Siegfried Schäfer grew up in the Western Cape’s
Franschhoek valley. He has seen it grow from the sleepy
country village of his youth to the bustling tourist town
that it is today.
Growing up on a fruit and wine farm, the outdoors was
always part of his life. This included regular trips into
the majestic mountains with friends, particularly in summer
to go cool off in the cold mountain streams and to walk
the family dogs (back then both these activities were
still legal!) His family is known for having green fingers
and it wasn’t long before he developed an abiding
interest in plants, particularly the Fynbos
of the valley’s surrounding mountains.
After matriculating from the local high
school and attending Stellenbosch University where he obtained
an MA in International Management he worked in the hospitality
industry for a number of years. However academia called
again and he enrolled for an MBA, graduating in 2002. Shortly
after graduation he started working in the management consultancy
field, but still felt the urge to do something more creative.
On a trip to London the photography bug bit him hard and
upon his return he turned his energies to graphic design
and photography in spite of having no qualifications in
the field other than a brief photography course.
What is available on these pages is testament
to his keen eye and enduring love for all aspects of the
valley he grew up in, but particularly its rich Fynbos
heritage. “Fynbos is highly under appreciated”,
he says. “I’m trying to raise its profile by
not only shooting pretty pictures, but indeed finding the
art in Fynbos.” |
