Newsflash about New York! We recently had the great pleasure of photographing Gareth Meijsen (son of our OV&P Operations Manager Juanita), who won our national acting category in this year’s IMTA (International Modeling & Talent Association) talent search competition. This means that he will be winging his way to the Big Apple in July, courtesy of Figures SA, who host the competition here in South Africa.

Special shout out and thank you to Merlene Spies, owner of our local Figures Models Randburg, for consistently supporting and encouraging our talented youth, helping make their dreams a reality, bridging the gap for parents, and making many youngsters’ journeys possible at international level. The IMTA convention is a hot spot for talent scouts from across the globe, presenting exceptional opportunity for aspiring models, actors, singers and dancers.

Gareth was one of five young stars to win an all-expenses-paid trip to New York, with four of them coming from Merlene’s Figures branch. As you can guess from the photo above, Gareth was an absolute delight to photograph, both in our OV&P Studio, as well as on location. Heartfelt CONGRATS to him, as well as Merlene and Juanita, who is a shining example of a mother’s priceless support, always encouraging Gareth to pursue his dreams. Here’s a behind-the-scenes shot of her with Gareth in our studio, during his first shoot to capture a taste of his versatility with radically different hair!

The exceptional reward all round is richly deserved. For some the journey may seem long and for others short, but it is never too late and we can all have our time and season to shine, particularly with a special team to support you along the way. In Juanita’s wise words: “The secret ingredient is to help them not be distracted or lose sight of their passion and dream, and the success will follow.”

For our part, we are passionate about helping young people like Gareth by showcasing the best that they can be via exceptional photographic portfolios. Please contact us if you’re looking for something similar for yourself or someone you care about. We’d love to discuss various options with you. In the meantime, our OV&P Team wishes everyone travelling to IMTA in July, a fantastic and successful trip. We look forward to seeing what unfolds.

Bon Voyage Gareth and Co!