Tuesday, September 1, 2026

ADVICE TO EMERGING PHOTOGRAPHERS

I AM_

Self Made Series/ Photography / Photographer
+throughMylensπŸ“Έ 



Here are a few lessons I would share with every emerging photographer:

1️⃣ Own your equipment.
As much as possible, invest in your own tools. Your camera and equipment are not just gadgets—they are part of your profession.

2️⃣ Negotiate the Terms of Reference (TOR).
Before you pick up your camera, be clear about what is expected: the assignment, deliverables, duration, usage of images, payment and timelines.

3️⃣ Don't work on the hope of better terms later.
If the terms don't make sense now, don't assume they will magically improve tomorrow. Agree on expectations from the beginning.

4️⃣ Keep your prospects open.
Don't tie yourself to one client or opportunity. Build relationships, explore different opportunities and remain open to working with multiple prospects.

5️⃣ Volunteering is good but define the boundaries.
Volunteering can help you gain experience, exposure and networks. But have a clear start and end date, scope of work and expectations. Don't let "volunteering" become an indefinite arrangement.

6️⃣ Stop giving away your work anyhow.
Taking a few photographs for free occasionally is okay. But free work should not become the norm. Your time, skills, equipment, transport and creativity all have value.

People naturally love free things. The challenge comes when you eventually decide to charge—because you may discover that those who were happy to receive your work for free aren't necessarily willing to pay even KSh 50.

Learn to create value. Learn to communicate your value. And, most importantly, learn to charge for it.

πŸ“Έ Your camera may be the tool, but your skill, time and perspective are the real product.

— Wilson Masaka
Youth Advocate | Social Entrepreneur | Photographer
+throughMylens | https://wilsenx.blogspot.com

Thursday, August 27, 2026

Self Made Series - 3 TYPES OF DREAMS

 I AM_


Self Made Series

#SchoolOfThought | #StreetSmart

DID YOU KNOW?

There Are Three Types of Dreams

Not every dream is at the same stage.

Some dreams belong to the past.

Some are alive in the present.

And some only show up when something triggers them.

So, where is your dream today?

Here we go. πŸ‘‡πŸΎ


1. THE DEAD DREAM πŸ’­

This is a dream that no longer has space in your current reality.

The desire may still exist somewhere within you, but circumstances, time, changing priorities, opportunities or factors beyond your control may have made the dream unrealistic or impossible to pursue in its original form.

You may still love the idea of it, but continuing to chase it without reassessing your reality could turn the dream into a mission impossible.

Sometimes, personal discovery means having the courage to say:

“This was my dream then. It may not be my dream now.”

A dead dream doesn't mean you have failed.

It may simply mean it is time to discover a new dream.


2. THE AWAKENED DREAM πŸ”₯

This is the dream that is alive and active in your present.

It is connected to what you currently love, what you are doing, what you are learning, what you desire and the possibilities you can see around you.

There are signs pointing towards the land of possibility.

But a dream alone is not enough.

It needs a system.

It needs consistency.

It needs learning.

It needs discipline.

It needs action.


This is your best bet for turning possibility into progress.

An awakened dream asks:

What can I do today to move one step closer to the future I see?

3. THE LUKEWARM DREAM 🌑️

This dream flickers for a moment.

Something happens.

You attend an inspiring event.

You hear someone's story.

You watch a video.

You meet someone successful.

You suddenly say:


“I want to do that!”


For a moment, the dream feels real.


Then the moment passes.


You return to your default settings.

The excitement disappears, and nothing concrete happens.

This is the lukewarm dream; many wishes, many hopes and many moments of inspiration, but little or no consistent action towards turning the dream into reality.

It isn't necessarily that the dream is bad.

The problem is that the dream has not yet been activated.


SO, WHERE IS YOUR DREAM?


Is it Dead?

Is it Awakened?

Or is it simply Lukewarm?




Personal discovery begins when you stop only asking:


“What is my dream?”

…and start asking:

“What am I doing about it?”

D.R.E.A.M.


D — Discover yourself, your interests, strengths and possibilities.


R — Reflect on where you are, where you have been and where you want to go.

E — Explore opportunities, ideas, skills and different pathways.

A — Act by turning intention into consistent action.

M — Master your craft through learning, practice, discipline and lifelong growth.

Because a dream becomes more meaningful when you understand yourself, explore possibilities, and take action.

NOW YOU KNOW.

Activate yourself.

Evaluate where your dream currently stands.

Then ask yourself:

What is one thing I can do today to move my dream from thought to action?

I AM_ Self Made Series

The Brand Called YOU.

Do More. Be More. Be Different.

#IAmSelfMade #SelfMadeSeries #SchoolOfThought #StreetSmart #PersonalDiscovery #Dreams #SelfAwareness #YouthDevelopment #LifeSkills #21stCenturySkills #LifeLongLearning #DoMoreBeMoreBeDifferent


Wednesday, August 26, 2026

The Moral Fabric Of Society

 I AM_

Semi Za MAJA

The Moral Fabric of Society

πŸ“ We Are Living in a Ticking Time Bomb πŸ’£

— The Declining Value System

When abnormality becomes normal, society enters dangerous territory. A wrong is still a wrong, and two wrongs can never make a right.

But perhaps the darkest part of this unexplained tunnel is when something wrong happens and nobody questions it. The silence becomes louder, even from the very quarters we expect to lead us by example.



Our Society Today

1. The Erosion of Communal Responsibility

Today, a child can only be questioned by their parents. In some cases, some children cannot be questioned by anyone not even their parents.

We are slowly losing the belief that raising a child is a shared responsibility of the community.

2. Immorality Is Becoming Entertainment

Good deeds are increasingly being overshadowed by the celebration of questionable behaviour. Many people don't want to be left behind.

Going viral, even for the wrong reasons, is becoming the new measure of relevance.

3. From Umtaa Mentality to Uta Doo Mentality

The shift is becoming risky day after day from the umtaa mentality, where everything can be shaped by narrow, biased and negative thoughts and behaviours that do not represent the expected norm, regionally or even globally, to the uta doo mentality:

“It's not my problem. Do what you want to do.”

It is a mentality where some people feel untouchable, even when there is evidence of wrongdoing.

As a result, everyone looks away. People feel helpless and, slowly, begin to slide into the same behaviour because it becomes the rule of the game.

4. The Fading of Role Models in Leadership Circles

Finding genuine role models is becoming increasingly difficult.

Too many people are spinning the coin, hoping it lands in their favour at the expense of others. Principles seem negotiable when personal interests take centre stage.

5. When Numbers Become More Important Than Values

The pursuit of many followers can sometimes become more important than standing with the few who speak, live by and defend the values and principles that form the foundation of everyone's success.

It becomes a “man-eat-man” society, where trust is slowly becoming a word that exists only in the dictionary.

6. Good Advice Is Mistaken for Envy

Unsolicited advice, even when offered with good intentions, is increasingly interpreted as jealousy or ill will rather than goodwill.

We have become so defensive that sometimes we would rather hear praise than truth.

7. The Rules Keep Changing

The rules of the game seem to be defined according to convenience.

One man's meat is another man's poison.

What is right today can suddenly become wrong tomorrow, depending on who benefits.

8. Humanity Is Losing Ground

Somehow, humanity and Ubuntu are slowly sliding backwards.

Our love for gadgets and constant digital connection is sometimes coming at the expense of human connection, empathy and genuine conversation.

9. Good Manners Are Becoming Old-Fashioned

Saying “thank you,” asking politely, greeting people and generally showing good manners are, in some spaces, being treated as old-fashioned or backward.

Yet these simple values are part of what holds a society together.

10. The Crowd Is Louder Than the Conscience

A crowd mentality that leads nowhere is often celebrated more than the courage to stand alone with a sober mind and a clear sense of direction.

Sometimes, being different is not rebellion.

Sometimes, it is simply having the courage to think.

So, Where Are We Headed?

The moral fabric of society is not destroyed in one day. It is weakened slowly—one compromise, one silence, one excuse and one accepted wrong at a time.

The question is not whether society is changing. Society will always change.

The real question is:

What values are we carrying forward, and what values are we quietly leaving behind?

πŸ“ We cannot keep normalising what should concern us.

πŸ“ We cannot keep celebrating what should challenge us.

πŸ“ And we cannot expect the next generation to become better than the example we give them today.

πŸ“ A society that stops questioning wrong eventually starts calling wrong normal.

Do More. Be More. Be Different.

© Wilson Masaka, Personal Diary 2026

#SemiZaMAJA #SchoolOfThought #StreetSmart #MoralFabric #Society #Ubuntu #Values #DoMore #BeMore #BeDifferent