My first full day reporting in Kigali was a flurry of meetings, motorbikes and above all, color. That was my first impression of the Rwandan capital when our group of IWMF fellows touched down a day earlier at the city’s airport, nestled between dozens of rolling green hills. From the vibrant women’s dresses, to the pops of hot pink that peeked out from the shrubs, the city was awash with every hue. That’s part of the reason the sign seen in the photo above captured my attention on the drive to our hotel – in addition to massive “YOLO” bursting out from the side of the road.

But as a video journalist, I was worried that Tuesday’s predicted rainstorms would make my plan to shoot b-roll footage that captured the city’s vitality a nearly impossible task. My fixer was equally anxious about whether the rain would hold long enough for us to have time to document the bustling market of the city’s Kiyovu district. Luckily, we managed to dodge a few cloud bursts in the car, and I managed to get the shots I needed for the day. The damp city streets actually added a new, dynamic element to the visuals, reminding me that in this line of work, you sometimes have to work with what you can get.