ZOOMING IMAGES THAT SELL

‘ Marketing through the lens’ is The Photographers’ drive

For Gonna Elvis Monnakgotla of ‘ The Photographers’, photography is about making an image that sells.

Of late, the photographer has set the trend through his distinctive videos, which befits his motto of ‘ making marketing easier through the lens’. Monnakgotla admits that he has somehow made an impact in the video revolution of Botswana. The gentleman has changed the trend of shooting an all- day video and editing it almost as it is, to making it a short and interesting item with stylish effects that portray the theme of the event. “For a typical one hour long wedding video, other photographers have now started adding style to it and showing their creativity than before,” he says. He is content with the fact that now clients ask for what he provides, and he says class is quite a necessity in photography because, this is an art of creating memories. In fact, class is his middle name, as he is always dressed up while at work. He is mostly spotted looking immaculate in his white shirt, black tie, and black pants, something that he does to encourage a good image phase, when it comes to photography. He also highlights that sometimes his fashion sense depends on the theme of an event. “If I sell a good picture, I have to be a good image myself,” he says. Nonetheless, Monnakgotla reiterates that, he is entirely about ‘ marketing through the lens’ because he believes that nothing can sell better like a well- captured event, which he also says is his talent. “With the way I capture, I just know how a good picture should look like,” he says emphasizing that it comes naturally for him, as he has never been to school for the art of photography. He has rather been to the business school and notes that with the business mind of marketing, plus his passion for photography, he saw the potential in the field to become a marketing manager through the lens. He believes in selling brands through the camera and he is happy that so many brands around recognize him, as well as different individuals for a variety of occasions. He tells BG Style that, what mainly sets him apart from other photographers is his marketing perspective before doing the work. Their facebook page boasts 1,5 million views per 28 days, with more than 72 000 followers on facebook and over 11 000 followers on Instagram. This he says keeps them going, and motivates him to share his photography skills through social media.