Aloes under the lens in Rouse exhibit

Untitled photographs of aloes by Dawn Rouse.

Untitled photographs of aloes by Dawn Rouse.

Published Jul 3, 2014

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DURBAN photographer Dawn Rouse displays new works of aloes in her selection of botanical studies at the Elizabeth Gordon Gallery. The works are printed on archival paper and framed in contemporary white frames, or printed on canvas in sepia or black and white.

Rousem, who can be found around the city collecting images of well-known landmarks, people at work and play, artefacts for still-life studies and anything of interest that pops up in front of her lens.

Her passion for photography started about 20 years ago, before her children were born. According to the artist, photography for her is about capturing a moment and having that moment forever.

Tonight chatted to Rouse about her fascination with photography and her love for the aloe plant.

“My photography at the Elizabeth Gordon Gallery is of my aloes and their gorgeous roots. My interest in aloes started years ago. I used to look at them every winter when I was driving to Pietermaritzburg.

“They’re very fashionable at the moment and I tried shooting a few and I think there’s a very big craze about aloes.

“People are loving it at the moment. It’s not the usual aloes on the side of the road. I’m trying to go a step further because there are so many varieties of aloes that I’m trying to do at the moment. It’s not your standard stuff.

“I’m very versatile. I really felt it was my big passion to shoot nature, but there’s no money to be made from it so I branched out into family shoots. I’ve done a bit of weddings as well.”

Rouse is especially fond of photographing the ocean, plants and flowers. She wants to let people view the world through her eyes.

“I also do a lot of street photography in which I try to capture the heart and soul of our beautiful city and its people.

“I freelance in the newspapers; for Daily News as well. Even if I’m driving and see something funny or sad, I shoot it. Or if I drive to town to fetch something and see a beautiful old building that no one would usually take a picture of, I would.

“So my ideas come from the beauty I see around me. It’s from my surroundings and there’s actually so much art that people don’t see.

“I have my camera with me wherever I go and I look for things all the time.”

• The exhibition runs until July 15. For more information, call 031 303 8133.

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