This Monday, 19 August, is World Photography Day, the date of the public presentation of the daguerreotype at the French Academy of Sciences in Paris in 1839. The daguerreotype is a photographic process developed by Louis Daguerre (1787-1851) in 1837, which makes it possible to fix an image taken with a camera onto a metal plate, without using a negative. The date prompts reflection on the role of photography in people’s lives, as an instrument for remembering and recording emotions.
But the moments and emotions must be recorded by someone who has knowledge of photography, which gives life to the profession of ‘photographer’, as many have seen the camera as an opportunity to make an income to support themselves, i.e. while recording memories and emotions that are meaningful to people, they earn an income to support their families, thus creating a market.
World Photography Day is celebrated this Monday, 19 August, as a result of the public presentation of the Daguerreotype at the French Academy of Sciences in Paris in 1839.The date prompts reflection on the role of photography in people’s lives, as an instrument for remembering and recording emotions.
It was in this context that DE spoke to some photographers to tell us about their experiences as professionals in the field of photography in Mozambique. They argue that the national market is already very mature and flourishing, but ask for more recognition from society and not to be marginalised.
Profitability of the profession
Mariano Silva, a photography enthusiast since 2008, became a fully-fledged professional in Mozambique in 2016. He says that he decided to move into this area when he found himself unemployed in the field of his training. ‘There are bad things that come with good things and my misfortune turned out to be a window into the world of photography,’ he describes.
Mariano Silva – Photographer
The professional says that profitability in this area depends on the market sector in which the photographer operates and the portfolio of clients he has. ‘Once the necessary conditions are met, in general it’s a profession that allows you to have good living conditions,’ he said, emphasising that it’s worth being a professional in Mozambique, ’at least in my case, I can’t complain.
It all depends on professionalism, because it’s not enough just to take good photographs, there’s a whole range of personal and professional qualities that you have to guarantee in order to provide a good service to the client so that they hire you again.’
Salmão Alfredo, who also talks about the profitability of the profession, believes that the market, in all types of business, is under threat given the difficulties the country is facing. ‘It’s hard to say whether it’s profitable or not, because it’s a challenge like any other business, which is why it requires good management,’ said the photographer, who fell in love with the profession in 1999 after watching his father, a sports photojournalist.
Salomão Alfredo – photographer
Still on the subject, another photographer contacted by DE, Paulo Jorge de Almeida, explained that ‘the photography market is very vast and has room for everyone. There has been a great evolution in recent years, as professionals have become accepted in the business market, which has realised the need for photographers. There’s still a lot to be done to make it a completely sustainable and lucrative profession that will lead many more photographers to take it up as a career.’
Challenges… market acceptance
‘Profitability in this area depends on the market sector in which the photographer operates and the portfolio of clients they have’
Mariano Silva
‘Of the various challenges we currently face, technological evolution and the digital market are the main ones. We also have the issue of the market being very open, which doesn’t help. Apart from that, for those who are self-employed, they have to strengthen their brand and the image of their business among clients, taking every opportunity to publicise their services and guarantee the quality of their work, developing their talent and seeking to reach a more profitable target audience, if necessary,’ explained Salomão Alfredo.
For his part, Paulo Jorge Almeida began by emphasising that given the opportunities in the national market, it is worth pursuing photography in Mozambique, but even so, there are challenges. ‘One of the biggest challenges is market acceptance and the remuneration of photographers (which is generally low), in other words, we need to improve the way we are seen in general,’ he said.
Paulo Almeida – Photographer
For Mariano Silva, one of the biggest challenges is the uncertainty of tomorrow, because for a freelancer there is no guaranteed salary at the end of the month. ‘You have to manage your income well in order to guarantee the maintenance and periodic renewal of your equipment, the support of your family and the business itself,’ he said.
Advice for those who want to pursue the area
‘The advice I can give is that photography, like any other professional field, is a challenge that can often turn into barriers, but it’s up to us to overcome them. And before moving on to a professional career, photographers should spend a few years as ‘lobbyists’, allowing them to cement the technical knowledge they need to overcome the challenges of everyday life. It’s not enough to buy a camera and start shooting like a pro, that’s not how it works and that’s not how it works. We should only expose ourselves professionally when we have the skills to respond to our clients‘ demands, which I can tell you right now are very demanding,’ explained Mariano Silva.
Nário Samussone Sixpene
