Take 5: Jayson Mbogo

Jayson Mbogo is a food and lifestyle blogger. He enjoys the food, culture and beautiful people of Africa. He takes pictures, shoots videos and documents everything on his website, jaytakeapic.com, from wining and dining to phone accessories, events, fashion and travel – all things lifestyle. He has worked on, and covered several foodie and lifestyle events, such as Dinner in the Dark (a global charity event) and Safaricom Jazz.

Why did you choose to focus on lifestyle for your blog? Did you choose this life, or did this life choose you?

Lifestyle for me is my daily living. I'm very fortunate to be a creative blogger (writing, recording, taping and content creation) in the blogging industry at a time like this. Companies and brands are creating experiences that last with us for a lifetime. I blog about food because I have found a deep appreciation for good food and luckily, the food scene in Nairobi is growing. This is such a treat for anyone who has a love for food or calls themselves a foodie. I would say that this lifestyle focus chose me, and I am so fortunate to have grown with people in the industry. We are moving towards the same direction together.

What do you think is the value of collaboration with bloggers across the board?

I think it's important for bloggers and content creators to work together. We get to exchange ideas and move out of the little bubbles that we live in. I learnt video editing through a good friend of mine who kept pushing me and I got better one video at a time. I've collaborated with Joy Kendi, a fashion blogger, Ed Wainaina, an illustrator and Wangari Mathenge, a fashion designer. Every time I'm doing an event, or we're coming up with a lookbook, we team up.

Why do you think there aren't a lot of proficient male fashion bloggers compared to bloggers geared directly to women? What's your style, and where do you shop?

I think they are there; but I think they are not brave enough to face criticism from people, especially on social media. The best thing about fashion is that you can hit or miss but you live to wear another outfit. People don't understand this and in my opinion, that is a reason why they shy away from the lime light. I am a frequent online shopper who loves a good sale. I used to copy a lot of international bloggers until I realised that it's not possible to dress like them, so I started making my own style. If I see something I like, I will alter it to fit my style.

Speaking of, who are your favourite Kenyan designers?

My two favourite are Wangari Mathenge who I am always wearing and House of Achera.

Where are you planning to go next, and what can we expect from you this year?

This year is a bit of a calm for me. I am picking up a lot of learning from last year and I am planning on shooting a lot of fashion and travel con-tent for the second half of the year.