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A casual interview with Karl Andre Terblanche.
We're so excited to be speaking to you today Karl, we hear you're a man of many talents.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your first love, photography and film making.
- Thank you for talking with me. I'm Karl, I live in Swakop and I spend a lot of time behind a camera. The rest is history so to speak, hehe.
I've always sketched and painted and I guess photography became a natural extension to that - I probably started way back in 2003 when the first acceptable digital SLR's were released. I was living overseas at the time. And spent many weeks and months roaming around shooting landscapes and so forth.
I eventually relocated after 11 years overseas, back to my hometown Swakopmund. Here I have continued with my photography and also added videography to my skill set as it seemed a natural progression on my visual journey.
How long have you been at it?
- I've been a full time professional photographer since 2006 when I started supplying images to a specialist international image library. Wildlife and landscapes mostly.
I'm sure you have plenty of stories to tell but what is your absolute favourite project to date?
-My favourite project at the moment is a self funded and motivated documentary I'm working on about the lives of charcoal makers. It was pretty much prompted by the Covid lockdown and I'm about half way done.
That sounds very interesting indeed and we look forward to seeing more of that when you are all the way done. Keep us posted please!
So you're a guitarist too?
- l do play a bit of guitar yes....
Besides playing in a band (Project Mothball) you also collaborate with Angelique Punzul in Checkered Synergy, who we've also interviewed recently.
Tell us how you manage to keep the music alive in Covid times.
- Well I managed to go into 'Covid exile' on a farm and made sure I had my entire setup with me including a guitar or two. Here I manage to write and record and send the tracks to Angelique for her to sing over. It's not the ideal set up but it keeps things moving along.
We hear you're a song writer as well besides being such a talented guitarist.
What's you creative process?
- I don't really know if there is a specific process as such - but I tend to have aha moments, usually early in the morning and then one thing leads to another. Some songs take a little more work than others. I try and learn something new every day in all three of my pursuits. So I guess that could be a catalyst for kick starting songs etc. Haha I guess there is a process in there somewhere...
How do you find time to make it all happen and maintain such a high standard of work?
- Simple - make it a way of life. I'm pretty much immersed in either photography, video work or guitar playing all day long - every day. Still there never quite seems to be enough time to realise all the goals I have set myself.
We think most creatives feel that way, so just keep at it :) ;)
A little birdy told us you're quite the wizz in the kitchen too.
Is that how you make time to relax?
- Haha - I need to eat so I guess I had to learn. Seriously though, I enjoy cooking and it allows me to switch off from all the other stuff going on.
So you're telling us that you're a creative individual and that that creativity is reflected in all your interests.
Out of the three mentioned, which is your favourite pass time?
- That is definitely the case. I also grow bored extremely quickly and need to keep things fresh and new for myself. I don't have a favourite but all share equal importance in my life for different reasons.
As many people already know, you are one of the biggest sponsors of the SNM, covering every event with a camera in hand and supplying us with absolutely wonderful and invaluable footage.
In closing, tell us bout the SNM and what you feel it has done for the community.
- The SNM has been a wonderful platform for bringing people in the community together in a unique setting that shares and nurtures. I can't think of any other event in Swakop that has the same sense of neighbourliness as the night market. It does not come across corporate and soulless as many other events do. Hence I am onboard and happy to be a part of the SNM.
Karl has 14 years experience in the photography and videography industry and is available for any kind of photo shoots or video work anyone could possibly need may it be a family photo shoot or a big commercial of industrial project, he's done them all!
View his fb pages at:
- The Adventures of Karl Andre Terblanche
- Karl Andre Terblanche Photography
Contact him at:
+264 81 679 8850
karlterblanche@gmail.com