There’s something about the Swartland
06th June 2010, in Blog (12 Comments)
It’s my new favourite place. The Foodie agrees. After the Saturday ritual of Vida and Surf scout, I took the girlfriend for an adventure along the N7. We headed out into those saturated autumn oranges with blue mountain backdrops. That crispy midday sky, which hung out a certain type of washed Cirrus that just watches you. Lunch was at Baa Baa Black sheep in Riebeek Kasteel. Small and eclectic. It’s the kind of place you can order the House Merlot trusting that the locals take it as a matter of regional pride to stock the best of the Swartland. Only a few City types skirted streets. Mixtures of low and high Afrikaans. Some ‘P’ words flung out from a discreet Shebeen that ships from under the Royal hotel. Or maybe I wasn’t supposed to see that. There’s something about the Swartland.
On a technical note: All these photos were taken with my new lens, a Canon 50mm f1.4. It’s a prime lens which means you can’t zoom in and out to frame the subject, you actually have to step forward or back. It’s a very small and lightweight piece of glass, which means it’s great for reportage type work and easy to keep on hand with no lens hood. If you open it right up to aperture f1.4, it gives the photos a beautiful soft blur, but of course is then not sharp. It’s difficult lens to learn.
12 Comments
June 7, 2010 9:33 am
Paul Cartmel (@twitter.com/paulcartmel)
Absolutely beautiful pictures (and not even a wave in sight)
June 7, 2010 9:49 am
Samantha (@@drizzleanddip)
OMG your photographs are mind numbingly beautiful! Such a special part of the world
June 7, 2010 11:38 am
nina
This is so stunning.Swartland Beautifully captured!!!
June 7, 2010 2:08 pm
Michael Olivier (@foodwineguru)
Luv your work, have you ever shot food?
Have a feeling you would bring something new to food photography.
Love the interior shot of Bar Bar Black Sheep and the barbed wire fencing and gates. reminded me of growing up on a farm as a child.
Luv
Michael
June 7, 2010 6:15 pm
Andrew Brauteseth (@brauteseth)
Thanks guys for the Comments! It hope I did the Swartland justice, it’s a very special part of the Cape.
Michael, I have done some food shots. I’m actually writing a post about food now. It’s become a bit of a thesis. So just trying to chop it down to size so to speak
June 7, 2010 10:42 pm
Clare Mack (@mackspill)
Inspiring, Atmospheric. Those sheep…..
February 15, 2011 3:25 pm
Michelle (@MichelleParkin)
HI Guy WIth Camera
Love these images
Wanted to know … what is your opinion of the 50mm 1.8 canon lens?
Its about a quarter of the price. do you think it is a good beginner ( food photography) lens?
I would appreciate any advice!
KIndest regards
Michelle
February 15 2011 15:31 pm
Andrew Brauteseth
Hi Michelle, it's great lens little lens. Often referred to as a 'plastic fantastic' with good depth of field for the price and gives a soft dreamyness to image. But images will not be sharp at low apertures, and you're not going to be able to get close enough to your subject, so a lot of the time you might find that's a bit of a frustration with a 50mm prime.
February 19, 2011 12:49 pm
Debbie Brauteseth (@@debibrau)
Your photos are stunning, Andrew. What talent – Wow!
February 23, 2011 9:31 am
Michelle Parkin (@Twitter ID)
Thank you for the feedback! Yeah, I’ll just start saving for the 50mm f1.4 then
. Have a great week! Michelle
February 24, 2011 10:19 am
Kate (@kvolive)
I have this same lens and its my absolute favorite. No matter what new lenses I get, I always come back to my 50mm for those failsafe images.
Beautiful photos, I know your family (Kris + Gareth) well and they pointed me to your work years ago. Inspiring stuff.
March 19, 2011 6:37 pm
Peter
Lovely pics, but also the sweetest little essay to the fore. Most pleasant and rewarding post I have encountered for years…