Nolita Sinayhakh, a 21 year old third year student at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) who is studying towards a Diploma in Photography and specialising in portrait and commercial photography, recently snapped up first prize in the Gooderson Leisure Photographic competition.

Her picturesque photograph of the Moyo Pier at uShaka, capturing the splendour of Durban’s beachfront at sunrise, stood out as the certain winner according to Gail McCann-Westphalt, General Manager of Gooderson Leisure.

Students were tasked with capturing the beachfront lifestyle that is fundamental to the Gooderson Brand and included their Tropicana Hotel and Silver Sands Timeshare units.

Gail McCann-Westphalt reiterated this was the second year that Gooderson Leisure had entered into partnership with DUT, to implement this project with its third year students. “We were delighted with the results this year and really feel that most of the third year class put in a lot of effort,” she said.

Sinayhakh, from Durban and acknowledged as being vivacious, bubbly, humorous and open-minded, simply loves to make people smile. She got involved in photography when a family friend recommended she venture into the field.

Her motto in life is to be kind to people, have compassion and empathy. “Be grateful for what you have and don’t chase happiness, because there’s only one place that you will truly find it and that’s from within you,” she said.

“I think it’s important to surround yourself with positive people, do not allow the energy of negative people to cloud your dreams. To parents out there that may not be open to their children venturing into a creative or unusual field of work because it may not earn them the royalty or status. Do not educate your children to be rich, educate them to be happy. So when they grow up, they’ll know the value of things and not the price,” added Sinayahakh.

Going forward she believes that getting paid for something that you love is what is worthwhile and feels money should never take over and sidetrack the passion that you have for photography.

In five years time, she sees herself having saved up enough capital to start a fully fledged photography business venturing out into all creative mediums such as writing, fashion, graphic design as well as travel the world and indulge in different cultures and lifestyles.

– Supplied