Day 20: My Creative Journey – Design, Photography, Writing, and More


My creative journey has truly been an interesting one. From graphic design to photography, writing, videography and even the parts I can't remember to mention each has shaped how I see life, people, and meaning.


My very first design was in 2018. My friend Dorcas a.k.a. Mummy Pelia 🌚 was organizing a girls’ outreach program and needed a flyer. With just my phone and the guidance of Mrs. Anne, I managed to put something together. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it worked. We printed it and used it. That was the beginning. At that time, I was still more of a photographer and videographer than a designer. But two years later, I decided to take graphic design seriously and that flyer became the first and last time I ever designed with a phone.


Photography and videography, on the other hand, are creative processes I truly enjoy. Capturing moments and preserving them in frames or clips is something I deeply value. I even had the privilege of learning the skill from one of the best in Abuja. Though I didn’t go on to monetize it fully, the skill changed how I see media. These days, I can’t just watch a video or film like everyone else. Take the movie that is trending now - Straw, a film that is making people cry. I'll watch it and I won’t cry. Not because I’m cold hearted (please oh 😅), but because I’ve come to understand acting, set design, and the mechanics behind the screen. I now focus more on the angles, shots, lighting, props, VFX, I literally watch behind the scenes, even when there’s no “behind the scenes.”

Funny enough, I’d probably cry faster if I read the script of the movie than watching the full production. That’s how deep this thing runs.


Now writing, ehn, I didn’t even know I could write until 2018 (2018 really unlocked something in me creatively). I joined this WhatsApp writing group called Scriptors — a bunch of the members are law students from TSU (ah, my history with that faculty no be today 🤲🏾😫🌚). And you know how lawyers write. That group helped sharpen me in ways I didn’t expect, until it eventually collapsed (don’t ask me how and why, please 😂).


I’ve since realized that my writing is tied to my emotions. I write best when I’m sad, heartbroken, or emotionally overwhelmed. Some of my most powerful pieces were born from the heaviest moments in my life. I can't explain why, but my sadness seems to open creative gates in my mind that joy doesn’t touch. Maybe that’s why I don’t write often, I mostly write when I feel something deeply. And usually, it's pain that does the pushing.


But looking back at everything, from that first flyer, to countless designs, frozen moments in photos, raw words written during hard times — one thing is clear:


Creativity is in all of us. Sometimes it shows up in joy. Sometimes in heartbreak. Sometimes in boredom. But it’s there.

All we need is a moment that unlocks it and someone or something to believe it’s worth exploring.

And the most beautiful part? The journey is still ongoing.


All written and compelled by Phekwalayan Lemuel Samuel.

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