Woman of style and sophistication

EUNICE MASIE
Correspondent | Thursday June 14, 2012 00:00

 

Born and bred in Gaborone, Loewen has been in the photography industry for just under five years, but the unique nature of her work tells a completely different story. Her photographs possess a spectacular attribute that grabs the attention of the viewer and leaves them eager to see more. Loewen says her journey to photography began in her fourth year at University of Botswana where she was pursuing a degree in Media Studies. 'I had to do a project for my final portfolio, and I chose a bridal magazine. At the end of the shoot, my husband said 'you actually enjoyed doing that, so why not continue with it?'  I thought to myself,'  photos in Botswana? 'No way, it won't work,' Loewen says. 'I started doing a lot of research online and in other places. My husband and I went on a trip and whilst there, I bought a camera.  When we returned, I got my first client. That's how it all began,' she recalls.

Fify describes herself as a spontaneous person, and it's easy to tell by the way she talks about her work that she is in love with every aspect of it. 'I believe in going with the flow. I love connecting with people and you'd be surprised if I tell you that I only meet my clients on the day of the shoot,' Loewen explained.  She says she interacts a lot with her clients by phone, and does a lot of research about the client to get a clear understanding of the client to make the whole process easier.

The types of photos Loewen takes are limited to portraits and weddings because of her love of interacting with people.  She says, the one thing that keeps her motivated is the facial expressions people often portray when they see the final product. 'I love to tell people's stories. I just love that look in peoples' faces when they see the final product and when they congratulate me for the wonderful photos.'

When quizzed about the market, Loewen was happy to inform Showbiz that her clientele has increased over the years.  She added that the majority of her customers are Batswana who continue to support her.  'People often say that Batswana don't support each other, but I'm happy that Batswana are behind me. Almost 95 percent of my clients are Batswana. And pricing is almost never an issue for my clients. They have seen my work and I think they do know that it's really worth it,' she said.

Loewen further added that she is involved in the whole process of producing the final photos from capturing to the arrangement in the photo album. She edits her pictures to perfection and uses Photoshop to enhance their quality.  She said people have misconceptions about Photoshop and she emphasises that good pictures are taken with good cameras and cannot be made to look good only through Photoshop.Loewen says in the future, she is considering having a studio with natural lighting because natural sources of light bring about better pictures. She encourages Batswana to choose their photographers carefully and insist on seeing their portfolios before engaging them. She also encouraged aspiring photographers to read and research about the field to learn about photography in depth; she also said they should practice as often as practice can only aid them in delivering excellent pieces.