Photography through God’s Eye
- Tell us about yourself and where you come from?
- I am Rodney Moropa, originally from Matibidi, but I grew up in Bushbuckridge. I had a good childhood phase with dreams of farming.
- Your educational background?
- I went to various schools around Bushbuckridge. My primary level started at Lebadišane Primary in Zoeknog and M.O Mashego in Casteel then moved on to Lumukisa preparatory as well as Orovhelani High School. I then registered at Ehlanzeni TVET College for Hospitality Management. From there I dropped out to pursue my farming dream with Letsatsi Solutions and completed my Agricultural course in farming and poultry.
- What’s your opinion about photography and its role in our society?
- Photography is a way of portraying views from your eyesight or telling a story through photographs. In the society photography can make one a successful business person and can still create jobs and it also brings people together through the portraits that we capture, for example photo albums can bring people together through the memoirs of their photographs.
- What developed your passion for photography?
- The beauty of nature and art. For the fact that I can’t draw but I had to do something to end up having a portrait done by me on a canvass or wall mural so I thought digital art can be the solution, then I had a good friend who had a DSLR camera and started my lessons and developed strongest feelings for cameras and photographs.
- How do you aim to tell the stories of our communities through photography?
- It’s easy; avail yourself to the community and capture what you see with a story behind and the moral of the story should be mind-blowing and eye-catching. I will use words and pictures that tell the same story.
- Would you advise young people to pursue photography?
- I would say if you want to pursue photography, first check on which category you qualify. We have landscapists, cityscapes, wildlife photographers, journalists, freelancers and others, so it’s important to know which category suits you best so that you can master your passion and give it a go. But then you have to know that in photography we hardly sleep and we travel a lot. It’s also a good source of income, you can survive and also become one of the richest, but then creativity is crucial.
- As a photographer, what are your day to day activities?
- I do photoshoots, profiling models, musicians, businesses, covering events, weddings, festivals, parties and others. Sometimes I just travel to take pictures to improve my photography. Editing is also part of my daily activities.
- Tell us about your company, God’s Eye Images?
- It was initially known as Ras Photos three years ago before it was registered, then changed to God’s Eye Images. It is a small upcoming photography company that is 100% owned by a black Mopulana youth. For now it only deals with photography as it is still growing. I call her she because she is pregnant with my dreams. God’s Eye will grow into a big media company that will be known all over South Africa and the world. God’s Eye is everywhere, “if it’s not on camera, it never happened”, that is why we create memories with just a click of a camera.
- What are some of your best moments behind the lens?
- A lot, bro! When I first got my biggest gig to cover the BET Award winner Sjava in Nelspruit, working as a resident photographer in News Café, the coverage of Mr Mpumalanga, the Sunrise Women Awards and many more highlights.
- Some of the challenges you’ve come across?
- It is very challenging when you push hard to be a successful photographer but with limited equipment, which makes me lose out on some of my photography gigs. It is very challenging; nevertheless I’m working hard to get through those challenges.
- Looking forward, what are your goals?
- As for goals, I’ll only say laduuuma when I see God’s Eye Images being one of the best rural photography media company to have ever come out of South Africa. I wat to see myself owning an art gallery that portrays 50% of my work and the other 50% of other photographers and collection of my paintings and employ our brothers and sisters, no racism. I’d also like to buy a wine farm in Switzerland after my 50s
- What are your booking details?
- You can book me on 067 109 9101/065 904 3220 or email rasphotography738@gmail.com you can also follow on Instagram @gods_eye_photography or Facebook: Darkboy Ras Verge