It’s with great pleasure that Fujifilm South Africa can announce Earl Abrahams as an official X-Photographer.

Anyone who has spent a bit of time with Fujifilm will know Earl, has worked with him, or has met him at a photography event. He has been a big supporter of the brand over the years, having been responsible for, amongst others, the ‘Why the Fujifilm’ set of videos. 

Earl hails from the Cape Flats in Bonteheuwel, Cape Town, and he’s currently busy with photography and videography up in Johannesburg. According to Earl, photography and videography should be concerned with sharing stories, experiences and possibly giving life/voice to those that might not have the platform.

Congrats Earl, we’re proud to have you in the X-Photographers group! We cannot think of a more deserving photographer to join the fold.

Q+A with Earl Abrahams

When did you first pick up a camera? 

The earliest memory I have of picking up a camera was probably when I was around eight years old. My grandfather had a 35mm film camera that he would let me play around with during family gatherings. However, I only started becoming interested in photography in my early twenties through having access to my mom’s work-camera.

When I started working, I managed to save up some money to purchase my first DSLR, which started my journey. What sparked my interest in was how photography connected me to people and how I could tell a story without using words.

Do you have favourite places to photograph?

My favourite places to shoot would generally be cities and local community spaces. Whenever I have the opportunity to travel I’m always attracted to the way people move and exist in their city/community. Every city has its own rhythm and I enjoy capturing the spaces and people that exist in it. 

What’s the inspiration for your work?

My family, my partner, friends, community and my work in the youth and social development sector really inspired the direction of my photography. It gave me a new set of lenses in which to see the world. I could say that the core of my inspiration is most definitely my passion for people.

Why the Fujifilm?

Firstly, Fujifilm makes the best-looking camera in the game by far! Besides being passionate about the aesthetic, I really enjoy the ease of use and how one can personalise the camera to suit one’s shooting style. It’s a powerful system in a compact body.

Fujifilm also listens to theirconsumer’s needs and improve the camera with regular firmware updates. It is a brilliant camera both for stills and video which makes it the ultimate hybrid camera, at least for me.

Any future plans you’re working towards?

My future plan for my photography would be to continue the projects that I’ve been doing which predominantly focuses on identity, special and racial segregation. Also creating space where we can talk about these challenges that still plague humanity globally. To accompany the images, I would like to create video pieces to further explore ways of sharing my thoughts and processes. 

I’ve started working within the commercial and film industry, steadily moving towards becoming a Director of Photography (DP). I am so grateful for my journey through photography, it has literally framed my pursuit for expansion and the exploration of my latest endeavours.

 Describe a good day of photography

It’s capturing the images that I set out to do and grabbing some unexpected and unplanned shots along the way. These are at times exactly what I had intended but just way more spontaneous.

Sometime, a good day of photography could also be not getting the exact shot that I wanted – where the shot that I missed is so imprinted in my mind that I would never make the same mistake again.

What is your definition of good photographer?

For me, the definition of a good photographer would be someone who thinks and feels at the same time whilst shooting. When the heart and mind synchronise, beautiful moments can be created. 

A good photographer is also someone who captures the world through their eyes in a manner that isrespectful and honours whatever or whoever they are given the opportunity to photograph.

For more of Earl’s work, please follow the links:
Website: https://www.earl-abrahams.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earl_a_