Some of South Africa’s top photographers are coming to Barrydale for the 3rd annual Analog Photography Festival. From 9 – 19 December the Klein Karoo village will celebrate pictures shot on film and processed in the dark, an alchemy combining light physics, chemistry and creative artistry.
Local photography icon Obie Oberholzer is bringing a major hand-printed exhibition, along with award-winning photojournalist Guy Tillim, master printer Dennis da Silva and maverick artist Beezy Bailey.
The festival based in the Karoolkie cellar features exhibitions, workshops and talks, books, cameras and photographs for sale, old movie screenings, a mobile darkroom and a camera obscura in a vintage caravan for visitors to immerse themselves in the analog experience.
The festival was created by visionary photographer Graham Abbott, an analog entrepreneur with a passion for non-digital cameras and vintage analog technology including turntables, VHS machines, typewriters and movie projectors.
“Despite everything going digital, there is a powerful awakening among all generations of the craft of a hand-printed picture made with patience and skill,” says Abbott. “The Barrydale Analog Photography Festival is bringing old and new work under one roof for public appreciation and to inspire a new era of analog photographers.”
Among other exhibition highlights this year are photographs from the Drum magazine archive, including Ranjith Kally, Bob Gosani and GR Naidoo; as well as photographers Graham Abbot, Tim Hopwood and Stellenbosch Academy students. Tiaan van Deventer is exhibiting work shot in 2022 on a giant camera obscura at Afrika Burn in the Tankwa Karoo.
