JOYFUL
In my not so short but rather sparse photographing experience there is one pivotal moment that took place on October 31st, 2019 at the CERN nuclear research laboratory in Geneva. That's when I felt for the first time how natural and delightful it can be to take pictures of someone who, being so extraordinary and interesting to me, is completely open, relaxed and truly enjoys the process.
"Don't say nothing good came out of 2019"
- Joyful
Joyful Elma Mdhluli – a particle physicist from South Africa, a STEM Girl, as is common to say nowadays, caught my attention from the very first moment I saw her. She doesn't look like a typical woman in the High Energy Physics community (or its European part at least), and she doesn't behave that way either. And while some might see her as mean, or weird, or "a geek", or "a dude", these photos show how I saw her and how I will remember her. The translation into words I will leave to the viewer...
In case you wish to go beyond this visual representation and get to know Joyful as a casual writer, you are welcome to read her personal Ridonculous Blog
