. For instance, if you are working with hired equipment, you will be able to sort the owner,’’ he said.

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According to Njuguna, it requires a lot of patience and honesty to succeed in photography. He notes that his social media expertise has highly contributed to his success, as most of his clients are drawn from social media platforms.

”When starting, it will cost you around Sh1,500 for business registration and around Sh10,000 for the permit. The only thing that is expensive is the gadgets,’’ he noted.

Njuguna adds that photography provides more opportunities for growth as one gets an opportunity to work with diverse people in various fields.

Among the celebrities he has worked with include Kikuyu benga musician David Mwangi, popularly known as Kamoko. Besides photography, the sales and marketing graduate doubles up as a graphic designer.

”For anyone intending to venture into photography, you will need to have good capital because the gadgets are not that cheap.”

”Like now, the good camera you can get is not less than Sh80,000. You will also need other gadgets like the lens, speed light, and lights, among others,’’ he advised.

He adds that photography is very profitable, and making clients happy is what brings them back for your services. Njuguna, who has been in the industry for about five years, plans to open more branches across Kenya and beyond.