Corporate Social Review Magazine 1st Quarter 2012 | Page 30

As Pieter said to me, South Africa has long struggled
to accept photography as an art form– certainly not
on the same level as painting or music or dance or
any of those obvious creative expressions. After all, a
photograph – no matter how beautiful – is still just a
photograph, isn’t it?
Pieter’s answer, like his pictures, was elegant and
compelling. “What is lost is the soul. That intangible
essence of the thing that exists between the digits;
between the technical specs. The difference between
a guy with a camera and an artist with a camera is
that the artist will give you something that speaks to
your soul.”
“Anyone can shoot a 1000 digital shots and hope to
get lucky. What I try to do is shoot a dozen perfect
pictures. And that ability to see with eyes that see,
and see so much more is the product of 43 years of
looking through the lens and seeing what cannot be
seen; freezing a moment.”
Pieter was on a roll now, shooting off words like a Digital shutter bug with a big memory card and no deadline … “Every business, every brand, everyone is always trying to cut through the clutter. We all strive to
make that connection, to get people to stop and see
– see our brand, see us, see our soul; the essence of
what and who we are.”
So, what makes these intangibles worth the price?
Not every picture paints a thousand words. Some of
them just sit and mutter in the corner. But the right pic-

ture, speaks a thousand words and a thousand more.
A great picture speaks to the soul …
Corporate art like Pieter’s is not a commodity. It’s not
just a glossy print on thick paper. It’s an investment in
something that is more than just valuable. It’s priceless.
Pieter’s Top Pic(k)s:
Pieter’s greatest desire is to show people the art that
happens between a great photographer and his lens.
Here’s a few places he suggests you look if you want
to feed your soul:
Nadev Kander – He’s a commercial photographer
who Pieter very much admires and a simple Google
search will reward you with some stunning, beautiful
and evocative images.
Harry de Zitter – He started in South Africa, but he’s
now a globally recognised commercial photographic
artist. Check out some of his work at: www.dezitter.
com/
Cindy Sherman – She recently sold a single print for
$3.9 millon. This is her website: www.cindysherman.
com/
Andreas Gursky–His photograph of the Rhine just
sold for $4.3 million. Google will show you images
and you’ll find out more about him here: www.matthewmarks.com/artists/andreas-gursky/
Important South African names:
David Goldblatt, possibley the most famous South Arican photographer whose Documentary/fine Art photorpahy is available through Linda Goodman Gallery.
Michael Meyersfeld, award winning Commercial and
Fine Art photographer whose work can be seen on
www.meyersfeld.com

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