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PREPARING SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE WORLD |
Cape Town photographer Terry February was appointed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1996 as its National Communication and Marketing Manager and he was later appointed as a director of the Independent Development Trust. Over the past few months, he has undertaken a new challenge - to photograph the construction of the city's 68 000-seater World Cup stadium. A selection of his finest prints are now being exhibited at the Green Point Stadium's Visitors Centre. Project 2010 asked him….  What motivated you to undertake this particular project? I've always been fascinated with the construction of the new Green Point Stadium since it started. I started photographing the construction phases of the stadium exactly a year ago. I simply wanted to document the construction process as a way to preserve something that will mean a lot to our society. What I am seeing taking shape is an impressive giant landmark making its presence felt on our landscape. You have fired off thousands of frames since the project began - which one is your favourite and why? My present Green Point 2010 Stadium photographic exhibition consist of 28 images. In this body of work, I have one special image that I captured on 22 June 2008. It was late afternoon and I noticed low cloud coming very slowly over the Green Point, Sea Point and Central Cape Town areas. My vantage point at the time was Signal Hill and I was patiently waiting for the low cloud cover to come over the stadium and for the sunset light to provide the appropriate light condition. I anticipated the right light and cloud cover condition for the image I wanted. I fired off a couple of frames as I observed the low cloud cover come over the stadium. Within seconds the low cloud covered everything, I could not see the stadium at all. I waited and within minutes the tips of the cranes started to appear. With all the different stadium construction projects going on around the country, there are so many images out there. What do you look for with your images to ensure they are unique? What makes one landscape image stand out from another? Is it location? We've all seen stale photographs from the most dramatic destinations. Therefore location alone isn't enough. Is it composition? A well-composed image is essential, but it looks artificial if the scene is not right. It is the light. For me the use of light consistently distinguishes landscape images. Light can transform a scene from boring to evocative, giving a location atmosphere and mood. As photographers, we are dependent on the whims of weather for our light and the Cape Town weather patterns provide us with many choices. You have kept a close eye on the stadium since the construction project started - what impresses you most about the structure? I am most impressed by the majestic sculpture of the stadium, the collective shapes of the giant columns and the tall colorful cranes surrounding the stadium. All of these elements with the right light conditions lends an air of magical mysticism to the images. more interviews...
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