Trend Alert!

Happy hump day!

Aaah! These trends should go mainstream already!!!... I mean, I'd wear bralets and crop tops all day errday! I just love how they show off some skin and flatter a woman's body.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for dropping in! Talk to you soon!

Xx, Yvonne.

Honey & Lemon {Skincare}

Jambo!

My mum greeted me with "jambo" a few days ago, in the morning, the conversation went like...

Mum: Jambo!

{Brief Silence}

Me: What I'm I? A tourist?

{Laughter}

Me{singing} : Jambo! Jambo bwana! Habari gani? Mzuri sana!...

{More Laughter}

Photographer's Interview: Deogratias Kimwama

 “All photographs are memento mori. To take a photograph is to participate in another person’s (or thing’s) mortality, vulnerability, mutability. Precisely by slicing out this moment and freezing it, all photographs testify to time’s relentless melt.”

 ~Susan Sontag~

 

 

Hallo good people?! {And not so good people like myself}

Boy have I missed blogging!!! I find this very therapeutic, sitting in front of a computer and just typing away anything that comes to mind... Pure bliss I tell you! :-)

 Do you remember this post? Yeah, I got to meet some pretty amazing people at Steam Festival, one of those people is Deogratias, my best-friend Sharon and I call him Deo... Deogratias sounds like a name one of Jesus' apostles would have, so ancient... Deo, just for the record, I consider myself dead! If you're reading this, I know you're gonna kill me hahahaaaaaaa!... Ha huh!... Hahaha!

Ahem!... Err... Where was I?... Yes! So I totally! Totally love Deo's work, I think the pictures he takes speak a thousand and one words and I just had to, needed to introduce him to you on here, up close and candid so to speak.
 What I love about his photography is the uniqueness that they bring out, no matter how simple a picture he takes is, you'll get this urge to look at it twice, thrice even four times after seeing it for the first time. I got to interview him a few days ago and I am so glad to finally share with you how the interview went down.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself

Okay, I'm Deogratias Mang'era Kimwama, 20 years of age, I am a Kenyan by birth, from Bungoma county. I am the last born in a family of five. I am currently pursuing a BA degree in film and theater arts. Basically photography is my passion and it will always be.

2. What comes into your mind when you hear the word "photography"?

When I hear the word "photography" I think of capturing the moments in life, they can never be undone and in the event that an action can take place over and over again it will never have the same outcome.
I also think of the message portrayed to the viewers; images that communicate.


3. Do you study photography?

No, it's just my passion, though I do study something that is related to photography, that is, film and theater arts which has photography as a unit.

4. How long have you been a photographer?

This is my second year.

5. How would you describe your photography style?

 I have a very unique way of taking my images, they speak a lot, I call them "my 1000 words", photos that can breath... Full of life.


6. What type of camera do you mostly shoot with?

I use a canon 600D or Rebel T3i, they produce the same quality of pictures.

7. What is your favorite photography accessory other than your camera?

Lighting because without light you get poor images.





8. What is your favorite computer editing app?

Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Light-room.

9. What is the most challenging thing about photography?

The equipments needed can be difficult to acquire and being taken for granted by some people.

10. Is there anything/anybody that you would love to photograph?

I would like to photograph all the Wonders of the World.

11.What gives you ideas and inspires you to create such awesome imagery?

My inspiration comes from day to day life, personal experiences, the media, social sites and even works of other photographers, both within and outside the country. I also think creatively so as to get unique and perfect images that portray a lot to the public.


12. How do you educate yourself to take better photographs?

I do a lot of research on the internet, Google has played a major role in that. I also consult professional photographers.

13. What was your first paid shot?

A wedding photo shoot that I did for a family friend.

14. How has photography played a role in your life?

It has changed my way of viewing things because I not only see but visualize on every aspect. It has given me a chance to take pictures of our present for the future.


15. Any words of wisdom for the up and coming photographers?

Always have an open mind and never limit yourself in this field.

 
 ~O~

Below are a few images captured by Deogratias... Enjoy! :-)



 

~O~


Keep up with DeoMan K photography here and here.

Happy new month! Have a lovely weekend! Stay fabulous!

“ Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph. – Matt Hardy - See more at: http://digital-photography-school.com/photography-quotes#sthash.7eP2AjUe.dpuf

“ Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph. – Matt Hardy - See more at: http://digital-photography-school.com/photography-quotes#sthash.7eP2AjUe.dpuf

True Heroes

Is it just me? Or did everyone enjoy a lazy morning? Ha huh! Today definitely falls under the best Mondays I've had in my miserable 19 years on earth. We should totally have more national holidays!

This post is dedicated to true heroes...

I hope each and every one of you is having a great day by the way, celebrating Mashujaa Day.

I've got a little treat for y'all, a few pictures of beautiful sceneries/wildife in Kenya and a poem by Elizabeth Schudel.

Masai Mara Sunset

True Heroes

True heroes through the years, hard times 

and good times... A true hero is one who is 

always pressing through the giants 

in front of, next to, and all around you and me. 

We don't always see all that true heroes do for you and me. 

Only God knows to the fullest all that true heroes do. 

"He" created heroes to stand all around us, and to hold us, 

their reward from above is beyond all understanding. 

And all we can do is say thanks, 

to those visible and invisible heroes, 

who surround us each day.

The Great Rift Valley

Flamingoes at Lake Nakuru

Lolita Forest

Mt. Kenya at dawn

~O~

Thanks for stopping by! Have a lovely week! :-)

Xo

Hope Hands Life

Yeiy! Thank God It's Friday!

I know it sucks that I say so little on my posts these days, because I'm busy and all.

Oh! How I wish I could be a full time blogger... Anyway, bear with me, please, keep visiting this poor blog of mine, follow it with Google Friend Connect, Imma follow you back aaaaaand like my page on Facebook.

Alright! Today I'm here to advertise/let you know about this incredibly awesome event. It's a fashion and charity event which will be held on 1st November at 680 Sentrim Hotel, Nairobi.

Hope Hands Life is an organization that uses fashion to raise awareness about parental care, maternal mortality and street urchins in an attempt to bring hope into their lives.

The brainchild of Hope Hands Life is the reigning Mr. Kenyatta University {Sydney Adoli} who I am planning to interview soon so he can give us more insight about this absolutely amazing organization which is slowly changing the lives of a good number of people for the better.

Now, the charges to this event:

For Advanced tickets, contact: 0716297177 / 0770107960.

700+ for students, 1000+ for working class, 2500+ for corporates.

At the gate, respective ticket minimum price rises by Kshs.300

 Social corporate certificates will be awarded to everyone who will attend this event. 

~O~

 Have you liked my Facebook page yet? Have you? Hahaha! Don't mind me! Just channeling my inner six year old!

Please like Hope Hands Life on Facebook as well. Thank you!

Have a great weekend! Take care! :-)

Xx

Poet's Interview: Daniel M. Owiti

Please join me in welcoming Daniel also known as Ordinary Mind to the blog. If you are a fun of Kenyan Poets Lounge or "Spoken Word" in the Buzz, Sunday Nation newspaper you will probably recognize his name.

He is an incredibly talented poet who resides in Eldoret. He is the brainchild of C.O.F.F.E.E and ONE NIGHT STAND, two amazing poetry events in Eldoret. He manages a poetry group on Facebook: ELDORET POETS ASSOCIATION.

I SHALL SING AGAIN

You took away my guitar,
and broke it into pieces,
But that could not deter,
me from collecting the strings and the broken pieces.

you took away my voice,
And tortured me with whips and clubs,
you said I make unnecessary noise,
you roughed me up with kicks and slaps

you threatened me to keep silence,
that anything I say Shall be used against me in the court of law,
But I've grown to know resilience,
I shall not let my voice lay low.

you chased me from the streets,
you burnt my poetry book,
But I had already planted my seeds,
they shall germinate,and another poem I shall cook.

you called me a name,
and wondered of what use is a poet,
but things will never be the same,
because people have started appreciating my sonnet.

with power of words I shall grow a flying wing,
i shall glitter,
and again you shall watch me sing,
with a new guitar.

© Daniel M. Owiti

 ~ O ~

Who is Daniel M. Owiti? Tell us a little something about yourself.

I am a 25 year old, currently working with Orange, I just graduated from University Of Eldoret where I was majoring in Bsc. Botany

What made you start writing poetry?

I was working in an office facing a busy street in Nairobi back in 2010, I used to witness a lot of drama happening on a daily basis and I was like "... Why can't I describe all these drama in a short poem?" So I wrote my first poem, titled 'STREET'

What sort of thing (s) did you write about when you began?

When I began writing, I concentrated on descriptive poems. I used to write about hunger, corruption, yearn for freedom....

Now, jumping the years, can you say, are there any themes that attract you as a poet? Things that you would like to write about?

Nowadays when I see "bad" things happening in our society, I'm "ignited" to point it out and address it in my poetry.

What are you currently upto? Any projects?

Currently, I'm upto getting my poems on stage and giving them a voice, with projects like ONE NIGHT STAND poetry reading and performances.

Finish this statement: Poetry should _______

Poetry should be thought provoking and emotion evoking

What or who are you currently reading?

I am currently reading 'Americanah'

You are quite prolific; you have written close to 400 poems. Do you have any tricks to staying inspired and focused?

The more you write, the better you write.

Are you looking forward rto publish your poems? If yes, will you want it to be as a collection or individually?

Yes, I would like my poems published, either individually or in a group anthology.

Basically this thing, writing of poetry is something which has been a great satisfaction to you in your life, is it?

Yes

The first time I saw you perform was at a well known poetry event in Eldoret: The Genesis. Is there a difference between Daniel the performance poet and Daniel the poet of the written word?

When I perform, I tend to be more serious than when I write.

Share with us the writers/poets who influence you.

I admire Chinua Achebe, Ngugi wa Thiongo, Tony Mochama, Wole Soyinka, Grace Ogot....

How often do you write

I write at least a poem a week.

Setting aside poetry, are there any other things that you would like to write or that you have written?

Apart from poetry, I've written a play 'DOUBLE INTAKE' and I'm currently writing my first novel 'KANO'

If you could only pass one piece of advice to other poets {young, up coming. aspiring} what would it be?

If you think you can write, then put it down on paper, write, write, write. The more you write the better you write.

~ O ~

Hope you enjoyed this folks!... Wait... Imagine, you know what Daniel said to me? After the short interview? Lemme just quote him... "Thank you Olga. I'm done here, and next time, please reduce the number of Qs"... Really Dan? 15 questions... Really? Hahuh! Ironic as it may sound, I guess he's a man of few words.

~ O ~

I want to take this opportunity to wish a quick recovery to those who were injured in the recent Westgate attack. I also wish to pass my condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their loved ones. I am so deeply sorry for your loss, special thoughts and heartfelt prayers are with you during this time of sorrow. I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright, I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more, I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and... I wish you "enough pain" that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. { Receive my hug and my love through out this note :-)}


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Xoxo

Guest Blogger: Brian Omoto

Heeeey! I hope your week is going great so far.

Remember "Poetry Wednesday"?? Yeah, it's a segment I started on the blog a while back before I was abducted by aliens... Since this blog is both a poetry and fashion blog I kind of want to strike a balance, create as many poetry posts as those I create on fashion.

Blah blah blah... 

From now on I will not only feature my poems on "Poetry Wednesday", I thought it would be cool if I introduced to you other poets, sooooo without further ado... Below are two poems written by an amazingly talented young man called Brian Omoto, besides being a poet he is an artist, a writer, a painter... I love these pieces, you'll love them too, I know it! :-)

LOGIC

I listen to my mind speak
I try so much to get sense in it
I know what it speaks in it sense makes sense
With so much logic I already know what to do

I listen to my heart speak
There is not much sense in it
He expresses it with so much intimacy
Seeing him all this mushy, now I know how he feels

I listen to myself speak
I am really not sure of what to think
I am trying to make sense in it
And I realize, he is so warm and affection about it

~O~

Am Not A Cardsharp

Am not sad about life

The feeling is just normal with this strife 

Of the empty containers in my kitchen

Of the empty cabinets in my house 

My days are always ordinary 

Am not irate It's just my mind in gyrate 

Of lost chances I could have had 

With a host of mocking glances 

I had and Of scorn and sarcasm 

I that resented Am not destitute 

I have skills that I can't refute 

Of the platforms I side stepped 

Of the mindset that were already set 

My odds are near nil Am not complaining 

Am just rain checking Of the ills of our society 

Of the bills I have to keep up with 

And I ain't stopping at a thing Am not giving up 

My dream is to be there, up 

Of the blueprints I have in mind 

Of the promises I imagined 

Am passing through this storm 

With hope that things will be okay

 

~O~

 

 

 

 To get to read more of Brian's poems and general writing, check out his blog here. 

 

Thanks for stopping by! Welcome again.

 

Xx