Cole Ndelu is an awarded conceptual portrait and fashion photographer who is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. She graduated during 2016 from the Stellenbosch Academy of design and photography with a degree in visual communication and a major in photography. Ndelu works mainly with photography however she also works with mediums such as text, sound, collage, and motion.

A study on femininity

The series ‘a study on femininity’ is a collection of images by Cole Ndelu which shows her beliefs towards going against the stereotypical associations of femininity. With this work she aims to disturb the norm and display the models, who are both male and female, as beautiful, resilient, and powerful.

“My series is aligned with what I consider to be the purpose of my work as an artist – which is to create work that celebrates and honours the marginalised.”

Analysis

In the photo there is a male with a yellow flower coming from his mouth. This challenges stereotypical masculinity as males are not often associated with things such as brightly coloured flowers, he is also wearing an earring which is often seen as a feminine piece of jewellery. The composition of the photo causes the model to be the main focus as he is in the centre of it. However, there is also some empty space surrounding him which contrasts with the shape of the model in various areas, especially the back. This photo clearly shows Cole Ndelu’s aim of her project ‘a study on femininity’ as it shows that a male can be just as beautiful as a female can.

Planning a response

In order to create a response to Cole Ndelu’s work I will need props such as flowers and leaves to recreate some of her photos from her project ‘A study on femininity’. I will take these photos outside of school using a camera. I am aiming to do two photoshoots based on Ndelu’s work with two different models and flowers.