December 08, 2022, Johannesburg – Just in time for the summer break, The OPPO Reno Academy kicks off its second series of masterclasses. Anthony Bila brings his enigmatic brand of image-making to the night photography course.
The OPPO Reno Academy, in partnership with the Cape Town School of Photography, continues its high quality photography masterclasses this December, just in time for its students to capture their summer holidays in glorious 4K.
This time around, South African photography maestro, Anthony Bila, will take participants on a journey into night photography. From 15 November to 31 December, he will give four online classes that focus on utilising the OPPO Reno8 Pro’s Ultra Night AI Portrait Mode.
Bila, whose Instagram handle is @theexpressionist, will cover:
- Shooting with 4K Ultra Night Video
- Using the Hyperlapse feature
- Shooting in AI 960fps slow motion
- Using the light to one’s advantage
“The idea behind the masterclass is to upskill creatives through an innovative, interactive, and immersive platform that enables them to leverage technology into a revenue stream. The Reno8 series empowers professional grade photographs through a smartphone, allowing creatives the opportunity to earn while pursuing what they love.” says Avashnee Moodley, Head of Marketing at OPPO South Africa.
Moodley says the OPPO Reno 8 Pro is a piece of art that can bring out the best in photographers. “As a company, we are all about capturing beauty in the world. We pride ourselves in designing tools that gives photographers the ability to extend their capacity and skills. They will be able to push their talents to the limit while also challenging societal boundaries.”
Bila, whose portraiture and street fashion photography succinctly captures the Afropolitan way of life, believes artists are the anchors of civilisation. “Artists have in them the instinct to view the world in unique ways. They can reveal society’s inherent frailties and shortcomings.”
He looks to hone his students’ perception of the world by getting them to question what they are seeing and encouraging them to dig deeper into their subject matter. “Art is a complex and diverse human endeavour that relies on intuition and learned skills. These masterclasses look to combine both of these traits to unearth the artist in each of the students.”
The academy’s partnership with the Cape Town School of Photography allows it to offer bursaries to prospective students. It has been successful in other parts of the world with masterclasses taking place in India, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Impact of the creative economy
According to the South African Cultural Observatory’s economic mapping report for 2022, the creative industries contribute R160.3-billion, or three percent, to the country’s GDP. The study further found that the creative economy accounts for six percent of all employment in South Africa, which is an estimated 1-million jobs.
Moodley says the creative economy in the 21st century is increasingly reliant on talented individuals to generate numerous intellectual properties and patents. “The creative industries are rightfully taking its place among the top sectors because creativity permeates the entire economy nowadays. A company can distinguish itself from its competitors when it combines creativity and culture with commerce. This is as powerful as any manufactured product.”
Moodley is certain that the Reno Academy can unlock more employment opportunities for those wishing to enter the creative industries. “Creativity, alongside entrepreneurship, is going to be one of the most crucial skills in the coming decades. These individuals will be vital in solving some of the world’s most pressing issues. The visual medium depicts, chronicles and distributes these issues across the globe, thus prompting each of us to act as change makers.”
Ever since it opened its South African office in 2020, OPPO has carved a place in the country’s tech arena. It now has 10% of the local post-paid smartphone market, translating to some 600 000 users. It looks to reach one-million South Africans by June next year.
About OPPO
OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since launching its first smartphone – Smiley Face – in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology, Today, OPPO provides customers with a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find and Reno Series, ColorOS operating system, as well as internet services such as OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO operates in more than 40 countries and regions, with 6 research institutes and 5 R&D centers worldwide and an international design center in London, OPPO’s more than 40,000 employees are dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world.