As a photographer, a space with this much thought behind it gives you a lot to respond to.
Delaire Graff Estate’s reimagined Winery Building brings together architecture, interiors, art and craftsmanship in a way that feels incredibly considered. David Collins Studio returned to the project they first worked on when the Estate opened, reworking the interiors around natural materials, local craftsmanship and Laurence Graff’s collection of contemporary African art.
Looking beyond the room
You need the wider photographs that explain the architecture and design, of course.
But I’m always equally interested in the smaller moments: the way light catches the grain of timber, the depth of a marble surface, the relationship between an artwork and the room around it.
Perhaps that’s the designer in me.
There’s an incredible amount of material to respond to here. Dark-stained timber, richly veined marble, bronze, textured walls, colour, artwork and carefully considered lighting all sit alongside one another. David Collins Studio
The challenge is knowing when to show everything, and when to allow one small detail to tell the story.
“I’m not only trying to document what was designed. I’m trying to understand the thinking behind it.”
Photographing the thinking behind the design
I’m not only trying to document what was designed.
I’m trying to understand why it was designed that way, and then find a way of translating that into photographs.
That means moving between the larger architectural views that establish a sense of place and the quieter photographs that reveal material, light, texture and detail.
Because good interior photography shouldn’t simply be a record of a room.
It should reveal something about the thinking that created it.
Very proud of this body of work, and particularly pleased to see the photographs featured by David Collins Studio as part of their own presentation of the project. Their project page also credits the photography directly to Charles Russell.
Project information
Client — Delaire Graff Estate
Interior Design — David Collins Studio
Photography — Charles Russell
Location — Stellenbosch, South Africa