Itumeleng Kagiso: South African street and portrait photographer exploring connection, community and culture

Connection, Community, Culture

The 3Cs that make up Itumeleng, a creative who strives to display what the mundane eye may perceive as the monotonous turn of wheels in everyday life. It is often said that the beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the beauty he finds in the simplicity of things paints an even bigger picture than one can imagine.

The vibrant branches of life that root in the streets of townships are brought to life through his unique and evocative street photography. He aims to look beyond the surface; one of his motives is to capture the present life for future generations because the world experiences changes every day. His photography is deeply rooted in the aforementioned C’s. One can not coexist without the other.

How would you describe yourself in a few sentences?

I am a lifelong learner who is passionate about art. I strive to become the best version of myself every day by investing my time in things I love doing. My first name, Itumeleng, means joy or happiness, and that is what keeps me going. It’s complemented by my second name, Kagiso, which means peace — something I aim to spread wherever I go, along with happiness.

How did you get started in photography?

I’ve always had an eye for anything that sparked my interest, but I didn’t know how to express or preserve the things I encountered in my everyday life. Everything ended up overloading in my mind. Painting was the first thing that helped me offload what I had stored in my memory.

By taking walks around my neighbourhood, I began to understand the importance of documentation. Photography was the medium that made me fully overcome my issue of "expressing and preserving". 

I started by using my mother's cell phone to take photos till I bought my first camera from my savings during my last year of high school. The art of life is what made me start photography.

What type of photography do you specialise in, and why this speciality?

I mainly focus on street photography because I’m drawn to the constant movement of life. I feel privileged to have the power to pause "the movement of life" through photography. I view the areas I document as my canvas; by doing that, I mix street photography with portraiture photography by collaborating with other creatives.

What are the main themes or ideas that inspire your photography?

The main factors that drive my photography are the art of documentation, preservation and archiving. I capture for the future because I practice delayed gratification. It will all make sense in the future.

What accomplishment or moment in your photography career are you most proud of?

I appreciate the fact that I got to unite different people through photography, which became an unplanned achievement. Helping other creators with their projects using my photography is something that I always cherish for myself. Waking up every day and doing what I love matters most to me.

What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a photographer?

I am approaching my fifth year practising photography, and it is weird to say that I have never encountered any challenge. I am looking forward to one at this point.

If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be and why?

Lebohang, the first time I saw her Instagram page, I saw potential based on how she presents herself. We could create something beautiful together.

What do you think of the 54Ruum platform?

54Ruum is a great platform for African photographers; it really helps us to receive the flowers that we deserve as creatives because we put our all into this. The way it also represents us makes our work more presentable. Shout out to 54Ruum.

How's the photography and art space in your country?

As an individual born in the 2000s, I gave myself a chance to go through art from the past years to now(1950s to 2000s). Different time frames have different intentions and purposes. With the change in time, technology, infrastructure, and economy, the atmosphere has a lot of influence on art.

Photography from 2026 will not be the same as photography from 1956, but it can be compared. Everyone has a story to tell here in South Africa. I'd say photography here became a more common practice as time went on.

What advice would you give to someone starting in photography?

It's not about the camera you're using but the person using the camera, meaning you don't need high-end gear to start; work with what you have in order to get where you want.