Come and learn landscape photography while exploring some of South Africa’s oldest and finest wine farms in the heart of the Breedekloof Wine Valley with Craig Fouché Photography and Nikon SA from 29 Feb – 1 March 2020.
During the 2-day workshop, you will not only have the opportunity to photograph landscapes at different times of the day, but also experience the vineyard and all it has to offer.
The workshop includes a welcome wine goodie bag from Deetlefs Wine Estate, wine tasting, light lunch on Saturday and a give-away wine pack for the best image taken during the course of the workshop.
CLICK HERE to book your ticket
Craig Fouché Photography in proud association with Deetlefs Wine Estate and Nikon South Africa, present the Western Cape Winelands Workshop in the Rawsonville surrounds ± 20km outside Worcester. Here you will not only have the opportunity to photograph landscapes but also experience the vineyards. I take you step-by-step from your first shutter click to final image on the wall! The main thrust of the workshop will be landscape photography, where I will also show you my workflow as to how I edit in Photoshop for the web and printing.
THE LOCATION
Rawsonville
Rawsonville is only about an hour’s drive inland from Cape Town or twenty kilometres from Worcester. This is home to the Wineland areas of the Breedekloof, Slanghoek, Goudini and Breede River where award-winning wines and a natural playground consisting of crystal clear streams and majestic mountains await you in the Breedekloof/Rawsonville area. The Rawsonville area is known for the Breedekloof Wine Route with its 22 Cellars and Wine Estates and also hosts the annual Breedekloof extreme sports festival.
Worcester
Worcester is only about an hour’s drive inland from Cape Town and is the largest town on the R62 route and was established in 1820. Geographically, the district is delimited mainly by mountains; to the southwest lies the massive Stettyns mountain range with annual rainfall in excess of 2000 mm. To the west lie the Du Toitskloof Mountains and northwest lies the Slanghoek, Little Drakenstein, Elandskloof and Lemiet mountain ranges.
To the north rises the Hex River Mountains which include the towering peaks of Chavonness, Brandwacht, Fonteintjiesberg and Audensberg. Northeast of the town the colourful Keerom Mountain runs into the Langeberg range. These mountain ranges form the Breede Valley which is where the economy of Worcester derives it lifeblood based on viticulture and the production of wine and brandy.
There are many well-known wine cellars and farms within easy reach from town that open for tasting and lend very well to photography.
These special places become part of you, and they are reflected in the work or images that you produce. They call you back, for more backpacking adventures, for more solo journeys through the wilderness, for more road trips through the roads sometimes less travelled with your friends.
DEETLEFS WINE ESTATE
Deetlefs Wine Estate is the second oldest family-owned wine estate in South Africa, Deetlefs is steeped in seven generations of history since 1822. Situated at the foot of the Du Toitskloof Mountains in the Breedekloof Valley, in the small town of Rawsonville, the land has firmly become a part of the estate, vineyards and wine. Deetlefs currently produces three different ranges of wine, each with a unique story and a specific purpose. The ranges include Deetlefs Familie, Deetlefs Estate and Stonecross. Since 1994 the focus has been on international markets and today more than 80% of the wine production is exported, taking Deetlefs to all corners of the globe.
The Breedekloof’s surrounding majestic mountains, unsurpassed location, climate, rivers and varied geology all add to a unique winemaking experience.
This valley of slow-ripening vines has one of the purest water sources in South Africa, cold winters and low humidity which minimizes the use of chemicals, a late budburst, and a long ripening period. All these factors contribute to great flavour development in grapes and award-winning wines.
Summer is harvest time and offers many wonderful photographic opportunities.
THE WORKSHOP
Come and learn landscape photography while exploring some of South Africa’s oldest and finest wine farms in the heart of the Breedekloof Wine Valley. It is one of the most picturesque, and dramatically beautiful wine regions. The diverse terroir – from mountain slopes to the banks of the Breede River – allows for many different types of cultivars to be planted, resulting in a wide range of award-winning wines produced by our wineries. It is these various cultivars that in autumn produce the famous “lappies kombers” or quilt of greens, yellows, reds and plum colours. It is not a single cultivar that goes from green to brown, they all differ.
The Breedekloof district is characterised by vineyards which flourish on alluvial valley soils with adequate drainage as they rest on a bed of river stones. It covers a large proportion of the Breede River Valley and its tributaries. There are marked variations between the soils and mesoclimates in the different river valleys. This district incorporates the Goudini and Slanghoek wards.
The first grapevine was planted in 1659, just after the Dutch landed in the Cape to establish a fresh produce station on the southern tip of Africa. Since then, South Africa’s grape industry has grown to more than 10 000 producers, more than half of whom produce wine grapes.
Not all vines bear the same shape leaf either, the shapes are similar, however to the trained eye – they are very different for both white and red grapes.
This year I am really excited to bring you an all-new workshop and tour experience. Group sizes are small and exclusive of not more than 10, allowing a more personal one-on-one experience.
As a photographer, some geographic regions beckon your return, they simply speak to you. Year after year, through changing seasons, conditions, weather patterns, there is that calling to return to capture something that you may have missed on your previous visit or to try a new concept that you had in mind, that would be appropriate for that location. Photography requires time and attention. And because of that, you see photos and the life around you more appreciatively. Before you take each photo, you have to adjust settings on your camera. When printing your photos and seeing them displayed on your walls makes it all worthwhile.
You took that image, and captured a moment in time, to be enjoyed forever!
What to BRING
You will need the following items to make your Winelands photography experience complete.
- A digital or film camera that takes either 35mm, 120 medium format film, 4×5” film
- At least 2 fully charged batteries or AA batteries
- Memory cards/film of your choice.
- Compatible lenses for landscape and macro photography.
- Sturdy tripod.
- Good closed walking shoes and appropriate seasonal clothing.
WORKSHOP FEE
The cost is R5000 p/p. (includes welcome wine goodie bag, wine tasting & light lunch on Saturday)
Date: 29 Feb (15h00) – 1 March 2020 (10h00)
CLICK HERE to book your ticket
* There is no accommodation at Deetlefs Wine Estate, there are however plenty B&B establishments in and around Rawsonville and Worcester. Early registration and payment secure your place. Accommodation and Travel are for the client’s expense. Any additional purchases of wine or venue products are for the client’s account.
