Michael De Hustler

Click, click, click. Michael continued snapping away.

“ Wait a minute please” he employed to his course mates that concaved in front of the mango tree beside the school auditorium. Murmuring was escaping from few as he kept snapping away eye glued to the lens of his camera as he bent once more for one more click, click, click.

“ How many of you needs a copy of this? If you do, please put your name in that book on the wall there” he announced pointing to a 40 leaves exercise book on the wall of a rain shelter erected beside the tree.

Not many have faith in him as a photographer. He is accommodated by few as classroom photographer due to bad economic standing of the most students. He is cheaper by half to all other professional photographers that has standing outside the school compound.

With poor student economy, some that value cost over quality usually go for Michael who is also a student of department of public administration there. He supplements his allowance with the side hustle business of photography.

Two days after the group photograph, he entered the department carrying the pictures. The first person he gave the picture dropped it like a hot charcoal and demanded angrily for refund. The picture was one of a kind. 50 percent of the people in it were pushed to one side while the remaining were blurred.  

As people gather around him, there was shouting match for almost 30 minutes. Both camp was raising their voice to high heavens. Michael was asking for full payment from few that have deposited money while demanding that those that haven’t paid should do so while those that have dropped little money with him were demanding for refund.

“ I developed these pictures with my money and you’re refusing to pay”

“ You crazy? How do you expect anyone to pay for this nonsense?”

“ It’s not my fault, it’s the fault of the studio that washed the pictures”

“I don’t care whose fault it was. My money is what I need back. I paid for the pictures not excuses”

“ Why do you pay anyone to collect something like this. Return it to the man”

“ How sure he paid anyone for this, maybe he did the developing himself”

“ You’re crazy for saying that. It is the studio in front of the school gate that did the developing”

“ Then, return it to them” 

Shouting continued to flow left and right with no concession in sight. That was in their final year of schooling. Few months later, the department conducted excursion tour of the state legislation building to see things for themselves. After observing the law makers in action, they gathered in front of the legislative building for group photograph.

As photographers there were positioning the people, Michael rushed in front of them wheeling his waist this and that way for better view. Shouting erupted. 

“ Get out from there Michael. After now 50 percent would not appear inside and you would not refund money. Get out from there. We need this picture in one piece”

“ What is wrong with all of you, stop pointing. Do I ask you to pay me?”

Click, click, click. He was still turning his waist this way and that when the professional photographers gave the people sign that they are through and they started dispersing.

“ No, no, wait a minute” 

No one paid attention to him as some heads to the canteens, some to the bus that brought them there, some girls cornered the male legislators for their cards, some decided to tour the capital first before heading back to campus, some were eyeing the compound and the legislator dreaming of being there as one in few years time. Michael, from the questions he was asking was planning for future in the field that have brought him nothing but lashing. He cornered a photographer there asking him how to be where they were in the field.

“ … you mean I needed to pay for accreditation or what?”

“ For sure. You can’t enter any government building or cover events without being accredited for security reasons. You need to tender some documents like national Identity cards, association membership cards, office address and tax papers”

“ Shit, it’s a hell of requirements. Maybe they believe you’re making a lot”

“ There is a little returns in it. The prices covering events like yours is almost triple the normal prices”

“ How often do you cover events in a month? Can’t be many”

“ Not many in a month but it does happen monthly. Every commissioner, parastatals organize or attend one function or the other each month. They charge the cost to their department account. Once you know what you are doing, many would demand for your services in such events”

“ know what you’re doing, how?” 

“ You need to be creative, imaginative, you needs to be friendly and authoritative sometimes, you needs to have patient when children and the elderly are involved. They can be annoying sometimes. You needs to have passion for the work. That is what sustains you in this line when the going turns rough. I have noticed earlier that you needs a lot to learn in this line. It is all about positioning anyway”

“ Do I have to acquire these qualities from people like you or do I have to attend courses in the college for this?”

“ Do your school have department for photography?”

“ I have not heard of anything like that there”

“ Then a little apprenticeship with any accredited photographer would do. You need cover letter, attestation letter from one of us for your membership”

“ Do you have your business card with you?” 

“ Ah, you are on the speed lane. When are you graduating?”

“ In 6 months time”

“ Almost through. You need to serve a year after graduation before entering labour market, right?”

“ For sure. I was trying to know if I can work it to be posted in the capital here”

“ Here is my card. If you’re lucky to find yourself here, your work would have been halved. You can contact me. Maybe attend events with me to master things for yourself while saving money for the equipments you needs for the work”

“ Wow, it would be blessing if things works out well for me easily like that”

It was well after 4pm when he entered bus heading back to the campus. Lost in dream and grin. His future that seemed to be fogged is clearer and solid to him now.