Phtography Journal

Photographer documents artist Josie Grindrod’s grown children in their natural habitat

Imogen and James Grindrod settled effortlessly into their mother’s glorious Victorian home in leafy Claremont, a house so obligingly photogenic it seemed fully aware of its own angles. Stylish backdrops appeared at every turn, while the light streamed in with the confidence of something that knew it was being admired.

The photographer, Dimitri Otis, was promptly welcomed with a hellishly good Americano while assembling his picture-taking machine, an essential ritual, and frankly non-negotiable. What followed was a civilised stretch of conversation punctuated by quips, giggles, and the quiet realisation that these were two thoroughly excellent humans.

The photographs now do the talking. They reveal distinct personalities, comfortably grown and entirely themselves, unmistakably chips off a very good block, namely the ever-creative Josie Grindrod.

Looking at the voice of South African Art

Photographer Dimitri Otis recently photographed Johannesburg based academic, writer, and cultural theorist Dr Ashraf Jamal. The session was calm and easygoing, though with the quiet kind of energy that makes you realise this is someone who notices details, the sort of person who spots a crooked frame or a sloppy metaphor in an instant.

Dr Jamal carries himself with measured composure, approachable yet alert, giving the impression of someone entirely at ease with both ideas and camera lights. A passing comment on artistic perspective landed neatly, sharp but not overbearing, the kind of remark that makes you think, rather than panic.

The resulting portraits are understated but intriguing: thoughtful, precise, and modestly compelling, showing a man who could wander into a gallery of abstract nonsense, make sense of it, and gently remind everyone else to pay attention, without making a fuss.

Where unique meets professional

Mary J arrived at the photographer’s studio like someone carrying a quiet storm in sensible shoes. The room was calm, the lights were bright, but somehow, the moment quickly turned into a fascinating tangle of ideas, laughter, and just enough chaos to keep a camera on its toes.

She talked about purpose, leadership, money, relationships, and all the awkward bits of being human , effortlessly, and with a delivery that made it sound like she could solve world hunger before breakfast. The photographer tried to keep up, which is a lot like trying to write a novel while riding a rollercoaster, juggling flaming torches, and answering questions from an inquisitive squirrel.

By the end of the session, it was clear: photographing Mary J wasn’t about a portrait. It was about capturing someone alive, unpredictable, and quietly brilliant, the kind of person who turns a studio into a stage and leaves you wondering if reality had secretly been rewritten.

A Dramatic Talent

Nicol is a passionate storyteller and educator who has been lucky enough to adapt his love of language, communication, and drama in different environments across two continents. In the entertainment realm he has a range of original and adapted long-form TV dramas and feature-length screenplays in the pipeline with highly established media companies in Australia and South Africa. He specialises in socially grounded crime stories and political thrillers that synthesise complex and nuanced characters and cinematic action rooted in in-depth research.

Stephanie redraws herself, no Planning permission required

Taking Stephanie’s portrait, the photographer expected an architect, precise, measured, possibly armed with a ruler. Instead, he found someone quietly redrawing her own blueprint.

Stephanie has spent years in architecture and urban design, navigating strategy, consultancy, teaching, and even film production, in other words, she’s no stranger to complexity. Now she’s focusing on photography and printmaking, which after managing cities must feel deliciously subversive. No committees. Just light, shadow, and her own rules.

An RSA Fellow and former trustee and awards judge for Creative Conscience, Stephanie carries gravitas effortlessly. In front of the camera she was composed, thoughtful, quietly assured. By the end of the shoot, it was clear: she isn’t abandoning structure. She’s simply applying it to art, with the calm precision of someone who knows exactly where the foundations lie.

Your idea, his chaos, one perfectly hung artwork

Some photographers snap pictures. This one treats your walls like a blank canvas for a small revolution. He creates bespoke artworks for interior designers and decorators, from a half-formed idea to a fully realised piece that dominates a room, provokes conversation, and occasionally intimidates the furniture. Concept? Handled. Shooting? Handled. Printing, framing, hanging? All handled. Basically, give him a wall and he’ll turn it into a showstopper.

He combines photography, graphic design, and generative imaging to conjure works so ambitious they could be bigger than your sofa — or your entire living room. And yet, somehow, they feel perfectly at home. This isn’t decoration. It’s full-scale artistic hijacking, a controlled chaos that leaves everyone quietly wondering if they’re allowed to touch anything. The ceiling is optional, the sky is irrelevant, and your imagination is his playground. Interiors will never look the same again.

Strangers Rreveal their lives; photographer panics quietly

When the photographer arrived at the Life Righting Collective workshop, he expected polite typing and hesitant nods. Instead, he found people spilling their lives across the room as if it were a mildly competitive sport — funny, tragic, absurd, sometimes all three at once. Pens scratched, voices wavered, laughter ricocheted, and he tried to look important while wondering if honesty could really be captured in a single frame.

The Collective has a knack for creating a safe space where strangers reveal themselves without descending into chaos. There’s structure in the mess, rhythm in the confessions, and a peculiar magic in the way stories bounce off one another. Photographing it is thrilling and terrifying in equal measure, because human truth stubbornly refuses to fit neatly into a viewfinder.

By the end of the session, it was obvious: the Life Righting Collective doesn’t just tell stories. They right them. And the photographer, camera in hand, could only hope that some of their chaos, humanity, and brilliance survived in the shot.

Twenty years later, reality still looks this good

He went to London with a camera, curiosity, and a mild disregard for social conventions. He met strangers, struck up conversations, and took their portraits, sometimes awkward, sometimes brilliant, and occasionally both at once. Some of these images found their way into Getty Images’ Phot Library, while others simply refused to age, still feeling contemporary twenty years later. He captured ordinary life and made it extraordinary, like a magician who knows exactly when to pull the rabbit out of a hat, only the hat is reality, and the rabbit is humanity. Two decades on, the photos still hum with energy, and the photographer? Still out there somewhere, proving that real life is far more interesting than anyone expected.

Bar Mitzvah reception confirms maturity pairs well with canapés

Milo Katz, newly thirteen and already composed, marked his coming of age under the watchful pride of Anton Katz and Anika Larsen. Conversation sparkled, the catering triumphed, and adulthood arrived politely, without fuss. May Milo’s life be meaningful, joyful, and only occasionally this scrutinised. Here’s the resident photographers reference: ”Dimitri Mingled and did his photographic magic with his usual excellence” Annika Larsnen, Broadcast Journalist @etv and eNCA, Panel Moderator and MC

Capturing the budding wizards behind brands, tales, and digital mischief

The photographer arrived at Black Wolf Youth Agency expecting a day of straightforward portraits. what he found instead was an education in enthusiasm. From the moment he set foot in the training division, he was met with energy, attentiveness, and a willingness to help that made his job almost too easy.

As he adjusted lights, checked angles, and coaxed smiles from the camera, it became abundantly clear why these young people had been selected for the program. Every glance, every quick response, every thoughtful gesture hinted at ambition, focus, and a quietly impressive confidence, exactly the qualities Black Wolf nurtures in their trainees.

Capturing them in action, the photographer saw a team bridging skills gaps with infectious optimism, taking on challenges, and preparing to lead positive change across the continent. By the end of the session, it wasn’t just the portraits that impressed, it was the remarkable potential radiating from each of them.

Dr Jamal is a Johannesburg-based academic, writer and cultural theorist.

Enchanting, Poetic, Masterful

Having a career in poetry is, frankly, a bit like deciding to become a professional stunt driver in a town full of accountants: unusual, slightly alarming, and guaranteed to make people raise an eyebrow. Yet Christi Steyn has managed it, and not just locally, she’s known the world over as a wordsmith, delivering her prose online to an audience that actually listens, which in this day and age is practically miraculous.

Skin Creamery recently hired photographer Dimitri Otis to capture both photos and a video performance of Steyn for their social media platforms. Christi inhabits each line of her poetry like someone walking through a forest she knows intimately, while Dimitri’s camera glides alongside like a silent companion, capturing every gesture, every subtle inflection, as if it too were listening to the trees. Christi Steyn proves that poetry isn’t just something you read, it’s something you inhabit, something that can fill a frame, a screen, and, for a few brief moments, even a slightly bemused photographer with awe.

Perfectionism has it’s place in the world

Firstly, Schoneberg is on a ridiculously high pedestal when it comes to ballet dancers and their families. You can’t go anywhere near him without someone fawning or gushing like he’s just descended from Mount Olympus. Which is extraordinary, because ballet is essentially a sport designed to make you cry in front of mirrors while teachers shout at you like drill sergeants. Hardly the sort of thing that inspires adoration.

So when Martin arrived at his portrait shoot with ten immaculate, extravagantly ornate outfits, it made perfect sense. Each picture was choreographed with the elegance of a cat stealing cream, effortless, perfectly timed, and leaving everyone else wondering what just happened. The photographer, Dimitri Otis, could practically feel greatness radiating off him, and yet, amid all the pomp and ceremony, there was charm, plenty of humour, and just enough seriousness to remind you that yes, this is ballet, not a clown show.

A decade-old picture and a story still untold

Old photographs of strangers are faintly unnerving. Not because of the faded colours or ambitious hairstyles, but because these people once stood in front of a camera, smiled, and carried on with their lives, and we have no idea how that worked out.

There’s the boy with a football, photographed decades ago, holding it like it mattered, which, to him at least, it obviously did. He looks confident, hopeful, maybe certain that one day he’ll be a champion. At the time, it was just an ordinary afternoon, yet now it reads like a story paused mid-chapter, a mystery of ambition frozen in time.

Did he become a star player? Did he even keep kicking the ball? The photograph doesn’t say. It simply captures possibility, optimism, and leaves the rest up to imagination, which, arguably, is far more entertaining.

Graphic designer discovers paint; room adjusts accordingly

Visiting John Pace in his airy home, camera in hand, was one of those rare shoots where everything just… clicks. He still produces clever, precise designs for clients, but it’s his paintings that steal the show, energetic figures and subtle, thoughtful colours that somehow manage to be both lively and composed. Being there with canvases around him, it was obvious why his work draws attention. The man and his work seemed to understand each other perfectly, and it was impossible not to feel that these were pieces of something genuinely special.

By the end, it was impossible not to see that John Pace’s character mirrors his art: measured yet unpredictable, calm yet full of energy, quietly monumental. He inhabits his work in the way his paintings inhabit the space around them — with a gravity that makes everything else in the room feel, politely, less important.

Katlego Maboe hosted High Tea and Harley Davidson crashed the party

Dimitri Otis arrived at the Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town for “High Tea,” a fundraising art auction that promised art, music, and apparently, scones that could double as small artillery. The event was hosted by singer-songwriter Katlego Maboe, who somehow managed to juggle charm, elegance, and the occasional cheeky grin without spilling his tea.

Katlego performed “Angels”, accompanied by violinist Yinka Vitula, whose bow seemed to have a personality of its own. Dimitri moved around the room, camera in hand, attempting to capture magic, laughter, and the subtle chaos of a room full of people trying to look sophisticated while bidding on priceless art. It was sponsored by Harley Davidson, which added a curious layer of irony — high tea and roaring motorbikes are not a pairing you’d expect, yet somehow it worked.

By the end of the afternoon, Dimitri had photographed elegance, excitement, and just enough awkward bidding war moments to make anyone question their life choices. The art found new homes, the music lingered in the air, and the scones… well, they disappeared faster than you could say “Harley Davidson.” For a photographer, it was a rare delight: capturing human ambition, beauty, and chaos all at once, with just a hint of sugar-induced hysteria.

Espresso, smiles and sign language photographed at “I love coffee”

Stepping into I Love Coffee in Cape Town, one is immediately struck by joy — the sort of quietly triumphant joy usually reserved for a perfectly foamed cappuccino. The staff flit about with enviable spring in their step, baking, roasting, serving, and generally ensuring the place runs like a delightfully caffeinated Swiss watch.

The café hums with energy that is entirely inaudible, as the team communicates largely without sound. Visitors, naturally curious, soon find themselves attempting the occasional hand sign, which, when executed correctly, may even result in a beautifully poured cappuccino or a polite smile.

The photographer, Dimitri Otis, joined this silent ballet, capturing fleeting gestures, candid smiles, and the subtle poetry of cappuccinos in motion. The resulting images convey charm, energy, and just the right amount of mischief, cappuccinos, camaraderie, and quiet magic, very much in their natural habitat.

Jane de Wett, entirely unrehearsed

The moment Jane de Wett entered the Photo studio, it was immediately clear that commanding attention comes naturally to Jane. Her presence was immediately undeniable, sharp, composed, and impossible to overlook.

Jane de Wett, accomplished actress and dancer, has impressed audiences in productions like The Girl from St. Agnes, Griekwastad, Spoorloos, Moffie, and Trackers, and has been recognised with Most Promising Actress and Best Actress at the ATKV Tienertoneelfees. She radiates confidence and intellect in equal measure, making commanding a room look as effortless as stirring a cup of tea. Her portraits capture it perfectly: poise, professionalism, and a spark of personality, enough to show why she has been entrusted with such notable roles.

Taking ballet underground

The professor with a turntable

Professor Kolade Arogundade is the sort of man whose enthusiasm arrives before he does. In Cape Town’s perpetually lively Observatory, his venue The Drawing Room became a place where African music wasn’t just played, it was curated with intent, warmth, and a very good ear. The Afro-funk vinyl he spun there had presence, helped along by Kolade’s friendly, welcoming manner, which made the café feel less like a venue and more like an invitation.

So when Kolade arrived at Dimitri Otis’s studio with his wonderful wife, Emma, the atmosphere lifted instantly. Nothing dramatic, just that unmistakable sense that things were about to go well. The portraits followed suit, flowing easily, comfortably, and with a rhythm that suggested the room itself had found its groove.

He is known in Observatory for spinning Afro-funk vinyl while also holding a PhD in Land Economics, which is one of those combinations that shouldn’t work on paper but somehow makes complete sense in real life. And, like the man himself, it adds up to something unexpectedly excellent.

A colourful character

New York based actor and singer, Mia Sydney Bregman’s method for revealing a story's core is through acting, which allows her to capture genuine, enduring moments. She’s drawn to projects that challenge her and creates performances that resonate long after the credits roll. https://www.mia-sydney.com

Portrait appears ordinary; subject very much isn’t

Photographing Jesse Brooks is one of those jobs where you realise fairly quickly that the usual rules no longer apply. Jesse is a magician, designer, and theatre maker from Cape Town, which is already an alarming combination. Add a background in psychology, scenography, immersive theatre, and the fact that he once ran away with the circus, and you begin to suspect you’re not so much taking a portrait as negotiating with reality.

As the shoot went on, it became obvious that Jesse doesn’t merely create things — he engineers moments. This is a man who understands exactly how people think, what they expect, and how to quietly pull the rug out from under them while smiling politely. Under the banner Know Wonder, he blends magic, theatre, and design into experiences that feel surreal, deliberate, and faintly suspicious, in the best possible way.

From behind the camera, it felt less like photographing a subject and more like documenting someone who knows where wonder is hidden — and has very strong opinions about how it should be put back into the world. You leave the shoot with a perfectly good portrait, and the uneasy feeling that something clever has just happened.

From idea to wall in one slightly terrifying afternoon

Most photographers take a picture, hand it over, and vanish like polite ghosts. Not this one. He combines photography, graphic design, and generative imaging to create bespoke artworks that can be printed up to two metres wide — bigger than your sofa, bolder than your neighbours’ opinions, and impossible to ignore. He takes your vague idea, turns it into a finished piece, and somehow makes it feel like it always belonged in your space.

And he doesn’t stop there. Concept? Check. Shooting? Check. Editing? Check. Printing? Check. Framing? Check. Hanging? Check. From imagination to wall, he handles it all, leaving clients with interiors that scream “expertly curated” while quietly wondering if they did anything at all.

These artworks don’t just occupy space. They dominate it, provoke it, and occasionally whisper, “You’re welcome.” And while you’re pretending to enjoy your new “interior,” the photographer smirks quietly, knowing he orchestrated the entire spectacle — and yes, the AI did most of the grunt work.