You’ve probably come across the name Franck Axel Nyabagabo as his work is considered among the very best in Rwanda.

The 25-year-old, currently in his final year at university where he is pursuing a degree in Business and IT, has made a name for himself as a sleek and creative photographer whose work exudes class.

Born and raised in Kigali, Nyabagabo, who juggles photography with video production and graphic design, adds a touch of art and glamour to photography, but this is something he has had to perfect for a long time.

"I started practicing photography a long time ago, back when I was in school. But I actually started out when I was still in primary,” Nyabagabo says.

It is fair to say that photography runs in his blood because he started taking photos using his father’s camera when he was a child. "Whenever he would put it down, I would grab it and take pictures of my brothers,” Nyabagabo recalls. 

Though taking a camera to school was not allowed, he would sneak it in and take pictures of his friends, and they all picked interest in the pictures he took.  By S.4, his passion had developed and at this point he felt confident enough to stand in front of a crowd and take photos. 

"When I was in my 4th year in high school, I got the courage to go in front of a big crowd of people for the first time. It was an event, I even paid to enter so that I could take pictures. 

"I went home and edited the pictures and I uploaded them on Facebook,” he recalls. At the time, Facebook was the most lively social media platform and those same photos got a lot of people commenting, liking, reposting or sharing them. It is at this point that he started getting the energy and passion to take on photography. The positive feedback motivated him and opened his mind to consider photography as something he can do, not just at events, but as a life skill.

His love for photography in a way is linked to his passion for art, because before taking real pictures of people or things, he used to draw them. Later, the love for art changed into a passion for graphic design.

"I used to like drawing at first. I used to draw everything; celebrities, my family members, name it. From drawing I picked interest in graphic design,” Nyabagabo says.

Upon finishing high school, Nyabagabo got his first job in a marketing company as a graphic designer, as an alternative way to make money since not many people were willing to pay him as a photographer.

He continued to invest energy and time in the two skills, photography and graphic design, since they complement each other, and today he is not just a photographer but a visual artist and content creator. Nyabagabo believes he inherited his love for photography from his ICT-passionate father, who loved capturing and documenting moments using his camera, digitising them, even though he was not a professional photographer.

Setting himself apart

Nyabagabo is one of few photographers in Rwanda who command respect and has had gigs with big corporate companies and international celebrities, something he attributes to his work ethic.

"I believe all the work and every client I get is an experience. There’s something new to learn from different clients, different behaviour, different concepts, different creations and many more.

"From all these things, you’ll learn every day and you also strive to grow. I try to keep my business as a school in general, where every day is a new experience, every day is a new adventure,” he says, adding that the compliments he gets help him strive for even more.

Nyabagabo is inspired by creative people like South African-based content creator Cedric Nzaka, whom he connected and became friends with. 

 "The biggest personality or celebrity I have worked with so far is Naomi Campbell. I got a chance to work with her for a couple of days and it was a very huge experience because she’s a very well-known celebrity,” he says.

 "It was a great experience because I got to learn a lot from her. She gave me feedback on the pictures I took the first days just to know her style and indeed she loved the pictures.

"She posted them and tagged me, which is great. One of the things that motivated me is the fact that they contacted me first before they came to Rwanda, which means they were looking for someone to work with and when they saw my portfolio, they were like ‘yes, we can work with you.’” He has also worked with South African celebrities including singer Sho Madjozi, actor and entrepreneur Maps Maponyane, who all gave him positive feedback and posted his work.

Photography for a living

Nyabagabo says that photography is a skill that can sustain someone financially, but one has to have several attributes to make it work, from good behaviour and attitude to professional work ethic and good customer relations.

Being consistent in whatever you do and making sure that you don’t disappoint clients are some of the things that can make it work for you. These attributes are key for people to recommend you to others.

Unlike many businesses which were hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, Nyabagabo says that surprisingly, for content creators it became an opportunity to showcase what they can do, as more people, businesses and organisations moved to digitise what they do.

 His social media prowess added value to the package and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He has never been busier.

"Consistency, staying positive and having a good relation with my clients are key and it has worked. Whenever one client is happy, it opens doors for others.”

Nyabagabo says the photography and audio-visual industry in Rwanda has grown tremendously over the past decade or so, with great photographers and content creators popping up.

"The growth has been impressive because even looking back three or two years ago, you can see a huge difference,” he says, adding that today, clients are willing to pay well for good photography.

In 10 years or so, Nyabagabo hopes to have established something that will nurture a new generation of photographers and content creators who will make a difference in Rwanda. He also hopes to start a photography school, to leave a legacy behind.

 Like many artists, Nyabagabo considers himself a bit of an introvert because he prefers to think about ideas and concepts and how to bring them back to life when alone. 

"When you are starting out, things might not be easy, and money doesn’t come in right away. Consistency, passion, quality and creativity will get you there,” he says. 

Nyabagabo advises parents to support their children’s passion. Had he not been supported by his parents, Nyabagabo wouldn’t be where he is today. He pursued a different course at university to prove that you can follow your passion and study at the same time.