Heritage of craft: Mzansi sports stars captured on 130-year-old camera
A camera from 1895 captured stills of our Springboks, Proteas, and Bafana Bafana players over a year long period.
Image: Supplied / Castle Lager
What would South Africa’s greatest sporting stars look like if they were captured on a camera from 1895?
In celebration of South Africa’s Heritage Month, and as a nod to its 130th anniversary, Castle Lager recently commissioned a photo series that captured players from the Springboks, Proteas and Bafana Bafana on a historic camera, over the course of a year.
The result is a stunning set of black-and-white images, that lend a nostalgic flavour to today’s sporting heroes.
The process was also captured in a mini-documentary, which you can view below:
“The good part of hand printing is still a craft, and a craft is all in the eye, it’s all in the hands,” says photographic lab technician Dennis da Silva, who processed the black-and-white images.
“Nothing has changed in 130 years, because film can give you grey and it can give you sharpness, it can be soft, it can be contrasty. The mystery to it is the most wonderful part of it.”
The 1985 camera is made out of exquisite wood, with a bellows and a beautiful lens.
“You’ll never see anything like this in the modern world,” Da Silva added.
A craft is all in the eye, and all in the hands, says Da Silva.
Image: Supplied
To bring the story to life, the campaign creators also partnered with football photographer Vino Snap, as well as Newlands Brewery Plant Manager Kyle Moskovitz.
“Eye of God. It has God inside. I got the name because my people in the township believed I have the eye to see raw talent,” said Vino Snap.
“I scout players from the townships and now they’re paying in a professional setup.”
Get your news on the go. Download the latest IOL App for Android and IOS now
IOL