'Amazing Love' sundowner

In the Adventist community, musical sundowners are a cherished tradition, a beautiful way to bid farewell to the Sabbath with beautiful melodies. This time, the incredible Mrs. Nehondo- a true songbird- had organized a special outdoor event in Karen. Picture this: a night sky, fairy lights, live music and fellowship- and a photographer who was dreading the low-light nightmare that he signed up for, wueh!

Every event photographer, at one point in their career, dreads outdoor events at night with patchy lighting. Our secret weapon, speedlites (those trusty flashes mounted on our cameras) to light up our subjects, thrives indoors. The light bounces off ceilings and walls, wrapping everything in soft, flattering glow (only when the room has bright walls and ceilings). But outdoors under an open sky? Limited exposure from the fairy lights? No bounce. No mercy. Just shadows waiting to swallow every shot.

My mission was simple: to capture the essence of this beautiful gathering. I had my faithful Nikon D750 in hand, equipped with my dynamic duo: the 24-70mm and the 70-200mm lenses. It was definitely a case of “ukipewa perform, ” as we say in my hood- when a challenge comes your way, you rise to the occasion! Well, I have to say, my background in film production was a lifesaver that evening. I leaned into every trick- angles, timing, and creative grit- to work with the darkness, not against it. (Sikutupa school fees)

Despite the lighting puzzles, the event was a success. The music, the atmosphere, the fellowship- it was all incredible. Want to see how I pulled it off and captured the magic against the darkness? Let’s dive 'into the badlands' haha (It felt like that at some point)

Roll camera! Action…. 

#sundowner #eventphotography #nairobieventphotographer #music #nikonphotography