Stefanie studied at the National College of Photography in Pretoria, where she graduated with a joint best portfolio award, (2004). After her studies, she started a commercial photography studio and was represented by Shine Photographers Johannesburg. In 2008, Stefanie moved to the UK where she studied for a diploma in Transpersonal Integrative Psychotherapy at the Centre for Counseling and Psychotherapy Education in London, (2009 – 2013). In June 2015 Stefanie returned to South Africa. She has been a full-time artist since 2015. In 2022 she was awarded as one of the winners of The British Journal of Photography’s Female in focus awards. In 2023 she was awarded as a finalist in the Lensculture Black and White awards, a winner in the Lensculture Art photography awards 2024, and a Juror's Pick in the Lensculture Portrait Awards 2025. She has also been shortlisted for British Journal of Photography Portrait of Humanity Vol 6, and as a finalist in BBA Prizes, where her work was exhibited at Kuhlhaus, Berlin, and she was a selected artist for BA for Photography at Swansea College of art for their international Soft Cover open call. Her work was exhibited at Stiwdio Grifffith Gallery. Her work has been Published in the book Eye Mama: Poetic Truths of Home and Motherhood by Karni Arieli (foreword by Allesia Glaviano) and featured in: The Guardian; British Journal of Photography; Seezeen Magazine; Brenda Magazine; Hashtagphotomag; Unvael Journal; Oath Journal; Korper Magazine; Accumen Magazine; FotoFemme United etc. She has been exhibited all around South Africa as well as in London, UK; Paris, France; Uslan, South Korea; Miami, and in New York, USA.
Artist Statement
“My work is mainly concerned with the feminine, and what it means to be a woman, with a special focus on girlhood, pregnancy and motherhood. I look at how self-image, body image and perceptions of the feminine self become distorted through what is being mirrored to us in a society that is so obsessed with the female image. My images represent in most part manifestations of emotional and feeling states, quietly making the invisible more visible. Throughout my work, I also explore themes of love and fear, death and transformation, gender, relationship, and dreams.”
