Monty Ferreira Biography

I was born and grew up in Heidelberg, a small town outside of Johannesburg. I started to enjoy Photography whilst still at school. In those days I was still using a good old fashioned 35mm film camera. After matriculating I did a year long photography Diploma at Dameline Boksburg. It was around this time that I started to use a digital camera and developed a love for the Canon EOS platform. I have been taking photos avidly since then, mostly inspired by the landscapes of South Africa and my travels overseas. In 2011 I completed a creative Photography course at Cape Town School of Photography. I have lived all over South Africa but am now currently based in Cape Town. I live in Sea Point Sandwiched in between the Ocean and Lion's Head- and my daily morning view of the Sea and the Mountain ignites my creative juices. My main camera of choice now is a Canon EOS 550D but I also have a Diana -F+ Lomography camera.

Artist's Statement

Being a born and bred South African I have been lucky to grow up surrounded by the beautiful african landscapes this country has to offer. The unique visual language of the african topography has inspired and guided my photography and the majority of my work is of local landscapes. I like to visually explore and highlight the textural juxtaposition of natural and man-made architectural features. Although I prefer to work with black and white imagery - I love the ability of a monochromatic palette to draw out the dramatic textures, features and dynamics of a scene - I have begun to experiment more with colour photography. I have also started to explore the world of lomography and its unique visual and style qualities. I am currently working on a collection of photographic essays; Man's Manipulation of The Sea, Bicycles and Urban Architecture.