Charlene, who are you?

My name is Charlene Danielle Edwards (Yes, that’s what the D stands for =D).

Funny enough, the reason why I took my full second name away on my personal profile on Facebook was because a few people thought my second name was my surname! I guess I should thank them, else my photography name would have been even longer than it already is!

So to answer the title above, I’ll start with my story. Everyone has one of those right?

I’ve lived in Cape Town my entire life, born in 1994. Although I stayed in one city my entire life, I have moved around quite a few times within Cape Town and with that changed schools a few times too.

I think because of me moving around it taught me to adapt quicker in certain situations and to just make due with what I had and where I was. Don’t get me wrong, there are some things it takes me quite a while to adapt to, I definitely ain’t perfect!

I love my parents, but like any other family, we had our own issues as a family. Long story short, my parents divorced when I was about 3 years old, if not 2 years old. Up until the age of 15, my parents were on and off. I only realized a few years ago that their on and off was actually dating. But they acted like they were married. My mom was never with anyone else but my dad. So I guess it made a bit of sense for them at the time.

My mom is a believer of Christ. My dad used to be when they first got married, but backslid and fell into a life of partying and things. Hence the reason they got divorced. Don’t get me wrong, my dad loved his kids. He wasn’t an absent father and he disciplined me in the right manner, it’s a part of who I am today. If he didn’t, as one of the effects I probably would have been speaking mixed languages in my speech constantly and thinking it’s professional to do so.

None the less, at the age of 15 my dad passed away. It was hard. Not only on the emotional side but also the mere fact that he was the main bread winner. My mom wasn’t making much at the time. So to be blunt, we were actually poor. We couldn’t afford a property of our own, we literally stayed in someone’s back yard since the 9th grade up until my third year in university.

The only people working at the time was my mom and my eldest brother, oh we are four kids by the way. I am the third eldest but also the eldest girl.So imagine what my mom felt at the time. Not being able to provide properly for her own kids. The rest of the family and friends always had to help us with food, transport fare, clothes, etc.

It was a rough stage, no doubt. There was crying, mucus, frustration, anger, disappointment, doubt, and more doubt, and more… but honestly? What there was more of was faith. I came to know Jesus on a personal level in the 8th grade. I had people mentoring and journeying with me (thank the Lord).

During my high school career I still pushed in my academics. I had people supporting me left, right and centre. Especially with finances. That was during a time that I had nothing, I had no control. And that was when I saw God being evident in my life.

When it came to the end of the 11th grade going into my final year, it was time to think about university. Heck, we were living on the edge financially, where would the money come from for university? And for three years I might add.

Can I tell you a secret? I had no idea where the money would come from, all I knew is that I was going to be studying immediately after I have passed my final year.

I was very much interested in drawing, specifically animation. Hence the reason why I wanted to study animation at Prestige.

When it came to June or July in my final year, my cousin offered to take me along to a youth camp of hers. Honestly I wasn’t that great with socializing so before the camp even started I hope it would end real quick, but then I was there, and I didn’t want it to end.

I happened to meet two guys who studied animation at Prestige and their feedback wasn’t great. I felt like that was a message to me. I then decided I was going to study something else as a foundation for Animation. I think I thought I shouldn’t delve straight into Animation fresh out of school.

I then applied to Cape Peninsula University of Technology, I applied for Film & Video Technology as my first choice and Photography as my second.

I wasn’t very much into photography at the time, although I was already somewhat doing photography with my Nokia E5. I know right? As if anyone still remembers that phone. Looking back I realized that I was always taking lighting into consideration and the environment. I was still editing those images on Picasa at the time.

At the end of the day, I got rejected for my second choice being Photography, but accepted for my first choice, being film. Which I did not mind at all because I wanted to study film and become a video editor, not a photographer.

I got accepted, still had no idea how the fees were going to be paid. We sold food parcels to make up for the registration money, I applied to NSFAS for my first year. Got rejected by NSFAS, appealed to them, then waited, them finally around October the final verdict was that I was not getting NSFAS. I LITERALLY speak walked to the loo that day and CRIED.

In order to continue onto my second year, I needed to pay about roughly 10k of my first year’s fees. I came to conclusion that if God wanted me to continue, He’ll make a way, if not, He’ll make a new path for me. At the end of the day, I got a bursary AND NSFAS. The bursary paid the arrears. NSFAS paid my registration fee for my second year and all of the fees of course.

By the time it came to my second year in university, my heart started yearning to get a camera and to start doing photography. I think I realized in my first year that I didn’t have too much patience for video editing.

Wanna guess how I got my camera?

Someone left an envelope on my youth pastor’s desk with money in it, with my name on the envelope. Somehow I just knew that money was for my camera, I don’t know how. Although the money was not enough, it kick started the process to me getting a camera.

I then bought my very first camera in May, the year 2014 at Cameraland.

I literally did a shoot the day after that, in Bo’Kaap. As a newbie, I took tons of images. Fortunately it was the kind that I felt didn’t require editing. Others might have a different opinion though. But that’s my opinion.

I then started doing events, portraits, most of these were for free. Up until today I still do some free shoots just for the fun of it. I love photography and I love portraying messages through it.

I did weddings, matric balls, birthday parties, maternity shoots, portraits, etc. I started realizing I love doing portraits. I love conceptual photography!

I love doing shoots outdoors, not in studios where the space is confined and I’m limited. Funny enough I still pursued to do studio shots because I wanted to master it even though I wasn’t really interested. The only part I loved about it was that I could play around with lighting. I LOVED it.

I love adding that little bit of a fantastical element to my photography when I am able to think of it in time! Or even remember to bring it with. (Read BTS the blog post). I’m learning, I really really am ^_^.

I am finding out more of who I am and who I want to represent in a more accurate manner so I am starting to depict through my photography.

Photography is not who I am. It’s merely a tool I’ve been given to speak with and I’m pretty grateful for this tool I might add. It’s a tool I use to speak messages. It’s a tool I use to bring out messages in people. Who they are and what they are about. I want to invest as much as I can while this is still what I am needed for.

My name is Charlene Danielle Edwards, and what I have mentioned to you is just a part of who I am. There’s parts of me I am not even aware of! But God alone knows. So join me as I help try to bring your story out in your images. It’s an amazing feeling being help to you do that.