Two of Sharples' loves come together at our #JacarandaInYourPocket 5km run with Benchwarmers Runners Club on Wed, Oct 22, 2025. Sharples will be on the ground, snapping action shots of the runners amid Joburg's streets, awash with purple. This evening run is free to join, but spaces are limited. RSVP here.
We caught up with Sharples to talk about her journey, the magic of light, and why everyone deserves a photo of themselves they’re proud to share.
When was the first time you picked up a camera?
I was four when my parents bought me a cute little Barbie film camera. The moment it was in my hands, I started clicking madly at the floor, the TV, the ceiling. They snatched it back and tried to explain how taking photos works to a four-year-old. I grew to nag them to let me use the family cameras, with my dad reminding me how expensive they were. I later got a small digital camera for school trips, but always longed to play with my mom’s DSLR. I wanted to put my eye in the viewfinder and capture how I saw people and things. Eventually, my dad let me use his DSLR when I started after-school photography classes.
What do you love about the medium of photography?
Preservation. With my interest in history, photographs are a primary source – incredibly valuable for record-keeping, journalism, and documentation. But they can also be staged, manipulated, planned, and constructed. Photography is so much fun. It is the art of knowing and understanding light. It’s magic to me – a way for anyone to show how they see the world we all share. It is also a stunning way to tell stories without words.
“Everyone deserves pictures of themselves, and when it’s one they’re proud to share, I know I’ve done my job.” – Lea Sharples
With smartphone cameras now ubiquitous, many of us are “hobbyist photographers” and document our own lives profusely. When and why did you decide that you wanted to make a career out of it?
It actually just fell on me and wasn’t really a choice, more of a backup plan. I wanted to be an actor, then maybe a writer or director. I eventually found myself majoring in Film Production. I’ve helped produce a few very sweet short films, one of which actually won Gold at the Student Academy Awards in 2020, starring the late Connie Chiume. But on every set, I brought my camera along to document behind the scenes. Once the producer’s work was basically done, I would shift to production manager, making sure the crew was taken care of while I took pictures as they worked.
You’ve been the resident photographer for a number of the Benchwarmers Runners Club events. What prompted this?
They asked in the WhatsApp group, and I said, “Why not?” I’m not skilled in sports photography, so I saw it as a new challenge for myself and a chance to learn. Another opportunity to play.
What’s your favourite part of photographing an event like this?
If I get a cool picture, it’s a win.
Running has also been an important part of your journey with Multiple Sclerosis. Tell us more?
As a drama girl, I couldn’t take up team sports in school due to clashing rehearsal times. For exercise, I started running around my school’s massive property. In my matric year, I noticed I couldn’t see out of my left eye every time I ran, and it worried me when everything blurred fully. The optometrist saw nothing. An ophthalmologist noticed something and referred me for an MRI. The radiologist recorded an inoperable ‘optic glioma,’ a cancer diagnosis in my final year of high school. My parents were distraught. They took me for second and third opinions. One physician even contacted my medical aid without our knowledge to get approval for radiation treatment. It was incredibly negligent. The fourth doctor, my personal version of Dr Greg House, refused to see any of my scans and ordered his own, along with a lumbar puncture to test for MS. I was then correctly diagnosed and placed on chronic medication to manage the condition.
I live a relatively normal life, with occasional relapses. I was in remission for two years until June 2025, when a naughty new lesion on my thoracic spine started causing deep pain, which I’m currently receiving treatment for. Running is incredibly special to me as a form of stress relief and an act of appreciation for my legs... being able to use my legs when so many with MS cannot. Running reminds me how lucky I am to have two working legs. It grounds me and connects me to nature. A treadmill could never!
"[Photography] is literally the art of knowing and understanding light. It’s magic to me – a way for anyone to show how they see the world we all share." – Lea Sharples
How has living with a challenge like MS shaped your outlook on life – and influenced the way you approach your work as a photographer?
It has taught me to slow down. I would love to be... everywhere all the time, grabbing every opportunity and never stopping. But I now require a lot of downtime, especially after a huge job or film shoot. Weeks of building up, then hours of standing and being awake, can wreck me. I normally need two or three days of recovery to feel like myself again.
Stress fuels MS. I don’t think the entertainment industry is particularly accepting of someone like me. They see me as unreliable for not keeping up with fast-paced environments and overtime hours. But that doesn’t stop me from being part of it in any way I can and valuing the peer connections I’ve made. As a photographer, slowing down actually aids my craft, helping me notice small details that no one else does.
We’re excited to see you behind the lens again for our Benchwarmers x #JacarandaInYourPocket run on Oct 25, 2025. What advice would you give participants about being photographed – especially in action or sports settings?
Smile! And don’t be afraid to approach me for a pic. For action shots… hey, it’s luck of the draw.
You also specialise in portraits. What’s your favourite type of shoot, and what do you love most about it?
I love doing fashion photography. I really enjoy photographing colours, fabrics, textures, and movement. Clothing and fashion, just like any other art, are also storytelling without the need for words. Fashion can also make powerful political and social statements, whether in shoots or out on the street.
Have you ever had a “perfect shot” moment that was particularly memorable or challenging to capture?
Yes, during a collaborative shoot I did with actor Cameron Scott. There’s one underwater shot I still can’t believe I got. I had a waterproof case I wanted to try for the first time, so I wasn’t expecting much. We had just come from a two-hour wait in the emergency room after we'd been shooting when Cameron nicked his heel on a gate spike. Blood everywhere, too deep to continue, we drove to get him stitches. We still had the rest of the shoot to complete. Cam was adamant and willing to stick his freshly stitched heel in cellophane and tape so we could get in the pool and get it done. That’s when I managed to land the shot. His face was so peaceful as he floated amid black fabric after such an intense day of running around and chaos. The shot is spectacular because he’s underwater, I’m underwater, and I can’t see without my glasses.
Editing pictures takes time and care. How do you decide which moments to highlight and which ones to leave out?
It’s very hard for me sometimes, knowing what to include and what to leave out, and it's a skill to master. I judge whether it’s a good photo compositionally, in focus, with good lighting, and if the subject is at their best, with no distractions. Then I make sure it gives me a feeling. The picture needs to speak to me in some way to be eligible to share with clients or publish myself. Does it reflect my style and how I want my work presented?
"As a photographer, slowing down actually aids my craft, helping me notice small details that no one else does." – Lea Sharples
What do you hope your photographs will stir up or inspire in people?
I like to photograph someone and have them say, “Wow, I’ve never seen myself like this.” Self-image for most people is incredibly low, so I always try my absolute best to capture them in their best light. Everyone deserves pictures of themselves, and when it’s a picture they’re proud to share, I know I’ve done my job. Everyone is different and beautiful in their own way, and I enjoy capturing that in every person who crosses my lens.
SMILE! You're on candid camera. Join our free 5km #JacarandaInYourPocket run with Benchwarmers Runners Club on Wed, Oct 22, 2025 and get your portrait taken by Lea Sharples. Book here.
Rapid-fire round: Five questions about Joburg
What do you love most about Joburg?
That you can get both city and nature in one. Literally, pick your vibe. And that there is always something happening.
The perfect weekend in Joburg includes…
Friday, I’d do RocoMamas and a movie. Saturday sundowners on 4th Avenue in Parkhurst, followed by dancing at Babylon. Sunday, a lazy morning, maybe a swim if it’s warm enough, and an afternoon stroll through the botanical gardens.
Favourite time of year to photograph the city?
Spring and summer, colours everywhere! My eye is always caught by the vibrance of flowers and trees when I drive through the suburbs. I wish I could stop half the time or have someone drive me around so I could shoot from the passenger window.
Your number-one tip for a first-time visitor to Joburg?
Beware the pickpockets.
Three words that describe this city.
Vibrant, friendly, home.
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