I don’t have much experience taking photos of presidents, but I think many will agree that there was something a little odd about the presidential event I was at today. Let me tell you all about it:
His Excellency was holding a meeting with two American ambassadors at the President’s office. I got the call from the New Times’ editor in chief saying I was to be picked up and dropped off at this event.
I expected to be fighting through a crowd of journalists, scrapping for the best shots and scrumming like there was no tomorrow. Turns out only The New Times, TV Rwanda and Radio Rwanda were allowed to attend. I was surprised indeed to find only the TVR camera man waiting near the stairs of the Presidential meeting room (not its technical term I’m sure).
I asked him what was going on. He knew very little but told me we could expect to wait in the sun for another two hours or so. Just then, a lady pokes her head out the door at the top of the stairs. This sparks TVR cameraman to grab his gear and sprint up the stairs, through to door and out of sight. I followed his lead. Before I knew it, I was in a nice carpeted room with very regal furniture and expensive looking Rwandan art on the wall. Also, I found myself about three metres away from President Paul Kagame, who was speaking with two U.S. ambassadors and two Rwandan ministers.
I did not expect this to happen so fast, but I had my cameras ready to shoot nonetheless. I took two photos in the span of 10 seconds (a horrible venue for photos by the way—this room with five chairs set up in a sort-of U pattern and spaced far apart from each other). I was then, to my surprise, ushered out of the room. Same went for the TVR cameraman. We were reassured that we would be able to take more photos when they came out of the meeting.
An hour later, after the reporters for the New Times, TVR and Radio Rwanda were allowed to join us, the meeting was over and we were able to shoot more. I took the standard “five people in soldier-like poses with His Excellency in the middle” shot because I knew that it was the one my paper was looking for. I also shot some other more interesting photos during the interviews with the Ambassadors, but none of Kagame. You see, he hosted the meeting and took part in the photo-op, but he left immediately after those photos were taken. I don’t know if this happens all the time, but for this event, journalists were not allowed to ask the President any questions.
Anyhow, that’s how my story ends. Maybe it’s not very exciting to a lot of my readers, but it was my first time shooting that close to the President, and at such an exclusive event. I’ve attached the photo the paper will probably use on the front page tomorrow. What you see in this image is the product of a PR lady arranging these people in such a way. What do you think? Is it a boring photo or not? Up to you to decide I guess. All I can say is that I’m starting to understand some of the reasons why the photos in the New Times aren’t the most interesting photos in existence.
Oh, and after all was said and done, my reporter Felly and I decided that public transport was the best way to get back to the newsroom quickly. We started to walk towards the closest bus station. Anyway, what I found interesting about the area just next to the President’s office was how un-kept it was. There was a giant rusted metal tube-like structure rusting on the grass, litter all over the ground and a basketball court with broken rims/backboards.
Quite simply, I found it interesting. That’s all I feel I need to say
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