South Africa runs on hustle. In every city, small town and street corner there is an entrepreneur turning an idea into a living: the baker, the barber, the designer, the DJ. Their stories deserve to be seen, and who better to tell them than the country's photographers?
That is Local Stories Through Your Lens. It is back for 2026 with Sony, Orms and stub, connecting local photographers with local entrepreneurs to tell the real stories behind South Africa's small businesses.
Find a camera. Find an entrepreneur. Capture their story.
The idea is simple. Find an entrepreneur in your community and tell their story in 3 to 5 photos. A tailor, a food truck, a nail artist, a ceramicist, a car detailer: every business has a story worth telling. Show their workspace, their process, their passion, their why. Then share it on Instagram.
How to enter
1. Find an entrepreneur. A local business you are a big fan of.
2. Capture their story. 3 to 5 photos: one that sums up the story, the rest to back it up.
3. Post and tag. Share your photos on Instagram with a short write-up on the business and why you chose to tell their story. Tag the business, @ormsdirect, @sonyalpha and @stubafrica, and use #sharinglocalstories.
Entries open on Monday 2 November and close on Sunday 29 November.
What is up for grabs
Prizes for the photographer behind the lens and the entrepreneur in front of it. Gear, vouchers and cash worth R80K+ in total.
First prize
Photographer: Sony ZV-E10 II Creator Kit
Entrepreneur: R6,000 print voucher + R8,000 cash injection into the business
Second prize
Photographer: R5,000 print voucher + R5,000 Cape Town School of Photography (CTSP) training voucher
Entrepreneur: R5,000 cash injection into the business
Third prize
Photographer: R4,000 rental voucher
Entrepreneur: R4,000 cash injection into the business
Key dates
Monday 2 November to Sunday 29 November: entries open
Monday 30 November: finalists announced
Friday 4 December: the showcase in Cape Town, [VENUE AND TIME]
The showcase
On Friday 4 December the finalists' work goes on exhibition in Cape Town and the winners are announced at the event. More details to follow.
Why it matters
Photographers and entrepreneurs have more in common than you would think. Both start with a vision, both take risks, both make something from nothing. Local Stories celebrates that: ideas turning into impact, and side hustles turning into success stories.
So grab your camera, find a business that inspires you, and show us what happens when local creativity meets local hustle.
Terms and conditions:
Terms and Conditions: “Local Stories Through Your Lens” 2026
1. Introduction
“Local Stories Through Your Lens” is an initiative run by stub, with Sony and Orms. It is a photography submission competition and a showcase event. By taking part, you agree to these terms and conditions. Please read them before you enter.
2. Eligibility
The campaign is open to anyone who lives in South Africa.
Employees of Sony, Orms and stub, their immediate family members, or anyone directly connected to the campaign may not take part.
3. Campaign period
The campaign begins on Monday 2 November 2026 and ends on Friday 4 December 2026.
Photography submissions are open from Monday 2 November 2026 to Sunday 29 November 2026 at 12pm.
4. How to enter
To enter, participants must:
1. Post their photos on Instagram, tagging the featured small business, @ormsdirect, @sonyalpha and @stubafrica.
2. Include a short write-up on the business and why you chose to share their story.
3. Use the campaign hashtag: #sharinglocalstories.
Photo requirements: each entry must feature photographs that tell the story of a South African small business. An entry can have 1 to 5 photos: one should sum up the story and the rest can support it.
There is no entry fee and no purchase is necessary.
5. Submission guidelines
Photographs must be the entrant’s original work and must not infringe the rights of anyone else, including copyright and trademark.
AI-generated images are not accepted.
Images with inappropriate content, as decided by the campaign hosts, will be disqualified.
Entrants must get permission from any people or businesses featured.
Each entry must involve a photographer and an entrepreneur (two separate people).
A photographer and entrepreneur pair may enter only once.
6. Judging
Entries close on Sunday 29 November 2026.
The finalists are announced on Monday 30 November 2026.
The judges choose the winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd place, in both the photographer and entrepreneur categories). The judges’ decision is final.
The showcase event is on Friday 4 December 2026 in Cape Town where the finalists’ work is shown and the winners are announced.
7. Prizes
First prize:
Photographer: Sony ZV-E10 II Creator Kit
Entrepreneur: R6,000 print voucher + R8,000 cash injection into the business
Second prize:
Photographer: R5,000 print voucher + R5,000 Cape Town School of Photography (CTSP) training voucher
Entrepreneur: R5,000 cash injection into the business
Third prize:
Photographer: R4,000 rental voucher
Entrepreneur: R4,000 cash injection into the business
Additional notes:
The finalists’ photographs will be printed and shown at the showcase event.
All participants may be featured on Sony, Orms and stub social media channels.
Prizes are non-transferable. No cash alternatives are offered for non-cash prizes.
Please allow up to three weeks for delivery of prizes.
8. Intellectual property rights
By submitting your entry, you give Sony, Orms and stub a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual licence to use, modify and publish the submitted content for promotional purposes.
Entrants keep the copyright in their photographs.
9. Liability
Sony, Orms and stub are not liable for any loss, damage or injury suffered by any participant as a result of entering the campaign.
They are not responsible for any technical malfunction or failure affecting the campaign.
10. Data protection
Personal data submitted during the campaign will be used only to run this campaign, unless the entrant opts in to receive future marketing communications.
11. General conditions
stub reserves the right to disqualify any entrant who breaks these terms or behaves in a disruptive, harmful or inappropriate way.
stub reserves the right to change or cancel the campaign at any time without prior notice.
12. Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of South Africa, and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of South African courts.
13. Contact information
For questions about the campaign, contact: hi@stub.africa