The Ghost Dog Series by Stevo Dirnberger

Stevo Dirnberger is an award-winning South African creative professional, photographer, designer and traveller who has recently spent five weeks looking after Huskies in the Arctic circle.

Stevo and his travel companion Chanel Cartell are currently on a creative hiatus after ditching their day jobs to travel the globe.

“After nearly 15 combined years of work in the advertising and branding industries, our lives were pretty set. They were filled with family, friends, amazing jobs, shiny cars and a beautiful home. Sounds pretty great, hey? Well we thought so too…until we felt the routine of perfection creeping up on us and ageing us with its complacency. We were no longer feeling challenged, and thinking back to the last time my life hit a little wall, the ‘Yes Man’ theory had risen its shiny head again, except this time, there was two of us saying “yes” to the world, and all it has to offer. We’re looking at a journey that allows us to live outside of the shuddering comfort zone, and gives us the opportunity to say “yes” to a whole bunch of crazy cool experiences whilst fuelling our creative needs.”

You can follow their incredible journey on their blog: http://howfarfromhome.com/

https://instagram.com/stevodirnberger/

Iliso Labantu township photography collective

Lindeka Qampi

Mandla Mnyakama

“Lulama TOILETS”

“Lindeka”

Brice Kimbembe

“Nancy”

Mandla Mnyakama

Mandla Mnyakama

Iliso Labantu is township based photography collective documenting contemporary life in South Africa. The group also provides skills, support, and opportunities for developing photographers.

“Iliso Labantu is a collective of photographers who live and work in the townships around Cape Town. We collaborate and work independently. We meet to critique our work with other professional photographers. We exhibit our work in the galleries and museums throughout Cape Town and internationally. We work on commission and we license our work for publication. Some of us have been photographing for years, others are novices.”

http://www.ilisolabantu.org/

Con/Struct by Justin Plunkett

 

Justin Plunkett celebrates the creative spirit with his whimsical and imaginative exhibition Con/Struct.

Con/Struct is an exploration into the themes of empowerment and imagination. Plunkett, using his own photography, has created new juxtaposed environments that encourage questioning and exploration: inviting the debate around how marketing- induced aspiration and perceived value can empower but can also corrupt, how it can be both perverse and create beauty. At the same time, at the core of his work, he honours and applauds ingenuity and the creative spirit.

The limited edition series is printed on Hahnemuhle Museum Etching 350gsm paper.

Opening: Thursday 8 May 5pm – 30 May 2014
Venue: The Cabinet
Address: 64A Wale Street, Cape Town

http://www.justinplunkett.com/construct

 

Modern Stranger

I love these scatter cushions by the new decor brand Modern Stranger.  Photographer Carla Erasmus used found photography depicting nostalgic images of everyday domestic and landscape scenes.

Products currently range from scatter cushions to the newly released linen bed throws. The scatter cushion designs consists of photographic prints on hemp fabric with goose feather inners.

Modern Stranger is currently available to order online on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/modernstrangerct

Stockists include Haas & Present Space.

Pieter Hugo – Kin

Outside Michael’s flat, Troyeville, 2011

At Rietpoort farm, Graaff-Reinet, 2013

In the home of Meshack Molatudi, Robinson Lake, Harmony Mine, Randfontein 2012

Inside Louis Matanisa’s home, Cape Town, 2013

Fordsburg, 2012

Theresa Makwenya, Carletonville, 2013

Don’t miss Pieter Hugo’s photographic solo exhibition titled, Kin. This new photographic series will show across both of Stevenson‘s galleries, premiering in Johannesburg and opening two weeks later in Cape Town.

Kin is a bittersweet perspective on Hugo’s homeland of South Africa. It is a meditation on the ideals of home, both familial and humanistic. It explores the tenuous ties that both bind us to and repel us from others.

Over the past eight years Hugo has turned his eye on cramped townships, contested farmlands and abandoned mining areas; psychologically charged still lifes in people’s homes; sites of political significance; drifters and the homeless; his pregnant wife, and his daughter moments after her birth; the domestic servants who have worked for the Hugo family over three generations.

The series alternates between intimate and public spaces, with particular emphasis on the growing disparity between rich and poor, and reveals Hugo’s deeply conflicted feelings about his home. It confronts complex issues of colonisation, racial diversity and economic disparity. Kin endeavours to locate his young family in a country with a fraught history and an uncertain future.

JOHANNESBURG

3 October – 8 November 2013

CAPE TOWN

17 October – 23 November 2013

http://www.stevenson.info/

A new shoot by Amy Scheepers

 

I always love popping in to the lovely and talented young photographer Amy Scheepers’ blog wolf and wood to see what she’s been up to. I adore her whimsical and ethereal photography and I can never tire of featuring her work.

Model: Tessa Rose Vardy // MUA: Alana Pohlmann // Photographer: Amy Scheepers

http://wolfandwood.blogspot.com/

Giants among Men by Dillon Marsh

Giants among Men by talented Cape Town photographer Dillon Marsh is an ongoing project that features giant man-made objects around South Africa.

Dillon graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art in 2003. He’s had two solo exhibitions and several group exhibitions and is definitely someone to watch.

http://www.behance.net/DillonMarsh

http://www.dillonmarsh.com/

Meet photographer Debora Ribeiro

Handsome Things chatted to photographer Debora Ribeiro about music, photography and why she’s starting to think tea is overrated.

What is you background and how did you get into photography? 

I was born in Lobito, Angola, left as a baby and I was raised in São Paulo where I dabbled in ballet until early adolescence. I moved to Cape Town at 14 where I grew up, loved and lived, up until very recently.  There I aspired to be an artist and fashion illustrator. I experienced modeling, finished a degree in Fashion Design at DAF and finally realized my undeniable love for photography.

I always had photography influences in my family, my grandmother used to work in a photography shop and my father is a true lover of photography, he used to develop his own material when he was young and I love looking through his albums from back in the day, they are all so full of magic and a most of my inspiration comes from him.

I’m currently living in Lisbon for the past 2 years, finishing a photography degree at Ar.Co. – Art and Visual Communication School.

I treasure life and I’m such a dreamer. Can’t stop laughing at myself. I love tea but I’m starting to think it’s overrated so I’ve been indulging in espressos.

Digital or film?

Both. I love film, I love spending ours in the lab developing the film and the whole process of printing and manipulating the negative, dipping the paper in the chemicals and watching the latent image come to life in my own hands. It’s a slower process, more expensive also and methodical, nevertheless, it’s very creative and stimulating.

Digital nowadays is essential! It’s fun, it gives us more freedom to create and invent at a faster pace. And I treasure digital for that! It’s the method I use for work while film is more on a personal level.

What inspires you?

I’ve been traveling since I was a baby and haven’t been able to stop, wander-lusting spirit. Traveling gives me drive, inspiration and I get anxious when I settle in one place for too long.

A free spirit at heart I’m also inspired by nature, mysticism, the earthly and ethereal.

My influences come from culturally substantial artists and writers of the 20th century. The works of Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz where art and fashion go hand in hand. And a lot of music like Joy Division, Interpol, Incubus, Björk, Jefferson Airplane, Arcade Fire and Bob Dylan amongst others.

I’m obsessed about everything beautiful and I try to find beauty in the mundane.

http://deboraribeiro.co/

 

Thanks Debora!

Suzaan Heyns short film

Wow. These gorgeous stills are from the Suzaan Heyns AV/Short Film that was shown as an intro to her Spring/Summer 2012 collection. The video was directed by WILLEM GROBLER and the Director of Photography was DAVID PIENAAR. I’m gobsmacked.

Credits:

Producer RENIER RIDGEWAY (Silver Lining Pictures)

 Edited by ROBERT ODENDAAL.

The Colourist was RICHARD STARKEY @ 744

Digital Models – Abby and Claire Meekel

You can watch the film here.

I found these stills here.

http://www.suzaanheyns.com/

Nina Say Cheese Kids’ photography

Vanessa Lewis is a Jo’burg based food photographer who decided to venture into the world of kids’ photography when she couldn’t find any photographers she liked to photograph her two year old daughter Nina. She decided to set up a studio in Fourways with magical sets and the most adorable props to capture some truly unique moments.

“Nina Say Cheese portraits aim to capture less posed shots and more spontaneous moments that really bring to life your child’s delightful character. Portraits are taken against beautiful bespoke sets. Children are professionally styled and wear specially sourced items that match the themed world in which they will be captured.  Children are then encouraged to completely lose themselves in make-believe and shots are taken almost without their knowing. A fun and exciting experience for both mom and bunny.”

http://www.ninasaycheese.com/

Fashion & Photography by Natalie & Amy

The talented young Amy Scheepers, who I regularly feature, has teamed up with young fashion designer Natalie Creed to produce this beautiful shoot. You can read my previous chat with Amy here.

I asked Natalie a few questions

Where did you study?

Studied Fashion Design (BTech Degree) at NMMU

Future plans?

Future plans… I’m taking things one step at a time, but there is already so much going on. I want to grow the business gradually and eventually reach a point where I can travel the world to visit all my stockists!

Designers who inspire you?

I try not to be inspired by designers as such, I prefer to look to non-fashion sources for inspiration. But if I had to choose my favourite three it would be Anna Molinari, Karl Lagerfeld and John Galliano. They’re all very different, but I love the femininity that all of them bring to the table.

Thanks Natalie and Amy!

For some more swoon-worthy photography check out http://amyscheepers.blogspot.com/ and http://amyscheepers.com/

If you’d like to order any of the clothes (like this cute outfit below) you can email Natalie: info@nataliecreed.com

models: Kristi Marie Pretorius & Chloe Munton

clothing: Natalie Creed

photographer: Amy Scheepers

The bicycle portraits – let’s help fund this project!

I’m sure many of you have heard of the beautiful Bicycle Portraits books that will soon be published by Stan Engelbrecht & Nic Grobler.  They have taken the best 165 portraits and stories of the over 500 portraits of cyclists they’ve photographed during their 2 year journey around South Africa. Divided over 3 books, each will contain a different 55 stories, and also two essays each by local South African and major international cycling figures.

The books are designed by Gabrielle Guy and they have also collaborated with celebrated South African artist Gabrielle Raaff to create an individual hand-painted watercolor map, based on Google Maps, to indicate the location of each of the portraits.

How are you funding this ambitious project and how can we all help ?

So far we have raised just over R166 000 through our first two successful Kickstarter campaigns and we are aiming for another R100 000 with our current campaign. The project has grown far beyond our initial expectations and it is now almost 2 years since we set off on our first ride. We have 20 days to go and the Kickstarter funding date is the 8th of December. Kickstarter is an all or nothing platform and we need to reach our target by the set date if we want any of the funds raised up to that point. The amount of funds we have available has a very direct affect on the print quantities, cost and quality of the materials – so the more we can raise the better.

We’ve especially taken the Kickstarter route as we felt that the community funding concept fits with the content of the book and it has in turn created much opportunity to engage with people all around the world.

Stan & Nic

Why we are doing this…

As you’ll see we are not photographing people who ride purely for exercise or recreation, but instead we are focussing on those who use bicycles as an integral tool in their day-to-day existence. We’ve noticed that in South Africa, especially in the major centers, very few people use bicycles as mode of transport. This is very strange since we have no proper public transport infrastructure, and that which does exist is expensive and unsafe.

Given all the benefits of cycling – independence, health, fitness, cost-effectiveness, environmentally friendly – we would love to encourage the use of bicycles in South Africa amongst all social classes.

They also offer rewards for pledging money, like these unique limited-edition hand-woven Eddy Merckx portraits made by Tumi’s Bicycle Club in Lesotho.

Watch the video!

Bicycle Portraits – A photographic book in the making from Bicycle Portraits on Vimeo.

Orders for the book / pledges can be made via Kickstarter:
www.bicycleportraits.co.za/kickstarter

Thanks so much Nic! Good luck with the last 20 days!

Grainy days with Jane

I love blog hopping to see what my favourite young South African photographers are up to. Jane Paterson (who we’ve featured here before) has been capturing trees, birds, waves, scuffed blue Vellies and portraits of mountain gazing literary characters.

http://thewishingbird.blogspot.com/

 

 

Ross Garrett. My oh my.

This weekend saw the photographic exhibition of young and crazy-talented photographer Ross Garrett. There’s not much to say about him except that he’s one of South Africa’s  top photographers, he’s incredibly humble, he has a pig for a pet and he takes denture droppingly beautiful photographs. Keep your mouths closed folks. (The pig’s name is Moomin, by the way)

http://injozirossgarrett.blogspot.com/

http://www.injozi.biz/

The young ones

Young Cape Townian Kent Andreasen shows us a few of his dreamy pics.

My name is Kent Andreasen and I am 20 years old. I am from Cape Town and currently studying film. I hope to pursue a career in the both photography and film spheres.  My biggest influence is my pursuit for good times and unique experiences which stems from my desire to explore my environment. I enjoy using film and digital cameras because they both bring different aspects to the table and I like to experiment with all forms of photography which I feel help me improve and learn as photographer. Please take look at my blog and flickr page for some of my work. 

http://www.kentandreasen.blogspot.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kentandreasen/

Thanks Kent!