There’s a saying that the pen is mightier than the sword, but there’s also that famous line, a picture is worth a thousand words.’
A photo of a 9- year- old became viral on social media recently, clad in an oversize blue shirt and navy blue shorts admiring a fellow age mate on the banner attached to the Bravo Shoes van, smart in a school uniform, a pair of stockings, and fancy shoes, this captured Bwire’s curiosity and attention little did he know that someone was watching.
They say that a picture speaks a thousand words; the barefooted Elvis Bwire, who was a student of Walyembwa Primary School, Bumahna Sub-county, Luuka District in Eastern Uganda, stays with his 76-year-old grandmother Ruth Tebaryala.
It had to be Solomon Juuko Kitaka to think faster, using his skill on the camera something which changed Bwire position in this world he is now a student at Namuwaya Education Center.
Solomon Kitaka, a photographer who took Elvis Bwire’s life–changing-photo narrates what triggered him to take Bwire’s photos he was staring at the car which was parked and he was standing admiring the pictures on the van.
“He was looking at the boy who was putting on these shoes and smart in his uniform and this boy (BWIRE) was barefooted, he was putting on a dirty old uniform so he was trying to admire a fellow boy picture on the van. Our activities were going on, Bravo Shoes was doing the community social responsibility and as I was standing around to capture different events, I saw this boy admiring this picture so I was so touched and decided to take a picture of him,” narrates Kitaka.
According to Kitaka, less than 10 years ago he took the road to the professional camera. His interest in photography had been fostered years prior while in high school. As many years passed, taking pictures became a hobby he enjoyed and eventually became a passion.
“I would begin to develop a love for photography as it became such a soothing practice for me. As I started to get better I began charging my services” Kitaka told this writer.
Experts say that photographers have a unique stand in this world, the photographs they take transcend the passing of time – a photo from a hundred years ago can still be as appreciated now, as it was then; a photo taken tomorrow can still be just as appreciated in a hundred years.
Aretha Sirimanne, whose extraordinary eye for capturing the perfect shot enabled him to become the exclusive photographer for Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World in 2011 and 2012.
“Calling yourself a photographer is not simply about owning a fancy, new camera – if one lacks the passion, it will show in your shots, and you will never be able to make it in the field,” he expressed.
Robert Capa, one of the most famous photographers in the world says; “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.”
Experts urge that photography at its very best elicits a response from an audience. The beauty of photography is its diversity, which allows people to gravitate to certain styles and images for varied reasons.