AN IMAGE AT A TIME “Armed with a decent-ish camera and loads of enthusiasm”, Nelani Van Zyl nervously agreed to assist in a friend’s wedding in 2013. She called it ‘love at first click’ and little did she know that her heart would continually tug at the idea of wedding photography and that God would soon redirect her path towards this creative call. In 2016, she made the difficult decision to quit her stable retail job and pursue photography full time, a decision she never expected to be so fulfilling and life changing. This career change has taken her on a journey of self-discovery, full surrender and complete faith in God.
CALLED TO SERVE
Nicole Pitt chats to local wedding photographer and visual storyteller, Nelani Van Zyl, about her calling to pursue her creative craft.
A CREATIVE CALL Growing up in a creative home with a dad as an avid photographer, set the tone for what was to come. However, Nelani’s creative spirit was often stifled in her corporate career. Through obedience to God, she took a leap of faith, staying true to who she was created to be, to pursue her passion for photography. Nelani loves the universal language of photography along with its ability to relay emotive stories. Wedding photography is also one of her favourite forms of expression. “I love the creativity of it,” explains Nelani. “It’s something that transcends cultures and transcends languages and you have the ability to capture emotion without putting words to it.” 62
Serving God by serving others is what her photography is all about. Nelani views her work as a ministry tool as she has the unique task of meeting and praying with couples before (and on) the biggest day of their lives. She feels blessed to be able to live out her dream every single day, using it to bring glory to God. This is evident in her style, where she allows God to direct her lens. “God will also lead me on a shoot, saying ‘there, there’” she gestures. “I have to trust God on every single shoot, that He will open up my creative eye because He is the ultimate creator.” She is quickly learning to surrender every part of the photography process to God. “I had to come to a point and say, ‘Okay God, you need to come sit with me and edit every single photo. You need to develop my style.’”
COVENANT GROUND
Nicole Pitt and husband on their wedding day.
Nelani loves bold, bright pops of colour, crisp, sharp and bright images that tell a story. She has a love for landscapes, food and travel and last but definitely not least… weddings! Being a self-professed romantic at heart, Nelani loves to visually showcase a story of love through wedding photography. She respects and understands that marriage is a gift from God – a covenant. She feels honoured to