Yolanda Saayman Photography

Kirstenbosch
31 December 2011

Prime Circle proved once again why they are South Africa’s Number 1 Rock Band!

Some people have been queuing for the best seats in the house since 12h00 on New Year’s Eve-day, so when the gates opened at 19h00, it took less than 30 minutes for a crowd of 5000 people to fill the grass terrace in front of the stage at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens – a natural amphitheater under African Skies!

The vibe was electrifying and the air filled with excitement. The line up for the evening was No One’s Arc, Elvis Blue and Prime Circle with a special guest appearance by Dan Patlansky. Radio Goodhope’s Guy McDonald acted as MC and kept the crowd entertained during band changing, the Amarula Prize Draws and the Count Down to 2012.

Although the support bands are phenomenal in their own right, the crowd was there for one reason: Prime Circle!

I’ve had the privilege to photograph this outstanding band before, but Saturday night’s performance set a new benchmark and left me in awe…again!

Ross was belting out the songs off the group’s latest Platinum Album, Jekyll & Hyde, and throwing in previous hits like She Always Gets What She Wants and Let Me Go, to the crowd’s delight. He describes drummer, Dale Schnettler as: “A machine behind the drums!” and I am sure that Dale’s energy could have backed up any power cut in the Western Cape. As for lead guitarist Dirk Bisschoff - he is a performer who knows how to entertain the crowd and in sync with the fans, giving them more than the face value of their tickets. Together with bass guitarist Marco Gomes and keyboard player, Neil Breytenbach, they have the chemistry that produces the one hit after the other – winning them a SAMA award for Best Rock Album and MK’s award for “International Breakthrough Act”! So it is only fitting that they brought the show back to South Africa on a Summer Tour around the country, ending it off on a highlight with the New Year’s Eve Concert.

As for me: Photographing Prime Circle while they rock Cape Town into 2012 has been an adrenaline rush!

ROCK ON!

Yolanda Saayman

Vanessa & Lohan
03 Desember 2011
Weskusplek, Jacobsbaai

Ek en Vanessa het ‘n maand voor haar troudag foto-idees oor ‘n glasie wyn bespreek – ons was op dieselfde golflengte. Haar oë het geskitter van opgewondenheid: “Kyk, my uitnodigings het vandag gearriveer!”

Sy het alles noukeurig en tot in die fynste besonderheid beplan – elke detail is aan aandag geskenk – van die vetplantjie skouer-ruikers tot die dankie-sê geskenkies, die unieke vere confetti tot die eiesoortige “trou mars”! Haar en Lohan se spesiale kuierplek, die Weskusplek op Jacobsbaai, is maande vooruit bespreek vir die geleentheid…

Maar na al die fyn beplanning, was daar een ding wat niemand kon beheer nie – die weer!

Die wind het stormsterk teen 46km per uur gewaai en sou teen die middag se kant nog meer optel! Skielik is al die vooraf beplande idees gekelder. Die seremonie kon nie meer op die strand plaasvind nie en moes op 99 na die kapel skuif. Die fotos wat ons so intens bespreek en beplan het, was ook nie meer uitvoerbaar nie.

Ek was verlig dat Vanessa deur alles so positief en kalm kon bly – selfs die wind kon nie haar geluk demp nie en tot my verbasing, was sy selfs bereid om die orkaan buite te trotseer vir ‘n paar fotos! Natuurlik het ons lekker gelag toe die fotograaf (dis nou ek), onwillekeurig, ‘n paar duine ver agter haar reflector moes aanhardloop!

Die kapel was stampvol vriende en familie en ‘n bewoë Lohan het vir sy bruid en haar dogtertjies, Mieke en Mia, by die altaar gewag, om saam, ‘n nuwe lewe te begin.

Die seremonie was kort en kragtig en die feesvieringe het met regte Weskus gasvryheid begin. Heildronke is ingestel op Vanessa en Lohan se nuutgevonde geluk en ek vermoed dat die bruid se rustigheid ook later die wind, tot bedaring gebring het…

“Tussen woorde lê daar soveel dankbare ure,
tussen woorde vlieg my drome reg deur die mure
En ek weet ek is niks sonder jou
wat saam my drome bou en wie my vashou
in jou oë is die rede dat ek sing in die duister
As jy lag kan ek hoor hoe al die engele fluister
Wat my hart vir jou wil sê,
het in die stiltes tussen woorde gaan lê”

Yolanda Saayman

“20 Stones” – Dan Patlansky in studio with Theo Crous, Ross Learmonth and Dave Ferguson
Cape Town
29 November 2011

After a riveting shoot at the Table Mountain Blues Summit, I bumped into Clear Entertainment’s Franie Kotze back stage. Franie said that they needed a photographer to document the “behind the scenes” recording session of Dan Patlansky’s title song for his new CD , “20 Stones”.

Dan is South Africa’s own Jimmy Hendrix and when you here someone talking about the 6-string prodigy – he’s your man! So needless to say, being a huge admirer of his music and incredible talent, I cleared my calendar!

The session was scheduled at sought-after producer, Theo Crous’s Bellville Studios. Theo is a musical engineer and a genius when it comes to the production of records. He has immense experience, a fine ear and is a brilliant guitarist in his own right with a resume that will silence any music critic!

“20 Stones” would be a collaboration of some of South Africa’s leading musicians including Ross Learmonth of Prime Circle fame and harmonica maestro, Dave Ferguson.

I could feel the excitement as I arrived. The studio was filled with smoke and there was a catchy riff repeating in the background – Dan was already in the sound booth recording while Ross was busy writing the lyrics for “20 Stones”. Dave arrived later with his suitcase harmonicas to complete the scene.

After a couple of hours, the result: an eclectic bluesy rock ballad with an African undertone which is sure to top the charts once released!

Yolanda Saayman