My Story
The ocean, nature and wildlife were never part of my childhood. Born to immigrants in apartheid South Africa, life was all about working hard to create a better future. And while that life was very conservative, I was fortunate to attend a private school and then complete a degree in Fine Art.
My parents had given me the start I needed, but the reality of making a living as an artist, soon drove me back to working alongside them in their Chinese takeaway. I was shy, naïve and unsure of where life would take me.
My first trip to Kruger National Park was in my mid-20’s, and it made me want to experience more of nature. I started hiking and found I could sit for hours staring out from a vantage point. The artist in me still existed, but I realised that if I wanted to explore more, I needed a career that provided a more consistent income.
I returned to studying, this time to be a Dental Technician. It was like making mini sculptures. Over the years I’ve come to love the challenges of creating life-like replicas of a person’s natural teeth. Getting the shading and contrasts just right and helping transform their smile.
Moving to Cape Town, I got to explore more - taking up mountain biking, trail running and even joining Sea Rescue as a volunteer. The adventures expanded into road trips after meeting my wife. Then further afield to Mozambique, Mauritius and Tanzania.
By now I’d invested in a DSLR camera to capture the highlights of our adventures. I started experimenting with contrasts, constantly reminded of how much the life I live now, contrasts with my conservative childhood.
I love being out in the elements, finding abstracts in the natural world. Capturing a moment of beauty and contrasts, a dream version of reality, the start of a new journey.
