From a Gifted Camera to P.N Photos: Nkutu’s Journey Behind the Lens

Sometimes a business begins with a big plan. For Nkutu Pollen Makokwane, the journey of P.N Photos began with a camera gifted to him by his uncle while he was still in high school.

In 2019, his uncle, Mr Isaac Makokwane, gave him a Nikon P510 Coolpix. It may have been a small camera at the time, but Nkutu decided to make the most of it.

That camera became the beginning of a journey that would take him from learning photography on his own to building a photography brand with an expanding portfolio.

Learning One Camera at a Time

Nkutu says he took his time to learn how to use the camera.

He turned to YouTube tutorials and Facebook photography tip groups to develop his skills and understand more about photography.

Then came a moment that tested him.

In 2019, while still in high school, Nkutu took his camera to Paledi Mall to photograph actual strangers for the first time.

He remembers being nervous. He wasn't sure how to approach people or where to begin.

But he had already made up his mind that he was going to try.

After meeting his first client, completing the shoot and agreeing on a proper price, something changed.

Nkutu realised that photography could be more than something he enjoyed.

It could generate an income.

From there, his passion continued to grow. While still attending school, he began using his weekends to work on photography.

Building P.N Photos

Since those early days, P.N Photos has continued developing its work profile.

Nkutu says the brand has worked with media influencers and institutions, including the University of Limpopo.

Today, P.N Photos specialises in a range of photography and visual services, including:

• Weddings
• Portrait photography
• Print-outs
• Short clips
• Street photography
• And other photography services

Photography in a Changing World

Technology is changing the way people create and consume images.

Smartphones are becoming more capable, while artificial intelligence is changing many parts of the creative industry.

But Nkutu doesn't see that as the end of professional photography.

P.N Photos believes that photography using real cameras and lenses will continue to exist for generations, even as the technology around it continues to change.

For a photographer who started with a Nikon P510 while still in high school, continuing to learn and adapt is already part of the journey.

From a High School Experiment to a Growing Brand

Looking back, the journey of P.N Photos started with something simple: a young person receiving a camera and deciding to learn what he could do with it.

There was no guarantee that approaching strangers at Paledi Mall would lead anywhere.

But that first client showed Nkutu that it was possible.

What began in 2019 has since grown into a photography brand based in Madiga Village, just outside Mankweng.

And the journey is still moving forward.

Interested in finding out more?