Photography keeps me grounded when the world around me seems to be falling apart. 

Being an introvert often means that I struggle to express myself. But photography allows me to show the world through my eyes. 

Four years ago, I bought my first camera. What began as a simple point-and-shoot, sparked my obsession with photography.  It opened up a whole new world that had been right before my eyes the whole time, but that I had often overlooked. I started taking pictures of everything from birds in flight to my little sister (much to her annoyance). 

Whether it was taking a moment to capture a bee pollinating a flower or an erupting protest, photography is my way of getting outside my bubble and revelling in the wonders of the world around me. 

It wasn’t until 2022 when I was studying for an honours in journalism and media studies that I began to understand more about how a simple picture can tell a powerful story. 

I took advantage of the journalism department’s loan digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera to learn as much as I could and quickly became a notorious late returner. When the entire world feels as if it is on the brink of collapse, picking up a camera and just immersing myself in the beauty of the hidden world provides me escape. 

Whenever I felt like nothing was going right, photography was that one constant that gave me a confidence boost during the worst moments. Having my classmates look at my shots with awe felt good. It gave me the confidence to share my photos with the world and I have since become inseparable from the camera. 

On a personal level, the year was challenging. For most of the first semester I was struggling to make ends meet, then I lost my girlfriend of five years and my second mother passed away. It felt as if I was drowning underneath the emotional and psychological weight of it all. I was consumed by self-loathing and anxiety and as a result, my academic performance suffered and that fed into my self-doubt. 

Since I struggle to articulate my feelings, photography became the tool to take the weight off my shoulders. This was the one thing I could control in a world of chaos. The camera became my therapist through all the grief and loneliness. Photography bypasses all language and social barriers and goes straight to the heart. 

The photography process for me usually begins with research, going online and looking through photos by professional photographers and trying to imagine myself in their shoes, before heading out to shoot. 

From Marcelo Arganaraz to Sandile Hadebe, South Africa has some of the most talented photographers in the world who continue to influence and inspire me. 

What was Andres Serrano thinking when he submerged a crucifix in his own urine and took a photo? Photography is madness and I love it.

I tend to shoot a lot of photos, experimenting with different camera controls to understand what works and how to push them to the limit. What happens if you set a camera to long exposure at night and swing it around? 

I love discovering new and exciting ways of taking photos and that helps me to relax and focus on my creativity. 

The camera is like a faithful pet that is always eager to play. It helped me conquer the “Wits Edge” when all I wanted to do was go back home to Limpopo where it was safe.

There is an entire world to explore and grabbing the camera after a long day helps me to see that beauty behind the madness.

FEATURED IMAGE: Mpho Hlakudi. Photo: File

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