TAKE TEN: Thabang Sebata

For Thabang Sebata, photography is more than just taking pictures, it’s a tool for something much more important. We caught up with him in Mafikeng where he is currently busy with his studies, to chat about the role of photography in his life.

Yes Thabang! Give us a quick rundown of yourself and your photography.

My name is Thabang Mathibele Sebata and I was born and bred in a remote village in the Limpopo province called Bodutlolo Ga Mathabatha. I am currently studying BSc in Chemistry and Biochemistry at North-West University.

Photography for me is a tool I use to express myself and communicate with the world; it’s like therapy since I started photography because I was depressed and suffered social anxiety. Through photography I learnt how to focus on what is important, and the more I worked on my photography, the more I forget about my problems. Collaborations and getting to meet different people with different backgrounds helped me to overcome my social anxiety.

What’s the most important thing to pay attention to when working with a model?

The most important things to pay attention to when working with a model are the different angles and posing techniques. I also like to ensure that there’s clear communication between my models and I, so I create a comfortable and collaborative environment to ensure I get the desired results.

Tell us more about your lighting setup.

I mainly use a one light setup in all situations – the Godox AD600 is my go-to light.

Do you shoot with Fujifilm Film Simulations, or do you edit in post?

It depends on the type of work I will be doing. I use Film Simulation on my personal projects including street photography, but most of my work I edit in post-production (it heals me).

How do you ensure a happy client?

I ensure that I deliver quality work to the client on time.

You shoot a lot with the Fujifilm X-H2. Do you have a favourite feature?

My favourite feature has to be digital zoom and subject detection autofocus.

Do you have a favourite Fujinon lens? What do you enjoy about the lens?

Yes, the Fujinon XF23mmF2.8. My favourite features are that it is portable, it is reliable, and it can be used in multiple scenarios.

What’s a piece of advice you’ve received regarding photography that has always stuck with you?

You can be a good photographer but a bad businessman. To me this means you need to make sure that your investment generates more interest.

Is there a famous person that you think would be an interesting subject to capture?

It would be so interesting to capture Annie Leibovitz.

Find more of Thabang’s work here:

• Instagram: kill_switch_photography
• Facebook: Kill Switch photography