Skitterland Sitterland Sutherland

Lines, reflections, patterns, colour or the lack of colour in the scene with forlorn deck chairs caught my eye as I sipped my morning coffee, highlighting the beauty in ordinary details.

This became my theme for the day, and I planned to do the day’s photographs in monochrome to focus on shapes and textures, but the day's natural monochrome palette made all colours, like the stone steps, stand out vibrantly.

Geometric lines lead the eye, and the industrial lines of pipes, balustrades and steps in the cellar led my eye right to the center and slap bang into a portrait, which made me smile. I love to see a good plan come together, and that’s exactly what the designer of this space had in mind: a beautiful piece of art can function well in a place where wine, for example, is created. Highlighting these elements can inspire viewers to look more closely and find their own interest in everyday details.

One doesn’t have to look far to find an interesting reflection; the trick is to see it. My friend Hilde Cilliers’ philosophy is to see the extraordinary in the ordinary, to notice “eye candy”. Sometimes we have to move closer, step up, look down, or turn around to notice the beauty in the ordinary, which is all around us.

“The sky is blue today, Max, and there is a big, long cloud, and it's stretched out, like a rope. At the end of it, the sun is like a yellow hole. . . ― Markus Zusak, The Book Thief.