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Wedding shot by MatteBlack Productions

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Matric Dances and Rose Gardens

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Matric Dance Photoshoot

Photographed at Rand Airport Museum, Germiston. South Africa.

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#NotInMyName

Protest March - Pretoria

Church Square to The Union Buildings

Men and Women marched against gender-based violence in Pretoria on Saturday the 20th of May. The March began at Church Square and proceeded to the Union Buildings, hundreds of participants gathered in the spirit of unity proudly holding up posters and chanting songs of freedom. This was the second protest March I participated in and photographed. The March was led by a woman smothered in white who reigned as a symbol for strength and peace. 

Protesters gather at the Union Buildings

Photography by Matthew Mundell

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Lights, Camera, all rise in court!

Apartheid is rampant in South Africa, 1963. When ten men are arrested on a farm in Rivonia for conspiring to commit sabotage and violent acts against the repressive S. African government, tenacious lawyer Bram Fisher steps up to the challenge as lead counsel. He soon finds that political leader Nelson Mandela is also on trial. Mandela urges his fellow defendants to plead not guilty and shine light on the systemic corruption against the African people. As the outcome of the trial looks bleak, Mandela gives his famous "I'm Prepared to Die" speech, discussing how the ANC's resistance is justified. But will Mandela's impassioned speech save these men's lives?

- Written by

Teaser-Trailer.com

Bram Fischer a political movie that was filmed in South Africa and focuses on telling Bram Fischers story and also tells us about the infamous Rivonia Trial. The movie was filmed at The Palace of Justice in Pretoria, and I was selected to play a role as a featured extra in the film. I play the clerk of the court, who sits in front of the Judge and scribes notes about the trial. 

Nelson Mandela is also featured in this film, played by local actor

Sello Motloung and is the first South African to play Nelson Mandela as a character.

Sello Motloung In character and on set as Nelson Mandela.

The film was also filmed in the exact same courtroom that the Rivonia Trial took place at The Palace of Justice, Pretoria.

1960′s wardrobe outside the Palace of Justice.

Peter Paul Muller and I in character and on set.

Myself, Nelson Mandela and the Yaki Naude who plays the stenographer of the court room.

The making of this film was alot of hard work, long hours on set, and the best acting possible by everyone involved. International Director Jean van der Velde made sure that we all played our part and that the film was shot with dignity and aesthetic.

The Movie will be released in South Africa, July 2017.

whilst you wait you can watch the trailer here:

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Author at Between 10and5

In collaboration with Umuzi Photo Club and Between 10and5 I was given the oppurtunity to commence with professional training to become a photojournalist. I embarked on writing, editing and interviewing workshops and in the end managed to successfully conduct two interviews and publish these articles on 10and5.com.

My fellow students and I attending a workshop with Between10and5 at JoziHub, Johannesburg, South Africa.

I was given the task of conducting interviews with 2 creative industry professionals who would be speaking at the Levi’s Pioneer Nation Festival in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. These two Pioneers were Mike Sharman who is co-founder of Retroviral, an award winning digital communications agency and Lebogang Rasethaba a local Filmaker who is famous for the works of Future Sounds of Mzanzi.

Mike Sharman is co-founder of Retroviral, an award winning digital communications agency.

Lebogang Rasethaba is a South African Filmaker who directed Future Sounds of Mzansi

Meeting and collaborating with the team behind Between 10and5, provided me with an experience that definitely rates top of my favorites list. I now have a more knowledgeable insight as to what goes into putting an article together and have felt how rewarding the feeling is of seeing your own work published.The workshops with Between 10and5 and Sheenagh Levy really taught me about the publishing process. Getting the chance to interview and photograph Lebogang Rasethaba and Mike Sharman was such an honor. Everybody involved was a pleasure to work with. And I now understand the importance of collaboration. Not only did I learn from everyone I worked with, I had so much fun too!The Levi’s Pioneer Nation festival was a great event, that facilitated a powerful network of creative individuals, who came together to learn from one another. Going forward I find my visions and goals have changed and I have a whole new approach on how to get there.

Through this experience I have learned how to manage the process of Intervieweing, writing, and publishing effectively. Both Pioneers are incredible and I really worked hard to uphold their names in the industry. These two Pioneers will forever be an inspiration to me.

My Articles can be viewed here:

http://10and5.com/author/matthewmundell/

I would like to thank Umuzi Photo Club & Uno de Waal, founder of Between10and5 for providing me with an experience of a lifetime!

Uno De Waal Speaking at Levi’s Pioneer Nation 2014.

Mike Sharman Speaking at Levi’s Pioneer Nation 2014.

For further information:

http://umuzi.org/umuzi-p50-photojournalists-acing-pioneer-nation-interviews/

http://10and5.com/2014/09/12/p50-students-for-the-levis-pioneer-nation-festival/

http://umuzi.org/p50-photojournalists-share-their-on-the-job-experiences-at-between-10and5/

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La Modélisation - Newtown

Black & White series from my newtown shoot with La Modélisation

Models: Carla Beneke & Pierre Kok

Photography by Matthew Mundell

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Newtown

These two models and I in Newtown, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Models: Carla Beneke

               Pierre Kok

Photographer: Matthew Mundell

Location: Newtown, Johannesburg City

Carla Beneke is a Fashion Model & Photographer at  La Modélisation

Her beauty is unmatched and she is one of my favorite Models that I have worked with. Teaming up with her and Pierre we took to the streets of Newtown

Photography by Matthew Mundell

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Pineapple

To be honest, My friend Xolani and I were walking through the city one day and I thought that a pineapple that I saw being sold at a stall on the side of the road, would photograph really well with the jacket he was wearing

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The last supper by Gina Kraft

This is a performance that references the painting of The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci as a visual starting point, and represents the life-death-life cycle in women’s lives. It is composed of three parts, performed live. The first is a solo performance with dummy self-replicas. The second part is a choreographed piece with twelve other women. The third part is a solo, choreographed performance, including interactions with visual projections of twelve women. The theme of the twelve and the one is carried throughout all three parts of the series of performances.

As a series, this performance draws on the idea of development through different ritualistic practices. The first part, the “Tea Party” is a type of “rite of passage” ritual, a type of metamorphic process of transition, repeated obsessively, as I break out of a cocoon-like, tight “skin” twelve times to create disciple doll replicas of myself. The second part, “Where are All The Women?” is not only ritualistic in the process of creation, during workshops and rehearsals with twelve other women, but the piece itself is a type of subversive, recreated ritual, drawing on the scene of the last supper and its ensuing rituals. The third part, “Remembrance”, takes the form of a memorial ceremony ritual, but is more focused on the emotion of loss in that process than the ritual itself.

You can read more about the performance art piece here:

 http://www.ginakraft.co.za/Gina_Kraft/Gina_Kraft/Last_Supper.html

Photography by Matthew Mundell

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March #1 - Xenophobia Photographing my first protest march

On Friday the 24th of March 2015 I got to take part in my first protest march. It was a march against Xenophobic attacks in South Africa. The March took place in Johannesburg City, it began in Hillbrow and ended in Newtown.

 Equipped with my camera and an adrenaline rush (If you have ever tried to photograph a protest march you will know exactly what type of rush I am talking about) along with about a 5KM stretch of people took to the streets of Johannesburg.

Here are my favorite photographs that I captured on that day:

Photography by Matthew Mundell

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Kavady

Thai Poosam Kavady is a Tamil religious festival dedicated to Tamil god Lord Murugan that is celebrated by Tamil people in South Africa.

"Thai Poosam" falls every year on the full moon day in the Tamil month "Thai" (January/February). On this day the full moon is in transit through the brightest star "Pusam "in the zodiac sign cancer and the planet Guru is said to be the presiding deity. The festival occurs in the month of Thai (the 10th month on the Tamil calendar) and on the day when the full moon passes through the star "Pusam". This event is called "Thai Poosam". This festival is one of the biggest festivals on the South Indian calendar in South Africa.

I attended a Kavady Festival in Palm Ridge, Guateng, South Africa. A spiritual journey that intrigued my camera and healed my soul.

Here are my photographs from the festival:

What is Kavady?

It is a Tamil word meaning flattened pole with loads at the ends. The Kavady carried in a religious procession also has a pole with a semi circular arch. The arch is decorated with flowers and palm leaves. The loads attached to the ends of the pole are brass vessels filled with milk or other offerings. Peacock feathers and a vel are also attached.

A brass pot filled with milk can also be carried for Lord Muruga as an offering and it is called “Paal Kodum.

The Mayil (Peacock) - The peacock is behind the green curtain in the photograph above

The Peacock represents his Vahana (vehicle) symbolising his conquest over ego, vanity and pride. By Lord Muruga sitting on the Peacock it symbolises the control he has over our pride and ego. Valli and Dheivany consorts of Lord Muruga Valli is Icchashakti the power of will and Dheivany Kryashakti power of action.

Why yellow?

The ancient tribes in India started the Kavady festival by worshipping the rising sun. They believed that the sun could provide heat and light but symbolically it could also burn up sins and redeem devotees. They recognized the sun as Lord Muruga. The sun was seen as a yellow colour which is associated with Kavady. That is why devotees wear yellow for 

Kavady.Information from: http://www.lenzshree.co.za/kavadysignificance.htm

Photography by Matthew Mundell

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#Part2 Something Different

Photography by Matthew Mundell

Fashion Icons: Xolani Phakati & Solomzi  Magengenene

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"Your first 10 000 Photographs are your worst" - I beg to differ.

In the year 2014 my passion and career began to take shape when I was chosen to be a part of THE POWER OF 50 learnership programme - What happened next definitely did not cease to amaze me!

"This innovative 12-month programme, offered by the Umuzi Academy, combines essential artistic skills with on-the-job training and offers placement opportunities within the professional, creative industry for all graduates.

By supporting the next generation of creative professionals, Umuzi and its partners will strive to transform South Africa’s creative industries and the lives of these 50 young and enthusiastic creative people.

The Umuzi Team wishes the candidates all the best for this year." - Umuzi Photo Club

Umuzi Photo Club definitely made sure that I was well equipped with the professional creative knowledge I needed to play a leading role in the creative and photographic Industry. I studied my photography course at Vega School of Brand Leadership among many other workshops and master classes with Umuzi Photo Club. This gave my photographic hobby a whole new meaning and set me up for greatness in the process of pursuing my dream which is to be one of South Africas Most Impactful photographers.

Induction

Before Umuzi, I considered myself a photographer but I had not even known what it meant to ‘Expose’ or what ‘Aperture’ was. In our induction we were provided with a knowledge and skill set to be developed like no other!

50 Creative Individuals with a roaring passion came together and apart from what we were learning from Vega or Umuzi, we applied the each one teach one method and throughout our discussions and debates learned from each other. I also learned valueble lessons at respecting the opinion of others, being open to interperatation, and how to be inspired by the ideas and notions of my associates. 

Umuzi Induction week

Intern at TBWA Hunt Lascaris

P50 raising our dreams!

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My City. My Identity

Johannesburg, South Africa.

Discovering the artistic side to a city I grew up in was a life-changing experience for me. I had never understood my city in the right ways before until the day I met most beautiful and beloved, Braamfontein.