TAKE TEN: Gizela Conradie
To help celebrate ten years of the Fujifilm X Mount system, we’re featuring local photographers making a name for themselves using Fujifilm gear. Gizela Conradie is creating beautiful portraits and she tells us more about the power of photography.
Why do you love photography?
I mostly do portraiture work, and for me, it’s all about capturing the essence of the people I photograph. I think photography has the power to bring out a side of the subject/model that they have not noticed before. For example, a person who is known to be shy gets to display a new confident side of themself. I love to empower the people I take pictures of!
What made you switch to Fujifilm and when did this happen?
When I was starting, I got the chance to do some freelance work for the company Bokeh from the Bokeh Fashion Film Festival. They capture their events on X mount systems and I got the chance to shoot with a Fujifilm X-T2. I instantaneously fell in love with the system and was set on upgrading to Fujifilm as soon as I could. Coincidently, I also met Hein Hough from Fujifilm Cape Town at these events and he helped me to make a smooth transition to Fujifilm!
Which Fujifilm camera do you use?
I shoot on a Fujifilm X-T4 and my favourite lens is the 35mm f1.4.
What do you love most about the camera?
I have always loved the vintage look and feel of the X Mount systems. The X-T4 is a compact powerhouse and is incredibly user friendly! There is no time wasting at shoots because the nifty dials on the camera make quick changes easy.
Tell us a bit more about your photography and what you would like to achieve through this.
My photography used to mainly focus on headshots, evolving to be more styled and conceptual over time. I still do headshots but love to collaborate with other artists to create artistic portraits. I aim to ultimately work as a conceptual/editorial photographer.
Find more of Gizela’s work on Instagram:
