You’ve seen his incredible imagery on Instagram and may even be following him on Twitter, but Heinrich Knoetze’s – better known as @instacptguy – love for Cape Town runs far deeper than the scenic landscapes that fill his Instagram feed. Cape {Town} Etc quizzed him on his love for the city and how it’s influenced his work.
1 How has Cape Town influenced your photography style?
When it comes to my photography, I love landscapes. The sights of the city push me to constantly go out and photograph it – it’s ever-changing.
2 What do you love most about the Mother City?
How close nature is to the urban inner city – you can go from walking on Camps Bay beach to being on top of Table Mountain in minutes. From weather, walking on the promenade in Sea Point and hiking the numerous mountains in the Western Cape, to enjoying the cosmopolitan, urban aesthetic of Long Street and experiencing some of the best wines on the planet a stone’s throw away from the city centre, this city offers us so much and I simply can’t pinpoint a particular thing.
3 If a friend was visiting Cape Town for the first time, where would you take them first?
Lion’s Head for a sunrise. There’s nothing better than seeing the city awaken from the top of Lion’s Head.
4 Describe the city in three words.
Simply amazing place.
5 If you were to create a souvenir that represents Cape Town, what would it be or look like?
It would look something like those ships in a bottle, however, the bottle would be a clear wine bottle from one of the Cape’s oldest wine estates, such as Groot Constantia. The inside would contain sand from one of our pristine beaches (Blouberg comes to mind), with the classic Table Mountain view made from the soil or rock of Table Mountain and encased in water from the Atlantic ocean – like a snow globe.
6 What’s your favourite Cape catchphrase?
‘Lekker, my bru!’
7 Who are three Capetonians we should be following on Instagram?
Wine exporter and photographer Janik Alheit, @janikalheit
Content creator Dean Tucker, @visualrev
Photographer Francis Gersbach, @greatgrampops
For more amazing imagery from Heinrich, find him on Facebook.