Daniel Msirikale (also known as that_tanzanianguy) is a travel and documentary photographer based in Tanzania.
He got into photography in 2014 as a hobbyist and eventually decided to make it his career. When he completed his studies, he did photography professionally for a year and then went on to corporate life, purely because the type of photography he was doing at the time wasn’t his passion and wasn’t what he had intended to do when he went into it.
He did the corporate life for two years, and he loved it; but eventually decided to go back to his true calling and focus on a niche that inspired him: Travel and documentary photography.
We asked Daniel five questions and here are his thoughts about photography, work, and life in general.
- Between words, visual images, moving images and audio, why have you picked visual images as your art?
I used to write a lot when I was growing up. Took part in essay competitions, some poetry, even toyed around with writing a book (never happened haha). So I have always had the words.
Photography was a way to make those words make more sense. Now, the words and the photography merely complement each other. I have always wanted to do more video, but I still feel that I am not quite there yet in this department.
I would still pick photography over video purely for the simplicity of it. Photos truly feel like a moment frozen in time. There’s an inexplicable beauty to that.
2. In terms of technology , cameras keep getting more expensive. How do you see this changing in the next 5 to 10 years?
I think as bigger and better cameras are being made, those that used to be bigger and better cameras at the time get more affordable. So I always recommend to go not for the latest version of a camera but one that’s 2-4 years older. There’s nothing absolutely wrong with them. They were the bigger and better cameras of their time. 8/10 times we don’t even really need all the latest updates.
3. Do you think we have enough photo exhibitions in Tanzania? As a professional photographer, what would you recommend?
We do not have enough photo exhibitions in Dar. We do not even have galleries.
I believe exhibitions are crucial in taking this industry to the next level and helping people appreciate the arts more.
I believe exhibitions are crucial in taking this industry to the next level and helping people appreciate the arts more.
I remember clearly the feeling I had when I did my first exhibition and just walked around inconspicuously watching people make their own interpretations of my work. It is such a beautiful feeling. I even learned a thing or two myself about my work.
We have talked about exhibitions with a few like minded artists and there’s one lady in particular, Asteria Malinzi who is already doing something about it. She has curated a few exhibitions in Dar es Salaam and I believe she will also help take exhibitions to the next level these coming years.
4. What management skills or habits would you recommend to anyone who aspires to have a career in art?
Time management is a huge one. Knowing the value of time and how to use your time wisely is paramount in this career path.
I would say money management but I’d be lying because even I’m struggling with that one haha. In time however you learn to prioritise in your own way where to put your money in. It’s a learning process.
Lastly, do not get complacent and stop learning. This one’s a killer of creativity and a lot of artists succumb to this. The moment you think you have achieved everything you ever wanted to in your artistry and relax is when you start losing passion for it and eventually your audience loses passion for your work.
Photography, the arts, like anything else needs you to constantly keep learning, reinventing yourself if need be, so as to keep that fire burning. We can’t lose that.
5. Reflecting on time, how do you define ‘work’ these days? We know what you do, but what’s your opinion on how someone can be happy, be there for people that need them and still make money?
This I think is not something anyone has got figured out really.
Finding a balance in all this is something you always have to work for and I don’t really think there’s anything such as a perfect balance.
What I can say however is no matter what, do make time for yourself (self love) and time for the people you love. You are never too busy not to.
Money, or the lack thereof should never be a reason for you not to. I’ve come to learn that when my heart’s at peace with myself and the people I love, that’s when my mind is free to create masterpieces.
Money will follow.
Thanks for the time, Danial! Checkout Daniel Msirikale’s work on Instagram.
