Smiso Msomi

Snap, snap and “oh snap” is the feeling around every picture taken by Durban’s new magic man. Siseko Mzimela (24) is a glimpse of the future of photography. “Caseywaves” as he is evidently known to the world, envelops his work in fiction and carves every single picture into an all-time masterpiece.

The beam of a lens meets me as soon as I enter the relatively quiet house of Mzimela, with only what sounded like football highlights contributing in the way of ambience. It seemed as if I had arrived just in time for one of the most important elements of photography, the cleaning and polishing of his camera components.

For anyone who religiously follows photography, the name Caseywaves would be all too familiar. The Pietermaritzburg born photographer is a trusted, go to for weddings, profiles, events and anything that is bound to be memorable.

Currently living in Pinetown, Durban, the editing fanatic didn’t have the most normal of childhoods. “My teenage life was pretty boring actually, my mom worked overseas in England, she has a medical background so I spent most of my time with my sister and father in Pinetown.

I did travel a lot overseas that was one of the few highlights.  I went through 4 high schools but never failed a single grade. I also suffered depression at a certain time in my life but luckily I made it through and now I have my own business.”

Siseko attributes his fascination with photography to two factors, a close friend and a very unusual analysis of the works of a common body elements, the human eye.

“I’ve always been fascinated by people’s eyes and how they capture information. I got into photography through a friend of mine who came to live at my house when his lease ended at his flat, he taught me the basics. Unfortunately, he passed away in a car accident and I decided to just give photography a try. I knew I was doing well because I used to shoot for fun, next thing people were offering me money. That’s when I realized it just might be for me.”

Mzimela, a young and proud Zulu man expresses his delight and appreciation for his family. “My parents have always been supportive of everything I do, I’ve always been in school so it didn’t conflict with that either and they’ve been happy ever since because it’s kept me out of trouble and I don’t have to ask them for money anymore. It’s a win-win situation.”

From whatever angle one sees it, whether you zoom in on the trending Caseywaves Collection or adjust your lens to great achievements like being booked for the Vodacom Durban July, one thing is for sure, the boy is destined for great things in photography, even though he plans to trade it in for a career in financial advisement and do it as a hobby.

Picture: Instagram