Thomas Pepler

WORDS: Remy Raitt | PHOTOS: Thomas Pepler and Michelle Viljoen

If Thomas Pepler’s good looks don’t catch your eye, his photographs will. The young blogger, who is trained in photography and graphic design has already picked up a notable following on his cheekily named blog ‘My Lucky Undies are Red!’

Shooting only in film, Thomas explores his interest in symbolism in both his pictures and his design work. “Tribal markings and symbolism express my personal style,” he says gesturing towards the simple symbol tattoos that freckle his body. But it’s his collection of photographic ‘totems’ that most notably explore the symbiosis between pattern and image.

Along with his girlfriend, who is often the subject of his photographs, Thomas was looking for ways to make his blog more interesting by merging his two skills; photography and graphic design. The result – a series of digitally sliced and shaped teaser photographs artfully arranged in totem-esque montages. Thomas says he makes these totems with the photographs from newly developed film, before he displays each picture individually and in full.

Besides the thirteen totems that already grace ‘My Lucky Undies are Red!’ Thomas also posts beautiful analogue pictures that capture the interesting things he sees day to day. “It’s a diary of my life,” he says.

After freelancing for a couple of years, Thomas is now heading back to the office he did his first internship at: Monday Design. Regular followers of his blog need not fret however. Thomas says he will try to continue to blog everyday as well as upload his images as soon as they are developed.

More information: http://myluckyundiesarered.blogspot.com