by Jennifer Southwell
on August 17, 2017
2 min read

You may have heard the quote that success is when opportunity meets preparation. This is what photography is all about. For Samir Abdul this was the case as a seemingly dull day turned into an incredible photo opportunity, when he captured an iconic photo at the V&A Waterfront. The photo had an intensity about it with light breaking through among the busy wharf, which landed him among the runner ups in the Cape Town category, here is a bit more about him:

V&A Waterfront

Tell us a bit about yourself:

I’m a  39-year-old Capetonian professional in financial services. I am married with 2 children and in my spare time, I do photography and love running.

Can you tell us a bit more about your photo that is a runner up?

The photo was taken sunrise on the 3rd of May 2015. At the time I specialized in landscape photography and I’m always scouting around Cape Town for my next shot. On this morning, I found myself in Cape Town’s Waterfront region. The weather was not great as it was quite overcast and misty, I setup my tripod and camera with the intention of photographing the mist and clouds over Table Mountain. After photographing for about a half hour and just before packing up, the clouds and mist started clearing and the sun peaked out. The wonderful morning light burst through the clouds covering Table Mountain and created a perfect reflection on the water.

What do you love most about Cape Town?

I love the people, our way of life and obviously the natural beauty. We also have the best sunrises and sunsets in the world!

How long have you been doing photography? Do you do it professionally?

I’ve been into photography for about 2 years. At first, it was purely a hobby but recently I’ve been taking it more seriously. Over the past year, I have begun taking on photography work, launched the Myphotocorner brand and grown my web and social media presence.

Do you have any tips for capturing the perfect Cape Town moment?

Yes, you have to be passionate about photography and about Cape Town. While there are always opportunities to take nice photos in the City, it really takes dedication to the craft and the drive to be in the right place at the right time to capture that special moment.

What do you find most beautiful about Africa?

For me, it’s the mountain and the sea!

What would you suggest travellers to Africa should add to their bucket lists?

Cape Town is one of the few places in the world where you can witness the sun rise and set into the ocean, so I would definitely urge visitors to check out the following places.

    • Sunrise
      • Muizenberg
      • Kalk bay Harbour
      • Cape Point (winter entry time is before sunrise)
      • Fish Hoek beach
    • Sunset
      • Lagoon Beach Milnerton
      • Noordhoek Beach
      • Chapmans peak
      • Sunset beach
      • Clifton
      • Llandudno
      • Big Bay