What happens if you trade the calculated chaos of a film set for the intimate, profound world of award-winning documentary photography? In this warm, honest, and truly inspiring conversation, South African visual storyteller Lee-Ann Olwage walks us through her remarkable journey from training in film directing to becoming a multiple World Press Photo and Sony World Photograhy Awards winner.
Lee-Ann talks with us how she seeks to co-create images that celebrate her subjects, rather than simply document their struggle. We dive into her projects, starting with "#BlackDragMagic", where she partnered with drag artists like Belinda Qaqamba Ka-Fassie to champion the black queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans community and confront the daily reality of violence in South African townships. We then move to her powerful, award-winning series, "The Right to Play," which celebrates young Kenyan girls who avoided FGM and child marriage by proudly visualizing their dreams of becoming lawyers or pilots. Finally, we discuss her newest beautiful project documenting the rich cultural heritage and dedication of the "State Ballet of Georgia".
Lee-Ann shares her hard-won wisdom, revealing why she took a six-month sabbatical after winning her first World Press Photo award to find her own voice again, and why it’s vital for young photographers to find a sustainable career path (side hustle included!). It’s a profound look at ethics, authenticity, and the transformative power of the image.
📸 See more of Lee-Ann’s work:
https://www.leeannolwage.com/
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