About Us

The Voortrekker Monument is an impressive and somewhat controversial building. It celebrates the historic accomplishments of a narrow slice of the South African population but because it rests on private land it is largely ignored by the national discourse. This property, by contrast, is also the site of many a music festival that celebrates a different and unified new South Africa. In some ways the monument serves as reminder of a past and how far we’ve come. When I was on an assignment for DHOR I had the opportunity to shoot there and wanted to get a photograph and a new angle on something that has been shot a million times before. This high contrast image of a groundskeeper maintaining a monument that celebrates people who wouldn’t have cared much for him echos this contrast.

Between 2006 and 2017 a lot has changed in the music industry, especially with the rise of social media and the instant and fleeting nature of music releases these days. 

Thats why when Fokofpolisiekar brought out our first full length album in 11 years, back in 2017, we decided to do a traditional press run like we would have done in 2006. It was three days of mostly driving around in the greater Johannesburg area and talking to journalists and publications about what it was like recording music again - nights were spent drinking until dawn because we didn’t have to worry about getting on a stage. It was a lot of fun but also quite taxing. This frame captures some of that ‘Day 3 Road-Weariness’ in a lift at the Independent Media building in downtown Johannesburg.

I was travelling with Afrikaans rapper Jack Parow in 2016 to shoot stills for their ‘Dis Hoe ons Rol’ motorcycle travel program. This photo was a happy accident and the result of having my camera’s exposure compensation dial turned to minus 3 whilst shooting in the harsh midday sun at the Wild Coast Sun’s water park. The combination of Parow’s then gaunt-ish physique, the murky waters and the dark tones make for a haunting image. Something not usually associated with water parks or Parow’s public image.

Arno Carstens had just recorded his first Afrikaans album called Aandblom 13 and I was commissioned by Select Music to shoot images for the sleeve. It was decided that we would do the shoot in his hometown of Worcester and that his older brother, Jos, would join us afterwards for a braai and sleepover (read: party). I arrived early to scout for locations but Jos had other plans and he decided we would need to buy provisions first. This photo is the result of sitting in Worcester Mall’s parking lot, waiting for Jos to finish shopping and watching the available light (and my location scouting hopes) fade away.

Whilst on tour with Fokofpolisiekar and boarding a plane to Bloemfontein I saw a Buddhist monk (in full kasaya) helping 2 old nuns with their luggage. I scrambled to get my camera and take a photo of this beautiful sight but I was just too late to get a good frame. When we reached cruising altitude I realised these ladies were seated right behind our vocalist, Francois. I decided to grab this shot of 3 people on the same journey but with very different backgrounds and ideas about their destination.

When my wife and I went to Portugal on honeymoon in August of 2017, I decided to take a very minimal photography setup (one camera and a 35mm lens) so that I wouldn’t be tempted to take pictures all the time and in turn be more present and enjoy the R&R. I spent one afternoon on Cascais promenande and took photos of whatever this compact setup allowed me to. This is one of my favourites from that particular trip. 

Textures, water, sun and the one. My wife, Lindi, dipping her feet in the water at Witsand beach. This is the closest she ever gets to swimming.

Shooting Arno Carstens’ album cover photos in his mother’s house in Worcester was a pleasant nightmare. Arno’s brother, Jos, and Hunter Kennedy, my Fokofpolisiekar bandmate (and Aanblom’s co-producer) came to Worcester for the shoot. As I was setting up scenes and lights in the house, the boys were drinking and socialising outside at the braai. I was struggling to find a flow, being interrupted to join the boys on ‘bathroom trips’, drink mampoer and eat braaivleis. After a while of this I decided to give-in and join them and just take photos of what was happening. This photo was taken in the kitchen just before Arno’s elderly mother told us it was time for bed.

Photographer Liam Lynch has played a massive role in my photography development and his unique photojournalistic eye has done even for Fokofpolisiekar’s portrayal over the years. Fokofpolisiekar went into studio in 2018, straight after the Selfmedikasie album, to keep up the creative flow and record a surprise EP called Droom Hoog. Liam was there to document it. I took this picture of him at Sunset recording studios while he was surveying the farm for a location to shoot a band portrait of us. Fun fact: Shortly after taking this photo one of the horses almost trampled us.

I’ve been playing music with Fokofpolisiekar for 18years now. It’s a rare thing to have friends for so long let alone friends you play music and do business with. The recipe for this unique relationship boils down to respect between members and each person understanding the role that they play and the value that they add. This photo was taken at a soundcheck at Presleys in Pretoria where we were discussing the upcoming release of the band’s first full length album in 11 years, Selfmedikasie. Each person’s body-language is unique to who they are.

Late night self-portrait on tour in Pretoria. This was taken in 2017 at about 5:30am in Fred Den Hartog’s (Die Heuwels Fantasties) hotel room. I’m rolling my last ciggie before retiring for the night because everyone else in the hotel room has passed out. 

This was my take-away from a visit to Bloemfontein Cheetas’ training fields with DHOR. Jack Parow and his co-host Hardus Van Deventer were interviewing rugby players and running amok doing rugby drills with some of their favourite players. They were like kids, reliving all their rugby dreams of old. I was out of my depth as I don’t follow rugby much and didn’t know any of these egg-ball gladiators nor would I really know how to photograph them in any traditional way. I saw this apparatus on the pitch and waited until the players had left and took the shot.