The Art of Connection: Why I Photograph People
Portrait photography, Portraiture, Fine Art Photography, Days to Live, Connection, Inspiration
There’s something profoundly sacred about the act of making a portrait.
For me, it’s never just about the photograph. It’s about the connection—the stillness in the moment when someone allows themselves to truly be seen. Over the years, I’ve discovered that every person has a story. Every face carries the imprints of both joy and sorrow, of lived experience and silent strength. To be entrusted with that vulnerability is a deep honour. That trust forms the foundation of my passion for portrait photography.
It’s why portraiture has become such a central part of the Days to Live project—because it is through people, their expressions, their resilience, and their truth that we find the universal language of what it means to be alive.
Recently, I had the privilege of creating a portrait series as a gift for a very dear friend on his 60th birthday. We’ve known each other for 45 years, having shared countless adventures as watermen during my youth in South Africa. These images are more than just photographs; they’re a tribute to time, to brotherhood, and to the enduring spirit that lives within us as we grow older, yet stay deeply connected to our younger selves.
Some of these portraits were captured with nothing more than available light, in that golden, fleeting window around dusk on a stormy day. There’s a particular magic that happens when you shoot in that kind of light—where the atmosphere wraps around your subject, moody and alive, giving depth and rawness to the image. It’s unpredictable. It demands presence. And it often results in some of the most emotionally honest photographs.
Others were created using a strobe and an octabox, which allowed me to shape soft, flattering light and draw out the beautiful catch lights in his eyes. With this kind of setup, I can craft the light with precision—highlighting detail, enhancing texture, and giving the image a clean but intimate feel. The softness of the light embraces the subject, rather than overwhelming them, which is crucial when capturing character and emotion.
I believe that light is everything in portraiture. Whether it’s the wild, shifting palette of a stormy dusk or the gentle consistency of a strobe through a diffuser, light has the power to reveal what’s inside. It can elevate an image from a likeness to a moment of truth.
And that’s ultimately why I do what I do. Because through these portraits—through these moments of shared truth—I’m constantly reminded that life is fragile, beautiful, and worth documenting in all its honesty.
We all carry stories.
We all carry scars.
But we also carry an incredible light.
And in front of the lens, in those quiet, trusting moments, we get to see it shine.
:: Rand
If you are interested in participating in Days to Live, or have someone in mind who has an inspirational story, please reach out via the contact form on the Days to Live website and I will be in touch.
All images copyright Rand Leeb-du Toit and Days to Live, 2025.