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"The Earth is Art, The Photographer is only a Witness."

Hi, my name is Gita Claassen

I was born in the Spring of 1987 in Beaufort West, South Africa, to nature-loving parents that prioritised travel and lived a relatively alternative life for their generation. By the time I was human enough to realise that this is a privilege afforded to few, I had extensively traveled most of Southern Africa’s natural areas.

My interest in art and photography started on these trips, with a desire to capture and replicate what I saw. My interest in light and colour, both as creative and as scientific topics, followed suit. It was also during this time the first seeds were planted for my fascination with anthropology.

By 2008, I immersed myself in the world of photography. In 2014, I completed the Travel Photojournalism course offered by Matador U, a program endorsed at the time by, among others, National Geographic.

In the meantime, I had worked successfully as a commercial and editorial photographer in especially, but not limited to, the tourism and environmental sector, with clients from and work published across the globe.

My fine art photography had not taken a backseat, and I had continued to create, participate in exhibitions, competitions, and constantly honing my skills and my voice.

The focus of my fine art photography is on highlighting environmental and social issues in a way which is true to life but also endears the subject to the viewer. If I have stirred compassion in the heart of an onlooker for the situation in the photo, I have achieved my goal.

Over the years I had facilitated several photography workshops, judged at photography competitions, been involved in the running of PiX Magazine’s online forum, and given talks about photography at a couple of events, including two PSSA (Photographic Society of South Africa) congresses.

I am co-admin of the online community, SA Women Photographers, a unique movement founded by editorial fashion photographer Grethe Rosseaux, empowering and giving voice to womxn in the South African photography industry.

A brief stint as a curator in Art in the Yard gallery in Franschhoek gave me even more insight into the world of art. It was during this time that wife, Shanelle, an accomplished wedding and portrait photographer herself, and I, decided to join forces in our photography businesses, Plain Blue and Indigo Studio.

The current direction of my work is in highlighting the psychological impact environmental change in its various manifestations bring about. This theme is a constant in my work and will continue to be explored in future projects.

Pronouns: they/them; she/her

Artist Statement

The directness of my work is intentional. I am not a fan of fluff, of embellishments, of overly indulgent but ultimately redundant decoration. My hunger for knowledge and deep love for interconnectedness with nature inspires my work and perspective. I aim to not beat around the bush, but my goal is also to plant seeds for further thought. The earth already created the art. I simply frame it.

I tend to veer towards natural photographic processes, with minimal processing that keeps the image true to its nature. In protest to artistic fluff, I stubbornly resist embellishments. My photography is documentary at its core.

My fine art photography is dedicated to illuminating environmental and social issues through imagery that is both authentic and evocative. My goal is to inspire compassion and awareness in the viewer, drawing them into the story of each photograph. With a subtle approach, I try to use kindness and beauty as a lens to highlight fading landscapes and vanishing cultures, inviting reflection rather than confrontation. In the quiet struggles of daily life lie profound lessons, and in the shifting landscapes, an urgent call to protect our planet and its most irreplaceable resources.

Through my photos, my hope is to foster understanding and empathy, allowing others to connect with their challenges and experiences on a deeper level.

We’re all in this together, after all.

Exhibitions

  • Prince Albert Pop-Up Group Exhibition, Kirkcudbright, Scotland, UK June/July 2022
  • Prince Albert Open Studios January 2019 – ‘Entitled’
  • Prince Albert Open Studios July 2018 – ‘Opuntia’ and ‘Krie’
  • Prince Albert Gallery (ongoing) – a selection of works from the exhibitions ‘Entitled’ and ‘Karoo’
  • Touch of Genius Art Gallery, Randburg Gauteng – ‘Portrait of Souls’, 2018
  • She.Clix Exhibition at the Photo & Film Expo 2017, Johannesburg
  • Trierenberg Super Circuit, Austria, 2015
  • Cameraland Cape Town 2015 – Featured winner ‘Pofadder’

Publications

  • Smithsonian Magazine
  • National Geographic Magazine
  • Weg! Travel Magazine
  • PIX South African Photo Journal
  • PSSA Congress 2018
  • high life – BA Inflight Magazine
  • Farmer’s Weekly
  • SA Art Times
  • Penguin Random House
  • Woman & Home
  • Stellenbosch University
  • The Talloires Network & partners
  • Caxton Magazines
  • Highbury Media
  • Media24
  • And more…

Equipment

My medium is natural digital photography, which I print professionally on cotton photo rag using archival inks. In my arsenal of equipment, I use full-frame Nikon camera bodies, with various professional lenses. With these I also use a selection of lightweight carbon tripods of various sizes, graduated and solid neutral density filters, polarising filters, and remote trigger releases.

I also use a DJI Mavic Air 2 for arial images.