Lyle Young – A creative software developer and guest judge of #PhaseTwo of #ProjectScouted

Lyle Young is a really lucky guy to have gotten to be present at the #PhaseTwo photoshoot of #ProjectScouted on Saturday, 31^st May, at the Moses Mabhida Stadium and also now getting to be a part of the judging process of this phase where the girls will be hand-selected to go through to the next round. Seeing as this is an incredibly daunting and difficult task with the high calibre of talent in the Project this year, we got to know this software developer a little better.

Lee Folkard Photography: Who is Lyle Young?

Lyle: In a nutshell, I think I’m a simple guy who loves life and always, always tries to make the best of every situation that confronts him. I think I am motivated and ambitious which makes me passionate about reaching my goals and fulfilling my dreams. I like meeting new people and making life-lasting bonds. I believe that people are amazing and everyone is different in their own unique way. I like travelling and seeing new places and doing new things. I still have a huge to-do and to-see list that needs ticking off because it’s always worthwhile to take something special away from any experience.

LFP: How did you hear about Lee Folkard Photography?

Lyle: Like many people, I first came across Lee on Facebook. Back then, he did quite a few one-on-one photoshoots with clients and did a lot of birthdays. I knew many of the people he shot, one even being my cousin, and so I noticed his photography a lot and followed his work because of the high quality and because it stands out from the work of other photographers.

LFP: How did you become a guest judge for #PhaseTwo of #ProjectScouted?

Lyle: As a supporter of Lee’s work from the beginning, and building a friendship with him along the way, he had asked me to be a guest judge and I jumped at the opportunity.

LFP: What did you enjoy the most about the #PhaseTwo photoshoot on Saturday at Moses Mabhida Stadium?

Lyle: I think it was such a fun day overall and that was what I liked. I’d really encourage others to come to the Project shoots as they’re open to the public for anyone to come watch or just say hi. Everyone had a good time and the mood was relaxed and friendly. I think the models enjoyed that especially so they didn’t become too nervous when they get in front of the camera. And there were lots of laughs as well! Plus, it’s never a bad thing being surrounded by so much beauty either!

LFP: What are the features that you will be looking for in the girls when judging their pics?

Lyle: Although I’m judging on pictures alone, I will take into account girls who didn’t need much direction and just got up and worked the camera naturally on the day of shoot. Beauty is an important factor but also their personalities need to shine through in their pictures. The theme was Sassy Sporty so they need to have nailed that aspect as well.

LFP: What's your favourite sport? Are you looking forward to the Fifa World Cup happening soon?

Lyle: Well, I am big supporter of SA rugby as well as our local sides in the Super 15. I try to see the Proteas whenever there is an opportunity and of course, I love soccer too which is really huge all over the world. So I am really looking forward to the World Cup. I really wish I was going though! Being in Brazil with the soccer World Cup on is definitely most guys’ dream. My favourite team has to be Spain.

LFP: Are you a creative person in any way?

Lyle: There’s a quote I read some time back, “Anything can be creative – you bring that quality to the activity. Activity itself is neither creative nor uncreative. You can paint in an uncreative way. You can sing in an uncreative way. But you can clean the floor in a creative way. You can cook in a creative way." So if creativity is seeing the world differently and doing things in a different way from the norm, then yes, I do think I am a creative person. As a software developer by profession, I also have to think out of the box.

As a guest judge in #PhaseTwo of #ProjectScouted, Lyle will be a big part of making the decision of who will go through to #PhaseThree of the Project along with the other regular judges; photographers Lee Folkard, Jerome Stoffels, and Samantha Duckworth. Lyle is definitely going to be bringing a fresh set of eyes to the girls that we have gotten to know thus far.

Sassy Sporty ladies at Moses Mabhida Stadium for #PhaseTwo of #ProjectScouted

Its difficult to believe that the FIFA World Cup was held in South Africa 4 years ago! Depending on the way you look at it, the time has either passed extremely slowly or extremely quickly. Now that the world has been hit with football fever once again with the World Cup set to take place in Brazil just around the corner, we thought that a fitting theme for #PhaseTwo of #ProjectScouted would be Sassy Sporty.

            Are there many things in the world as appealing as beautiful girls and sport? Combining these two elements, the 40 girls chosen to be a part of the second phase of the Project caused quite a stir at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, 31 June. Shooting in spots around the stadium, the girls were in their element working the angles of sports like boxing, soccer, surfing, and basketball, just to name a few, with added sex-appeal and femininity. This year's group of girls featuring in the Project are proving to be tough competition for each other as all these models posed with confidence and ease, fighting through having the sun in their eyes. Their determination is definitely going to be evident in the pics.

            This leg of the Project saw Lee Folkard Photography's own Lee Folkard behind the lens, as he made up one half of the duo to shoot the girls on Saturday, taking the portraits that they will be judged on. Jerome Stoffels, who you can learn more about from our Q&A session with him featured on the blog, shot the full-length images of the girls as well as lurked about with his iPhone taking the candid shots we all love as well as some selfies too, of course. This is a tough photography duo to beat and these girls who got the chance to pose for them can count themselves lucky.

            This time, the parents decided to drop off their girls with the team or just stick around at the restaurants at the stadium. There were a few other visitors who made a morning of the shoot too. Jessica Van Goeverden of Van.Go Photography who shot the girls in #PhaseOne; Nilufer Yucel of Nilufer Yucel Photography, one of the scouts of the Project; as well as Roy Esterhuysen of Firsthouse Photography, who will be shooting the girls at a later stage, all took care of the behind-the-scenes pics that can be seen on their respective Facebook pages.

            Photography enthusiast and model, Zak Ashley Faurie-Williams, also came by and shot some candid pics. The guest judge of Phase Two, Lyle Young, also stayed for the morning, no doubt making some mental notes to assist with the difficult decision of judging the girls. And there were also several of the scouts who came by - Tyra Horsley, Ryan Francis who is also a sponsor of the Project and will be hosting a fashion show in #PhaseFour (keep an eye on the blog), Daniella O'Brien, Lailah Osman, Jami De Vries, Camo Clothier and Janay Manning who was also the winner of 2012's Project Exposure.

            Although many of the girls are participating in the Project just for the experience and to get some great portfolio pics shot by some of Durban's best photography talent, the competition is definitely heating up and its going to be quite interesting to see how it plays out. Every girl has something uniquely special about her, now what matters is how they use that to their advantage to stick out from the group.

Images supplied by: Firsthouse Photography & Van.Go Photography.

i love Durban

Just like people, cities possess personalities. But unlike people, the changes that occur in the personalities of cities do not leave us angry or annoyed but mesmerized and awe-inspired.

Durban’s dynamic and vibrant persona is unlike any other city’s in the world, it pulses with the thrill of the unexpected but is simultaneously filled with the comfort of a place that invites you just as a home does. No city is perfect, but the imperfection of the city of Durban is purely extraordinary.

Those who live in Durban know that no matter where else you go; there will be no other place that can embrace you as much as it can. And those who have visited Durban, have felt the energy and the pull of the city just as the ocean’s waves are attracted to the shore – and of course, there are no other beaches quite like that of those in Durban.

Durban is my city, my home, and the reasons to love it are rather endless.