#ThisIsSouthAfrica is an ongoing short film project by local videographer, Jacques Crafford that features some of South Africa’s most spectacular sights.
Article and videos by Jeffrey’s Bay-based videographer, Jacques Crafford.
My job as a traveling videographer has enabled me to see many beautiful destinations all over South-Africa. I would often arrive at a landscape and be completely overcome by the fact that I’m standing in my own country. As I shared photos of my travels with friends, I very quickly realised that a lot of people are unaware of the remarkable scenes we have right here in our own backyard. I started filming some of my favourite places with the idea of making a bigger film compilation still to be released at the end of the year.
Eventually, I had so much content, I realised that it’s going to be hard to put all of it in one film. I decided to share some shorts on Instagram in the meantime and the response was simple… please make more! So that’s what I’m doing at the moment. I’m slowly putting together a series of shorts displaying some of my favorite landscapes & adventures in South Africa. My goal is to stir within people the desire to explore more locally. People are quick to want to travel the world but often fail to realise how much there is to discover right under our noses.
So without further ado, here’s the first 4 clips I made so far. More to be released on my Instagram account later.
Blyde River Canyon – Panorama Route (Mpumalanga)
Hands down one of the best things to do in South-Africa is taking a drive along the Panorama Route in Mpumalanga. Though LOTS more can be seen along the way, I’ve included some shots of the following: God’s Window, Mac Mac Falls, and the legendary Blyde River Canyon!
Tsitsikamma – Garden Route (Eastern Cape)
Mountains, Ocean, Forests, Waterfalls, Caves and Canyons… this place has it all! Forming part of the incredible Garden Route it plays host to the famous Otter Trail, arguably the most beautiful hike in the country starting at the National Park in Stormsriver. This place more than any other makes me PROUD to say that this is South Africa.
The Valley of Desolation – Graaff-Reinet
Declared a “geological phenomenon”, the sheer cliff face offers incredibly scenic views of the Karoo landscape making the Valley of Desolation a MUST SEE in Graaff-Reinet
Kabeljous Lagoon – Jeffreys Bay (Eastern Cape)
Gotta love them Flamingos! I’ve always wanted to film them in flight like this… On this faithful morning, I hit the jackpot! By the way, that’s my hometown Jeffrey’s Bay in the background.
If you’d like to see more from Jacques you can visit his website. Alternatively, you can also follow him on Facebook, Instagram or Vimeo.
