Umhlanga
Umhlanga editorial shoot
Journal boxes and forms for a press feature week.
Field notes: Umhlanga editorial shoot setup
The editorial shoot location was a coastal loft in Umhlanga, with floor-to-ceiling glass drawing in humid sunrise light and strong afternoon glare. Setting up the Journal Box Edition and Veld Tray meant working within a compact, open-plan space with sea salt in the air and a constant background of distant surf. The floors were pale terrazzo, which reflected both natural and artificial light, so placement of the Baobab Lamp (in its oiled kiaat and brushed brass version, 490mm high) required careful adjustment to avoid unwanted glare in the shots.
On delivery morning, we protected the forms with wraps in the back of the bakkie, bracing for the sticky Durban humidity that can warp untreated woods. Each Journal Box Edition was set out on a weathered oak table, the sandblasted finish catching the light nicely for close-ups, while the Veld Tray's blackened steel frame held its shape and resisted finger marks despite repeated handling. Power points for the lamp were limited, so we routed the cable subtly under a woven rug, keeping the focus on the piece rather than on practicalities.
The shoot ran through several layouts, including scene changes from a morning coffee setting to an evening wind-down. The Baobab Lamp's diffused shade tamed the harsh sunlight, its dowel stem echoing the vertical lines of the sliding glass doors. Between takes, we checked for corrosion or stickiness on the brass, but found the finish held up. The compact scale of each object made them easy to shift, without crowding the set or overwhelming the magazine’s request for 'editorial quietness.'
What worked and carried over
Several aspects of this Umhlanga shoot proved useful for later setups along the coast and in inland foyers. The experience highlighted how materials perform in humid, salty environments, and how our forms interact with strong natural light. The easy-to-move dimensions (Veld Tray 450x250mm, Journal Box 320x210x70mm) allowed for quick reconfigurations, which proved valuable in later editorial and gallery settings.
We also learned to plan for cable management and to anticipate the effect of coastal light and reflective flooring on how wood, metal and finishes photograph. The sandblasted oak and blackened steel both held their tone, which became a point of confidence for later site-specific pieces.
- Refined methods for cable concealment in open spaces
- Proved resilience of sandblasted oak and blackened steel in coastal air
- Optimised object sizing for flexible editorial arrangements
- Improved packing to protect finishes from humidity in transit
What we would change next time
If we were to repeat an editorial week like this in Umhlanga, we would coordinate even more closely with local stylists to pre-empt how props and natural light affect the forms. The reflective terrazzo floors created harsh bounce in some images, so we'd bring optional non-slip felt pads to slightly raise objects and break up direct reflections during shooting.
We'd also pre-fit rubber grommets for the Baobab Lamp’s cable to keep it taut and tidy, especially for shots where every detail is scrutinised. Finally, given the rapid weather shifts along the coast, we'd allow for a backup session to reshoot any affected setups, ensuring consistency across the whole editorial run. Any future team in Umhlanga or similar conditions can reach us at atelier@creationafrica.co.za for advice on these points.