The Next Generation Behind the Lens: A conversation with the Canon Promenade Youth Winner, Oscar Wolff

Every generation brings a new way of seeing the world. This Youth Day, we’re celebrating young creatives who are utilizing the art of photography to explore their surroundings, tell meaningful stories and develop unique and artistic voices. One such photographer is Oscar Wolff, the winner of the Youth prize at 2025 Canon Promenade Exhibition.

What started as a fascination with cars has blossomed into a passion for portraiture and storytelling. We caught up with Oscar to learn more about his photographic journey, his winning image and where he hopes photography will take him next.

Finding Photography Through Cars

For Oscar, photography started with another passion entirely. “I got into photography when I was around 14 years old, but my passion for photography actually began with a passion for cars.” Like many young enthusiasts, Oscar spent the weekends car spotting with friends. After he was gifted his father’s DSLR camera, he immersed himself into the world of automotive photography, attending car meets, organising shoots and educating himself on what he could about photography and editing.

“As I got older my passion for cars started fading, and I wanted to focus more on photography as an art form.”  "I still love cars, but when I look back on my automotive photography I feel like my style became too commercial." The aspiration to explore beyond a familiar subject matter pushed him to broaden his photographic vision.

 A Winning Moment

Oscar still remembers exactly he was when he learned he had won the Youth Category of the Canon Promenade Exhibition Competition. "I found out when I was at Killarney Racetrack with my friend and I saw an email notification on my phone," he recalls. Even before opening the message, he recognised the name. "I could see that the notification was from Orms, and I only saw the first words of the email: 'We are delighted to inform you that...' At that point I already couldn't contain my excitement."

The moment quickly became unforgettable. "When I was finished reading the whole thing I was literally jumping around in the garage. The friend I was with, Daniel, was even more excited than me and we were both just freaking out."

After informing his father and best friend, the meaning of the achievement began to sink in. "It felt like I was finally properly rewarded for something that I spent years of my life working towards. I was really proud of myself, and it felt like I had proven to the world that I am capable of doing great things with my photography."

The Story Behind the Winning Photograph

The image that acquired the award for Oscar was captured during a trip to Steinkopf in the Northern Cape in August of 2025. The photograph was taken at a community centre that was built by the de Beers mining group in 1980. It was intended to be a space for community meetings, weddings and church related events. Today it operates as an open play place for children around the area and generally an escape from Steinkopf’s harsh sun. “The construction was never finished. This building was the main reason why I went along on the trip to Steinkopf, because I was going to photograph it for the architecture category of another competition.”

Conversations Through Portraits

While automotive photography is what introduces Oscar to the camera, portraiture has become his biggest passion. "Nowadays, candid portraits of people are what I like the most," His approach begins long before the shutter is set off. "Before taking the picture, it's important to me to have a conversation with the person I want to photograph."

Many of these interactions occur on the streets of Cape Town, where Oscar enjoys photographing strangers and learning about their lives. "I feel like the conversations I have with strangers enrich my life, and I learn so much about the world when I listen to the different opinions from the people I share a city with." For Oscar, photography is both a creative process and a record of human interaction. “Portraits are interesting to me because I feel like I don’t get to choose the story I want to tell, instead I get to interpret the subject's personal expression into the context of my photography.”

Looking Ahead

As Oscar prepares for the new stage of his creative journey, his ambitions are becoming increasingly focused. "I want to go more in the direction of fine art photography rather than commercial work," “I’m planning to study fine art photography next year, so I see that as the biggest next step for my photography career.”

Advice for Young Photographers

For young individuals who are wanting to start their own photographic journey, Oscar’s advice is straightforward. "Practice taking photos with your phone, download the free version of Lightroom and practice editing, and learn how shutter speed, aperture and ISO can be used effectively."

As South Africa celebrated Youth Day, photographers such as Oscar Wolff remind us that the future of photography is bright, thoughtful and full of possibility.