It's time for another recap of Canon’s The Perfect Picture.
This reality TV series follows South African influencers, entertainers, and content creators as they battle it out behind the lens to capture the perfect shot.
With Luyanda Mzazi out of the running after the previous elimination challenge, the eight remaining contestants continue to shoot their shots with the hopes of coming out on top and walking away with the grand prize of R150 000 in cash and R100 000 worth of Canon photographic equipment.
After dominating the competition in the previous episode, all eyes were on Nomvelo Makhanya. Will Jonathan Boyton-Lee and Anele Zondo give her a run for her money? And will Tshego Koke remember to change his camera settings from video to stills this time? Let’s find out.
Challenge 1: Buckle up for a fast-paced car shoot
The contestants stepped onto a racetrack in Boksburg feeling confused and a little anxious. Luckily, host Maps Maponyane didn’t let the tension drag out too long. Driving up in a little silver sports car was the perfect ‘grand entrance’ to set the mood for the next challenge.
Maps asked the contestants to take a closer look at the Porsche on the track, referring to its curves and the way the light reflects off it.
The task this week was to take magazine-worthy shots of luxury cars. But of course, in true The Perfect Picture style, there was a twist. Yes, contestants would need to take the perfect moving shot of the cars, but they would be harnessed to the back of a moving bakkie.
Joining Maps as the guest judge on this episode was petrolhead and automotive content creator Matthew Kanniah.
He explained that he looks for emotion, raw power, and storytelling in car photography. He advised contestants to identify a focal point, like the wing, the car’s wide arches, or the beautiful racing interior, and increase their camera’s aperture settings for a sharper shot.
One at a time, the contestants were fastened to the back of the lead vehicle and had three laps to take as many pictures as possible. Last week’s winner, Nomvelo, went first, choosing to lie flat on her tummy to get closer to the action.
Lasizwe’s dramatic performance had everyone in stitches. Screaming for the entire three rounds around the track, it didn’t look like his eyes were open for any of it. Clearly, though, his unique approach paid off; he scored a winning 76 points for perfect placement, sharpness, and spot-on brief execution.
Unfortunately, with a score of 59, Tshego came in last place because his shutter speed was far too high.
Challenge 2: Take a Top Gun-styled photo
The elimination challenge took us to the Kitty Hawk Aerodrome – and the skies.
Some celebs started questioning whether they’d made a mistake by agreeing to come on the show! Split into two groups, they were each given the opportunity to fly on an RV-7 aircraft and take photos of the other planes (occupied by three other celebs) flying in tandem with them.
As the last challenge’s winner, Lasizwe could use a RF 24-70mm lens, giving him a massive advantage over the other contestants who were using lower-speed lenses. Stepping in to give the celebs some last-minute advice, Matthew told them he was looking for sharp images to ensure the propellor was moving in the shot and not to look through the viewfinder when taking a picture, especially when the plane looped around. Oh, Jonathan and Ivan, if only you had listened!
Matthew joined resident judges Neo Ntsoma and Hilary O'Leary to inspect the final images. Lasizwe won again for his use of proportions and a super sharp final image.
After a rocky couple of weeks, Tshego’s luck had finally run out, and he was the next person to be sent home with a final score of 58. The judges remarked that he missed the opportunity to take a great shot due to his preparation. The light flare spoiled the image and erased the details, missing the brief.
In the next episode, we’ll see our remaining seven contestants (Lasizwe, Gugu Khathi, Zahirah Marty, Ivan Roux, Anele Zondo, Jonathan Boyton-Lee, and Nomvelo Makhanya) level up their skills to have a sporting chance at winning. In the next exhilarating episode, our contestants join the mighty Lions rugby team. Brace yourself as they tackle action shots and high-contrast night photography.
Don’t miss the next instalment! Tune in every Sunday to eTV at 17h00 for a brand-new episode or catch repeat episodes on Saturdays at 17h30 on eReality.
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And if you missed the show’s first broadcast on eTV, watch the full episode on YouTube: youtube.com/@perfectpicturesouthafrica