Art in the Garden Route presents
Stephan Du Toit Photography
My first encounter with a camera was at the age of 9 when I received a Kodak Instamatic camera on my birthday, and from the start I lacked interest in taking the usual snap shots of people or scenes people normally took.
What really tickled my fancy from the beginning was to take shots what ordinary people will call “unusual” or “odd.” Being considered to be the so called “odd one out” in this regard actually inspired in some amusing way to persist with this approach as I always experienced a sort of different however,creative and imaginary mind since early child hood. I was always very curios about everything in life and I became quite notorious within my family for taking my toys apart to find out how it was construct and how it worked. However, I must admit to my embarrassment, putting it together again sometimes ended in a bundle of parts and loose wires.
I still recall my first shot of a cuckoo watch in my aunt’s house in Stellenbosch when I was 8, which I took at a narrow angle to get a specific effect as well as the one of my family while watching a TV program, to capture their specific facial expression. I recall my mother claiming I am wasting film but to me it was worth it.
Initially I took photo shoots for three months of families and girls interested in model work, however, after about five months I realized that I lacked fulfillment. It was during this phase that I started experimenting with “odd” photography and breaking some conventional “rules” in photography to make things work for me.
While contemplating on my inquisitive mind one evening while smoking a cigarette, I was stunned and amazed with all of the different forms the smoke created while moving upwards higher and higher into the still and stable atmosphere surrounding me. These forms fascinated me and also stimulated an inspiration within me, and I thought that there must be a way of capturing it. Thus I immediately started off experimenting with smoke by means of burning paper, smoldering cigarettes, and burning incense. My experiments evolved and with the aid ofspoons, bowls, folded paper and using my hands I stated to create such a variety of different forms through manipulating the flow of air around its current of moving molecular particles and bringing hot and cold air presence to the setup and manipulate the speed and of how it shapes.
This special type of art provided me with exactly the medium to express my thoughts and inspiration in visible form however I feel that I will still discover new and more peculiar ways of expressing myself not only as a photographer but also my artistic side.
Most typical artists or photographers feel inspired by what they see, something they experienced or even a person to inspire them also known as a “muse”. For me however, it is music. I feel that the outcome of my work is dependant of the music I listen to, it drives my creative core and flows through me stirring an emotion or feeling that seeks to be visual. Even when traveling around sceneries, a set of headphones with various genres of music is second most important tools along with my camera. The music I listen to is non genre specific; it can be anything from angry, soft, flowing, dance, rock or blues and most preferred for my art side is soundtracks from films.
My main concern surrounding photography at first was that I have seen some amazing shots and art and realized there is such a wide variety and to most people almost everything has been done, however, it did not stop me. I would look at a photo and try the same concept but with different angles,colors and in the process I learnt that I have gone from the original idea to doing something completely different which was essentially my learning process and still till this day I learn new things.
I don’t have a degree, certificate or any sort of education in art or photography but I have never let it keep me back, in fact, I prefer the self taut method. Instead of reading or having someone teach you how or why this angle or lighting direction etc will or won’t work I believe that it is more fun and a better learning curve to see or discover for yourself why it will or won’t work, and even if it doesn’t work doesn’t mean it can’t look good if you applied a different feeling to it.
My favorite quote “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” bears much meaning to me, I don’t let myself be intimidated by what people might say, they have their own opinions on my work, I don’t or won’t let it influence the way I see the world through my lens, I love what I do what I and I do it with passion regardless of the critics.
To view more of Stephan Du Toit's work click on our link - http://www.artinthegardenroute.co.za
