Helping hands

Youth and Beauty

G in studio. Winter, 2008.

Sax on the rocks

The musician Shannon Mowday, shot on location in Cape Town.

Winter 2008.

Taxi Violence

Rock and roll is here to stay.

SA band Taxi Violence, shot during a set at the Mercury in Cape Town. July 2008.

Passion

Good technique will make a good musician; passion will make a great one.

Jason Ling, of the band Taxi Violence. Lost in the moment.
July 2008.

Bed on Bricks

Schalk van der Merwe, of the band Bed on Bricks.

Live at the Mercury in Cape Town, July 2008.

Shannon

Shannon Mowday is not only one of SA's most gifted saxophonists, she is also a talented composer and teacher.

Accomplished in a variety of musical styles and instruments, she has performed alongside a number of talented musicians both in SA and abroad.

Particularly well known for her love of jazz she has a style which, according to her website "blends jazz with an eclectic mix of African rhythms and folklore".

Her sharp wit and easygoing attitude made working with her both a joy as well as a privilege.

Skate

"If I die before I wake
At least in Heaven I can skate
`Cause right now on earth
I can’t do jack
Without the man up on my back"

lyrics by OPM - Heaven is a half-pipe

Antoinette Marié

Another example of product imagery, this extremely fine wine from the Stellenbosch region of the Cape is charmingly named after the estate owners' two daughters.

A structured blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot it is a real taste experience. How it has survived until now in my small private cellar is actually quite beyond me!

No doubt a special occasion will call it forth from its slumbers, not merely a photoshoot.

Promo card

Nixx, drummer with the band Autopilot, showing intense concentration during their set at the Mercury in Cape Town.

This image was produced as part of a promo package for myself, and is printed on postcard sized photographic paper.

Chasing Friday

Phill Black, lead vocalist of the band Chasing Friday, during a quiet moment in what was a characteristically frenetic performance at the Mercury, in Cape Town.

Sound and lighting at this venue make for varied, interesting photography. I usually shoot without flash, believing that natural stage light is much more vibrant, capturing far more accurately the atmosphere of a live gig.

Autopilot, live at the Mercury

A relatively new band to the SA music scene is Autopilot. They describe their music as 'progressive fluid groove alternative rock', but that's just so much blah for live-loud-funky-rock music.

They're tight. Very.

The wild and charismatic stage presence of their lead vocalist Brigette and the neat and novel original compositions make for a crazy live experience.

Check them out on facebook, myspace or www.autopilot.co.za

If memory serves...

An old Apacer memory chip in a RAM board, imaged as part of an electronics product display.

My nifty studio facility takes care of the strict lighting requirements for such components and works for a variety of objects.

Cat String Theory

Drummer with Cat String Theory, an up-and-coming young band from Cape Town, who did the opening set in a three-band lineup. Live, loud and very funky.

I caught them at a gig in the Mercury lounge on Friday the 13th. My lucky night for some awesome live music.

Iconic Pinotage

Fast becoming one of South Africa's most distinctive examples of wine from this varietal, the Diemersfontein Pinotage is a favourite of wine connoisseurs and casual quaffers alike.

Instantly recognisable in any blind tasting, the distinct coffee/mocha chocolate notes and approachable character make this a delectable vinous experience.

This image was produced in my product studio (the bottle was fished out of my small but eclectic cellar collection). If you would like quality images of your products for maximum visual impact, give me a call and I will happily provide you with a highly competitive quotation.

Wine cellar

Enormous stainless steel tanks at the new and ultra modern cellar at Arabella wine estate, in the Breede River valley near Robertson.

Looking rather more like the interior of a ship from the movie Alien, or a scene from the Matrix, I think.

Interior with Retriever

I was commissioned to do a shoot for a physiotherapy practice. I wanted to show the neat and clinical nature of the treatment room in conjunction with the lovely sunlight streaming in the window.

The dog just happened to be there at the time (she's normally not allowed in the patient area), but I thought she added a nice homely touch to the businesslike interior.

Mushroom

This little guy punched up through the grass overnight, seemingly in a hurry to beat the next lawnmover visit. He is only a few centimeters in height.

Fragile carpet of upturned faces

Dormant life beneath the desert sand erupts when kissed by the warmth of Spring.
Cederberg, 2006.

Father and daughter

There exists a magical bond between a father and his daughter.
Stephen and Emma, Summer 2008.