Major Lazor – Blow that smoke feat. Tove Lo
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I was born in Cape Town, South-Africa. I am currently living in Berlin, Germany.
What is the greatest masterpiece of film in your opinion?
As a film photographer, the greatest influence on my career has been of South-African photographer Roger Ballen. His work made me want to create images that make people feel something. He has an entire subgenre of photography named after him, which is referred to as “Ballenesque”. As a director and cinematographer, my favorite film of all time is ‘The Shining’ – Stanley Kubrick is my favorite director of all time and his films are the reason I wanted to pick up a camera. I remember watching The Shining’ when I was very young, and what a huge effect it had on me mentally back then, of course I found it terrifying as a child, but the cinematography and lighting had a major subconscious effect on me, that to this day I can remember vividly why I started shooting videos and photos.
A highlight in your career?
Getting to work with Diplo and Major Lazer on my first music video that reached +1 million views. I was always working with low-budget artists and projects and started to feel like I would never make something that could even reach a wider audience. It was a nice milestone that also made me realize that views are not the most important thing, but a stepping stone for one to continue furthering their career from.
I’ve been lucky enough to had completed artist residencies and held exhibitions of my photo works in cities such as : Shanghai, Hong Kong, London, Russia & South-Korea. Meeting amazing people and working in these countries shaped me into the creative person I am today.
What else is your passion?
Besides holding a camera my passions these days include making photo books, designing mixed media projects, through analog techniques such as glitching and painting films. I also have a huge passion for thrifting and vintage clothing. In my spare time I hustle to find specific vintage shirts and pieces which I shoot and sell. I love travelling and searching through massive clothing piles, always hoping to find some holy grail. Mostly I just love to travel, experience new cultures, eat great vegetarian food, go for runs, do yoga and try lead a relaxed life.
A fun fact about you / Any guilty pleasure?
I used to be in a well known punk band in South-Africa. After realizing that film was my dream I put the instruments down and traded it in for a camera. Nowadays I am trying to live my rock-star dream vicariously by touring with bands and creating their content. I am an aspiring dj, designer and clothing designer who doesn’t know what he’s doing 🙂