IQHAWE ISSUE NO. 10 THE PHOTOGRAPHY ISSUE by IQHAWE MAGAZINE

Editor-In-Chief

Copy Editors Graphic Designer Graphic Designer/Illustrator

Pretty Renae Mangena Keamogetswe Mere Noni Silomo Sizwe Shabalala Onti Seoralo

Head of Social Media & Vice Editor

Anastatia Nkhuna

Content Producer

Ntokozo Mabuda

Writing Team

Resident Photographers

Garry Chagwe Unam Ntsababa MichĂ¨ Edwards Thapelo Kekana Nkateko Mondhlana

Featured Photographers: Ntate Phakela Retang Sebeka Tshepo Mogopodi Tshepiso Mabula Ndivhu Mushanganyisi Stephen Obi-emedo Basetsana Maluleka Nandipha Khemese Siya Nhleko Luke Ncube Thandiwe Msebenzi Cebisile Mbonani Letlhogonolo Masipa Siyabonga Mahlaba Nnanabo Litheko Moss Morwahla Moeng Siyabonga Mkhasibe Mike Ebuka Michelle Harris Michelle Loukidis

am a firm believer in the concept of starting over, the idea of leaving it all if it doesn’t feel right, regardless of the time, effort and energy you have put into something. For me it doesn’t matter, I believe it’s absolutely okay and sometimes necessary to go back to the drawing board and start everything from scratch and if this means starting on a whole new drawing board then so be it. But it took me a while to fully grasp this way of thinking, for the longest of time I always thought if you put enough work and energy into it surely it should work out and before you walk away from things you need to ensure that you are walking into something better than what you have left behind. But entrepreneurship has truly humbled me. I think it is of utter importance that creatives understand the importance of starting from scratch after having been at the top and now needing to rebuild and completely redefine what they thought their life would look like. I’ve found that a lot of creatives get stuck in this idea of what one’s life journey needs to look like and get trapped in a fixed understanding of life and what that looks like for everyone. I could go on to list people who had started things that failed or maybe just decided that they needed to chase their passions and today have become the larger than life icons we aspire to. I won’t do that because restarting and rebuilding doesn’t necessarily mean your success is inevitable simply because you have decided to leave everything behind and chase your dreams. I hope I didn’t just burst your bubble but No! You could still fail, you could still lose the job and your start-up could still fail to scale. But it’s not about the attainable possibility of success that needs to propel one forward but the understanding that you owe your dreams a fighting chance, you owe your goals a fighting chance and most importantly you owe yourself a fighting chance. Now that I have given my two cents on this life thing, let’s discuss IQhawe, So, the 10th issue of Iqhawe explores the South African photography industry. We are interested in the emerging talent that is actively working at capturing our existence and our lived experiences. We have photographers from a vast variety within the industry, a beautiful curation consisting of work by emerging photographers and got to chat with Through the lens collective about the amazing work they are doing with the South African photography space. We are also extremely excited to launch an extension of IQhawe Magazine which is an all-encompassing content site where you will be getting the latest know-how to everything you need to know about the different creative fields you are interested in. So DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE!

Until next time folks. Pretty Renae Mangena

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Interview with Michelle Harris & Michelle Loukidis Of Through the lens Collective

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Nnanabo “Monox” Litheko

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Thandiwe Msebenzi 6

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“Father Stretch my Hands”

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Basetsana Maluleka 7

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;A collaborative educational and developmental space aimed at assisting photographers create work that is beyond Aestheticsâ&#x20AC;? The saturated nature of the South African photography industry makes entities such as Through the lens Collective extremely important because they work in training photographers to think about their positionality in relation to the work that they create. This becomes important when capturing life and tackling representation politics. So in our exploration of the industry we had a chat with Michelle Harris and Michelle Loulkidis about the work they do and its importance.

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MICHELLE LOUKIDIS & MICHELLE HARRIS INTERVIEW BY PRETTY MANGENA

IQHAWE: Please tell us a bit more about what your organization does, how it does it, and what its purpose is. Michelle Loukidis: Michelle Harris and myself have been photography trainers for a combined 30 years, and basically what we do is teach photography with criticality and meaning. We are of course interested in aesthetics or rather photography that looks good, but we are more interested in photography that says something, has some kind of meaning and ultimately some kind of narrative. So, we work in the realm of bodies of work to create a story or narrative that carries meaning. Michelle Harris: Photography is one of the most accessible visual art mediums, and has in recent years become more of a popular social trend, than a specialised discipline. It’s important that photography training and education facilitate a deeper and more critical understanding of the medium, it’s historical influence, and how South Africa and Africa at large have been represented through photographic imagery.

Michelle Harris: For that very reason, it’s really important for young visual artists to think about how their images impact IQHAWE: Why is it important for photographers or visual artists to train society and culture, and to use the privilege of their artistic voice mindfully. their visual grammar and how does It’s really important for photographers to one go about it? understand that all images are a result of individual perception, so whatever you Michelle Loukidis: Photography is incredibly trendy and people find it easy to create is a reflection of how you see the create a photograph. And there is a kind of world, this is to be approached with a ease in creating photographs, it’s a matter great deal of self-consciousness and criticality. of picking up your phone and creating a decent image. But the problem is people IQHAWE: How do you go about think that’s where it ends, that one takes a photograph and it’s done. A photograph training and working with has a life of its own that continues into the photographers within their respective world and becomes part of the immersive fields ie fashion or photojournalism? photographic culture that speaks to the Michelle Loukidis: I think any culture of our own country and ultimately photography school is going to have the world. So it is really important to think trouble covering the entire realm of about what one is doing and for us to be photography. Photography is a technically able to create our own stories.

based thing, so once you have an understanding of how a camera works, you can forget all the rules and do what you do. However, it’s a funny thing because people pick up cameras and take technically good images and believe those are good images, so in other words when a photograph is in focus and has the correct depth of field then its considered a good photograph. While these things are really important in photography, it isn’t always the most important thing. It also has to do with what the image looks like, it’s meaning, and what it’s trying to say. So with our background, we could teach that, but our interests aren’t in teaching people the technicalities of commercial photography. For example, there is a need for certain lighting for taking images of food whereas a photojournalist would not be interested in that. We cater towards a very small niche market, which is

Contemporary Photography, where we are creating bodies of work that tell stories and work with narratives. Michelle Harris: Storytelling in contemporary photography may be all encompassing in terms of its approach to genre or mode. There is often a need to work across genres, using portraiture, landscape, or even still life photography, or all of the above, depending on how you want to tell your story. Although our focus is definitely not commercial photography or straightforward reportage, we are able to facilitate greater criticality around the various genres of photography and can speak to the technical and representational issues at play. Visual storytelling and narrative building is definitely our particular area of focus. IQHAWE: Why is conceptualization important when it comes to creating images for both photographers and visual artists? Michelle Loukidis: There is a lot of photography in the world and it’s quite easy to pick up a camera and take good images. It’s not that difficult. But what is of greater significance is to be able to work in a space where your work has meaning and people are going to want to come back to it. If you have a look at Instagram, there is a certain kind of photography that is trending at the moment and it will trend for a little bit and then disappear. So what we are interested in doing is creating photography and bodies of work that have a lasting impact and are saying something about the culture and the particular moment we are living in. So I do think it’s important for photographers to think about the idea of where and who they are, because that’s how photography functions. One of the biggest things we are involved in, is the teaching of thinking, thinking about the world, yourself, your home, and your background. Michelle Harris: I think if you take your photography and the medium of photography seriously, you would want your creative practice to be of meaning and relevance in the world. So you need to think more carefully about what you are doing and saying, because photography after all is a system of thinking about the word we live in. IQHAWE: How does one implement critical thinking into their creative process? Michelle Loukidis: My suggestion would be to find photographers, who are creating amazing work. Start by looking at some of those photographers and how they have developed a body of work. Try to understand their thought processes, read their artist statements, and see what they were doing, then start with some kind of intention in your own work. Michelle Harris: It’s good to ask questions; question yourself as well as imagery, and the world around you. Questions such as ‘why am I thinking what I am thinking, where do my thoughts originate’ and not accepting images at face value, is a good start. It’s also important to understand that social media and Instagram ‘likes’ do not equate to critical feedback on your work. Photography has an incredible ability to create dialogue, and this should be exploited more than it currently is.

IQHAWE: In terms of developing one’s personal voice and identity. How does one go about it? Michelle Loukidis: The idea of being an artist or photographer is quite fashionable at the moment, because it’s seen as easy. So what people do is they find another photographer, see what the photographer is doing, and they go off in that wrong direction where they don’t trust themselves to start working with what they have. We have worked with radical people that have gone against things and trusted in themselves and that’s a very important thing in all of this. You have to be aware of the fact that a viewer and the viewer’s opinion vary so dramatically; they might not know much about photography, yet they are making comments on your work. So you have to grow a thick skin because the photography industry is a difficult one. You have to also stick to what you want to say, and work. There are many photographers that take a couple of nice cool pictures, and everyone thinks they are so great but nothing happens after that, because they are not willing to do the work. Michelle Harris: It’s really about getting to know yourself, trusting yourself and your inner vision and knowing that the way that you see, and the way that you experience your surroundings is very particular to you, and not try to replace your own eyes and mind with that of another, that would be a dishonest account of your own human experience. Michelle Loukidis: It depends on what people want, so we do start at all levels. Some people come and they have an understanding of visual literacy, but they don’t know how to use a camera, and for some it’s the other way around. The way that we work with people is by knowing and understanding who is in front of us and who the person is. Then one can fill in the gaps. It’s quite an organic process.

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Michelle Harris: Firstly we are extremely interested in photography, but we are also really interested in human beings, our individualities, uniqueness and the multiple ways in which we are experiencing the world around us. Photography is just a meeting place, of this incredible tool and a human being, and what happens between those spaces are what we are interested in engaging with. IQHAWE: What are your thoughts on the South African contemporary photography space? Michelle Loukidis: I think there is a huge interest in Africa and South African photography and I think it’s difficult because the people that are working with young photographers are perhaps approaching people whose work looks cool and looks good but there is no longevity in the work, which becomes difficult. But people are becoming increasingly interested and able to tell their own stories and that’s happening throughout Africa. Michelle Harris: There are very few spaces dedicated exclusively to showing photography and allowing photographers to connect with each other. I think that’s a space we are trying to open up, as young photographers invariably find themselves signing up with Fine Arts galleries, which although connected, has a very different way of seeing and engaging with photography - often more concerned with the image’s commercial value as a cultural commodity, and lacking in the type of critically that photography deserves in our country and on our continent. IQHAWE: Do you assist photographers to get their work recognized and if so how exactly? Michelle Loukidis: Obviously because we have been in the industry for a very long time, we can help people take steps forward in terms of accessing greater networks. One of our biggest strengths is that we create relationships with the photographers that we work with and become very invested in them and their work. Michelle Harris: I think apart from just doing photography training, we are also trying to connect photographers to opportunities and

to each other. The reason we have this space is so that beyond just developing a body of work, you also have an opportunity to show your work and gain hands on experience in the areas of curating, exhibition funding, proposal writing, as well as constructing an artist statement or biography. These are part of the professional requirements of photography, which are as crucial to one’s practice as making good photographs. It is of paramount importance that photographers exercise greater agency and discernment in deciding which are appropriate opportunities to show their work, with a more critical understanding of how meaning shifts from one context to another. IQHAWE: As practitioners? Is there any work that you are currently working on? Collective: Currently, our Portrait exhibition is still up in our gallery space, which is unfortunately closed during lockdown. We are running our very first Advanced Course in Photography, which focuses on the creation and development of a Body of Work. We are running our second Mentorship Award, where we have selected a photographer from our ongoing Portfolio Reviews to mentor in the development of a body of work, resulting in an exhibition at our space. We have our first online exhibition ‘Photographs Are Not Facts’, which is the result of an open call, asking photographers to respond to the idea of photography as a mental space and a photograph as a mental construct, are running a Photographs Are Not Facts online workshops online teens. We have also created a social media platform for female identifying photographers this August, in our social media story ‘Everyday A Woman’ which features the works of at least 50 African woman photographers, each day for the duration of the month, on our Instagram and Facebook platforms, the aim is to highlight and appreciate the photography practices of women across the continent.

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The IQhawe Emerging Talent Curation By Pretty Renae Mangena

I feel it is the heart, not the eyeâ&#x20AC;? that should determine the content of the photograph. What the eye sees is itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own. What the heart can perceive is a very different matter. - Gordon Parks

The quote above perfectly encompasses the beauty of understanding that the art of taking images is beyond just the act itself. It speaks to its existence in the world as a piece of art and how it relates to its audiences. I mean it is after all by Gordon Parks, the man surely knows what he is talking about. Below we have carefully curated bodies of work by photographers we believe are reimagining the beauty of capturing life on camera, we hope you are as visually stimulated by the work as much as we were.

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2020 South Africa +27 79 084 9992 www.cebisilembonani.com cebisile.mbonani@icloud.com Offline Editor Photographer Documentary Filmmaker

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CEBISILE MBONANI

eing African, living in South Africa, Johannesburg. A country filled with a rich history of injustice, existing alongside cultural vibrancy and diversity, I have grown to appreciate the importance of visual documentation and archiving. As a result, I have shifted my creative work to documentary filmmaking and photography, exploring the power to examine and shape how we see history and the human experience. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Motion Picture, majoring in Television Production from the renowned AFDA school for the creative economy in South Africa. I completed my degree in 2011, and thereafter ventured into the film and television industry. In 2018, I furthered my skillset and participated in a Photojournalism and Documentary Photography program with Market Photo Workshop, a photography school in South Africa. With the Photojournalism and Documentary Photography program, I acquired a set of skills such as finding and pursuing stories close to my heart, and communicating with participants, getting them involved in my film and photography projects. This then allowed me to use the mediums such as filmmaking and photography to tell stories that bring awareness to social and political issues, all within an acute cultural context. Underlying my work is the

desire to learn more about empathy, sympathy, and compassion, to coax and tease meaning from these human traits. I have found that seeking truth and honesty when telling stories achieves this ideal, and the medium of photography allows me to be more observant and to think deeply about humanity. The more I practice photography and filmmaking, the sharper my instinct becomes, allowing me to learn and grow with each body of work. My choice of subject is rooted from a place of intuition, and it is propelled by a reflective desire to understand myself as a young black woman. I seek teachable experiences and look for the light within the obscure, the stories that remain untold and those that should be cherished. I use photography and film to document black women in their environments because I am intrigued by our similarities and differences, what lies beneath our smiles, where their strength comes from, what dreams they keep hidden. I am inspired by stories of black women who continue to be multifaceted while playing the role of a sister, mother, friend, wife, and daughter. My work is not to only document black women and their struggles, but rather, to tell our truths as honestly as possible, to be inclusive of our diverse realities and to expand on the narrative that currently characterizes the public image of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Black Woman.â&#x20AC;?

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“I seek teachable experiences and look for the light”

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am inspired by stories of black women who continue to be multifaceted while playing the role of a sister, mother, friend, wife, and daughter.â&#x20AC;?

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LETLHOGONOLO 02 MASIPA

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orn in Polokwane, Letlhogonolo Masipa is an outer-national contemporary creative, a film and television student with aspirations of becoming a director of photography who sees the world through his creative lens.

My approach to photography is that I make photographs for myself, never thinking about if other people will like them. If I see something that I think deserves a photograph, I take that picture. Being African and black is my superpower.

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iyabonga Mahlaba (b.1997) is an artist and photographer from Bethlehem, a small town located in the Free State province. He is a BA Fine Arts graduate, from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

Mahlaba’s work explores architectural photography, with a focus on how ideologies inform architecture, and the implications thereof. He draws inspiration from numerous South African photographers; namely Santu Mofokeng, David Goldblatt, Ernest Cole, Andrew Tshabangu and Sabelo Mlangeni, amongst others.

segregation within its walls. The Dutch Reformed Church has a predominantly Afrikaner denomination, and there are 13 of these churches in Bethlehem, of which two are for black congregants, one is for coloured congregants, and the rest are for white congregants. This demographic is reflective of the town’s current population and the racial division during apartheid.

In 2019, he was the winner of the Emerging Artists Development Programme, hosted by the University of Johannesburg and MTN. He was also a finalist for the Wits Young Artist Award. Mahlaba participated in several group exhibitions across 2019, including NEWWORK19 (Wits Art Museum), Conversing The Land (UJ Art Gallery), Wits Young Artist Award (The Point of Order), and the Jack Ginsberg Centre for Book Arts’ Samplings, as part of the re:Think collective (Wits Art Museum).

Upon discovering disparities in the standards of the church buildings, he noticed that the structures for the white congregants are of a higher standard than those housing black and coloured congregants. In fact, the very church building he grew up in was recently found to be potentially hazardous to the congregants due to poor architecture and construction, and it is currently in the process of being demolished and rebuilt. His work aims to explore and represent the architectural disparities in these buildings, and their implications for establishing standards of life through racial hierarchies. Furthermore, it aims to raise questions on how Christianity is at odds with itself - how racism is and was both perpetuated and condemned in its name. Mahlaba’s work is also a means for him to reflect on his identity as a black congregant in a historically white church, and the perceived ‘value’ of his life in relation to this space, as well as reimagining the church and its current nature in post-apartheid South Africa.

Artist statement (About his work) Mahlaba’s body of work started as a photographic documentary of the different Dutch Reformed Church buildings in his hometown, Bethlehem; he grew up as a member of this church. His photographic series, titled Reformed Structures, focuses on the structures of the Dutch Reformed Church – a church whose history is rooted in colonialism and is infamous for supporting the apartheid regime, as well as perpetuating racial

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“PHOTOGRAPHY AND REPRESENTATION POLITICS” Remember how Tyler Mitchell was the first black photographer to shoot a cover for Vogue in their 126-years of existence? Something is dreadfully wrong with those numbers. That means in over a century, there has only ever been ONE black person worthy of shooting their cover. It’s 2020 and we’re fortunately unfortunate to be in the times where there is rise and popularity in pro-blackness, the documentation of black people in their element, a surge of black writers, professionals, artists and musicians taking up their well-deserved space - the list is quite long.

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Black people are loving and laughing louder and it’s absolutely beautiful to witness. On the contrary, this also bought about campaigns aimed at pushing and promoting black people to the frontlines; everyone wants to bask in this black joy, it’s cool now, so everyone wants to join in the party. Almost every single one of your favorite brands is ‘for’ black people yet if you’d take a look at the people behind the scenes, you’d find something completely contrary to what they present on the outside; an absence of people of color. If there is the “token black person(s)”, they have to bear the brunt of being the office’s Wikipedia on black issues, pain, and what makes us tick. We are not walking Encyclopaedias.

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Many black models will agree about the lack of black models, hair stylists, stylists, and photographers. We do not own our narratives and it’s troubling. As if we’re not dealing with many problems, to begin with, black women are constantly at the bottom of the barrel. Constantly overlooked, underrepresented, and made invisible. When black people win, it’s the black man first, the women last and queer and trans folks completely forgotten. We’ve come a long way and we have a long road to travel.

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I am Nnanabo “Monox” Litheko

am Nnanabo “Monox” Litheko. A visual artist and photographer from Tumahole, Parys, Freestate. I’m a multimedia graduate currently doing Honours in Motion Picture at AFDA. My work is heavily influenced by my journey as a third cultural child trying to locate myself within a black identity. I attribute my sense of dislocation to constantly struggling to balance between two worlds, especially having spent most of my conscious life in predominantly white communities. I believe my work speaks to different parts of my identity, tracking its construction from when I was a dusty kid in the streets of Vuka location Parys, to the man today who’s learning to celebrate the beauty of the women who have made me the artist I am today.

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“I believe my work speaks to different parts of my identity”

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;My work is heavily influenced by my journey as a third cultural child trying to locate myself within a black identityâ&#x20AC;?

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oss Moeng was born in Diepkloof, Soweto in 1994. Moeng started his photography journey at The Market Photo Workshop In Newtown, Johannesburg in 2014, when he began with his foundation course. Later continued with the Intermediate and Advance Courses In Photograph, which is were he developed his way of seeing and looking at photography. After he graduated he joined Lightfarm Reproduction Studio and he is currently working there as a professional Photographic Retoucher and a fine art printer. He Co founded a photographic collective called BLD in 2015 with a group of friends that looked at collaborative efforts and sharing of photographic knowledge to communities

and further they continued to investigate their personal archives. Over the years he has developed a couples of photo essays that have shown in and out of South Africa with galleries, fairs, and museums like Kalashnikov, Lizamore and Associates, Agog Gallery, The Turbine Artfair and also Brandt 13 Museum in Denmark. Moss also has been part of mentorship programs where he was mentored by John Fleetwood and Jodie Bieber and was recently published in a book title â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Journey, 10 years of African photographyâ&#x20AC;? by Simon Njami which talks about the 10 years of the Goethe Institute Photography Masterclasses and the work of the photographers that became part of it.

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SIYA MKHASIBE

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a Editorial photographer based in Johannesburg, studied photography at the Market Photo Workshop in Johannesburg. My key interests in photography are fashion, advertising and documentary but my real passion is just photographing people and spaces. Both these elements have so many stories to tell, and the process of documenting these elements has so much to teach and I believe I can always learn to see and capture impactful images.

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DR PETER MAGUBANE A living legend in the photography community, not just in South Africa but globally, it was truly an honor photographing him.

IQHAWE FATHER STRETCH MY HANDS Hands are such interesting subjects, they can tell you a lot about a person.

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DURBAN I really love the coast, the sea is such an inspiring sight, in its vastness, so I love shooting seaside landscapes.

IQHAWE STREET SCENES Johannesburg streets are so colorful and full of energy so there are a lot of stories and visuals to capture, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an endless supply of imagery.

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BY PRETTY MANGENA

INTERVIEW WITH

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IQHAWE: In your opinion, what makes Ebuka Mike stand out from any other photographer? MIKE: I will say all photographers stand out in their different fields when they deliver great content. But what makes me stand out is my ability to take pictures in any scene and transform it to a colourful and beautiful scene, which from the reviews I have received, warms the heart of the viewers. IQHAWE: In a short burst of words, what are the best words to describe yourself/your work? MIKE: My work can be described as beautiful, colourful, and vibrant. IQHAWE: As cliché as this is, what inspired you to start shooting and how has your developing journey been? MIKE: What inspired me to start shooting is Nature and my environment. In my current environment, there are a lot of stories, as well as captivating and inspiring things around. It is a rural environment, so I get to see people from all walks of life which helps me gather some stories for my pictures. The journey has been great, a lot of people from around the world have already started getting interested in my environment and our continent, and I see myself improving every day. IQHAWE: Which aspect of what you shoot, be it the body/ buildings, do you find the most interesting and how has that aspect become your “brand”/ “medium” of shot? MIKE: I will say the aspect of playing with colours. The aspect of playing with colours is to bring vibrance to my pictures, to make them look beautiful and bright. A lot of people are drawn to the colours as they find them attractive, therefore I am often referred to as the colour boy. IQHAWE: How would you describe the “medium” of your art?

IQHAWE: The world has been hazy for a few months now, as Ebuka, what routine have you adapted to stay sane and in tune? MIKE: Yes, the global pandemic brought about lockdown which restricted movements and other activities, so in the period of the lockdown I started graphic design because it is close to my aspect of photography, it has even made my photography better. IQHAWE: Given the global and national standstill due to the pandemic, how have you managed to still shoot? MIKE: The lockdown caused a lot of restrictions, I miss going out. I wanted to shoot at different locations this year but because of the lockdown, it was not possible. But luckily because of the environment I live in, I can shoot anywhere and still make it beautiful. There is a river nearby that also works as a great location for shooting. IQHAWE: When it comes to colour and lighting, does it play a heavy role in the process of your shooting or is it something that you later edit in to emphasize the uniqueness of the images? MIKE: They both play a heavy role. I need good lighting for some pictures, so most times I wait until the sun rises to shoot. I also edit the colours strongly with Photoshop to bring out the uniqueness. It is a beautiful process. IQHAWE: Pictures say a thousand words, what storyline has been your favourite (from your own work or of others)? MIKE: I love all the pictures I see from every photographer I follow on Instagram, but my favourite this year is “POWER” by me and @tayojr’s series of colours.

MIKE: The medium of my art is documentary. I tell stories with colours, which draws the attention of people to the story I am illustrating.

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IQhawe explores the South African Photography industry through the lens of photographers participating in its growth and shaping its future. Photographer Barbara Morganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s words photography is painting through light is probably the most used photography quote in the world, so with this approach in mind we selected 12 photographers as part of our exploration of the South African photography industry but with a twist, of course, we asked the photographers to paint themselves using light. We hope you enjoy this beautiful exploration of the photographerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s understanding of themselves in relation to their work while at the same getting insight into their thoughts about the South African photography space.

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INTERVIEW WITH

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INTERVIEW WITH NTATE PHAKELA BY PRETTY MANGENA IQHAWE: Please tell us a bit more about who you are and what you do? NTATE: My name is Ntate Phakela, I am a black child born in South Africa and I live in Vosloorus. I am a believer and I like the way things work in the industry I am in, which is one of the reasons why I went into it. I was inspired by what it is about. I tend to ask questions like what is Film? What is music? And what is its purpose? So that was my thought process when I went into film, which then opened me to photography and everything else. So, I am a multidisciplinary artist. I am everything I want to be whenever I want to be. I am whatever I need to be at that time in my life. IQHAWE: Please walk us through the journey you have had thus far. NTATE: I have always liked taking pictures from a very young age, but it was never a career path that I wanted to take and I have always had a deep love for movies, but I never wanted to make them. I wanted to become a psychologist. But I got to a point where I took a gap year after my matric year, and I took some time to think about what exactly I want to bring to this earth. What is my influence here, and what can I do that can be effective, especially in the way we move as a society? How can I touch peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives and change the way they look at themselves and the way they perceive life in a space that is creative? I have always been inclined to the creative aspect of life. After analysing everything that was in front of me, I realized film is the correct place.

IQHAWE: How would you best describe your work, for someone who has not seen nor came into contact with it? Its intention and its purpose NTATE: I try my best to make the work reflect me. It is one thing to reflect your environment or the world you live in and the society that you find yourself in, however, I think a lot of us young creatives forget the fundamental part of valuing who we are first as creatives and finding our own foundation, making sure that our identity as creatives is solid. So that for me is what I resonate with. It is building that foundation for me and making sure I identify myself as this kind of artist and I try to make my work true, authentic, and honest. Those for me are the three most important things. IQHAWE: What aspect of what you shoot resonates with you the most? NTATE: What resonates with me the most is just human beings in general. I genuinely love the way we are. To give an analogy, we watch wildlife because we are fascinated by how the animals live and interact with each other, and for me, that is how I look at human beings. We are such powerful beings and just us being, speaks so much volume, which is why I enjoy it because those people carry stories and memories. Essentially, for me, it is reflecting on who we are in our purest and divineness form. IQHAWE: What is your creative process? NTATE: It is all based on the idea for me. So, if I have something on my mind, I will do it. I am quite bad at technicalities. I learnt lighting under lockdown. I see why it

is important in storytelling, but it was never my main passion. The core of my creative process is making sure that the idea that I have in my mind is at its best. IQHAWE: How would you best describe the medium of your art? NTATE: It is dialogue! It is a platform we human beings use to communicate with each other. It is a cell phone, that is what our pictures are, and we can communicate through them. The images represent hope and life. They represent parts of ourselves that we might not necessarily have access to. Just like iPhone represents a wealth status, images represent a part of us we hope for or a part of us we would like to be. A part of us we have inside of us, but we do not have a way to express it in our daily lives. So, turn it into pictures and we make it into films. It is dialogue, a platform for us to share ideas and become the things we imagine ourselves as. IQHAWE: With all the work you have done, which have been some of your favourite projects or images?

there yet. So, I feel there is nothing for me to be proud of in that sense. I do not think I have one because every time I create a new project, I look back at my previous work and I think to myself what was I doing, I should have done this better or fixed that. So that drive for me to go from strength to strength makes it hard for me to reflect. But I do think my milestone is the fact that I started, I do not know where this journey is going to take me, but I am glad that I started it. IQHAWE: Do you have creative blocks and if so, how do you deal with them?

for yourself in terms of what that means to you and what makes you happy. You must have a four-step attitude where you are: intentional deliberate - decisive - committed. Those are the four steps to anything being a success in your life. IQHAWE: The Malephepha Molefe project, please tell a bit more about that NTATE: Malephepha was inspired by me watching a live Instagram from one of my biggest inspiration in the industry. One of them said something that sparked a fire inside of me. For about a year, I had always had the idea in my mind to do a series about characters in our society who represent our family and friends, particularly black South Africans. We wrote the script with my sister and everything else just came together. We tore down my mother’s wardrobe and found what we could work with and we just went in. We will be introducing new characters, in total there are seven characters and each character will have their own episode. The purpose of the work is to accurately represent people in our society that I have come across. I want people to fall in love with them, and what makes you fall in love with them is how much you resonate with these characters.

NTATE: This is a nice question because the answer inspires me. The first time I faced a creative block, I had to question ‘why?’ Why am I facing this and what does this mean to me? It is not just a creative block; it means there is something that I am not looking into that I should be looking into. I found that in that moment, I had a creative block because I was trying to create what I knew the audience would interact with. So, I was creating for the audience and not myself, which is why my mind was blocked. And when I defended that and went around that obstacle, it has been smooth sailing ever since because every time I am required to create something, I go back to why I am creating this and the ideas flow. It is a matter IQHAWE: Where do you see yourself in of seeking progression and not perfection. the next five years?

NTATE: The First has to be my first ever project. It was a passion project and my first directing project. It was my first ever anything. It became so beautiful because it was beyond everyone on set. After all, we had never done it before. It was close to my IQHAWE: How do you go about getting NTATE: I want to be very honest! From a heart and I enjoyed making it. your work out there? very young age, I was taught to take every day as it comes and that makes it hard for The rest share equal sentiment to me NTATE: It is quite organic, the people I have me to consider and to look at my future. I do because they represent a part of my life that connected with are people who resonate not know if I am going to be alive tomorrow! I was going through or a thought that I was with the work. However, there are instances I wake up every single day and that is what I having at that moment in my life, and that is where I have actively engaged people to be struggle with in life. That is what I think about what I felt like I needed to create. more specific about strategic engagement. every single morning. I have no control over whether I wake up tomorrow or not. So why IQHAWE: What have been some of the IQHAWE: Practical advice for aspiring am I planning for years in advance; what do I most impactful moments? artists? have now and what can I do with what I have now and if I do wake up tomorrow, is what I NTATE: This one is a tough one because NTATE: Get your work right, make sure your did yesterday better than the day before? So, I feel like I have not done anything and a work is right. Make sure the work is good, my goal for the next five years is that I need to part of me is saying I should relax; I am not impactful, and powerful. You will define that be 10 times better than what I am now.

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IQHAWE

INTERVIEW WITH

RETANG SEBEKA BY PRET T Y MANGENA

IQHAWE: Who is Retang, for someone who has never heard of you? RETANG: The name is Retang Sebeka, I was born in Limpopo, later relocated to Soweto with my parents. The root of my passion for photography was that as a kid I wanted to become a scientist, and I did science subjects in high school and my fascination was the study of light. The concept behind light is that it is the only intangible thing or rather a non-physical thing that can react with physical objects; everything else is either gas or any other form. When the sun hits you, it creates heat and that is a non-physical entity that is contacting a physical thing. So, I wanted to get into that, but as time goes on one begins thinking about other things and their meanings.

BY PRETTY MANGENA

IQHAWE: The shift from wanting to become a scientist to a photographer, how did that come about? RETANG: In matric, I decided I did not want to do biomedical engineering; I had applied at Wits to study engineering as my first choice and philosophy as my second. Between writing my prelims and my finals, I asked my parents to buy me a camera because I wanted to document things, such as hanging out with my friends, skating. So instead of a camera, my parents bought me a camera phone because I did not have a phone at the time. That is when the love of the art grew. I did not know the basics or rather, the fundamentals of photography at the time. I did not see the benefit of shutter speed or why the f-stop was important. When I got my acceptance letter to come study biomedical engineering, I refused and decided to study graphic design at Rosebank college. That is when a lot of things got into perspective and I started learning about the craft and focused on the graphic design side of things such as magazines, the dimensions needed and the meaning behind certain images. Once I graduated at Rosebank College, I went to Open Window to complete a course in photography and graphic design, and this is where my perspective on a lot of things broadened.

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“If your work is good, no one can deny you anything”

IQHAWE

IQHAWE: How would you best describe your work? Its intention and what it aims to say? RETANG: I would like people to see the technical ability that I put into my art because I cannot forget the fact that I wanted to be a scientist. I want to find the balance between my creativity and the technical aspect. I work with people that are extremely creative and technical, hence I am trying to get to a place where people can appreciate the technical ability that I put into my work. I want people to appreciate light the way I do. When I am lighting a person or a subject, I want people to get attracted by the lighting I have used. When you go through art history in school, you study the likes of Picasso from a technical perspective. We were taught to pay attention to the technique and the light used on paint. My work is niche! I want to tell authentic stories. Stories about the experience of being a kid from Limpopo who grew up in Soweto, and the cultural divide one experiences. I want to be able to tell stories about the people around me but not to sell the dream of eKasi. The hood is bad but there is so much good and gems in the township that people do not see at all. IQHAWE: Which part of what you shoot resonates with you the most? RETANG: The work that I have in my Instagram right now is work that is closest to my heart. But the one that is a little closer is the series I did of Bolobedu. I shot the mountain range, and there is another shot with the women in my family. Why I love those images is because of the story and the subject matter of the images. I was shooting with film, and I think I did a good job. People do not know about the Balobedu culture because it is never documented. When I spoke about my elders and the history of our people, there was not much there, and it seems as though we were people left to fend for ourselves. IQHAWE: Please talk to us a bit more about the project you are currently working on RETANG: I am working on a project about scopophobia. It initially started as a school project. With this project, I wanted to change the idea of subjectivity. I am a portrait photographer and I love people’s eyes. I love drawing out a person’s inner self through their eyes. I could shoot 30 portraits and put them in a book, with no real meaning. I did my research and I found out that, there are people that have a phobia of being seen or being stared at. I thought that was interesting because, how do you then shoot portraits for those people? So that has been the reigning question with the project I am doing. I want to create a series of images that will not trigger the phobia, but still look great. It is a bit tricky because I want to categorize them as portraits, but how do you make a portrait that does not have the eyes, ears, and nose?I am also doing it for myself being I feel weird when the camera is pointed towards me.

IQHAWE: Has the pandemic affected your ability to work? Or the projects you had planned out? RETANG: I am the type of person that likes looking at the bright side. So, the pandemic has given me time to think and to adjust myself and plan things out. There is nothing better to help you plan than sitting at home for three months doing absolutely nothing, grants you the opportunity to think and re-evaluate your life. My business partners and I are willing to push through this time and still put out the best work. IQHAWE: Do you take into consideration technical elements such as light and colour? RETANG: I had a mentor that told me I need to get it right on camera, so post-production is not that important to me. I am only capable of editing because I used to work at an office job that requires me to know how to retouch. So I control the process from the beginning; which camera am I using, the lighting that I use and the sharpers, how many lights I use and what type of tools I use to make sure this image comes together. But that is normal practice, one should know these things. IQHAWE: What does an emerging photographer need to know? The best thing you can do when you trying to make it into the industry is: •

Get a mentor. You need to learn and see the kinds of mistakes they make so you do not make the same mistakes. Be open to shadowing, nothing is better than knowing people in the industry.

•

As artists, we need to learn how to be professional. Your treatments must look professional and the language you use must be professional, communicate well with others.

•

Portfolio work is very important. If your work is good, no one can deny you anything.

IQHAWE: How does one go about getting booked? RETANG: My current mentor goes to the school that I used to go to and picks out portfolios and tells you to visit him in the office, that is how I got into the industry. He was the one who put me on set, I then built connections from there. So, you must build relationships with people in your required industry. IQHAWE: What do the next five years look like for you? RETANG: It is my biggest dream to exhibit work at the Venice Biennale. If I can get my work there, it means I am an internationally renowned photographer/ artist. I also see myself being big on the film side and being able to shoot movies. I want to have my creative freedom.

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IQHAWE: How did your journey as a photographer begin? TSHEPO: I started in 2014, which was when I owned my first camera, however, I did not consider myself a photographer then. In my first year, I was a part of a digital magazine called Eplazini lifestyle, and the owner of the magazine would get us tickets to go to events so we could shoot for them, publishing the images in the magazine. Through these events, I got the opportunity to learn more about photography. At one of the events, I met one of my favourite photographers, Kgomotso Neto. I took a picture of him, and when he asked to see it, he realised I was shooting on auto. He advised me to begin shooting on manual and he showed me how to do so. I started practising using manual since that day and now I only shoot in it. It has been a very beautiful experience.

INTERVIEW WITH TSHEPO MOGOPODI BY PRETTY MANGENA

IQHAWE

IQHAWE: What makes Tshepo Mogopodi stand out from any other photographer in South Africa or even the world? TSHEPO: One of the things I have done is to overcome one of my fears, which is shooting in the city because of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s busy nature. There is also a high risk of being mugged, so taking out your phone or camera there is very tricky. But then my ability to overcome that fear has made my work bolder and more authentic. The approach I try to take with my images is always authenticity. When someone sees that the work is authentic, it relates and resonates with them. I capture the city, I capture the townships that I travel to, be it Alex, Soweto, or the North West. I always want to capture not only the lifestyle but also how things are in different spaces and how people in those spaces behave. IQHAWE: How has this journey been? Have your views about the industry changed since you first got in? TSHEPO: It has been very overwhelming because you start dealing with self-doubt. I had so much self-doubt because I thought I needed to be validated by the people I look up to. I have been trying to move away from that mentally of constantly needing to be validated by other people or even thinking someone might not like this meaning you are creating for other people and not yourself. However, it has been a good journey with ups and downs, it has been amazing because you get to learn, and it has been an eye-opener for me. I hope I go through more challenges because that way, I become wiser towards certain things. And I have also learnt to grow a thick skin, so whoever criticizes your work, you take it. This journey has taught me the spirit of Ubuntu. With photography, it becomes enhanced because you meet different people. If you want to take a picture of someone who is walking past, you have to approach them and speak to them.

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IQHAWE: Which aspect of what you shoot do you find the most interesting? And how have you incorporated that into your brand? TSHEPO: I think the most interesting has to be shooting taxis because this is what I use every day to travel. So, getting to know the taxi drivers and where they park, I try to get a bit more comfortable to shoot the taxis I use daily, so I can tell my story. I also like shooting buildings because there is a more minimal approach to it. It helps you see how the lines are and how they are intertwined.

IQHAWE: Let us talk about the technical aspect of shooting, what role does pre-production and other technical elements play in how you approach your shoots? TSHEPO: Colour and lighting play a big role in my work because if I have a concept in mind and I have a location, I usually go to that place before I do the actual shoot so I can look at how the lighting is throughout the day. I personally prefer natural lighting, so on the day of the shoot I can be able to decide on the times of the day I would like to shoot.

IQHAWE: What has been some of the most important moments in your career thus far?

IQHAWE: How do you go about the creative process before going into a shoot?

TSHEPO: The one thing that stood out for me was the Dickies shoot we did in 2019. This was a collaboration amongst us Black people, for us, by us. We all have Dickies clothes, and some of the people were sponsored by Dickies. So, we decided to do a shoot in Soweto Bara, with a Namibian influencer. He came to Joburg to come shoot the project. This project stood out for me because it demonstrated the power in collaboration, everyone is bringing their ideas into one and this opens more doors.

TSHEPO: I always conceptualize, whenever I have a concept or an idea in mind, I write it down and begin conducting research that relates to that concept. I then start creating a mood board where I combine all the images I found online that relate to the concept. I source these images from Instagram, articles or anywhere on the internet. I combine all these images and on the day of the shoot, use that mood board as a reference.

IQHAWE: How would you best describe your aesthetic and approach? TSHEPO: I think that is a difficult question because I also do not know what my aesthetic is nor my signature when it comes to photography because it is ever-evolving. And one cannot constantly stick to one aesthetic. IQHAWE: How has the global pandemic affected you professionally? How have you been able to overcome this? TSHEPO: In a professional sense, prior to the lockdown, I would be able to shoot with friends who are models, and they would have shoots and state that they want me to be their photographer. And currently, there are not any of those projects lined up. It is quite hard. The same goes for weddings, matric dances and all other outdoor events that require me to take pictures. Currently, I am not receiving any compensation from photography. And personally, I hate being at home. I want to be outside my comfort zone because I believe I learn more the more I can challenge myself by being in different spaces.

IQHAWE: What advice can you give to a beginner? Which equipment do you suggest they use? TSHEPO: The one thing I have learned throughout my journey and my career is to use what you have and start with what you have. It could be anything from a small camera to a phone. You can buy the best camera and still not know how to use it. I recommend that people start with what they have and build from there. The camera that I started with in 2014 is still the camera I use today. IQHAWE: How does one go about getting approached and working with entities within the industry? TSHEPO: I think it is simply knocking on a lot of doors, one will open. Do not be afraid to ask people for assistance. With the work I have done, some entities approached me, and with some, I am the one that approached them. I would ask them to give me whatever I needed for a shoot and if they agree, we will work together. So emails can work because they are professional, but you can also find something you find interesting on their Instagram page, send it to them and ask to work with you and then they will tell you to send them an email.

IQHAWE

IQHAWE: Does Social influence and reach on social media matter? Does a photographer’s influence or popularity influence the gigs they get? TSHEPO: I personally think one should not consider your following as a factor because followers are followers. The following and followers’ ratio messes with our minds because we are so focused on getting followers and not the actual work to create authentic content. In all honesty, it is more about the content you put out and who you are trying to reach. IQHAWE: What are methods or platforms available for photographers to get their names out there and be visible in the spaces I need to be visible in? TSHEPO: Going the website route could be costly, and I have been told never to use Instagram as a portfolio because some people prefer a pdf or a portfolio. I think Behance is more professional because that is where you get to showcase your work and connect with people across borders and engage with their work. I also think Instagram does also help because when people do campaigns, they start on social media. I also get recommendations and referrals. IQHAWE: A lot of upcoming photographers struggle with rates, how do you go about your rates and what platforms are there to help you? TSHEPO: I once went to a workshop where Austin Malema was speaking, and he had a template that consisted of all the possible rates you could be charging for different gigs per image. When you set prices and rates for yourself, you need to make sure you cover the amount you have spent for your equipment, transportation and all the other expenses you may have used. First, cover that, then only you can make your profit. IQHAWE: What do the next five years look like for you? TSHEPO: In five years, I would love to work for a big company, maybe Redbull or any modelling agency out there. I want to have the experience of being in a studio with other creatives and learning from them, whilst aspiring to have my own studio by 2025.

“IT IS MORE ABOUT THE CONTENT YOU PUT OUT”

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TSHEPISO MABULA INTERVIEW BY NTOKOZO MABUZA

IQHAWE: In your opinion, what makes Dr_mmasnepe stand out from any other photographer? Tshepiso: That’s a tough one, but I think what makes my work stand out is the fact that I tackle subject matter that I believe in. I don’t just make images because they are beautiful to look at but I want people to be moved by my work, and because of this, I am mindful of people’s humanity and try to reflect it in my images. I make images that reflect humanity even in chaotic spaces. IQHAWE: In a short burst of words, what are the best words to describe yourself/your work? Tshepiso: The best way to describe me is that I am a township native with suburban dreams. My work is a love letter to the people and the spaces that make us, for the names they give us. IQHAWE: This may sound cliché, but what inspired you to start shooting and how has your journey been thus far? Tshepiso: I saw images by Santu Mofokeng and in that moment I saw myself differently. I understood then, and now, how powerful images are and that is where this all started for me. In the last two years or so, my journey has been enlightening and very enriching. More and more, I am finding my purpose as a photographer and it is a difficult yet extremely fulfilling journey. “Kancane kancane” as I always say.

IQHAWE

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I DON’T JUST MAKE IMAGES BECAUSE THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT 64

IQHAWE: Which aspect of what you shoot, (be it the body/buildings or the people) do you find the most interesting, and how has that aspect become your “brand”/” medium” of shot? Tshepiso: I find the human experience to be interesting. The way people interact with their spaces and how history often shapes these interactions is what truly fascinates me. I have been told more than once that the subject matter that I focus on is difficult to take in sometimes and I guess if I were to ever have a brand - that would be it. I photograph the difficulties of the human experience; I document our triumphs and sorrows, and this is reflected in the kinds of subjects that interest me. All my work is ultimately driven by how our history can be reconciled with our current experiences. IQHAWE: How would you describe the medium” of your art? Tshepiso: Hmmm, I would say my art is a visual depiction of my lived experience.

IQHAWE IQHAWE: The world has been hazy for a few months now, as Tshepiso and Dr_mmasnepe, what routine have you adopted to stay sane and in tune? Tshepiso: The one thing that has truly kept me sane is creating. I have been writing a lot more and I have continued to photograph as much as I can. The world is at a standstill, but my mind isn’t, so keeping busy and finding new avenues to continue using my creativity is what has helped me get through this period. IQHAWE: Is there a common storyline adapted to what you capture, and if there is, what do you primarily base the ‘storyline’ of your pictures on? Tshepiso: The common story line in my work is history, I feel like I’ve said this word a hundred times already but I spent most of my life trying to piece together my own identity using my family and I’s historical experiences. This is the common thread in my work. I have also focused on internalised violence and how it is passed down through generations. This plays a big role in our life experiences and it shapes our politics or socialisation. My images are just based on my lived experiences and how they relate to the people and things I am photographing. IQHAWE: When it comes to colour and lighting, does that play a heavy role in the process of your shooting, or is it something that you later edit in to emphasize the uniqueness of the images? Tshepiso: Photography relies heavily on light and I think this has some influence on how I create but it isn’t the main concern. I prefer the story to lead the process, that way the images reflect the experiences of the people and places I am photographing. For this reason, I prefer to work with natural light so that I do

not disrupt the space I am photographing. The camera itself is such powerful a tool that sometimes it is all you need. So yes, I pay attention to light and colour for aesthetic purposes, but I photograph those elements in relation to the story I am telling. IQHAWE: What photography/editing tools do you wish you knew as a beginner Dr_mmasnepe, and which tools would you recommend to other beginning photographers? Tshepiso: I recently started working with film/analogue and have been shooting on a 35mm camera. I wish I knew more about shooting and processing film as a beginner but am grateful to be learning now. I would also recommend that beginning photographers explore the use of analogue cameras if they have access to them. Shooting digital is convenient and easy but analogue will teach you discipline, and it will help you hone your technical skills and instil patience and a deeper understanding of the process. IQHAWE: They say a picture can say a thousand words, which storyline has been your favourite (from your work or that of others)? Tshepiso: From my own work I am deeply attached to a body of work titled Ukugrumba, which looks at life in post-apartheid South Africa, through the eyes of former freedom fighters and combatants because it is through creating this work that I was able to grow as a photographer and here my process was dismantled and re-moulded the way I needed it to be. From another photographer, I love the Homeland series by the late Thabiso Sekgala, because it is a beautiful representation of the experiences of people living on the periphery in our country and it is photographed with respect and care.

IQHAWE

NANDIPHA: I put a lot of effort into skin tones, so what lighting am I going to use with this person and how much shadow I have to put in the image as it relates to their skin tones. I focus on skin, so when I choose my models, I ask myself do I want a darkskinned, light-skinned or fair-skinned model, and that for me will determine what lighting I will use. I think for the mere fact that I shoot a lot of skin, if people paid close attention to my work, they would see that I focus a lot on skin tone. IQHAWE: Which aspect of what you shoot do you resonate with the most? NANDIPHA: The female body. My favourite is photographing black female bodies. I have had an interest in the female body; however, I have been a bit sceptical because I felt like I was doing porn or something inappropriate. But a time came for me when I asked myself, why do I believe that photographing the female body is wrong? Why do I deem it as inappropriate? I realized it is because of the societal standards that have been placed. We have been taught if you shoot a naked woman you are creating pornography. I had to reverse and realize if I photograph women in their naked sense, I am in fact putting forth the problem that is not the problem. I am saying look at the female body as a body of art and not as a piece of inappropriateness or pornography. There are a lot of projects I still want to do, however, I feel I have to do it in a tasteful way that does not scare off brands and the people who support my work, by creating the work in a sensitive way that is not derogatory.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;My favourite

IQHAWE: How do you make sure your work stands out from the work that is out there?

is photographing

NANDIPHA: My name is Nandi King, that is my artist name. My full name is Nandipha Khemese, I am a 28-year-old photographer and art director. I began my photography career 3 years ago and soon after that I started to gain an interest in Art direction. I realized I was more into the conceptual stuff, as opposed to the typical portrait photography. I wanted to create stories that came from my original ideas and creativity. That also meant getting involved with people who also have conceptual ideas and that is how I got into the space. My work consists of shadows and contrast, which is how one can identify with my work. I enjoy capturing shadows. I also like to explore the possibilities of light and shadows meeting and how we can create from that.

black female bodiesâ&#x20AC;?

IQHAWE: For someone who does not know you, please describe yourself and your work.

NANDIPHA: Initially I was into film; I did that for a short while then I went into photography. But I hated photography. I did not know how to use my camera nor how to set up composition or lighting. I had to reach a certain point as an artist where I tried to understand what was grabbing people’s attention and I learnt how to photograph. I began receiving mentorship from established people in the photography space. Photography was not the initial goal, instead, it was something I fell into and got to understand better when I got into the conceptual side of things. Only then did I start enjoying it and it has been 3 years. IQHAWE: How has the journey been like professionally as a black woman navigating the industry? NANDIPHA: It has not been easy, and I am saying this now and it still is not easy. As female artists, we are overlooked and underbooked for many reasons. Some are understandable and some are not because of the society we live in. There are certain jobs I cannot book for that might put me in danger as a female, such as certain photojournalism jobs. Some women go out there and shoot, however, the times I have tried to get into the space I have been told it is not safe. It is only now that a small fraction of female photographers is receiving the necessary attention. For a black female artist trying to enter the art space knowing that the odds are against you, it makes you more of a risk-taker. You simply keep putting work out there and networking, hoping for the best. IQHAWE: What is your creative process? NANDIPHA: It depends on how big the shoot is going to be, the bigger the shoot, the more time you need to plan. If it is something like self-portraits, it is something easier. However, with regards to how we even get there in the first place, I do a lot of meditation which has allowed me to figure out what style or what concept I am working with. This is influenced by the number of pictures or

“No one can tell you that you are not going to make it. The ball is in your court.”

IQHAWE: How many years have you been practising and how did you start your professional journey?

videos I would have seen that day. Art is a matter of inspiration. So, I meditate through the inspiration I would have gotten throughout the day. My creative process begins with inspiration, followed by meditation then it goes into development; this is where I think about the concept, jot it down in my black book and develop it in terms of location, models and the set. IQHAWE: Which are some of your favourite work? NANDIPHA: I love ‘Femme De Le Africa.’ This project was shot in February. We had a big team and you can see that a lot of work was put into it. It was at that time that I wanted to focus on art direction. I wanted to do something with black women that brings out their skin tone and for me, it is the bright colours, the greens, and the oranges. IQHAWE: What has been the most impactful moment in your career thus far? NANDIPHA: When I was announced as the photojournalist of the year at the 2019 Jazz Festival. It was the most impactful moment because it is only then when I discovered the beauty of light and shadow. And The funny thing is how I experienced it through a festival because it is an environment you cannot control, and that for me was a test to say can you take portraits of people when you are not directing them and do it in a good way. And when I won, I realized photography might just be my thing.

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IQHAWE: How do you deal with creative blocks and has the pandemic affected your ability to work? NANDIPHA: I have not experienced a creative block just yet, in fact, I am frustrated that I cannot create. I have a book full of ideas. But when I do experience frustration, I leave it alone and give it a break. The more I try to work at it, the more the idea of the concept becomes tainted and I do not want to create when I feel under pressure. I want to create when I am feeling calm, relaxed, and open to inspiration. I drop everything photography related and do something else like reading a book or going to the gym. However, 9 times out of 10 I am just about fine and able to create. IQHAWE: Advice to the upcoming creatives? NANDIPHA: 1. Learn. 2. Take risks. As women, in the creative space we are sometimes victimized. A while ago I was talking to someone, and he said he would block my opportunities because I refused to come forth to his advances and I want to speak about it. I want the ladies out there to know that no one is tied to your destiny. No one can tell you that you are not going to make it. The ball is in your court. 3. Do not be afraid and own it. Hone your craft and own what you are doing. 4. Collaborate and most importantly, collaborate with Other women!!

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IQHAWE: Where does your love for storytelling stem from?

IQHAWE: What did film school instill in you that still insites your work today?

Ndivhuwo: I learned many things from my father, he always had a camera in hand and he just loved capturing moments and capturing us. Our entire lives, up to high school, can be shown in an album and that’s where it started for me. Before I got into taking photos I would journal and write often, even if I was just writing how I was feeling or something that had happened in the day. Much of the work I created in the first and second year of film school was from those journals.

Ndivhuwo: Film school stirred this place inside of me that was constantly searching for answers. It taught me that if you’re going to put work out there it has to have meaning, no matter how simple it may be. I am always thinking about the intention behind the work I’m putting out, which can also be a double-edged sword.

IQHAWE: How did film lead you to photography? Ndivhuwo: In film school, photography became the platform I used to ‘just be’, without expectation. Photography really helped me slow down the fast pace of everything and forget about the expectation of my environment and just be in the moment.

IQHAWE: When it comes to colour and lighting, does that play a heavy role in the process of your shooting or is it something that you later edit in to emphasize the images uniqueness? Ndivhuwo: I use natural lighting but if I do use light it will be intentional and minimal. Natural light is also the best for me because many of the photos that I take that just happen in the moment. Magic moments. Photography has never been a ‘pressure’ thing for me, it’s only recently that I’ve started intentionally planning shoots with a makeup look and a specific vibe, but before I would just shoot.

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IQHAWE: What is keeping you inspired during this time of distance and isolation? Ndivhuwo: Small things are keeping me inspired, like listening to new music. Sometimes I force myself to create to inspire myself again. I also like revisiting old work and reminding yourself that I’m “that b*tch” because at the end of the day, you draw from yourself to create. If you’re not constantly reminding yourself of what you can do and what you can achieve, it’s kind of difficult to feel inspired. IQHAWE: Pictures say a thousand words, what story-line has been your favourite from your own work? Ndivhuwo: I have favourites from different categories. From live performance, Gyre’s one has to be my favourite. From my portraits, it would have to be a specific black and white portrait of myself, it was one of the only portraits of myself that I had planned and at that time I was in a really bad space in my life. I was feeling really dark and empty and I needed a photo of myself that would resemble what I was feeling inside and that photo is it. I have a lot of favourites but I think all the photos I put out are some of my very favourite moments. IQHAWE: What do you think is something that black women photographers can contribute to the photography industry? Ndivhuwo: What I can say is that we need to be given the space to create. My peers (black women) photographers and cinematographers are already creating the kinds of images that you don’t see on magazines and online. If South Africa as a whole took more risks with their art, we would be doing amazing things. People don’t want to let go of what they’re used to. It’s difficult to say what I could contribute to an industry that isn’t open for change and not just change in who is doing the work, but also change in every aspect - including the kind of work we’re doing. IQHAWE: Who do you think would take an amazing portrait of you? Ndivhuwo: Cole Ndelu and John Baloyi. I feel like Cole would capture my essence.

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IQHAWE: What is your creative process?

IQHAWE: Please tell us a bit more about yourself what you do for anyone who does not know you and the work you create STEPHEN: My name is Stephen Obi-emedo. I am a Nigerian born, South African content creator. In a nutshell, I create content for brands such as Smirnoff and Brut, just to name a few. I am also a fashion and portrait photographer. Thank

INTERVIEW BY PRETTY MANGENA

IQHAWE: How did the journey start? STEPHEN: I have genuinely always been an artistic person. I started off as a rapper, but after I went into rapping, I never really felt that I was good at it. It felt more like peer pressure. I have always been expressive. My dad had a camera and I took it and I would shoot any and everything, until my dad saw that photography was something I really enjoyed. Even before this I would go to my high school and cover events there because I just loved taking pictures and it was something I enjoyed, and I felt the most joy while doing it. What solidified the whole thing was when I showed people the images and they really liked them. So, my dad got me a camera, and I learned everything else from YouTube. After that, every time I would shoot something, I would post it on Instagram. I believe Instagram is an amazing platform for creatives to come together. IQHAWE: What aspect of what you Shoot resonates with you the most? STEPHEN: Fashion, I really love capturing style. Fashion is one thing, but the main aspect is the face – portrait photography. What really resonates with me is the moment you have a person who believes in their ability and you, the photographer, are just there to capture that person within their element.

STEPHEN: Models who have worked with me know that I am very strict. I need to know what we are working with. I don’t like to be surprised on set. I need to see what is happening so I can plan regarding location or styling. On the day of the shoot, I still allow for ‘that organic feel’, and I always tell the model that it’s an organic process where we get to work together to create the best image possible. IQHAWE: When it comes to color and lighting how important are these elements to your shooting process? STEPHEN: Many of the guys who reach out to me on Instagram always say they really love my tones and they ask me how I was able to capture that person in that way. I always say the secret to my photography is the mere fact that I shoot during midday. A lot of photographers sway away from shooting midday because they know that it is harsh, the sun is very brutal -especially for models. If you do not know how to work with the sun it could be very detrimental to the work. So, you need to know what you are doing. In that sense, lighting isn’t important because I hate shooting late at night, but in terms of shooting during the day that’s what matters. IQHAWE: How did you manage to get to work with brands, and how did you secure gigs over the years? STEPHEN: I have been shooting for over nine years now, and it is only in the last three or four years that I’ve gained momentum. People slowly started recognizing me. When I started my career, I was experimenting a lot and I messed around with editing styles and did a lot of photography related things. I then decided to stick to one thing and one niche, which is the fashion side of photography. Once I got into that, things started picking up and I knew what I was good at. That’s the first tip: know what you are good at, you cannot do everything. The second tip is to be your authentic self; no one can ever be a better version of you than you. Number three is that you should learn coloring. Coloring is very important in this industry. Also, do not do it for clout - be persistent.

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IQHAWE: What is Photoshoot etiquette? What is appropriate and what isn’t appropriate? STEPHEN: The first is professionalism, you need to respect your art and the model needs to respect her art and her body. You need to know your own personal boundaries. The model must do substantial research on the photographer before the shoot. There are way too many people claiming to be photographers who are not in it for the right reasons. Always find reputable photographers to work with. I usually work with my girlfriend and she is present at every shoot. IQHAWE: What are some of your favorite works thus far? STEPHEN: Number one is the work I did with Kopano, I had been wanting to work with him for a long time. The second is the photoshoot with Andii. This shoot was well received, it was featured in CRWN magazine and I was so shocked. Andii and I had been in discussion for the longest time. We brought in a satin fabric, which really elevated the photographs, and Andii has flawless skin and when that came together, the reception was amazing! IQHAWE: What are some of the most impactful moments of your career? STEPHEN: When I was given the opportunity to shoot at SA fashion week, I was relatively young and was unsure of what needed to

be done. I was with a friend of mine and he was raving about an influencer and at the time I didn’t know who she was. My friend was not happy with his shots and that’s the person he wanted to shoot. I decided to slide under his armpits and just shoot while they were shooting, and I got the photos of that influencer – Sarah Langa. That’s when I started getting recognition in South Africa. I posted the picture on Twitter and I was trending on Twitter for two days, after that, many brands started seeing what I was doing. That is why I always say your Instagram needs to be proper because people are watching. The first big brand that contacted me was Smirnoff. I got a call from them while I was studying for my finals and they wanted me to shoot for them. Then I became their resident photographer. Then, Brut saw my work with Smirnoff and they wanted me to shoot for them. Then I worked for Boulevard Rose, then Victoria Gin…it was just a domino effect. I got a call from Music is King saying I should shoot for Axe, and I also covered Cotton on.

back and I used that time to apply the new editing skills I have now to the old work. I started posting these images. Then I started offering retouching to make money and keep afloat. Now that we are on level three, I have been able to work.

IQHAWE: How has the pandemic affected your ability to work and how have you been able to adapt to it?

IQHAWE: What do the next 5 years look like for you?

STEPHEN: When level 5 was announced I think every single creative felt it. A lot of bookings got cancelled and people started demanding deposits and refunds. People do not realize that your bookings are how people survive. After a couple of weeks, we found creative ways to deal with it. I started revising old work, pictures I had taken way

IQHAWE: How does one decide on rates STEPHEN: You need to be realistic and know what is selling in the market because market price is always important, so know what the value is and know not to undervalue yourself. Think about your gear, if you upgrade to a full frame you are at a different level compared to a crop set photographer. This is your entry level photographer. You need to cover for every single piece of equipment that you buy. You need to think about your expertise, how long you have been in the industry and all the things you have accomplished and once you add that all up, that’s where you get your price.

STEPHEN: My girlfriend and I got into the real estate business and we are estate agents, that is our full-time job. Photography is a secondary source of income. However, photography is still my front runner. So, five years from now I see myself owning a production company and that’s always been my dream.

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BASETSANA MALULEKA INTERVIEW BY PRETTY MANGENA IQHAWE: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your journey as a photographer? BASETSANA: I am 25 years old, I was born and raised in Pretoria but I am based in Johannesburg now. I was a finance student for 3 years, then I dropped out then ventured into full-time photography, but it wasn’t a planned thing. I just did it because I felt like it was something I needed to do. I got a camera and I thought, “I genuinely enjoy doing this thing so let me just do it full-time”. After making that leap, I joined Umuzi and I graduated there. I then started working as an assistant at lamppost for a year and a half. This year, I am part of the lamppost luminaries and I am freelancing on the side.

is a way for me to express my thoughts and feelings through their stories. It’s easier for me to talk about black women’s experiences because I am one – and I believe that I cannot express anything that I am not. Talking about black womanhood is a comfortable space for me to be in, because that’s where I am from and that’s who I am. IQHAWE: With everything that you do, what do you find the most interesting?

BASETSANA: I don’t think Umuzi influenced my creative practice as such. I found that it was easy for me to me craft and structure what I had to say. I just didn’t know how to go about getting my work out there and how to shoot and market myself, so I feel I got that from Umuzi. However, my creative practice is just me expressing myself. Whatever I feel at that time - be it personal or related to a close friend – that’s what I shoot, that’s how I create. It’s something very personal so everything I create is very intimate and very sensitive. So that’s what I translate into my work.

BASETSANA: Black women and women in general. It’s interesting for me to shoot black women and to represent them well in the world. I think I resonate a lot with that content because black women have been silenced and pushed aside by intersecting forms of oppression. That’s something I want to voice out there and I want to create awareness around that topic. This is also a male dominated industry, and the fact that we constantly must justify our competence is mind boggling to me. I am just as competent as some guy, if not better. The most interesting part the portraits I take of women, how I decide style them and how I decide to prop the entire set and what message I am trying to put out there. It fulfills me on many levels because I feel I have said something that has been bothering me for a long time - so that is the most comfortable state, for me.

IQHAWE: What best describes your work, if you had to put it into a brief summary?

IQHAWE: How have you been able to navigate being a black female in the industry?

BASETSANA: So, I find it difficult to answer this question because I express myself using photographs to explain whatever it is that I am going through at that point. So, there is a friend of mine that outlines it for me and what she told me is that I am a very emotional photographer. I am a ‘feeler’ and everything that I shoot stems from the heart. That’s why I am so passionate about shooting black women and how they are represented in the creative world. All the uncomfortable conversations people do not want to have regarding black womanhood and creativity - I want to put it out there in the form of myself or using subjects. I conduct many interviews and have brainstorming sessions with people I know are going through that particular thing and we come up with one concept that is translated into the work. I shoot whatever feels personal to me and close to my heart.

BASETSANA: The most important thing is to stay true to yourself. It hasn’t been easy. I won’t lie, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses for the longest time and I think when I finally found my voice, I started doing everything on my own terms and not compromising or thinking twice about it. Once you have your voice, you can stand your ground and speak to the right people.

IQHAWE: Has Umuzi influenced your craft in anyway?

IQHAWE: Are the politics of the representation of black women something that you put into mind when you are creating or is it something that happens organically? BASETSANA: Since I’m a black woman myself, it’s a really personal and comfortable topic to tackle. As I mentioned earlier, it’s easier for me to talk about what I am going through than trying to understand other people. Understanding creative women and shooting them

There are people in Joburg that are going to sell you dreams and sell you lies. Stick to what you started shooting for and be authentic. When you find your voice, you can connect with the right people who can help you stay true to yourself, while acknowledging that you are still learning. You can be very genuine with who you connect with and the work you are trying to put out there. Know that you cannot please everyone. I am at a point where I am shooting for myself and I don’t care about anything else. For anyone who is getting into the industry, they should be mentally prepared for the bullying -especially as a woman - you are going to be undermined, you are always going to have to prove yourself and prove that you are worthy of being in that room. You should fight, don’t give in and don’t give them the satisfaction of you giving up. Fight until you get there. I am not there yet and I am still fighting even now and I am not going to stop.

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It is never linear, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an organic process. 78

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IQHAWE: Do you have some form of creative process implemented when it comes to creating work? BASETSANA: My inspiration usually something that hits me when I am not even thinking about it. It comes to me as a random thought or I just see an article or while I am watching the news. I will get a recurring thought that comes to me. I put everything down on paper, I usually write on my glass door and put all my ideas on there. Once I have narrowed everything down, I create a mood board and from there I talk to my copywriter. I tell her all my ideas and she gives me a write up, then I shoot. Sometimes I shoot and she does the write up for me aftwerwards. It’s easier for me to have images that translate into something that is going to be powerful at the end of the day.

IQHAWE: How do you go about getting yourself out there? BASETSANA: I am very active on Behance. I constantly update and make sure my work is up there. IQHAWE: When it comes to brands, how do collaborations come about?

It is never linear, it’s an organic process.

BASETSANA: I have been very privileged because I get most of my work from referrals, but I have sent out a few proposals to people I think are going to be of great value to my brand and what I represent and would like to communicate to the world.

IQHAWE: What elements of shooting do you think upcoming photographers need to take into account?

IQHAWE: Is there a structure that governs rates in the Industry for one to know what overcharging and undercharging is?

BASETSANA: I am a very messy photographer. Photography is light, so if you have very good lighting you are going to do less work in post-production. I do close to nothing in post because most of the things are achieved when shooting. I try to get a perfect picture on the camera before I even do any work in post. I am not a big fan of sitting in front of a computer for hours trying to retouch skin or anything of that nature.

BASETSANA: I have had mentors that help me go about the process but more than anything it’s about the amount of experience that you have in the industry. If you are entry level you have to humble yourself and do freebies if you have to, but they have to contribute towards your portfolio. Do any freebie that you think is going to help you. My mentors helped me with pricing and getting compensated what I deserve. It also depends on what you’re doing, whether it’s commercials or corporate gigs. You should talk to someone in the industry who knows the standards and rates to help you.

IQHAWE: What has been your favorite image thus far? BASETSANA: I am currently working on the self-portrait series. It’s titled ‘the Rediscovered Self’, where I am seeing myself for who I am and trying to put myself out there with all the weird and ugly parts of myself that I didn’t want people to see. I am trying to show people my true self. I think that’s been one of the most challenging and fulfilling projects I have worked on recently. The other one is the Bag lady shoot I did with a friend of mine. We did a short fashion film and stills. Those are the two that stand out for me. IQHAWE: What have been some of the most successful or impactful moments in your career? BASETSANA: I was part of the design Indaba class of 2019 and for me that was the biggest thing. Getting into the lamppost luminaries was also a big moment for me because they only select four people. I had to push myself even harder because it means someone believes in me.

IQHAWE: What are the three practical things one needs to understand and know before getting into the industry? BASETSANA: Basic things: know how to use a camera, master whatever camera you’re using - just master and know how to use it. Know the power of whatever machine you have. That’s what’s going to put you there. Never stop shooting and have good quality work on your Instagram, ask for as much advice as you can and dm and annoy people. Know your software, if you are not familiar with software contact someone who might be willing to help or mentor you. Lastly, gain practical experience, you must be on set with someone who is doing the actual job with no pay. That’s how I started and I still do till this day. Whenever I feel I am lacking I put myself out there to ask for help.

IQHAWE: How do you deal with creative blocks?

IQHAWE: What do the next five years look like for you? What do you want to achieve that you haven’t done in the next five years?

BASETSANA: I had a creative block for 2 years, I couldn’t shoot anything except for client work and I only came back and started shooting my own work this year. During quarantine, I went in and out of creative blocks for obvious reasons. My girlfriend took me out of that black hole. She told me to shoot whatever I needed to shoot. She told me to shoot every single day and to post it on my Instagram stories just to keep the momentum going. After that it started coming to me naturally. It became a ritual, but I had to stop again because of work.

BASETSANA: I need to get out of South Africa. I want to practice outside and see how the world is doing their thing. That has been my biggest thing since the beginning of this year. Once the pandemic passes, I am hoping to get an opportunity outside. I would like to leave the county. Long term, the goal is representing black creative women. I just want to create a space where they feel comfortable and can be their best at whatever they are doing in any medium. I want to be a safe haven for back creative women because we don’t have that.

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INTERVIEW BY NTOKOZO MABUZA IQHAWE: In your opinion, what makes JR stand out from any other photographer? Siya-JR: I have a different story to tell, which is a story where I feel like I am in the middle of two generations. I am between the older generation that believes that you have to study photography and understand the technicalities of it, while the other is the younger generation that believes that there are no rules to what photography is and because of my age, I am right in between them. I got into photography through the older generation mentoring me, but through my style, I would say I identify more with the younger generation. I am what you call a creative photographer, I do a lot of crazy things. My concept, editing style and what I choose to photograph makes me stand out. IQHAWE: Which aspect of what you shoot, be it the body/ buildings, do you find the most interesting? And how has that aspect become your brand/ medium of shot? Siya-JR: It is more of the c r e a t i v e conceptualised shoots that I enjoy the most because that is where I get to fully express myself. My entire life I have been struggling to explain to people what goes

on in my mind, and with some of the stuff that I shoot, I can start showing people glimpses of what happens in my mind. But to be specific, fashion photography is what I enjoy the most. IQHAWE: Does colour and lighting play a major role in the process of your shooting, or is it something that you later edit in to emphasize the imagesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; uniqueness? Siya-JR: I would not necessarily say I put that much emphasis on colour and lighting, as that for me is a lot of rules and I am not for them. However, you need to understand lighting for you to get your image to look a certain way. But for me, it is not something that I have put full emphasis on, I do consider it in terms of styling and location, but not in terms of colour. IQHAWE: How would you best describe the medium of your shooting style? Siya-JR: For me, my shooting style is more of a visual representation of how I see the world. I see the world in weird colours, images, and ideas. So, through my work, I attempt to bring to life how I see the world.

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IQHAWE: As clichĂŠ as this sounds, what inspired you to start shooting? And how has your developing journey been? Siya-JR: My intention was never to be a photographer, instead I was a fashion designer at the time. I used to make graphic t-shirts, hoodies, etc., then I would look for a way to shoot them to create a look-book. I was handson with that fashion brand and I wanted to shoot everything myself, so I began shooting with my phone, this was back in 2016. I realised that people relate more to the photography than the clothes that are being photographed. So, from there onwards, I started photographing random things such as flowers and sunsets.It has been a crazy journey, four years of just doing madness and allowing people into my craziness and them accepting it.

IQHAWE: Given that the photography realm is vast, what could you say is a tool or a resource that you would give beginners to start from? Siya-JR: In terms of resources, I think the biggest resource that one would have is to develop their visual literacy more than trying to have the best equipment. Develop the visual literacy of what you want an image to look like, what you want your style of imagery to be, and what you want to take pictures of. I consider this very important, beyond the resources of equipment and clients. I feel that is where a lot of creatives lose it because they want to go in and have the best camera and best edit, whilst not wanting to look at or understand visually what they want to see first.

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IQHAWE: What was the drive and purpose behind “Sophiatown is gone”?

IQHAWE: What tools have you been using through your progressing journey? Siya-JR: In 2016, I started with a phone- a Sony M4 aqua phone to shoot events; nobody knew this because they just saw the processed images. From then on, I moved to the standard entry camera, which was a Canon 13 000D. Life was still a bit easy with that camera because it did not have complicated settings. I later moved on to a Canon 5D Mac three, which is the one that I am currently using now. There is also a lot of other things like studio lights, reflectors, flashlights and all the other equipment.

Siya-JR: We had just finished shooting a series before, that is called Black lives series, which was influenced by the Black Lives Matter movement. As I was looking for references, I came across images of Sophiatown on Pinterest, and I thought to myself, “this was a dope era”. The pictures looked good, but I hated the fact that they were in black and white. In trying to understand this era, I thought it would be nice to recreate the images, just in colour this time. I think that through time, whenever we do speak of apartheid or black people in that era, all we ever focus on is the sorrows and not the victories that came out of it; the music, fashion, and the life that they lived beyond being segregated. IQHAWE: Pictures say 1000 words. What storyline has been your favourite? From your own work or from someplace that you got inspiration. Siya-JR: “Sophiatown” has to be the one that resonates the most with me. This is because I feel like a part of it, instead of just being a photographer. From the creative direction to telling people the story and trying to educate people my age who might not know about Sophiatown.

IQHAWE: In a short burst of words, describe yourself and your work. Siya-JR: Creative. Controversial. Great. IQHAWE: Given the global and national standstill of the pandemic. How have you managed to still shoot? Siya-JR: I went through the first 21 days without shooting anything. When we got to level 4 of the lockdown, I felt like I could not do this anymore because I was used to shooting daily. I decided to go out and shoot, even if it is just buildings. By the time we got to level three, I started arranging small shoots with friends near me, just so we could have something to do and not lose our minds. In June, I was already shooting for brands that were preparing for level two. IQHAWE: What have you been doing to keep yourself sane as Jr and as Jr the photographer? Siya-JR: For one, I have been spending time with my friends quite a lot because I live alone, I cannot stand staying alone for too long. Even before lockdown, I was hardly at my place, I was always working and would go home to sleep. About three weeks back, I started planning for a series called “Sophiatown is gone”, started shooting for it two weeks ago and most of the images were posted last week.

A JOHANNESBURG BASED PHOTOGRAPHER

INTERVIEW BY MICHÃ&#x2C6; EDWARDS

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uke Ncube is a Johannesburg based photographer who documents the camouflaged constructs in society Johannesburg based Photographer Luke Ncube documents the camouflaged social constructs in society while delivering touches of rarity. He started capturing moments in May last year and in his work now lies narratives left to be explored. With a minimal approach to his creative process, Luke places the rather ordinary faces, spaces and places on a pedestal.

iQHAWE: In your opinion, what makes Luke stand out from any other photographer? Luke: I don’t spend too much time planning – most of my energy is put into the final execution of the work. I spend a fair amount of time with many of photographers and I’ve noticed that people plan so much, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. They make pdf’s on top of pdf’s, whereas I just make like one collage in the form of a picture, then I make references if there are any, and then I send a voice note to someone that’ll be assisting me. Then that’s it. Personally, too much planning puts me off. iQHAWE: In a short burst of words, what are the best words to describe the aesthetic of your work and would you say that aesthetic could easily be matched to who Luke is as an individual? Luke: I would describe my aesthetic as ‘raw, African and in the moment’. I say ‘raw’ because there is not too much planning put into the work before and after. I shoot on film. The way I shoot doesn’t require much editing afterward. Then, I say ‘African’ because I do a lot of work that resembles where I’m from which is Africa. I try to find locations that are not too modern and I spend time making sure the work could speak to somebody who isn’t from here, in South Africa. Then, I described my work as ‘in the moment’ because I always want people to feel like they’re in the photo as well. Finally, yes - these words resemble who I am as a person not only as a photographer.

iQHAWE: As cliche as this is, what inspired you to start shooting and how has your developing journey been? Luke: I felt the need to document the people I was most frequently around. I started as a model but I always had creative ideas. However, because I was ‘just a model’, I couldn’t execute everything I wanted to because I was just a muse, I didn’t have a say. The thoughts and ideas in my mind have always been there. Deciding to become a photographer was the step for me to make my ideas come to life. The developing journey has been great, mainly because I feel like my work is being received well. That’s led me to getting out of my neighbourhood and interacting with many people for creative purposes. I’ve met a lot of people since I’ve started shooting - people who I wouldn’t be ordinarily be speaking to. Photography has allowed me to interact with more people. iQHAWE:Which aspect of what you shoot, be it the body/ buildings, do you find the most interesting and how has that now formed the bases of what you shoot? Luke: Ninety-five percent of the time, I shoot with people who are not trained models. With reference to the spaces and buildings, I don’t really go out of my way to take photos of spaces. I shoot the spaces that I spend my time in and spaces that mean something to me. I take photos of my journey to school. I’ve found different ways of shooting things that I shot when I started. It’s the angles. The way I would shoot a car 6 months ago is different to how I’d shoot it now. The same applies with people. I try to highlight what sticks out to me the most in a person.

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“My medium of art is a way of putting people in spaces and situations they’ve never been in by using a camera” 86

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iQHAWE: How would you describe the “medium” of your art? Luke: My medium of art is a way of putting people in spaces and situations they’ve never been in by using a camera. My medium is about putting people in different worlds and showing them different backgrounds in a way that is completely different from their traditional representations in contemporary society. iQHAWE: The world has been hazy for a few months now, what routine have you adapted to stay sane and in tune? Luke: So much has changed in this time. I needed to find more ways to keep busy while at home. School usually plays a big role in keeping me busy. I’ve also learned many things through tutorials – things that have to do with photography and video editing. I’ve spent a lot of time exercising too which I didn’t do before lock-down and I’ve been jogging a lot around my neighbourhood. Spirituality is something I’ve also been reading up on lately.

iQHAWE: Given the global and national standstill of the pandemic, how have you managed to still shoot? Luke: The type of photography that I’m into doesn’t require the help of people. I’m not a good team player. I just like to get things done by myself. That’s what I’ve been doing this whole time. I’ve been taking photos of my surroundings and shooting one or two people and I try to comply with the Covid-19 regulations while I’m at it. iQHAWE: When it comes to colour and lighting, does that play a heavy role in the process of your shooting or is it something that you later edit in to emphasize the images uniqueness? Luke: Those are two of the biggest things I consider when I’m about to shoot. I use natural light in most of my shoots, so I find it important to shoot at the right time of day, and that right time of the day for me is sunset. I don’t edit my photographs - it’ll all depend on the film stock that I’m using. I do minimal touch-ups like reducing the contrast and increasing exposure.

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THANDIWE MSEBENZI

handiwe Msebenzi is a photographer who describes herself as a documentary/art photographer and a storyteller who holds many accolades to her name. Her journey in the arts began when she initially attended a fine art school, to embark on journey to become a painter which took a (great) turn in the duration of art school. Her grandmother, upbringing and surroundings has catapulted her.

INTERVIEW BY UNAM NTSABABA

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small moments in my life that are reflective of bigger issues in society

IQHAWE: How would describe the “medium” of your art? IQHAWE: In your opinion, what makes you a good photographer?

THANDIWE: I work in the medium of photography, and recently I started exploring video.

THANDIWE: All photographers are different we bring in certain parts of our selves in our work, that “certainness” that can’t be replicated. So I stand out because I bring a apart of me which cant be replicated.

IQHAWE: The world has been hazy for a few months now, as (name) what routine have you adapted to stay sane and in tune?

IQHAWE: In a short burst of words, what are the best words to describe yourself/your work THANDIWE: I could describe my work to be a can of stories, and small moments in my life that are reflective of bigger issues in society. IQHAWE: As cliche as this is, what inspired you to start shooting and how has your developing journey been? THANDIWE: I studied fine art. Photography was one of the disciplines we had to take in first year. I initially wanted to be a painter, until I realized we were not doing much painting in painting. When I discovered that I could paint using light in photography, and that I had a boss pinhole camera I never looked back. I definitely still have a painter in me I now do it with light. IQHAWE: Which aspect of what you shoot, be it the body/ buildings, do you find the most interesting and how has that aspect become your “brand”/“medium” of shot? THANDIWE: I use my self mostly when I work, and my family members. I use myself because I am always available I just put self timer on, if a family member is not around. I also enjoy working with my younger cousins more especially Khanya Oyiya she was 13 when we started working together she has been behind the camera since the begging. I enjoy that collaboration with her she sees thing I don’t see sometimes in my work, and I allow her to freely shoot what she sees sometimes.

THANDIWE: I did not have a camera for a while, so I had plenty of time to discover my other hidden talents. I have been writing short whatsapp stories which I would like to believe are a hit. IQHAWE: Given the global and national standstill of the pandemic, how have you managed to still shoot? THANDIWE: I have mostly been trying to explore other ways of working at home with out going out. IQHAWE: When it comes to colour and lighting, does that play a heavy role in the process of your shooting or is it something that you later edit in to emphasize the images uniqueness THANDIWE: Editing is not a skill I know at length. So lighting is important, I only use natural light and I am very specific about the kind of light I use always. In some work I am not too crazy about light especially if the peace I am doing is performative and the story needs to be highlighted then I don’t mind too much about lighting. IQHAWE: Pictures say a thousand words, what story-line has been your favourite (from your own work or of others? THANDIWE: The stories I have told about my grand mother have been my favorite, she has definitely inspired the direction my work.

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iQhawe Magazine iQhawe Magazine is a digital publication aimed at merging the gap between aspiring creatives and their respective industries. We believe easy access to information through the growing digitalization of traditional forms to reach a wider audience which will then help eradicate the lack of resources/skills/knowledge and accessibility to the right channels faced by young aspiring creatives. Thank you to everyone who helped make this issue possible and the IQhawe Team. For marketing and advertising or any other enquiries please contact us at info@iqhawemagazine.com Follow us @iqhawagazine on all social media platforms.

IQHAWE ISSUE NO. 10 THE PHOTOGRAPHY ISSUE

Articles inside

INTERVIEW WITH BASETSANA MALULEKA

INTERVIEW WITH NTATE PHAKELA

INTERVIEW WITH SIYA-JR NHLEKO

INTERVIEW WITH TSHEPO MOGOPODI

INTERVIEW WITH STEPHEN OBI-EMEDO