If you are an arts and culture enthusiast, you definitely know who Lorraine Dudu Kinnear is. The young and gifted creative from Botswana thrives in blogging, photography and all things cool. She was also a part of the February series of #OneAfricaOneWord. We just could not resist the opportunity to go off the lenses with her. This is the conversation George Chigaru had with her:
BACKGROUND
1. Government Names
Lorraine Dudu Kinnear
2. Growing up, what was your childhood experience like & was creativity a part of your daily lifestyle?
I grew in a pretty simple school system and much simpler home life. I was raised in a part of extended family where there was always a lot of people affecting you differently and adding so much more colours to everyday living. Creatively I don’t see any early childhood experiences that were exposed to me that might have made any substantial differences to my decisions about following a creative career. I took art class in upper primary school, I was always really good at overall artistic expressions, either of poetry or making up stories (I was actually quite the story teller) or doodles in crayons, paint or whatever medium provided. I was somehow discouraged from it by the idea that was sold to me about, “smart girls don’t practice art…” I then put in on pause until I was responsible for my own decision about who I ought or ought not to be.
3. What did you study and describe how the experience was like?
In the University I took up Psychology, this decision was based on the belief still of following the “smart girls don’t practice art” train of thought. To be honest I only enjoyed myself in the first two years and then it got really tedious and boring, so much that I had become quite the nuisance in school which then led me to flanking some of my modules. Hardly despairing I realised that there is nothing worse than looking back and feeling like you wasted time on a thing that you did not even complete, I persisted with my Bachelor. After what had seemed like forever I was able to be awarded the degree. I hold and use it to support my travel ideas and to be honest I guess staying in school to finish this was actually a blessing that I had miscalculated earlier in life. In this coming Winter I will be travelling to South America to take part in a program that is mainly supported by this degree. The entire experience was tiring and seemed useless but in the end it’s proving to be worth it.
PHOTOGRAPHY
1. What was your first camera?
A very bright Fuji Coolpix that I bought off a yard sale, at the time I just wanted something that could take pictures and was easy to function. That I got early in my freshman year. I used to own disposables from being a kid, those don’t count though. If I was to count them then I guess everyone could count their first toy cars as their first cars…if I make sense. Lol
2. What prompted you to get onto photography? Why fashion photography?
I started photography much seriously after I got a real DSLR camera with support of creating quality photographs for my blogs. I guess it came with the package of being a blogger, it was soon after then that I found photography to be quite enjoyable (maybe even more than blogging). I am not exactly a fashion photographer, that’s what I have been popularly known for, mainly because fashion people are fashionable. It is in their nature to make everything trendy. What I do mainly is lifestyle and culture documentation especially with regards to African people, food, landscape and outdoors. The story of Africa has for the longest time been told by outsiders and I mean what means don’t we have that restricts us from documenting our own culture and lifestyle? This is where I come in. I like to travel and explore cultures and document all of it.
3. Was it an immediate warm welcome from your compatriots?
I wasn’t really welcomed into the industry with a warm round of applause, no? Firstly I had to prove myself, especially that I’m a self-taught photographer. Not everyone considers you as serious as one that’s been to school and holds a scholarly award. I had to source a group of people that I could always compare notes with every now and then. Lucky for me these people weren’t that hard to find and upon finding them I made sure to maximise my progress before they could regard me as competition. You have to work really smart; this is not a time for naiveté and slow-mindedness. It’s a dog eat dog world out there. You literally have to get it, make your trial runs quickly and get out fast then secure a portion of the market.
4. Photography has become quite mainstream across Africa, how is your hustle different from the rest out there? What’s that unique signature attached to yours that gives a clear success guarantee?
Mine is rather not much a hustle and more a free spirited love thing. I mean I know everyone wants to be making it, making a lot of money and becoming widely known. I want to have a pleasant adult life, comfortable and most importantly fun. The decision to take up such careers is pretty risky but the amount of fun that comes with such an unconventional work field is that you don’t ever feel the pressure to do things that you don’t believe in, you career is as laissez-faire as they get. It is quite laid back, mostly stress free because you don’t leave behind the fun element. This basically makes my whole world spin. I guess that is my mark. And also that I am more promotional of local works makes me feel good about contributing to the history recording of our continent.
5. As a creative, does being black present a barrier or a thump card for you?
Not that I am aware, I am really stimuli picky when it comes to how I view the world. Let’s say I enter a competition, in it I am Lorraine Kinnear the culture and lifestyle photographer before I am black or brown or caramel or whatever trendy terms we have sought to.
6. Do you feel like photography and blogging has become a part of Africa’s pop culture?
Absolutely! I know it a cringe to a lot of people but you have to think about this sort of thing as documentation, history writing and tracking our developments. Only when you see it in this light will you begin to appreciate that a blogger from Botswana differs from one from Malawi in this sense and that sense.
7. How did the Elle spread come about?
I had applied to partake in their street style contribution and unfortunately by that time they had already taken about 3 contributors from home so after looking at my work they asked that they least have an interview. I was so excited about that, I could not sit still the entire day it was published.
FASHION AND STYLE
1. You have an interesting and quirky sense of style, what inspires the way in which you co-ordinate your wardrobe?
Honestly. The weather of the day I go shopping and the way I dress is inspired mostly by my mood for that day. I wish I could explain it in a way that would make the other person understand but it would need a vlog for it to fall properly into perspective.
2. What are your style staples for a super sophisticated look?
– Jeans (a really nicely fitting pair)
– Pointe shoes (mostly in nude or black)
– Cape (the bolder the color the better – burgundy/jade/fuschia)
– Great hair
3. Trends over signature style or signature style over trends? Why?
Signature style all day every day; because how you dress is an extension of who you are. If you truly know that there is no need for you to be always going about in the direction of the wind the way trends do.
4. In your closet, what one thing can you not get rid of?
I have this burgundy tartan Cape I inherited from my great Aunt. If my house was set on fire I would go back into the house to save it. That’s just how important it is to me.
5. What trends are currently dominant in the local African fashion scene?
I don’t really follow trends but trends that I see a lot happening in Botswana is earthy toned coordination, deep reds, beiges… There’s a duo of young women that go by the name Glotto that are really shaking my spirit especially highlighting this trend. And boy, do they do it well!
LIFESTYLE
1. What is your typical 9 – 5 like?
I am currently a part of a small corporate training firm; basically I like to draft ideas. I get to work have my morning tea and draft ideas then get back to everyday work of accounting, planning et.c.
2. An avid traveler like you, what are some of the biggest lessons that you have learnt? What cultural aspects have stood out for you?
There’s nothing that can get you around much like keeping positive spirits, a little humble heart here, and little polite gesture there. People warm up more to people who seem to be simple. We could speak completely different languages but if I have manners you’ll automatically pick it up and chances of you being hostile to me are rather low.
Ubuntu – the simple notion that a person makes part of a community, and that we carry each other.
LOVE
1. What is your view on Valentine’s Day?
Lol. What a silly holiday!
2. Is there a particular somebody in your life?
There isn’t a particular somebody in my life. I’m at a time where settling down would complicate a lot of things. I am still such a gypsy, nobody wants to date a gypsy to be honest.
3. What is your ideal romantic date?
I am such a sucker for picnics with lots of summer fruit. That would be most idea.
4. African celebrity crush!
D’Banj
SOCIAL MEDIA, BRANDING AND COLLABORATIONS
1. What are your views on social media parallel to Pan Africanism?
#AfricaUnite – the fastest way to spread the word is when we do so together. African saying afterall goes, if you want to arrive fast go alone if you want to go far go together.
2. Please share insights into the significance and importance of social media for building your brand and increasing traffic to your work.
That is as important as having breakfast. There is nothing that social media cannot do for you, from helping you raise funds to finding partners to growing your market share. This has to be the best thing that has come to us.
3. When a brand approaches you for collaborations, what are the key elements that you take into consideration?
I am all open for collaborations, they’re very important in brand growing but I always make sure that the collaboration doesn’t take away too much from myself than I am offering and that it is beneficial.
4. Do you feel bloggers are able to offer value to brands that they collaborate with?
A blog is just as good as any marketing tool, billboards, print advertising. The only thing is that brands are still quite sceptical about the whole idea. As if they were terrified of change or something.
5. What is your most memorable brand collaboration?
I have recently worked with the girls from GLOTTO on a campaign, my oh my was this fun!
6. What African fashion or creative brand would you like to partner with?
I have the biggest work crush on Cape Town photographer Steve Marais.
FUTURE PLANS
1. What are some of your immediate goals?
Let’s Go Chile 2016 – I firstly need to raise $3000 towards the trip to Chile and make the most memorable stay (I plan to actually visit Argentina, Panama and Colombia)
2. What will your life look like after you have achieved your dream?
I will have so much more to give, I will have travelled through 3 continents on a chase to reach 5 continents before I reach 30, that with regards to photography and overall travel and tourism of the world. I will be pretty greatly achieved.