IMPACT PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAM: Zambia, Malawi & South Africa

From $2150

pp
sharing

View Gallery

Document important development work in Africa.

If you’re a keen photographer with a passion for making an impact, we’d love to have you join this nonprofit photography workshop in Africa! It’s a great opportunity to sharpen your skills, learn about the role photography can play to nonprofits, and document the work by inspiring social and environmental impact work. It’s also a chance to explore a beautiful destination, as you’ll be based in either Cape Town (South Africa),  Livingstone (Zambia), or Nkhata Bay (Malawi); all places with stunning scenic settings and a great amount of exploring to do.  You’ll be guided by a professional humanitarian photographer, who will provide personal tutoring, introduce you to nonprofit photography, and support you throughout the experience.

QUICK FACTS
Cape Town / Livingstone / Nkhata Bay
Regular start dates
Nonprofit photography
Photography guide: Anna Lusty
Group size: max. 6
Intermediate photography level
Location Pin icon
DESTINATIONS & PROGRAMS

Cape Town, Livingstone and Nkhata Bay are all, in different ways, dream destinations for photographers. Cape Town is a city with many faces; it’s filled with colourful cultures and rich in complex history. Surrounded by rugged coast lines, vast beaches and majestic mountains, Cape Town’s natural setting inspires awe. In all its splendid variety, Cape Town is hugely photogenic. Livingstone is more rural; it’s a welcoming, sprawled-out town surrounded by nature reserves. Here, you’ll photograph in small traditional villages, while being immersed in the local culture. During time off, you’ll get to be awestruck the mighty Victoria Falls, explore the Zambezi on boat cruises, and venture on game drives. Nkhata Bay is a collection of rural communities on the western shores of Lake Malawi, a huge freshwater lake with glistening water and sandy beaches. You’ll be based on right on the beach, while working in the friendly and welcoming communities that surround you.

But all places deal with a great number of socio-economic issues, such as poverty, lack of education and health facilities, and gender equality issues. Many nonprofit organisations do amazing work in fighting these issues, though lack of resources and funding is often an issue. As Penda Trust, we provide grassroots organisations with high quality images, so that they can use them for their communications and fundraising campaigns. Images are a powerful tool in telling the right stories, and if they reach potential donors, this can have a great impact. We work with charities focused on education, sports coaching, eco-education, female empowerment, animal welfare, urban greening, food security, coaching, and much more. During this nonprofit photography workshop, you’ll be an integral part of this initiative.

ACCOMMODATION

Cape Town:
You’ll stay at the Lenox, a comfortable guest house in the heart of Cape Town. Built in the old Cape Dutch style, the Lenox is characterful and spacious. It has a large dining room, several other communal spaces, shared bedrooms (2 people), and there are plenty of single rooms available as well (at an extra fee). You’ll be walking distance from a wide range of shops, cafes and restaurants, and at a great spot for some of the touristy highlights Cape Town has to offer as well. (As well as for views of Table Mountain!)

Note that we can offer accommodation upgrades in a nearby 4-star guesthouse. For rates and availability, please enquire.

Livingstone: 
You’ll stay at a comfortable lodge in the heart of Livingstone. We can offer you dorm or single rooms, and you’ll have use of a great number of facilities, including common areas, a bar, and a large pool. You’ll be walking distance to shops and restaurants, and a short drive to the Zambezi River and the Victoria Falls.

Nkhata Bay: 
You’ll be based in a lovely eco-lodge on the shores of Lake Malawi. With views of the lake, you’ll stay in private en-suite chalets, and you’ll have full use of the lakeside bar, restaurant, and other communal spaces. There’s free use of snorkels and paddle boards, and you can hang out in hammocks on a private beach. The lodge also serves as a hub for local nonprofit organizations, so it’s a perfect base for our program.

Camera icon
ONE-WEEK WORKSHOP

Your nonprofit photography program will be kicked off with a workshop taught by humanitarian photographer Anna Lusty. This will allow you to improve your technical photography skills, and to gain a good understanding of the role of photography in the nonprofit sector. It will fully prepare you for your upcoming nonprofit photography projects. It will also make you familiar with the township areas you’ll be working in, and you’ll visit some social impact programs. You can find a detailed program below, in the itinerary section.

PHOTOGRAPHY ASSIGNMENTS

From the second week, you’ll start your nonprofit photography assignments. Each week, you’ll be assigned to a grassroots organisation of your choice, together with one or two other photographers. This can have a wide range of focus areas, such as education, youth development, women’s empowerment, animal welfare, sports coaching, environmental work, and more. You’ll spend your time getting to understand the organisation’s mission and projects, and you’ll document their work with your camera. You can expect to spend about half of your time shooting, and the other half on post production. A selection of your images will be donated to the organisation, and used by them for their fundraising purposes. We’ll be there to assist when needed, and after each week, Anna will help you assess your work and prepare you for the next week.

START DATES & FEES

The upcoming start dates are as follows;
Cape Town, South Africa: Oct 16, 2023
Nkhata Bay, Malawi: May 19, 2024
Livingstone, Zambia:
 August 4, 2024

Please note that these are the arrival dates; you’ll arrive on the Sunday, and the workshop will start on the Monday.

Program fees:

CAPE TOWN:
2 weeks: $2150
3 weeks: $2700
4 weeks: $3250

NKHATA BAY: 
2 weeks: $2950
3 weeks: $3550
4 weeks: $4150

LIVINGSTONE:
2 weeks: $2750
3 weeks: $3200
4 weeks: $3750

In Cape Town and Livingstone, these rates are on a sharing basis. Private rooms are available at an addition rate. (Subject to availability – please enquire!)

How to apply

We’d love to receive your application! Please fill out this application form, and send us a link to an online portfolio, or a small selection of low resolution images on info@pendaphototours.com.

Penda Itinerary icon
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Day 1

You’ll fly into your destination on a Sunday, where we’ll meet you at the airport, and drive you to our accommodation, which is a short drive at both destinations. There will be time to settle in and relax after your flights.

Day 2 - 5

On Monday morning, we’ll start the workshop. The next four days will be focused on all elements of nonprofit photography, including how to prepare for shoots, how to approach projects in a culturally sensitive way, and how to best capture the essence of projects in a way that will help raise awareness for their cause, etc. Anna will also discuss the specific focus areas that you’ll be working on; animal welfare, youth support, environmental projects, skill development programs, etc.

Half days will be spent on theory, and during the other half, we’ll visit a nonprofit organisation so that we can put skills into practise. It’s a great way to ease into the nonprofit photography projects you’ll be working on from the second week.

There will be plenty of time to also discuss general photography; technical camera use, composition, and post production. Since we’ll be working in small groups, the tutoring will be tailored to each person’s individual level.

Day 6

On this last day of the workshop, Anna will recap what’s been discussed, help you prepare for your assignment, and assess images taken during the week. In the afternoon, there will be time to get your camera out for some more practice.

Day 7 & 8

Weekends are  a chance to enjoy some time off – either to relax, or to do some exploring in your stunning destination and its surroundings.

WEEK 2 - ONWARDS

Each week, you’ll be embedded with a nonprofit organisation that you’ll be learning about and photographing. We’ll carefully matched with causes that you feel passionate about, and that can benefit from having a portfolio of images. Examples of organisations are youth centres, health education programs, urban greening projects, environmental education programs, women’s empowerment programs, animal shelters and street animal outreach programs, sports organisations, and skill development projects.

You’ll have plenty of time to observe the projects, learn about the organisation’s mission and vision, and document the work at your own pace. You’ll have a contact point at the organisation who will assist you, and we’ll be checking in regularly to ensure things are going well.

Each weekend is time off, so that you’ll have plenty of time to rest or explore your area.

After each week, you’ll have a session with Anna to assess your project, review your images, and – if you’re staying longer – discuss the next project. This will most likely happen online.

QUICK FACTS
Cape Town / Livingstone / Nkhata Bay
Regular start dates
Nonprofit Photography
Photography Guide: Anna Lusty
Group Size: Max. 6
Intermediate photography level

From $2150

pp
sharing

INCLUDES
  • Accommodation
  • Meals (varies per destination)
  • Airport transfers
  • All transport during your stay
  • Photography workshops by Anna Lusty
  • All activities and entrance fees as per the workshop itinerary
  • Placements with nonprofit organisations
EXCLUDES
  • Flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Any additional weekend activities
Camera Icon
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
  • A DSLR or mirrorless camera
  • Ideally a few lenses that will give you versatility
  • A laptop for post-production

REQUIREMENTS TO JOIN

  • A solid understanding of technical camera use
  • Some previous photographic training would be ideal
  • An interest in using photography for good causes
  • A willingness to be flexible and adapt to different environments

COURSE INSTRUCTOR: ANNA LUSTY

Anna Lusty profile

You’ll be guided by professional photographer Anna Lusty. Originally from the UK, Anna has lived and worked in South Africa for almost two decades. She splits her time between commercial and voluntary photography projects, and has many years of experience in documenting the work of charitable organisations. Anna is a strong believer of photography as a powerful tool for nonprofits to tell their stories and raise funds. She travels extensively for her nonprofit work, and her images have been used for websites, annual and donor reports, brochures and flyers, coffee table books for major donors and for specific campaigns. You can find out more about Anna on her site.

From $2150

pp sharing

INCLUDES
  • Accommodation
  • Meals (varies per destination)
  • Airport transfers
  • All transport during your stay
  • Photography workshops by Anna Lusty
  • All activities and entrance fees as per the workshop itinerary
  • Placements with nonprofit organisations
EXCLUDES
  • Flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Any additional weekend activities
Camera Icon
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
  • A DSLR or mirrorless camera
  • Ideally a few lenses that will give you versatility
  • A laptop for post-production

REQUIREMENTS TO JOIN

  • A solid understanding of technical camera use
  • Some previous photographic training would be ideal
  • An interest in using photography for good causes
  • A willingness to be flexible and adapt to different environments

WORKSHOP LEADER: ANNA LUSTY

You’ll be guided by professional photographer Anna Lusty. Originally from the UK, Anna has lived and worked in South Africa for almost two decades. She splits her time between commercial and voluntary photography projects, and has many years of experience in documenting the work of charitable organisations. Anna is a strong believer of photography as a powerful tool for nonprofits to tell their stories and raise funds. She travels extensively for her nonprofit work, and her images have been used for websites, annual and donor reports, brochures and flyers, coffee table books for major donors and for specific campaigns. You can find out more about Anna on her site.

This program was a core memory of my life. From the moment I arrived in Cape Town, there was nothing but pure joy around me. Photographing and spending time with the kids and animals every day was a blessing. I have learned things I didn't know I could learn, and I am forever grateful for the mark this program has made on me.

Loume Visser

A big personal takeaway was learning to establish and build trust with your subjects and the people you work with. More than just the photography involved, I was really immersed with people's stories and how I would want to best portray them through my lens. In a sense, this enabled me to have a greater internal purpose and obligation with my work. Having Anna Lusty as my mentor grew my photography skills and knowledge immensely over the span of three weeks. Her acknowledgement of my growth as a photographer made me very proud to have joined this program.

Masato Kimati

Enquire

Please let us know what is on your mind. Have a question for us? Ask away

Related Tours and Workshops

Maasai Mara wildlife photography project

Maasai Mara Wildlife Photography & Conservation Project

Maasai Mara Wildlife Photography & Conservation Project

July & August 2024

Kenya

Wildlife photography

Experience the magic of the Maasai Mara as a wildlife photographer.

Namibia photo tour

€6935

Namibia Photo Tour

Namibia Photo Tour

April 2024

Namibia

Wildlife & Landscape Photography

Namibia's landscapes and wildlife offers a great mix of landscape and wildlife photography.