Photographer Focus : Juané Venter
As the third photographer to be featured in our Photographer Focus , we asked Juané to give us some background on herself and her photography .
Personal background I studied architecture at the University of the Free State and completed my master ’ s in 2015 . Shortly after graduating I took some time to travel and then returned back to South Africa and moved to Cape Town . Since 2016 I ’ ve been based in Cape Town where I worked as an architect and interior designer at various firms . I started freelancing full-time in 2019 and was able to provide various services from architecture to interiors and photography .
How did you get into photography ? In my first year at architecture school , I started getting into photography and really enjoyed it . I like how creative and quick you can get a stunning image , directing and putting together creative shots came naturally to me . I started building up my brand at University and did photography on the side while pursuing my architecture studies . I managed to build up a nice portfolio while studying and also built up a following and enough clients ! I learned a lot during this time about running your own business , time management , retouching , and working with clients .
When it comes to architecture photography , how do you work and what do you feel makes for a great image ? The best photos are the ones where you cannot tell that it was edited . As an architect , I understand buildings well and I know which angles are important to capture so I work fairly quickly while on site . Light is the most important element and how it falls into spaces , having one light source , and keeping all the lines straight are some of the secrets to creating a great image . In order for viewers to understand the image , it is important to show context and scale . People play a large role in photos , to show scale and movement . Framing spaces , as well as composition , come naturally to me and I know when an image feels right !
Favourite building to have shot and why ? The last building I shot before heading to the USA ( where I currently am to travel for an extended time ) was The Bank , in Rosebank , Johannesburg . I loved working with the whole team . The building was previously an old bank that was turned into a mixed-use development , they even had custom black bricks made especially for this renovation . I took one of my best shots while standing on the roof of a building on the opposite side of the street which was a bit risky , but I needed to get the shot ! Johannesburg is one of my favourite cities so I enjoyed the vibe , the people that I got to work with and the very cool building interiors . The building has since won a few awards and my photos have been used across the world and online to showcase this beautiful project .
juanev . studio @ gmail . com www . juaneventer . com
8 Juané Venter