Canon South Africa has launched Lens on Me, a creator-led campaign honouring the new wave of South African visual storytellers who are shaping culture through the way they see, feel and interpret the world. The initiative brings together 15 creators, each tasked with producing original stills and video content using Canon’s creator-focused camera range, including the PowerShot V10, EOS R50 and EOS R8.
Lens On Me is built on a simple belief: creativity is not exclusive; it’s human. Anyone can tell a story that matters. Anyone can create something meaningful. And with the right tools, support and visibility, every creator can express their perspective with clarity and confidence.
“Creators today aren’t just capturing images; they’re expressing identity, emotion, culture and memory,” says Rachelle Frame, Marketing Manager at Canon. “Lens On Me exists to acknowledge that depth, to celebrate creative voice, and to ensure creators know their stories are valued and seen.”
A journey of voice, vision and visibility
Lens On Me brings together creators whose styles span fashion, portraiture, culture, documentary, lifestyle and experimental artmaking. The brief is rooted in personal storytelling: show who you are and how you see the world.
The creators are Karabo Moletsane, Onthatile Phiriepa, Ray Neo Buso, Motsoaledi Setumo, Danel Mermaid Danii, Njabulo Dladla, Khayalethu Bhengu, Esihle Siwela, Thandolwethu Bengu, Themba Mbuyiso, Sarah-Justine (SJ) Ward, Lethabo Machele, Rofhiwa Kutama, Martine Viljoen and Ruqaya Soliman. Each creator approaches storytelling from a place of individuality, drawing on lived experience, environment, mood, memory and cultural identity to shape their visual language.
Their final work will be evaluated by a panel of industry-respected creative voices. Judges are Canton Parker, Nina Zimolong, Bheki Ndamase, Bongani Moropa, Roger Machin and Mancoba Msibi. Together, the panel will identify seven creators whose work demonstrates originality, intention, emotional resonance and a distinct creative voice.
The top seven’s work will be revealed and be exhibited at Father Coffee in Kramerville on 21 – 23 November 2025, offering the public a moment to slow down and experience the power of visual storytelling in a shared space.
Tools that support creative freedom
Each camera featured in the campaign enables a different way of expressing vision. These tools reflect Canon’s commitment to democratising high-quality visual creation without demanding complexity or gatekeeping craftsmanship.
The PowerShot V10 supports creators who move through the world capturing life in motion – ideal for spontaneous, fluid and immediate shots. The EOS R50 offers a gateway into mirrorless creativity, intuitive enough for beginners yet expressive enough for evolving artistic voices, while the EOS R8 delivers the emotional richness of full-frame storytelling, capturing depth, atmosphere and mood with cinematic clarity.
“What sets the competition apart is that it celebrates the mistakes, the experiments, the attempts, the evolving style and the entire journey before the ‘final’ product,” adds Frames. “Canon’s role is not simply to equip creators with the gear but to walk with them, to encourage growth, confidence and the ongoing pursuit of creative expression.”
All creator submissions will be showcased on the Lens on Me website. To learn more about Canon and the photographic gear used throughout the campaign, visit www.canon.co.za
