MARCH 2004 – View along the historic buildings belonging to ‘The Adderley’ complex in Cape Town, South Africa. Photo © Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com
The story behind the image
During our 2004 trip to South Africa we spent the first couple of nights in the city center of Cape Town to get into an African mood for the rest of the trip. We were excited and a bit nervous, too. (Spoiler: The trip turned out to be perfect.)
The photo above shows five buildings in Adderley Street, seen from the corner at Church Street. Up to 1850, the street was known as Heerengracht and was the main street of the city. Then it got renamed in honour of Charles B. Adderley, a British parliamentarian who championed the Cape Colony’s resistance to becoming a penal settlement. The new Adderley Street became a symbol for wealth, elegance, power, and had a thriving urban spirit. (More information and further images can be found on theadderley.co.za.)
Today, the buildings are overtowered by a large high rise just a few steps down the street. Some of the buildings date back as far back as 1903, but the gaps have been closed over time with more modern buildings. On the right we can still see a large gap from the second floor upwards. This has been closed as well between 2004 and 2009 (see image below.)
For photographers, Adderley Street is more than just a street. It’s a journey through time and a view into the cultural melting pot of Cape Town’s soul.
Design ideas
The high resolution image
| Capture Date & Time | 02-MAR-2004 |
| Location | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Camera | Canon AE-1 Program |
| Image Source | Fuji Slide Film |
| Digital Image Source | EPSON Perfection 4870 Photo |
| Digital Image Source Format | TIFF, 48 bits/pixel, sRGB |
| Edited Image Format | JPEG, 24 bits/pixel, sRGB |
| Edited Image Dimensions | 4304 x 6475 Pixels |
| Copyright | © by Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com |
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