We recently connected with Leo Ojwang and have shared our conversation below.

Leo, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

Videos of the small businesses I have featured on my YouTube Channel (Kitchen Mic TV) are always fun to watch. They all – except none – focus on the people and their toils, humanizing endeavors that keep our communities thriving. I’m talking about what inspired my photography/videography business at a time I had no experience in the craft. I had visited Rouge Park on the west side of Detroit in the summer of 2021, and while there, I was captivated by the sales pitch of someone grilling meat and selling hotdogs and sausages to the park goers. His funny undernotes of excitement gave his rough organic voice forceful natural authenticity that made people throng his tent to buy whatever food and few soft drinks he had on offer.

His expressions were funny, drew laughs, and I thought I should record him doing his thing and post on social media. Sadly, I had no camera. I approached him, developed a rapport and after he gave me permission, I used my phone to record him, and later that night, created my YouTube Channel where I posted the video. Watching himself on YouTube thrilled him so much that he shared the video with family and friends. That alone energized me to do more for others like him whose businesses had been impacted by the pandemic and had morphed their brick and mortar into food carts and trailers.

But that’s beside the point. Just imagine how I started (with a cell-phone) and then grew it to a big business that now offers all forms of photography and videography services. I had exactly 0 friends in the photography industry. I had 0 professional gear. I had taken 0 courses, seminars, classes or knowledge in photography or videography. I didn’t have anyone to turn to or ask questions. But I had a plan. I had the courage to start. I had the will to take the risk in investing in high-end camera gears and editing softwares. I took the time to learn, find and create whatever was needed to have a successful business. I did these after interviewing multiple small business owners at the Eastern Market in Detroit who expressed how much they needed digital media services. And it’s because of them, and their encouragements and support, that I knew and felt I could succeed in the long run. I haven’t looked back since.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is LEO! My mission is to create timeless images and videos, coupled with flawless moments. All you have to do is smile….into the camera lens.​ For me, photography/videography is a passion …. and a commitment!

Over the last 3 yrs, I have earned a sense of creativity and art through photography, and I use it to expose the beauty of life is a chaotic world. My purpose is to give your moments – every moment – a spark, and I do so by taking your imagination to reality with my camera’s powerful lenses.

​I must admit, my first year of photography was full of discovery and lessons. Discovery of human beauty, and lessons about the natural space that we all occupy and call our environment. I discovered that moments are transient and need to be captured beautifully, so I learned to combine light, space, nature and YOU to create the “spark” through great photography immortalized in my amazing images. To achieve that, I invested in high-end cameras, lenses and photo-editing softwares to create beautiful images that can only be described as incredible, amazing, beautiful, or elegant. That’s the SPARK that I continue to seek with each camera click.

But wait, I do more! Or let me just say, I do it all! I provide several services including wedding, engagement, fashion, product, maternity, newborn, anniversaries, prom/senior photography.

Check out my portfolio on Instagram (leos.design.studio) and see how I transform normal photos into enchanting ones!

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

After having time to reflect on times when things were difficult, there’s one thing I did and still do in order to continue growing my business. I don’t focus on the number of social media followers or likes a post gets! Of course, those are great things and are signs of a growing business, but they do not define the success of a business! I focus on providing quality services to my clients, and they help me grow my clientele base through referrals. I value those referrals more because they translate into money in the pocket.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, photography is more than an art. It’s the avenue through which I can create and transform images into forms that’s liberating. Every time I turn on the camera and peer into the lens at a subject or client, my mind forgets about stress, pain and worry that so often define our daily lives, and in those moments, imagination rules my thoughts. I don’t go with the trend, I create the trend! I go for perfection, every time, all the time, because I understand moments are transient and non-recurring. And the most rewarding of all is when I was hired as a wedding photographer and I took more than 10,000 shots, capturing moments and emotions immortalized in great images for the couple to cherish. Well, that’s why I was hired. It was my first gig and I went all in.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leos.design.studio/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KITCHENMICTV