Stanford Harvest

My work in a gallery

Tomorrow some of my photographs are ‘on show’ in a groups exhibition at The Stanford Harvest in our village. All local artists. Thought it was time to share my work with people from the region. Snapshot of my work before adjustment of the spotlights.

The images are all part of a series of, what I call, ‘Reduction B&W with added textures, elements and toning’. It’s time consuming procedure with thorough attention for details.

At 5 PM tomorrow is the opening and the exhibition lasts until 19 July.

The Artist framed

Portrait of artist Vivienne McOnie

Yesterday was very rewarding

(This week’s Photo Challenge Reward)

Tip for people who like my pictures: you might like follow the mentioned/linked WordPress blogs as well 😉

Last month I was ‘awarded’ two social media accounts (annual contracts) of restaurants in the village. This local acknowledgement felt for me as a reward. The profile picture of YUM Eat Cafe with owners and staff framed went viral (yesterday evening over 100 retweets plus quite a few shares on FB) and that on its own is also a reward. But look into the picture. It tells many things; one is that of the croissants. These are made from scratch by the two chefs and baked into perfection with modern kitchen technology (timing, temperatures and moisture/humidity in oven pre-programmed) and the reward is a perfect delicious tasteful croissant.

The second picture (shot yesterday) is of Stanford Harvest. Stanford Harvest is part of the Elandsvalley Farm just outside the village and their food is fresh from the land. This farm restaurant promotes itself also by attending markets in the region. But yesterday was unexpected. Every year there is this Bird Fair in the village that attracts bird lovers from around the globe. There are a wide variety of presentations and lectures and the organisation is usually perfect. This time however the organisation forgot seemingly that all the participants also have to eat. Vivienne McOnie (co-owner of Elandsvalley Farm/Stanford Harvest) discovered this omission and within no time kitchen staff was mobilised and within one hour the food stall was up and running. The reward: Hundreds of meals and plenty of fresh produce (including honey of the own bees) sold!!!

Sunset on the farm

Pictures shot at Stanford Harvest Saturday evening 7 February. First photograph is a portrait of artist Vivienne McOnie. The Bedford (second image) is HDR.

Proportional

This weeks Photo Challenge is SCALE. Another interesting challenge to play with. The first is a selfie titled ‘A close look’. The second and third are bracelets and rings (of the same but differently sized materials) of Yvonne de Wit Jewellery by who I am ‘hired’ to do her social media (well … I’m her husband 😉 ) The fourth picture was shot at the airport in Cape Town and it tells it’s own story followed by one of a miniature cuckoo clock in ‘The Little book Museum’ of Hemingways of Hermanus (another social media client of my). The sixth is that magical moment in an ancient forest where our hiking group felt silent, overwhelmed by the huge ‘scale’ of magic. Than 3 images of different insects. The mantis is pictured on a chair arm (4 cm wide). Than there is one of seagulls on a sculpture in the Company Gardens in Cape Town and the last one is shot at the farm restaurant of one of my latest new clients showing milk-barrels on an old Bedford milk truck.

In our town there are many eateries, coffee shops and restaurants (even the only one in South Africa with a Michelin Star!!!) that we sometimes doubt if they can all survive. Lucky for these establishments there is a steady growing influx of visitors. And yes; another one recently opened its doors: Stanford Harvest; an eatery combined with a gallery of a resident artist. We wish this newcomer all the best.

For a true Stanford Harvest we just look from our verandah to the neighbour’s landmark tree every morning. See for yourself.