That the local photography industry is mostly dominated by male photographers is a fact, but 18-year-old Sankofa Khumalo of Louis Trichardt is breaching the barrier.
A first-year BA international politics and communications student at UNISA, Khumalo enjoys the spotlight when she takes on the role of photographer at social events, proving that she –a woman - can just as easily compete and perform with her male counterparts.
During an interview with Limpopo Mirror, the young Khumalo said she was encouraged by her belief that, if you hesitated to capture a moment on camera right away, you might lose the moment forever. "I always take the best pictures because I make sure not to miss a shot. There is nothing more disappointing than missing an important picture that signifies a memorable occasion, for either yourself or a client."
Khumalo's love of photography grew into a passion five years ago when she started to take pictures of people and scenery for fun. "I only used my mobile phone then, and everyone was impressed with my photographic skills. Fortunately, my mother has industrial photographic equipment she uses for her company's tourism and heritage projects, and I taught myself to use it. My mother was very impressed with my pictures and immediately roped me in as her in-house photographer."
Her mother, Tintswalo Makeda Khoza, said she was very proud of her daughter. "She is very good, and I no longer have to struggle with the photography part for my tourism and heritage projects. She is slowly becoming financially independent because she does freelance photography for both individuals and different businesses. What I like is that, although she is passionate about photography, she never neglects her studies because she understands that education is the backbone of her success."
Although Khumalo does not have any formal training in photography, she learns a lot about the trade by practicing and experimenting, thus improving her skills every day. "I also spend time on the Internet to learn the latest trends in photography, and it works well for me. It is a good feeling when I mingle with experienced photographers and they are impressed with my work. I don't regard myself as the best, as I still have a lot to learn, but I make sure to keep improving my skills to deliver quality work."
She now plans on establishing a photography club, where local photographers can meet regularly to share their skills and tricks with each other. Those who would like to join the club can call her directly on 068 110 9275.