Zachary Saitoti is the son of former Vice President and Minister for Internal Security George Saitoti.
A spot check on his LinkedIn account reveals that after completing high school, Zachary moved to Bristol to study arts, media and design at the University of the West of England.
His passion for photography started when he was still in high school after it was introduced into their curriculum. Zachary got the hang of it and decided to pursue it.
“I was in the darkroom, taking photos and mixing up the chemicals. It was an amazing organic process, so I realized this is my thing.” Zachary told The Designer Studios, a photography blog.
“There is something about the way film looks, the grain, something very natural and nice about doing it the old school way,” he added.
In 2009, Zachary established his own company in Nairobi, called Shifteye Photography Studios located in Priory Place along Arwings Khodek Road.
“The essence of Shifteye is like a different point of view, there is more behind the scenes and what you see. There is always a hidden narrative,” Zachary stated when he launched the studio.
On the side, he worked for Soul Motive Records and Trap Magazine between May 2008 and September 2012 as a photographer and graphics designer. As an in house photographer, he styled, directed and coordinated the sessions.
When he first began in the UK, he worked with incredible adventurous people who were keen to experiment with fashion. However, at the moment, most of his fashion work is commercial.
As for landscape photography, he stated, “You don’t deal with people, its just silence. Go somewhere, put your music on and it is you and your camera and be one with nature, so to speak. Sometimes, it is nice to get away, it's like a stress release.”
On a commercial scale, Zachary is appraised both locally and internationally after several successful exhibitions in London, Bristol, and Nairobi, Kenya.
He has had the pleasure of working with Super Super Magazine, ITV Fixers, BBC, Soul Motive Records, Clifton Photographic Company, Fudd Clothing and many more.
In Kenya, Zachary has worked with the likes of Katungulu Mwendwa, DJ Cortega, Diana Opoti, Nivea, and Kooroo.
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