Photographing Babes Wodumo & Mamphintsa | Johannesburg Photographer

Last August, I had the privilege to photograph the South African Queen of Gqom music, Babes Wodumo and her band partner and husband, Mamphintsa with their newborn, Sponge. The images are for the promotion of season 2 of their reality show, Uthando Lodumo on Showmax.

The concept of the shoot was to photograph Babes and Mampintsha with their child in a recording studio environment in multiple scenarios to convey an atmosphere of the couple hard at work with "family business". In the end, the couple decided not to feature their son in the shoot, so a pram and a doll were used as props instead.

As a professional photographer, I always strive to arrive early for my shoots. So when Babes Wodumo and Mamphintsa showed up five hours late for our scheduled 10am call time, I have to admit, I was a bit worried but the shoot went off without a hitch, and the photos turned out fantastic. The first thing I did when the couple arrived on set was to introduce myself and my team. I wanted to make sure they felt comfortable with us and knew that we were there to make them look their best. After a brief chat, we got straight to work.

The brief for the shoot called for us to shoot at a recording studio, so I spent a couple of days prior to the shoot scouting for a suitable location. After visiting several studios, we finally found the perfect spot that would provide the right ambiance for the shoot.

Once we arrived on set, we quickly got to work setting up our equipment and the lighting. The studio was a bit cramped, but we managed to make it work. We experimented with different camera angles and lighting setups until we found the perfect combination that would showcase the couple's personalities and chemistry.

Despite the challenges we faced, the shoot went smoothly and we were able to capture some truly amazing shots. Babes and Mamphintsa were incredibly patient and professional throughout the entire shoot, and their energy and enthusiasm were contagious.

We started off with some individual shots of Babes, showcasing her fierce and confident personality. She was a natural in front of the camera, striking pose after pose with ease. Mamphintsa was just as impressive, and we got some great solo shots of him as well. Once we had some solid individual shots, we moved on to the couple's shots. Babes and Mamphintsa's chemistry was undeniable, and it showed in every photo we took. They were both so comfortable with each other, and it made the entire shoot flow seamlessly.

We continued to shoot throughout the day, capturing a wide range of shots that would be used for the OOH campaign for season 2 of their reality show on Showmax. By the time we wrapped up the shoot, it was already 10pm. We had been shooting for over twelve hours, but the energy and enthusiasm of Babes and Mamphintsa never waned. It was an honour to work with such talented artists who were so dedicated to their craft.

In the end, the shoot was a huge success. Despite the challenges we faced, we were able to create some truly amazing photos that captured the essence of Babes Wodumo and Mamphintsa's relationship. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such talented artists, and I look forward to seeing the OOH campaign come to life.

Due credits:

Client: @multichoice_group

Production: @olamuk_comms

Photographer: @georgeq

Lights: @gillygilmohr

Assistant: @mancha.selebale

DigiTech: @richardcookza

Set Design & Wardrobe: @stage_fabrics

Producer: @nkwili

Assistant Producer: @folio_creative