About / 01
Who I am
I'm Douglas Condzo, a documentary photographer, filmmaker and creative director based in Maputo, Mozambique.
I make documentary photographs and films about how people live, work and move, and I direct visual work for organisations, brands and publications that need to tell those stories well.
About / 02
Where I'm from
I'm from Maputo, and I'm self-taught.
My formal education was in Hospitality and Tourism at Instituto Superior Dom Bosco; photography and film came later, learned through practice.
That background still shapes how I work. It taught me to pay attention to how people gather, what makes a space work, and the often invisible labour that holds it together.
My first short documentary, Hair Masters, explored South-South migration, entrepreneurship, identity and economic mobility, looking at how migrant communities contribute to local economies and cultural exchange. It won first place at the Filminhos Festival in 2019.
That film set the direction for much of what followed: stories about people building lives and livelihoods, in Mozambique and across the region.
About / 03
What I do
My work moves across three connected practices: visual storytelling, creative direction and cultural production.
AVisual storytelling
As a documentary photographer and photojournalist, I work on stories about labour, migration, displacement and informal economies.
I work with publications, NGOs and international organisations, and through independent long-term projects such as Mothers of the Morning, which follows the women who quietly carry Mozambique's informal economy.
BCreative direction
As a creative director and filmmaker, I shape visual concepts, campaigns and communication strategies for brands, institutions and organisations.
I work across photography, film, content and social media, from the first idea through production and delivery.
CCultural production
I also build and curate spaces for culture.
I create and produce Paralunia, an electronic music platform that creates spaces where audiences can discover new sounds and artists can find opportunities beyond established cultural circuits. I also produce Sundays & Cocktails, a premium lifestyle event series, and serve as Executive Director of Shortcutz Maputo, the local chapter of the international short film network.
These practices inform each other. I understand how a story is found, how an image is made, how it is communicated, and what it takes to bring an audience to it.
About / 04
What I'm hired for
- 01Documentary and editorial photography
- 02Photojournalism and field assignments
- 03Visual storytelling for development and advocacy
- 04Creative and campaign direction
- 05Film and video production
- 06Communication strategy and social content
- 07Cultural programming and event production
I work with editors and media organisations, NGOs and international organisations, brands and agencies, and cultural institutions.
For international partners working in Mozambique, I bring local context, Portuguese, English and Changana, and experience working within international editorial, creative and production teams.
About / 05
My approach
I start with research, not the camera.
Before a project begins, I want to understand the place, the people, the audience and what the work needs to do once it is out in the world. From there, I develop a clear direction and a practical production plan.
In documentary work, I approach people and communities with transparency, informed consent and respect. I want to make work that is honest about hardship without reducing people to it.
In commercial and institutional work, I keep the process clear and lean: defined scope, realistic timelines, straightforward communication, and work you can react to early.
Every project is delivered organised and ready for its intended use, whether for reports, social media, print, editorial publication or broadcast.
About / 06
Selected work & recognition
2026Human Rights Watch, Bloomberg News
In 2026 I worked with Human Rights Watch in Cabo Delgado, documenting the impact of the conflict on displaced people across six sites alongside their research team, and photographed for a Bloomberg News investigation into fuel supply and energy security across Southern and East Africa. I've also worked with IOM in northern Mozambique and with UN-Habitat.
2023Team Amani, Meta
For Team Amani, a global Meta campaign produced with Droga5 and Love Song, I documented the project across Kenya and Uganda, working alongside international creative and production teams. The campaign was shortlisted at Cannes Lions in 2023.
2022Something™, Johnnie Walker
For Something™, I directed production and photography on The Ones Who Keep Walking, a documentary for Johnnie Walker, which won the Grand Prix and Gold at the 2022 World Media Awards.
Since 2024Educável
Since 2024, I have led communications for Educável, creating visual content and communication for a lusophone student community across digital platforms.
Recognition
Dazed Magazine, Next Generation of PhotojournalistsFeatured in article
Filminhos Festival, 1st Place, Hair Masters
Exhibitions
Outros / OthersSolo exhibition, Galeria do Porto de Maputo
Outros / OthersSolo exhibition, Camões Portuguese Cultural Centre, Maputo
In MotionSolo exhibition in collaboration with UN-Habitat, Maputo
FragmentsGroup exhibition, YoungBlood Gallery, Cape Town
About / 07
How I work
Projects are scoped and quoted individually, based on the brief, production requirements, timeline, usage and deliverables.
I work on a project fee rather than hourly rates, with scope, usage and costs agreed upfront.
For independent and cultural projects, I'm open to discussing different production models where the project and partnership make sense.
About / 08
Let's work together
Tell me what you're working on.
Send me a few lines about who you are, what you're making, where it's happening, your timeline and your budget. If there's a good fit, we'll set up a conversation.