At just eleven years old, Mamzelle Fleurranda is shattering barriers and transforming the landscape of sports photography in Cameroon. While most children her age spend their time playing soccer on school playgrounds, Fleurranda is dedicated to capturing pivotal moments and preserving them forever through her camera lens. She made international headlines as the youngest photographer working on the sidelines during Cameroon's victory over Eswatini at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium on September 4, 2025.
Since that breakthrough moment, Fleurranda has established herself as an indispensable presence whenever the Indomitable Lions take the field. Her remarkable journey into photography began within the walls of her own home, where she grew up surrounded by the tools of the trade. As the daughter of acclaimed photographer Nick Lionel Kendji, Fleurranda spent her early years immersed in her father's studio environment, constantly exposed to camera flashes, various lenses, and editing screens.
The turning point in her career came in 2019 when Kendji decided to place a camera in his young daughter's hands. What initially started as innocent childhood curiosity quickly blossomed into extraordinary natural talent. Within just three years of picking up her first camera, Fleurranda's images were already being published, and she began working alongside her father at major football events across the country.
By the time she reached nine years old, Fleurranda was already attracting significant attention during the high-profile Cameroon-Burundi clash. During that match, even the players from the Indomitable Lions themselves were eager to take photographs with the young prodigy. Her growing reputation in the sports photography world has continued to expand exponentially since then.
Today, Fleurranda's professional-quality photographs are widely shared across social media platforms by football fans, celebrities, and influential public figures. Notable personalities who have shared her work include former international football star Samuel Etoo, UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, and even Cameroon's First Lady, Chantal Biya. This level of recognition demonstrates the exceptional quality and impact of her photographic work.
Despite her rapidly growing fame and widespread recognition, Fleurranda maintains a remarkably humble and grounded perspective about her success. "I don't think I'm a star. It bothers me. I prefer to be hidden," she candidly confessed during a recent interview with Brut Afrique. This modest attitude sets her apart in an industry often characterized by ego and self-promotion.
From a technical standpoint, Fleurranda operates with the skill and precision of a seasoned professional photographer with decades of experience. She demonstrates expertise in adjusting her 70-200mm lens settings and carefully selecting the perfect angles for her shots. When discussing her craft, she explains her creative choices with a confidence and technical knowledge that rivals photographers who are decades older than her.
According to Fleurranda, the magic of great sports photography lies in several key elements: careful and deliberate framing of each shot, capturing just the right lighting conditions, and ensuring zero blurred movements in the final image. These technical principles guide her work and contribute to the professional quality that has garnered such widespread acclaim.
Looking toward the future, Fleurranda has ambitious dreams that extend far beyond her current achievements. Her goals include covering the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations tournament, traveling around the world to photograph international sporting events, and continuing to refine her craft through specialized professional training programs. With her evident passion for photography and remarkable discipline at such a young age, she isn't merely capturing football history through her lens—she is actively becoming an integral part of that history herself.
