You have probably seen this face at some of the flyest spots and events and 8 out of ten times he probably had a camera on him and immortalised you with a fly picture. His name is Gabriel otherwise known as “The Pretty Hun” and Frat got to ask him some questions about his craft.
From Mokopane to the World — How did your upbringing in a small South African town shape the way you see and frame the world through your lens today?
It taught me to see the world through a 50mm lens hahahaha but seriously it means if you focus then you will see what you want for yourself in great detail but if u dont focus then all that you want for yourself will be very blurry. Focus on your dreams and the only blurry things will be your background.
Don’t be scared to shoot your shot.
Your work often merges street culture with high-concept visuals. How do you balance authenticity with aesthetics in a world that’s increasingly curated for social media?
Well I have always been a fan of street culture and I knew I had to do my part by adding high concept visuals to it. Not only did I owe it to the culture to do so but I also owed it to South African photography by elevating how people see South African creatives. As a photographer I had to make sure the world could see how beautiful and talented we are.
You’re known for blending storytelling and style. What role do fashion and identity play in your photography — and how do you choose what stories to elevate visually?
I love fashion a lot so it was easy for me to merge fashion and my style of shooting. I’ve had a lot of people come up to me at events saying “Gab please shoot me coz my outfit is on fire” and I oblige because I take it as a compliment that they can trust me to elevate their style with my lens so I will always make sure I do right by them. I’m responsible for how to package those kinds of stories. I love it from the shooting to the editing. I would love to shoot street style photos at Paris,London,Seoul,New York and Copenhagen Fashion Week.
FratpackerWorld celebrates global creativity with local soul — how do you stay rooted in your cultural identity while still evolving as a global visual artist?
Family and friends keep me rooted,they always remind me to remind people who I am via my camera and personality everytime i leave. I represent my hometown and country in all my travels.
As someone who frequently travels and captures diverse environments, what’s one city or country that unexpectedly influenced your creative process, and why?
For the longest time I would say Limpopo and Joburg but recently I fell in love with shooting people of Rwanda and Uganda because they elevated my portraiture editing skills because of their skin tones and lovely but shy personalities. Shout out to Strictly Soul for introducing me to beautiful people of East Africa. It’s a dream come true.
How do you approach photographing people — especially in your street or portrait work — in a way that maintains dignity and mutual respect in the moment?
I’m always sincere and nice when I approach people to ask for photographs,I always ask.
I have a saying for when I go out to shoot at events: “If you see me,ask for a picture.”
That way it also takes away the shyness and makes people happy knowing they will get a picture shot by me. No brag hahaha
What’s your creative ritual when working on a shoot? Is there music, moodboarding, or mental prep involved before you hit the shutter?
Most of the great shoots I have ever done in my 10 + years of experience is making my subjects/models feel comfortable with me being behind the lens so that they can give me their best version of themselves. Music is always a great way to begin as far as rituals are involved.
Moodboards are a great way to work on a shared concept and idea sharing so it’s very important to have before clicking the shutter.
You’ve worked with big brands, but your personal projects often feel more intimate. How do you protect your artistic voice while working commercially?
Brands always have a certain way of working so we can share ideas and concepts to make sure it’s a dope collaboration. There are times where working with brands can elevate your work and sometimes it feels like they are playing it safe,understandably so because they are working on what works for them and their clients.
When it’s my own artistic voice i have to F**k S**t up(Excuse my language) because i have full creative control and it’s more personal.
What’s one image you’ve taken that feels like a visual “journal entry” — a photo that reflects exactly where you were emotionally or mentally at that moment?
All the photographs that i have shot for the photo series called “The Blacker The Berry”. That series elevated my work in more ways than I can mention. I always look at it as time capsule worthy work. Work that can be framed and hung on a wall. It’s on a few walls currently actually. I’m currently loving what a fisheye lens does to elevate my photographs.
If you could give young African creatives one piece of advice about making art that travels across borders — what would you tell them?
Just keep doing your work and focus on where you want to be, then have room for God (The Greatest Creative) to align you with the right people and opportunities. Talent and hard work can only take you so far but you need to leave room for the creator and the universe to assist you.
Lastly tell us why you are the pretty hun😂
The Pretty Hun nickname came from a friend of mine,Nhlanhla Mvalo who just threw it my way as a joke and we just kinda ran with it. If you take a good look at me then you know he was right hahahaha. It’s a believe in yourself kind of nickname. I love how people find themselves saying and calling a grown man a Pretty Hun. It’s a beautiful thing.
Check The Pretty Hun on IG: acutegabriel
FRATPACKER WORLD. 
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