South Africa Photo Essay by Lars Kemnitz

35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
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Today, we’re featuring a wonderful South Africa photo essay from film photographer Lars Kemnitz. Scroll below to view the images and read more from Lars about visiting South Africa…

Analog cameras and films used: Canon AE-1 (Find at KEH Camera or on eBay) | Kodak Gold 200 (Find on Amazon)

Connect with Lars: Website | Instagram

South Africa Photo Essay

By Lars Kemnitz

35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film

When I came to South Africa for the first time in autumn 2017, I immediately fell in love with this country that has so much to offer.

It’s a country of huge contrasts. And many who come there once return again and again. There’s a reason for this: the beauty of nature, the hospitality of the people, the great food and wines, the affordable prices (at least for those coming from wealthier countries).

After 2017, we went to Cape Town again in 2019, just to stay over a month in Knysna,a few hundred kilometers north at the shore of the Indian Ocean. I took some time off from work, and it was the best decision back then.

35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film

In February this year, we returned again, for the third time. But now we wanted to explore the southern part of the west coast, which is quieter and not so popular with international tourists (who mostly follow the Garden Route along the east coast).

The charm of the west coast lies in the often small and authentic towns and villages. There’s not so much hustle and bustle, time slows down. The waves of the Atlantic Ocean break on the endless empty beaches that stretch along the coast line. People from Cape Town love to come here for the weekend. The further north you go, the less there is.

35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film

We enjoyed this trip a lot. I spent evenings walking and looking for mussels. And taking pictures, of course. Especially this one spot called St. Helena Bay quickly became my favorite place. It’s where Vasco da Gama first set a foot on South African soil in 1497. Still today you can find his statue there.

The peninsula Shelley Point is not only unique because of the fact that this is the only place along the South African west coast where you’re able to watch the sun rise and set over the sea, but also because you’re literally walking on tons of mussel shells that crack under your feet. And it’s not only mussels, there are lots of sea shell homes that look like mussels as well. I’ve never seen so many of them before. The whole scenery with the lighthouse made me think of Terrence Malick films – it was of a supernatural ethereal beauty.

35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film

The other spot that left a strong impression was Velddrif, which is also called the bokkom capital of South Africa. Bokkom (or bokkoms) is a dried fish snack – like biltong, but made out of sun-dried mullets. It has a long tradition there. And the conditions for the industry are perfect, because in Velddrif there’s all you need: fresh catch off the coast, fresh water from the river Berg, huge salt pans, and a dry climate. In the old Bokkomlaan, fish is dried the way it has for decades. I don’t need to mention it’s a very nice place to eat.

Another small fishing village not far away from St. Helena Bay has turned into a must-visit destination for gourmets: Paternoster. Because of the many very good restaurants and the one that was awarded “best restaurant in the world” some years ago (you can always argue about these awards), this former crayfish hotspot is now marked on everyone’s map.

Away from the restaurants and gourmets, life continues at its usual slow pace. You’ll look in vain for a hotel. There isn’t even a real supermarket. And only one asphalt road that leads to the village.

You can discover more of these special little places along the coast when you take some time. For us, it was a new experience, and I still keep very warm memories. Maybe one day I will return, but, for now, I like to flip through my images and travel in my thoughts.

35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film

At last, a little info about me: I’m a creative director and visual artist based in Hamburg, Germany. I switched to analog photography over eight years ago, and, today, I’m also doing films on Super 8 and 8 mm. I love the slow process, the focus I have when taking pictures. There’s nothing distracting me and separating me from that particular moment. I don’t need to check every image. I have full trust in me and my camera. And it has always paid out as I’m mostly very happy with the results. The waiting time is part of the joy.

Especially when traveling, I most often just take one camera, one 50 mm lens, a ND filter and some films with me – I prefer as little equipment as possible. It gives me total freedom and limits what I can do. For me that’s all I need.

35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film
35mm film image of South Africa by Lars Kemnitz on Shoot It With Film

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Wonderful essay and pictures! Most enjoyable! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and images.

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