Gift Moyo [email protected]
BULAWAYO photographer Veneka Dziruni has reached a career milestone after winning his 100th photography award, an achievement he says reflects his desire to showcase the city’s creative talent on the international stage.
Dziruni, who has spent years capturing the people, places and experiences that define Bulawayo, received the award at the end of last month in Portraits at Night, an international online photography competition judged by photography expert Vicki White.
“At the end of last month, I won my 100th photography award in the international online photography competition called Portraits at Night. Judged by expert judge Vicki White, the competition is one that I regularly compete in as an international photography competition,” he said.
Dziruni’s journey in photography began when he was 18, with the self-taught creative initially using a mobile phone before developing his skills in photography and digital editing.
“I began exploring photography at around 18 years old. I was self-taught and initially did not own a camera, so I started with a phone. At 18, I taught myself Adobe Photoshop and related creative software, developing my visual skills before I became involved in charity work,” he said.
His involvement in charity work exposed his photography to international audiences. He spent four years working full-time in the sector, documenting charitable activities, with his pictures appearing in charity and humanitarian magazines across all six inhabited continents.
His first internationally published photograph was taken in Grudja, Mozambique, where he captured a colleague distributing soap to villagers against a sunset.
For Dziruni, reaching the 100-award mark is about more than personal recognition. He sees it as an opportunity to demonstrate that Bulawayo’s creatives can produce work that meets international standards.
“For me, the significance of reaching 100 awards goes beyond the number. I want to show that Bulawayo is represented on the world stage and that people should expect world-class standards from creatives based here,” he said.
He added that choosing to live and work in Bulawayo was a deliberate decision, driven by his desire to contribute to the city’s revival and highlight the potential of its creative industry.
Dziruni has also photographed Bulawayo-born creatives who have gained international recognition, including filmmaker, actor and director Daniel Lasker, known for his role as Mr 9 in Netflix’s One Piece, and singer, songwriter and producer Daecolm Diego Holland, who has worked with international artistes such as Chris Brown, Wizkid, Ty Dolla $ign and Kehlani.
Reflecting on what continues to drive his passion, Dziruni said photography gives him the ability to preserve moments and experiences for future generations.
“My love for photography comes from its ability to capture the essence of a moment. I believe a photograph can preserve an experience and allow people to reconnect with it years later,” he said.
He added that photography also shapes how people perceive individuals, products, places and experiences, making it a powerful tool for storytelling and creative expression.
