The path I am walking in life is the reason why I am a photographer. Every turn lead me to where I am today. I will never look back, only forwards. Every turn was a choice based on judgement at the time armed with the knowledge and support at those specific moments. I am a photographer and grateful to be here.
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| 35mm Film Cross-Processed circa 2005 (c) Bakkes Images |
My interest and passion for photography began long before I owned a camera. As a teenager I was a skateboarder and I would indulge myself in the media at the time that showcased the development of the sport in the United States. Reading magazines like Thrasher and Transworld Skateboarding opened my eyes to extreme sports photography and began to train my mind in the art of framing and composition. Unknown to me at the time I was already learning much about photography.
Videography also played a big role where at a time I hoped to make motion films. Skateboard videos at the time were experimental, low budget and artistic in a grunge sense and very appealing to the youth and me.
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| John-John Florence, USA 2009 (c) Bakkes Images |
Then I took up surfing as a sport. This was a path choice that would seriously affect my place on the planet today. Surfing is a great sport with more attractive elements that simply riding on waves. Surfing entails travels, nature and beauty, interesting characters and amazing experiences. Fueled by the publications like Surfer Magazine and the boom in surf video productions I was even more interested in capturing my experiences as a surfer. I wanted to capture the people, places and adventures in order to treasure the memories of the brilliant times were having at the time. And this is where it started to take shape.
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| Riehan Bakkes and friend Johan de Goede circa 2000 (c) Riehan Bakkes |
I was a student of Transport Economics at Stellenbosch University at the time when I got my first camera. It was a Pentax ZX-50 with a standard zoom lens and off I went. The results were mixed. Not knowing much about the art of photography there was a lot of trail and error. Some images were legend and I still have them archived under "all time best" and some were horrible. It was great. It was a loose and irresponsible way of photography. Shoot whatever was in front of the lens.
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| Douglas Cockwell circa 2008 (c) Riehan Bakkes |
A couple of year later I befriended world renowned surfing photographer Douglas Cockwell who became my mentor. His work was published all over the globe in magazines I admired for so many years. He taught me how to shoot surfing and bodyboarding photographs, how to get them published, how to organize production and, most importantly, the principles of photography. I upgraded my kit to a Pentax Z1-P with a range of lenses from telephoto to fish-eyes. Soon afterward my work got published in the local surfing, bodyboarding and skateboarding magazines and thereafter internationally. I was hooked. It was the best feeling to see my work published and getting peanuts in payment for it got me thinking of making photography a career. Bob's was then my uncle.
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| Bob Burnquist, Brazil (c) Riehan Bakkes |
Extreme sports photography was great fun. I really appreciated the sports and athletes for they abilities and personalities. My job was great because I could rub shoulders with the professional riders from all parts of the globe like Tony Hawk, Bob Burnquist, Jamie Sterling, Ryan Hardy, Mike Vallely, Alex Chalmers, Damien King, Spencer Skipper and more. Photographically these sports taught me how to shoot fast and accurate with minimal lighting control. I carry those lessons with me all the time.
I finished my masters degree in Transport Economics knowing I wanted to be a photographer. My first full-time position was at a big fleet management company but I hated every moment of it. I lasted there for a year and moved to the photographic department at a major sports magazine publishing house in Cape Town. The door was wide open and I found access to the professional world of photography and media.
In the following years I worked for many fantastic photographers, some of which are still my most respected artists. I learnt more about commercial photography and photographic business and finally got to the stage where I went professional. I opened Bakkes Images in 2008 specializing in Wine & Winelands photography. Based in Stellenbosch, the epicenter of the South African wine industry, I followed the lead and turned my studio into the respected service provider it is today. With wine photography came many other genres I hold dear. Before I knew it the studio was shooting quality food, hospitality, architecture and portraits for clients.
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| (c) Stacked Publications |
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| Albert Frost (c) Bakkes Images |
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| Celebrating Methode Cap Classique (c) Stacked Publications |
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| Avondale (c) Bakkes Images |
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| Hidden Valley (c) Bakkes Images |
I will continue to strive for the best quality and innovative photography. I am blessed to be a photographic artist and more so to be able to be passionate about my work. Passion is the driving force behind Riehan Bakkes Photography. I believe it is important to work in the field that you are passionate about. In that way, your career, like mine, might have started when you were a kid already.
This is me.
Riehan Bakkes, Senior Photographer, Bakkes Images.