Cape Town through the lens
AT OUR request, young photographers from across the country have captured their cities as seen through their lenses. This is the second of four instalments in the series titled: Photographers tel la story of their cities.
Elelwani Netshifhire is based in Cape Town and is a photographer, film-maker and founder of Thase Media. What is the concept behind this shoot?
Titled Aspirations x Desire, it is celebrating young women who wake up every morning with a purpose to better themselves and society at large.
What makes your city special?
My city is pretty clean and lets you be who you are; no pressure. Tell us what most people often over look when visiting your city?
The people who make it such a habitable environment.
What inspires you?
Individuals who exude passion in their field, and my late brother – he did it all at a young age. What makes the good picture standout from the average?
I’d say the whole composition which will make you look at it again does the trick. Personally, I’m fascinated with locations against subjects.
How would you describe your photograph-----
ic vision and style, and what kind of look do you try to create in your photos?
I’m more of documentary artist. I long for daily natural moments that we generally overlook.
I am fascinated with spaces, which makes me thrive for simplicity.
I want to see some sort of action in my images… I’ve got to that stage where the vision varies depending on a
project. How important is it for a photographer to “connect” with his subjects to bring out their true self?
I don’t think you need to connect with clouds or buildings, but when working with human beings it’s another story.
Your subjects must understand that you are the least judgemental person in the world.
It’s all about coming across as someone they can trust to just be, then you’ll create magic. Photographers like to show their audience something in their pictures. What do you hope to inspire in other people with your work?
It’s always passion and beauty through it all.
The struggles should never suppress the opportunist that resides in anyone.
I hope the images I create get people excited and yearn to create or shape their own beautiful world truthfully. If you could visit and photograph any place in the world that you haven’t been to before, where would that be?
New York or Milan.