Where entrepreneurship meets creativity
Where the stories of local entrepreneurs are told through the lenses of South African photographers
South Africa is rich with diverse stories of entrepreneurship. In every corner and on every street, you’ll find passionate individuals turning their dreams and talents into realities, navigating the challenges of self-reliance, and crafting products and services that reflect them as individuals and their communities. Their stories are incredibly unique, creatively expressing their talents and passions.
Entrepreneurship takes many different shapes and forms because it thrives on the ability to transcend limitations—whether those are geographic, cultural, economic, or technological. The vast magnitude of these entrepreneurs made us wonder, how often do these stories get told? More importantly, how often are they told through the lens of local creativity?
That’s the heart of this initiative: Local Stories Through Your Lens.
Find a Camera, Find an Entrepreneur, and Capture Their Story
In collaboration with Orms South Africa and Canon, we are super excited to launch a campaign that brings together two vital aspects of South Africa’s cultural fabric—entrepreneurship and creativity. The idea is simple but powerful: local photographers will seek out local entrepreneurs, documenting their stories through the art of photography.
Behind every small business, there’s a unique journey and story worth telling. Whether it’s a local bakery, a handcrafted clothing line, a painter or a DJ, the hustle, heart, and resilience of these entrepreneurs is a story that the world should hear. And who better to do it than South Africa’s talented photographers?
Celebrating the Synergy of Business and Creativity
This initiative is so much more than just a photography competition. It’s an exploration of the synergy between business and creativity. Both entrepreneurs and photographers are creators of magic in their own right. Entrepreneurs craft businesses from the ground up, while photographers create visual narratives that capture the essence of their subjects. The paradox? Photographers are entrepreneurs too.
By encouraging photographers to tell the stories of local entrepreneurs, we’re celebrating not just the outcome of their collaboration, but the process—the conversations, the moments shared, and the mutual respect for each other’s craft.
How You Can Get Involved
Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a photographer, we want you to be part of this. Here’s how you can participate:
- Find an Entrepreneur: Seek out a local business whose story you want to tell. Whether it’s a startup or an established small business, every entrepreneurial story is one we want to learn about.
- Capture Their Story: Use your camera, smartphone or film to document their journey. Show their passion, their workspace, and the products or services they’re proud of. 3-5 photos should tell this story.
- Post and Tag: Share your photos on your social media. This post should include a short write up on the business as well as how and WHY you decided to share their story. Tag the business, Orms, and stub, and use the hashtag #sharinglocalstories. stub will DM you to confirm your entry.
- Top 3: The 3 posts with the most likes will be the top 3, who will present and showcase their work on the 28th of November at the Orms Creative Space, 56 Roeland street in Cape Town. We will also include 2 wild card entries who will be chosen by the stub and Orms CEO’s.
What’s up for grabs
The exciting part (drumroll, please). We are super excited to share that both the photographer and entrepreneur will walk away with incredible prizes.
- 1st place photographer: A Canon R10 worth R25,000.00
- 1st place entrepreneur: A cash prize for your business of R5000
- 2nd place photographer: An Orms print voucher to the value of R3000
- 2nd place entrepreneur: A cash prize of R3000
- 3rd place photographer: An Orms rental gear voucher to the value of R1000
- 3rd place entrepreneur: A cash prize of R1000
Key Dates to Remember:
- 21st October – 18th November: Photography submission window.
- 20th November: Top 3 and wildcards announced
- 28th November: Showcase event at Orms, where the top three photographers and two wildcards and entrepreneurs will showcase their work and stories. The photos will be printed and displayed, and both the photographer and business can share a bit more about their creative process and the business they have built. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will be chosen and announced by our incredible judges. Drinks and snacks will be served.
Join Us in Sharing Local Stories
Local Stories Through Your Lens is about more than just celebrating entrepreneurship—it’s about creating connections. By bringing together business owners and photographers, the incredible potential that arises when creativity and business collaborate, is unlocked.
Join us in telling the stories that deserve to be heard. Find a camera, find an entrepreneur, and capture their story.
