Cape Town Photo Tour

CAPE TOWN PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR, PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP AND VOLUNTEER PHOTOGRAPHY

I’m thrilled to announce that I will have the opportunity to share my love of Cape Town from October 20-27, 2019. It will be one part photography tour, one part photography workshop, and you will have an opportunity to give back with your photography as a volunteer photographer.

A Little Background

I’m the photographer and writer behind the wanderingiPhone.com travel and photography blog. I’ve been a professional photographer since 2003, and a photography educator and volunteer photographer since 2013. I am based in Toronto, Canada but make annual visits to Cape Town, where I started a women’s mobile photography program.

give back with photography, volunteer photographer program
This is a collage of the photos taken by the participants of the first year of The Heart of a Woman Project in South Africa. It was on display at the 1st-anniversary exhibition. Photo by Andrea Rees.

THE HEART OF A WOMAN PROJECT (THOAW)

I founded a women’s mobile photography initiative, The Heart of a Woman Project (THOAW) after a visit to eKhaya eKasi in Khayelitsha. In December 2012, while on a responsible tourism tour with Uthando South Africa I met Director Lulama Sihlabeni. After a conversation with Lulama about ways to attract visitors and generate funds, I came up with the mobile photography project idea.

In November 2013, THOAW partnered with eKhaya eKasi, a non-profit organization to implement a women’s mobile photography program.

THE IDEA

The idea was for women at eKhaya eKasi to learn photography to promote what they do through digital communications. They could take photos of their beadwork, other products and events and tell their stories in-house.

Noticing there weren’t photography products in the on-site art boutique, I thought of the idea of creating postcards of Township life. As eKhaya eKasi welcomes tourists, postcards could be sold on-site as a way to generate funds for the Centre.

THE MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

In November 2013, I led a photography workshop with nine women over 11 days. They were taught photography using previously owned iPhones that were donated. They also learned social media and basic computer skills, and we set up their social media accounts. They learned ‘how to google’ and we spent a few days photographing Khayelitsha. At the end of the 11-days, each participant received 200 postcards of their photo, to sell in the art boutique. Income generated by the postcards has helped the women to pay for school fees, clothes, transportation and food. Six months later, I returned to lead another photography workshop. We launched greeting cards and organized a photo walk in Khayelitsha with local photographers from Cape Town.

eKhaya eKasi uses the iPhones they’ve had since 2013 (and others I’ve brought through the years), to document what is happening at the Centre. I’m happy to report that in 2019, postcards sales remain a significant source of income for eKhaya eKasi.

I have returned to Cape Town and Khayelitsha many times (all of my trips have been self-funded) where I continued to teach and assist where I was needed. When I was not in Cape Town, I continued to mentor from my home in Toronto, Canada using digital technology. I’ve learned so much by being immersed, more than I ever could have as a tourist only.

women's mobile photography community project and non-profit photography workshop
Yolanda Nkatula and Aviwe Dalingozi photograph the mural on a shipping container, home to Mama Blessing Hair Salon in Khayelitsha. Photo by Andrea Rees
women's empowerment through digital literacy in khayelitsha,
Esther takes her turn with the project’s laptop with her peers encouraging her and assisting. Photo by Andrea Rees.

THOAW GOALS

When thinking of long-term goals for the project in South Africa (and future projects), it was always a hope that I could bring people with me.  It would allow the visitors an opportunity to support local tourism, small businesses, and support eKhaya eKasi directly. They would be able to experience the country and the culture in a meaningful way. That would, in turn, bring more awareness to Khayelitsha as people returned to their country and shared stories from their trip.

BEAUTIFUL KHAYELITSHA AND ITS PEOPLE

There are many positive things taking place in Khayelitsha, from tourism initiatives to community projects. With high rates of unemployment, entrepreneurship is the catalyst for survival. Local women and men work tirelessly to uplift their communities. Centres like eKhaya eKasi provide opportunities for residents to learn skills and entrepreneurship. The hand-up model is sustainable, and the possibilities are endless.

The cross-cultural exchange happens more effortlessly when you immerse yourself in a place for a longer time; being a volunteer photographer can provide that opportunity.

photo tour and photography workshop in cape town october 2019
The view from Signal Hill of Table Mountain and Lions Head. Photo by Andrea Rees

CAPE TOWN PHOTO TOUR, VOLUNTEER PHOTOGRAPHY & PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

I’ve partnered with Penda Photo Tours who are known for their incredible photo tours around the world including places like Uganda, Madagascar, Iceland, Alaska, Cuba and more.

The tour will highlight the beautiful landscapes, vibrant cultures, incredible wildlife, non-profit organizations and responsible tourism 

A UNIQUE PHOTO TOUR EXPERIENCE

In Cape Town, you will explore tourism in Khayelitsha and support a local tourism organization. You will work with small, locally-run community projects and non-profit organizations in two ways. Firstly, you will help run mobile photography workshops for women with The Heart of a Woman Project. We will partner with a community project or non-profit organization wanting to learn photography as a way to promote what they do. They will use photography to photograph their products and events and tell their stories using social media and the Internet. Secondly, you will have the chance to be a volunteer photographer and photograph a non-profit organization. You will retain all copyright to your images but will donate licensing to the photos to help them with their fundraising and digital communications efforts.

CAPE TOWN, ON AND OFF THE TOURIST TRAIL

In addition to volunteer photography on this photo tour, we’ll explore the many highlights that Cape Town is known for. Places like Table Mountain, the penguins, sunset on Signal Hill, the V&A Waterfront, Cape Peninsula and much more will be on our 7-day Cape Town itinerary. We will visit some of my favourite places not typically found on the tourist trail, and there will be ample photo opportunities. I will take you to the beautiful scenic spots and provide one on one instruction along the way in travel photography, landscape, portrait or non-profit photography. This photo tour offers an immersive experience and an opportunity to travel with purpose as we learn about and work with the incredible community projects in Khayelitsha.

LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY?

ALL photography levels and cameras welcome. Whether you love to take photos with your smartphone or enjoy creating images with your mirrorless or DSLR camera, you’re welcome to join us. Much of what I teach will apply to any camera as it is about the art of seeing and storytelling. 

For your non-photography companions, there will be plenty to see and do, and they will have photographic opportunities should they wish to join in.

mobile photography workshop and cape town photo tour
Dusk at St. James Beach in Cape Town, South Africa. Photo by Andrea Rees

ADDITIONAL READING:

From Penda Photo Tours:
From Penda Trust
From The heART of a Woman Project:
From wanderingiPhone:

Visit wanderingiPhone Instagram and Instagram stories account and check out the ‘highlight’s’ on my Instagram profile from my recent visit to Cape Town. I also share content at @AndreaReesPhoto on Instagram