In a time when photography is often measured by gear, presets, and trends, Namukolo Siyumbwa reminds us that visual storytelling is still, at its core, deeply human.
Her journey didn’t begin with a camera, but with writing and curiosity, a quiet way of observing the world that she describes as almost cosmic. Photography, when it came, was never part of the plan. It found her through survival, evolving from part-time work into experimentation, then into paid assignments for portraits and corporate events. Over time, she began to see it for what it truly was: not just documentation, but fragments of lived stories frozen in time.
There was no single defining moment, but rather a build-up of experiences that made the choice inevitable. As her skills grew and her client base expanded through trust and referrals, photography gradually shifted from possibility to purpose.
Shaped by a small-town upbringing and the shift from analog to digital life, her work carries a quiet nostalgia and an instinct to preserve ordinary moments before they fade into modern noise. That sensitivity also extends into how she navigates the field itself, where safety, vulnerability, and being a woman in unpredictable environments often influence her decisions behind the scenes.
Her perspective on the industry is grounded in reality. While she acknowledges growing support systems within Zambia’s creative space, she also highlights the demands placed on self-taught photographers where artistry must be matched with business sense, resilience, and continuous learning.
Today, her interests extend beyond still imagery into folklore, mythology, and conceptual storytelling, with a growing desire to explore film and moving images as an extension of her voice. Yet at the heart of everything remains a simple philosophy: start where you are, use what you have, and build with the people around you.
In this conversation, we explore her creative evolution, her approach to storytelling, and what it means to build a visual language rooted in curiosity, courage, and intention.
BEFORE WE JUMP INTO THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF IT ALL, PLEASE TELL US ABOUT NAMUKOLO SIYUMBWA; THE PERSON, NOT THE PHOTOGRAPHER.
I like to think of myself as a cosmic being shaped by the human experience. I’m curious, introverted, a lover of nature, and I love to experience new things that enlighten my perspective.
WHAT FIRST PULLED YOU INTO VISUAL STORYTELLING? WAS IT A MOMENT, A PERSON, OR A GRADUAL REALIZATION?
I had never really thought of myself as a visual storyteller before. I actually preferred writing before I got into photography. It was something that found me when I was just trying to survive and find myself. It began as something I did for a part-time job, which led to me experimenting with it as a hobby, and eventually being hired to capture family portraits and corporate events. As I went along in my journey, I saw how photography could be used to tell stories, real or made-up. Like snapshots of a movie.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE MOMENT YOU REALIZED “THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO” OR DID YOU ALWAYS JUST KNOW?
I really can’t place the exact moment when it struck me that photography was what I wanted to do, but as I took more and more pictures, and watched photography YouTubers, I realised it was something I could do even into my senior years, if I so chose. But the moment came when I had to make the pivotal decision between continuing with formal employment and photography, it didn’t take much thought. At that point I had developed a small clientele, who would recommend me to their family, friends, business partners and so on. It only grew from there, and I’m grateful for everyone who took a chance on me and has shaped me in this profession.
WHAT ROLE DID YOUR ENVIRONMENT AND UPBRINGING TAKE IN SHAPING YOUR VISUAL STYLE?
This is something I’ve never considered before. I think the combination of being raised in a small town, having gone through the analog phase of the 90s and being creatively-inclined has shaped my approach and my visual style by wanting to take true-to-life images of the most ordinary things and scenes. Also, watching the world move to mostly digital media has now created a longing for nostalgia and this is now slowly creeping into me wanting to express that.
AS A FEMALE PHOTOGRAPHER IN ZAMBIA, WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES YOU’VE FACED AND HOW ARE YOU NAVIGATING THEM?
I think one of my biggest obstacles is me being very aware of my safety as a woman. There are some assignments that I felt would be unpredictable and difficult for me to navigate without me being distracted by how vulnerable I am in certain environments.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE TECHNICAL PRECISION WITH CREATIVE EXPRESSION?
I haven’t mastered that yet, lol 😀 Most times I lean towards creative expression more than technical precision.
WHAT PIECE OF GEAR CAN YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT AND WHY?
Of course I couldn’t live without my camera (Nikon D810), because it’s the means by which I practice my work and art.
CREATIVES ARE QUICK TO POINT OUT ISSUES IN THE INDUSTRY, AS A PHOTOGRAPHER IN ZAMBIA, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES EXIST FOR CREATIVES IN YOUR
I am fortunate to live in a time where the creative industry is now being taken more seriously than before. We have a National Arts Policy that was launched in 2024, which was created to establish a framework in which the creative arts can be supported in order to contribute to national development. We have a creative arts based university i.e. Open Window University that gives young people a formal entry into the creative industry, when for a long time it has been almost exclusively informal. We still have a long way to go, but I believe we’re on the right track, and we are not experiencing as many obstacles as we once did.
In photography, starting a viable business takes a lot of capital and making a lot of mistakes, especially if you are self-taught or informally trained. You need technical training, some form, you need to be computer literate, business savvy, have good rapport with clients and have some form of marketing skills. It’s overwhelming, especially if you’re working alone. But with collaborations, conversations, training, workshops, the journey can be eased and make it less daunting.
REGION TODAY AND WHAT DO YOU THINK CAN BE DONE TO HELP EASE THESE CHALLENGES?
I want to eventually get into creating moving media, such as short films and music videos. Conceptualising and directing my friend Bacci’s Bloodshot Eyes music video gave me so much creative satisfaction, and this is something I want to explore with more purpose.
WHICH PROJECT HAS CHALLENGED YOU THE MOST CREATIVELY OR EMOTIONALLY AND WERE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS?
When I was sent on an assignment to document the cholera outbreak in early 2024, it taught me how important responsible storytelling is, especially in a disaster where lives were at stake. It’s so easy to get caught up with taking THE picture that’s going to capture instant attention, regardless of the context, and forget that there are real human lives being affected. It’s changed the way I approach documentary photography ever since.
HAVE YOU EVER PHOTOGRAPHED A STORY THAT CHANGED YOUR OWN PERSPECTIVE ON A SITUATION?
Photography is intimidating when you think about it on a larger scale, but when you simplify it and start from one point, it’s not scary at all. You can start out simple and small: with a phone. Document everyday life that you have access to. Photograph simple things. Even the things that appear mundane. Your room, your home, your friends, your community. From there, it starts to grow.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG AFRICAN WOMEN WHO FEEL INTIMIDATED BY THE PHOTOGRAPHY INDUSTRY
As African women, we have a secret privilege to enter some spaces that no one else can and we have stories that no one else can tell. In addition, it’s also important to learn how to write, conceptualise, brainstorm, research, and play with photography.
WHAT KIND OF STORIES ARE YOU MOST INTERESTED IN TELLING RIGHT NOW?
On the creative side I want to tell unusual stories; things that aren’t usually seen in my environment and explore things beyond what we can actually see. I’ve always been fascinated by myths, folklore and I want to explore them visually. In the ‘real world’, I would love to find more inspiring stories, because right now we live in a world where everything feels overwhelming and bleak.
HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR WORK EVOLVING IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS?
I see myself working on video-based projects and in the art world. They are spaces where I feel more at home and fulfilled. The biggest challenge in those spaces, of course, is making them profitable enough to make a living.
ANY FINAL PARTING WORDS?
Start where you are and take your friends along with you. It’s a journey that you cannot complete by yourself, and you will move much faster with the right people around you who share a similar vision. Also, practice everyday, anywhere you can.
