African heritage

My Scholarship entry - A trip through Africa's rich history

Worldwide | Sunday, November 23, 2014 | 5 photos

My mother was a professional photographer based in Zimbabwe and it was through her that I was exposed to the world of photography, developing a strong appreciation for the aesthetic and technical sides of the medium.
Although I did not study photography as such, throughout my academic career, both in South Africa and at Oxford, I chose courses with a strong visual element – media studies, visual anthropology, and the history of photography. A course based on Susan Sontag’s On Photography stands out in my memory.
Other than that, most of my knowledge of photography is self-taught. I have spent countless late nights after work reading through manuals and watching online tutorials. I have exhibited and won awards for my travel photographs, which I have accumulated on trips to over 40 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe.
Though my short career has so far been in print journalism and editing, I have nevertheless used every opportunity to broaden my photographic knowledge. I have a strong interest in social documentary photography and in shooting the built and natural environment. My aim now is to expand my skill set and branch out into multimedia journalism.