Signal Hill | 26th April 2024 | Standard Lifestyle Package | 17h10-18h10
Cherrod, a fellow photographer, and her husband traveled all the way from Australia to attend a wedding, explore South Africa, and experience one of the windiest photo shoot I've ever done.
If you're not from Cape Town or have never visited before you'd be amazed just how windy it can get. I generally tend to reschedule shoots when there are anything more than 6 meters per second winds predicted, but with a tight travel itinerary and the possibility of rain on its way we had to make the most of it. I told Cherrod that with the right attitude, you can make anything work. If they're willing to brave the wind, commit fully, have fun, be uncomfortable, embrace the reality and not expect picture perfect photos, we'd be able to capture pretty unique, and memorable memories.
And with that, we set off to photograph their holiday couple shoot on the scenic Signal Hill with 12 meter per second winds and clear skies. The result was unique indeed, and we laughed through the whole session. Although it was really challenging I don't think either of us regrets it, in a way, the less favourable weather made the photos and experience even more memorable. I've made a little the moment vs the photos reel on Instagram to fully showcase the reality of the intense wind speeds we experienced.
Signal Hill is the undefeated fan favourite for me personally, other local South Africans, and international travelers when it comes to sunset sessions. It offers a 360-degree view of Cape Town where you can view the iconic Table Mountain, Lion's Head, Robin Island, City Bowl, Sea Point, and the ocean coast. Besides the scenic views, Cape Town is known for stellar sunsets. I'm talking about dripping golden light, purple mountains, and pink skies - ensuring an unforgettable experience and extraordinary lighting for photos. Unfortunately, it comes at the price of unpredictable weather and strong winds on most days. I trust YR for my weather forecast but as dependable as it is I've still been surprised by the weather on Signal Hill.
"The wind is most present between October and March. And while it can be frustrating, it's locally referred to as the Cape Doctor, because it keeps our air clean and hot days cooled."
What do you think of the end results? Would you be brave enough to shoot in Cape Town's extreme winds or would you prefer to postpone/cancel?
