Kelvin Trautman entered Red Bull illume back in 2016 with the hope of attracting the attention of some editors. Being selected in the Top 55 images, among the prodigious talent that the Image Quest 2016 allowed him to continue to push boundaries, and propelled his storytelling to higher levels.
Just over a year ago, Cape Town’s four million residents faced the reality of becoming the first major city in the world to completely run out of water. 'Day Zero' was the day when taps would run out and street water collection would become a reality in Cape Town.
To highlight the issue, Kelvin had the idea of having Bruna Kajiya attempt to kitesurf across Theewaterskloof at a time when it was only 11.4% full. Here is the project in his words:
“This series of images is of Bruna… formed part of photo project that was meant to put a spotlight on the Cape Town water crisis, and deliver a message that we, as a city, needed to change our relationship with water.
“A year later it has become a way to celebrate the power of collective action, not only because we managed to avoid a crisis but mostly for the way the people of Cape Town have fundamentally changed the way they save and use water.
“A series of aerial images of the some of the six feeder dams that hold the vast majority of Cape Town's drinking water. The images were taken at the height of the worst ever recorded drought that Cape Town and its surrounding areas have faced. The textures and patterns streaking the bottom of the drying dams were as both haunting as they were beautiful - this paradox made for a thought-provoking scene, and sharp reality check that I felt should be seen by as many people as possible.”
Artists, Athletes and Activists.
“I have always thought that as content creators we have such a powerful medium to educate, inspire and change minds for the better. In the same way, adventure athletes, whose profession is embedded in the wilderness, are aptly placed to be a voice for the environment, and as such deserve to be heard. I hope we can turn more artists and athletes into activists for our increasingly precarious natural world.”
See more of Kelvin's stories on Instagram!