Shoot! Wined & Wacky! How to Shoot a Wine Festival

Words & Photos: Jacques Marais

Category: 
Photography

Dream job? Yeah, kinda … I mean, who would not want to go and shoot the action at the annual Wacky Wine Festival, held each June in the Cape Winelands?

 

 

Every year, the crowds descend on Robertson’s ‘Valley of Roses’, in the mood for a rural hoe-down and with their wine glasses at the ready. Placards and posters advertise everything from cellar visits, brandy tastings, lang-arm dancing, bands and DJs, pageants, mountain bike races, and a range of other outdoor events. This year, for the first time, the crew from MERRELL and Mountain Runner events were on hand at the gorgeous Arabella Wine Estate to present a series of trail runs to an enthusiastic outdoor crowd.

 

Having recently switched to the SONY range of α SLT Cameras, this would be my first major event to be covered with the new gear. I knew their range of quality Carl Zeiss lenses would never disappoint – this manufacturer is after all the benchmark by which other optical brands have been judged for generations – but I would have to get used to a number of Sony innovations based on their Translucent Mirror Technology.

 

Once I had synced into the easy-to-use electronic viewfinder, there was no going back. At night, this lit up scenes automatically, making dark-zone composition a cinch. This especially came in handy during the MERRELL Night Run, enabling me to compose and track athletes despite the constantly changing light (or lack thereof). That said, there will be a steep learning curve every time you switch equipment, but I am extremely proud to have been chosen as a SONY Ambassador here in South Africa.

 

For more information on MERRELL events and Wacky Wine Festival, feel free to sneak a peek at www.wackywineweekend.co.za or www.merrell.co.za

 

Image 1: Man on a Mission

The Shot: MERRELL athlete Jacques Mouton leads the field along the 16 km trail run route through the mountains above Excelsior Wine Estate. The beautiful course, put together by Mountain Runner Events, combined fynbos, vineyards, horse paddocks, and all that is beautiful in the Robertson Valley.

 

The Specifications: 1/750th sec @ f5.6; SONY α99 Body + 70-400 mm lens; ISO 400; WB Setting (Auto); AE Setting (0 EV); No flash; Contrast applied in Adobe Lightroom. More Information: www.mountainrunner.co.za

 

Image 2: Fynbos & Fresh Air

The Shot: A lone runner thumps along the fynbos ridges during the MERRELL Trail Run. Wide-sky views of the Cape Winelands took your mind off the tough climbs, while running through the vineyard lanes added a new dimension to this exciting addition to the Wacky Wine Festival.

 

The Specifications: 1/1,000th sec @ f5.6; SONY α99 Body + 70-400 mm lens; ISO 400; WB Setting (Auto); AE Setting (0 EV); No flash; Polaroid filter applied in Adobe Lightroom. More Information: www.sony.co.za

 

 

Image 3: Rally Running

The Shot: The Dimopolous family navigates a winding route through the Arabella Wine Estate vineyards during the MERRELL Rally Run. This Sunday morning excursion saw athletes using a rally-style road book to find their way along a 6 km course in search of checkpoints.

 

The Specifications: 1/200th sec @ f4.5; SONY α99 Body + 70-400 mm lens; ISO 125; WB Setting (Auto); AE Setting (0 EV); On-camera flash from HVL-F60M unit; No post-processing. More Information: www.merrell.co.za

 

Image 4: Get Outside!

The Shot: A combination of the amazing SONY 16 mm fish-eye lens and α99 full-frame sensor frames capture both the action and stunning landscape along the challenging 16 km trail run route. A low angle of view enhances the image by etching the athletes against the sky.

 

The Specifications: 1/200th sec @ f8; SONY α99 Body + 16 mm fish-eye lens; ISO 50; WB Setting (Auto); AE Setting (-1 EV); On-camera flash from HVL-F60M unit; No post-processing. More Information: www.jacquesmarais.co.za

 

Image 5: Jump for Joy

The Shot: Part of the fun at the Wacky Wine Festival is that you do not have to be a Usain Bolt to partake in the action. These guys took a leisurely stroll through the Arabella vineyards in their fancy dress costumes, quaffing the odd glass of wine along the 7 km MERRELL Trail Run route. They probably had the most fun of anyone I saw on the day!

 

The Specifications: 1/400th sec @ f11; SONY α99 Body + 16 mm fisheye lens; ISO 50; WB Setting (Auto); AE Setting (-1 EV); On-camera flash from an HVL-F60M; No post-processing. More Information: www.sony.co.za

 

Image 6: Join the Party!

The Shot: At night, the action moves from the trail to the tents, and few spots could boast more of a vibe than the marquee at Arabella Wine Estate. Bands such as Paradigm, a selection of top DJs, wine bars, and food stalls entertained revellers late into the night. The high-ISO capabilities of the SONY EXMOR Sensor allowed me to capture superb night-time images.

 

The Specifications: 1/40th sec @ f2.8; SONY α99 Body + 16 mm fisheye lens; ISO 800; WB Setting (Auto); AE Setting (0 EV); No flash; Contrast and filter applied in Adobe Lightroom. More Information: www.arabellawines.com