Mark Wessels Photography

07/03/2020

Making Life Choices! Today I had the great visual opportunity to take part in the JL Zwane Memorial Church Career Expo 2020 in Gugulethu near Cape Town! It was an exciting and informative event as many high school scholars from across the Cape Peninsula arrived in their school uniforms, filling the space with their energy and enthusiasm. They had all come to find out about their future career choices from various professionals of all sorts. I'm so glad I took time today to go along and create pictures like these because it makes my work meaningful. It's these sorts of occasions and moments that give me hope for our Rainbow Nation and the future of its people!!!...

Thanks to Eric Miller for the time together and Anna Richerby for letting us know about this amazing event taking place!

07/02/2020

Early Morning Voters! Voting Day. Marconi Beam, Milnerton, Cape Town, South Africa. 2004. Early morning voters queue together waiting for their opportunity to cast their vote during South African General Elections. I love this photograph, shot on film. It’s one of my favourite images. Mostly because I learnt a valuable life lesson on this day way back then and it was an exciting time for me as I was just starting out on my journey as a Photographer. Yesterday my good friend Paul asked me a clear and present question, “What about this photo makes you grateful and makes you feel blessed?”. It took me a few minutes to think about it and then I said I'm grateful because I was in the totally wrong position and luckily my friend Mike Hutchings from Reuters grabbed me, pulled me down onto the ground, and said to me "Any moment now the sun is going to rise and make magic!" And it did just that! I mean just look at it! To me it was an absolutely beautiful magic moment. I wasn’t thinking and had no idea the sun would break through and do that? When it happened I was utterly and completely absorbed-blessed-completely-delightfully-energetically-fantastically-gratefully in this moment happening. I'm grateful because I learned to look beyond the obvious and I'm blessed because I get to do that every time I take a picture and tell a story! Today our visually excellent storytelling media company is 3 years old!!! Happy Birthday! Being reminded about the wonderful magic of storytelling yesterday was a great gift to think about today! Thank you Paul. Thank you Sean and Schalk for being part of this journey!!!!!!!

12/10/2019

Here’s something visually exciting our media company, Seven Bang Media did recently!...

A beautiful and magical evening filled with lights and lanterns! The legacy and spirit of the Clanwilliam Arts Project lives on.

28/07/2019

Look What Eye Did!...

16/07/2019

A Picture Tribute To Our South African Legend!

JOHNNY CLEGG! 1953 - 2019.

Johnny Clegg shares moments with all of us while singing some of his most popular hits, during the opening performance of his 'Johnny Clegg - The Final Journey World Tour' at Grand Arena, GrandWest, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa on Friday 30th June 2017.

A singer, songwriter, dancer, anthropologist, and musical activist, Johnny Clegg, the original 'White Zulu', pioneered an infectious crossover music genre by combining Western pop with Zulu rhythms, becoming one of South Africa's most celebrated musicians and an international superstar.

He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015 but continued to tour while in treatment. While in remission during this time, he was finishing a new album and his autobiography, and performed a final set of concerts with the Johnny Clegg Band with special guest appearances by Sipho Mchunu from their band Juluka and his son Jesse Clegg to thank his fans for their support over the long journey that spans his remarkable career.

This was a highlight for me as a visual storyteller because I grew up in South Africa during Apartheid with his music resonating deeply in me since watching the movie Jock of the Bushveld and hearing that song 'Great Heart' that speaks to me so personally.

What a privilege for me to finally get to see him live in concert and for the opportunity for me to continue on my own journey with storytelling! Thanks Johnny Clegg for an incredible experience! Enjoy the final journey!

'WE ARE THE SCATTERLINGS OF AFRICA ON A JOURNEY TO THE STARS!' - JOHNNY CLEGG...

(All images © Mark Wessels. No publication off Facebook. Please message me to inquire about picture usage).

GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World Grand Arena ,GrandWest Johnny Clegg Jesse Clegg Sipho Mchunu

20/06/2019

Guess who is the Official Photographer for the National Arts Festival Makhanda 2019?

I’m very happy to say that our Media Company, Seven Bang Media will be represented Photographically by myself as I document various productions and events at the 45th Festival (coincidentally the event and I both began our lives back in 1974)!

The biggest celebration of the Arts in Africa takes place in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown), Eastern Cape, South Africa from the 27th June until the 7th July 2019.

The image used is from one I did for Magnet Theatre recently for their G7 Okwe Bhokwe production that will also be on show at this year’s Festival.

Looking forward to covering this event! Watch this space! More picture stories to follow soon!!!...

🥳 ONE WEEK to go!!! 🥁 Next week Thursday, on the 27 June, the 45th National Arts Festival officially kicks off in Makhanda, Eastern Cape 🤩

National Arts Festival Makhanda is ready to host the biggest, grandest celebration of the Arts in Africa 🎭 Our Creative City is buzzing with excitement as draws closer. Join us and behold the magic that our performers and traders have in store for you over ! 🎩



📸: G7: Okwe Bokhwe - photo by Mark Wessels Photography