Austin Malema is a celebrity photographer, born in a small village in Venda called Tshiozwi just outside Louis Trichardt, Limpopo, he relocated to Johannesburg (Randburg) to stay with his mother when he was 12. Austin holds a BA Honours Degree in Motion Picture Medium from AFDA. In the same year that he completed his degree, he worked at AFDA as a junior lecturer in the editing department for a year.
Austin has succeeded in becoming recognised as a professional in the industry. His ability to channel his zeal for photography is motivating. He has reached a stage where he is influencing upcoming photographers.
He is a talented commercial and editorial photographer. His viral Twitter caption propelled him to fame in 2016. This comes after Pearl Thusi posted pictures of herself taken by Austin without crediting him that’s how the #creditthephotographer trend came about. Before that, little was known about Austin Malema’s work.
Apart from photographing he is also an experienced editor, he has worked on a number of noteworthy productions and shows, including Selimathunzi, The Real Jozi A-Listers, Skeem Saam, and he eventually landed on The Queen. A few months after The Queen, he decided to quit and chose to fully focus on photography, that’s when the real game began.
Being one of the most in-demand photographers, Austin has come from far. He has had the chance to capture images of prominent local and international figures, David Beckham, Connie Ferguson, Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Dineo Moeketsi, to name a few.
He was recognised extraordinarily in 2019 when he made the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 list. He is an ambassador for Nikon South Africa and an influential photographer who has the potential to motivate South Africa’s aspiring photographers.
Main Image: Instagram
